Category: Africa

With a cold front expected to bring very cold, wet and windy conditions to parts of the country from Sunday, government is urging the public to remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has advised that a cold front is expected to make landfall over the Western and Northern Cape, bringing cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions, rough seas and snowfall over mountainous areas.

The system is expected to move eastwards, with these conditions spreading to the Eastern Cape and further inland. Snow is expected over mountainous areas of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, while there is a lower probability of light snow over some other higher-lying areas.

The expected conditions may result in localised flooding, damaging winds, rough seas, very cold conditions and snowfall over mountainous areas, with potential impacts on communities, infrastructure and travel. Farmers are urged to take appropriate measures to protect livestock from the cold, including ensuring that animals have access to safe, sheltered and adequately protected areas.

“Government, through the relevant authorities, is monitoring the developing weather system and calls on communities, motorists, farmers and other members of the public to remain informed and take appropriate precautions,” Acting Government Spokesperson, Nomonde Mnukwa said on Friday.

Members of the public are urged to:
•    Monitor the latest SAWS weather forecasts and warnings and follow guidance issued by disaster management authorities.
•    Plan journeys carefully and check weather and road conditions before travelling, particularly in areas where heavy rain, snow or strong winds are expected.
•    Exercise extra caution when driving in adverse weather conditions, reduce speed, maintain a safe following distance and use headlights where visibility is poor.
•    Never attempt to cross flooded roads, bridges or fast-flowing water, either on foot or in a vehicle. Turn around and seek a safer alternative route.
•    Exercise particular caution when travelling through mountainous areas and mountain passes, where snowfall may result in slippery roads, hazardous driving conditions, road closures and travel disruptions.
•    Communities living in low-lying and flood-prone areas should remain alert to rising water levels. 
•    Secure loose objects, equipment and structures around homes and properties that could be displaced or damaged by strong winds.
•    Ensure that children, older persons, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable members of communities are adequately protected from the cold.

“Government further calls on the public to rely on official and verified information from government, bona fide media and SAWS. The South African Weather Services provides regular updates via mainstream media and social media. You can also access more information on their website: https://www.weathersa.co.za/,” she said.

Government also called on the public to avoid sharing unverified weather reports that may cause confusion or unnecessary concern.

“Members of the public are urged to remain alert, plan ahead and prioritise safety,” said Mnukwa.

READ | Cold, wet and windy conditions expected for the long weekend

The weather service said it expects the upper-air trough is expected to deepen even further as it moves over the central to eastern parts of the country, spreading the cold to very cold conditions with rain and showers further inland, while scattered to widespread rain and showers are expected over the southern parts of the country on Monday, 10 August. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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While urging eligible South Africans to cast their vote in the upcoming Local Government Elections, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has also called on voters to ensure peaceful, credible, free, and fair municipal elections.

“Minister Hlabisa urges all South Africans to ensure peaceful, credible, free, and fair municipal elections. The Minister [has] urged all South Africans, especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and people in rural areas under different traditional authorities to go out to strengthen democracy by voting in the coming elections on 04 November 2026,” the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) said.

This is as Minister Hlabisa gazetted the date of the municipal elections, as published in Government Gazette No. 55162, on Friday. 

READ | Minister gazettes date of Local Government Elections

“The Minister of CoGTA has the responsibility in terms of the Constitution, section 159 read with the Municipal Structures Act, which prescribes that at the end of a five-year term of local government, elections must be held within a period of 90 days. Gazetting of the election date means that the IEC will close the voters’ roll and registration for the election will stop as the elections are drawing closer,” said the department.

The Minister thanked citizens who ensured that they are registered and their names appear in the voters’ roll following the registration drive undertaken by the Electoral Commission.

Online registration and updating of voter registration details for the upcoming elections closed at midnight on Friday.

“Following the gazetting of the election date and the closure of the voters’ roll, the IEC [Electoral Commission] will over the course of the election period provide updates on processes until the election date. As the gazetting of the date signals the beginning of the election period, we are now all looking towards voting day,” the department said.

The gazette can be accessed here: https://www.cogta.gov.za/index.php/2026/08/07/45019/ 

At a media briefing on Friday, the Electoral Commission welcomed the proclamation of 4 November 2026 as the election date. The Commission also announced the publication of the Election Timetable.

The timetable serves as the guiding framework for various preparations, ranging from the finalisation and certification of the voters’ roll for these elections to candidate nominations, objections, voting arrangements, special votes and the declaration of results. –SAnews.gov.za 

 

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A chance encounter with a German tourist in a restaurant in Vilakazi Street, Soweto, has transformed North West farmer Mems Ramaila’s curiosity about beekeeping into a thriving agribusiness.

Today, her company, Bee African, is gaining recognition as one of the few women-led enterprises making significant strides in South Africa’s largely male-dominated beekeeping industry.

Ramaila, a lucerne farmer based near Brits in the North West, says her journey into beekeeping began with a simple question: What could she do with the bees that constantly swarmed around her farm?

“I had always been interested in beekeeping and wondered how I could make use of the bees that were already part of my farming environment. A casual conversation with a German tourist in Vilakazi Street in 2019 changed everything,” she said.

The tourist introduced her to internationally acclaimed honey judge Arie Krieke, who later travelled to South Africa and spent three weeks at her farm in the same year (2019) sharing his expertise in beekeeping and honey production.

“By then, I had already done extensive research and realised that beekeeping had strong income-generating potential, while also delivering significant environmental and socio-economic benefits,” Ramaila said.

Today, Bee African’s farm is a hive of activity. More than 50 beehives are spread across the property, with the constant buzz of bees and the sweet aroma of honey reflecting a business that has grown from primary honey production into value-added agro-processing.

Ramaila’s success has been further accelerated through her participation in the Partnering in Business with Germany Programme, an initiative of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

The programme is designed to strengthen trade and investment ties between South Africa and Germany by equipping emerging South African exporters with the knowledge and networks needed to access international markets.

“My three-week visit to Germany in 2025 through the dtic and GIZ programme was a turning point for my business. Not only did I gain valuable insights into accessing the German and broader European markets, but I also secured a Memorandum of Agreement with a respected German beekeeping company, Kriel Honig,” Ramaila explained.

Beneficiation
The partnership has already yielded tangible results. In February 2026, the company’s owner, Utha Bonowsky, spent a month in South Africa training the Bee African team in value addition and the beneficiation of bee products.

“We learned to manufacture premium beeswax candles, honey condiments and other specialty products. These products have expanded our offering well beyond raw honey. And the consumer response has been overwhelmingly positive,” noted Ramaila.

She said sales are growing rapidly because the company produces unique, high-quality specialty food and wellness products aimed at the premium market.

“We mainly reach our customers through pop-up markets, and the demand continues to increase at an unexpected speed,” she said.

The growing popularity of Bee African’s products has attracted the attention of major shopping centres, which have invited the company to showcase its products to their customers.
“Our value proposition goes beyond selling honey. We are trading wellness. Honey and other bee products offer nutritional and medicinal benefits, including supporting gut health, and consumers appreciate that,” she stressed.

With demand continuing to grow, Ramaila says the next priority is expanding and commercialising the business.

“Our goal is to scale up production and contribute to increasing South Africa’s domestic honey output, as the country still relies heavily on imported honey. However, access to land remains one of the biggest barriers facing black producers who want to grow in the sector,” she said.

Education and growth 
Beyond commercial success, Bee African is committed to environmental education. The company regularly hosts school learners at its farm, teaching them about the essential role bees play in biodiversity, pollination and sustainable agriculture.

The business has also diversified into manufacturing beekeeping equipment and customised gift boxes while generating additional income through educational farm experiences for visitors.

“We are proud of how far we have come. We have evolved from beekeeping and raw honey production into producing premium value-added products that continue to gain popularity in the market,” Ramaila said.

Although Bee African currently employs three people, Ramaila believes the business has significant potential to create more employment opportunities.

“With the support we have received from the dtic and our international partners, we are optimistic about the future. Our vision is to grow the business, create more jobs, and empower more women and young people to participate in the beekeeping value chain,” she concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has called on South Africans to rally behind 17-year-old Sinenhlanhla Sikhulile Nkosi, as he prepares to represent the country at the prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) in Sweden later this month.

Sinenhlanhla, a Grade 11 learner at Sitintile Secondary School in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, made history as the first learner from the province to win the department’s flagship 2026 South African Youth Water Prize (SAYWP).

He now has an opportunity to earn international recognition through the Stockholm Junior Water Prize People’s Choice Award, where members of the public can vote for his project online.

The South African Youth Water Prize is an annual DWS programme that encourages learners in Grades 9 to 11 to develop innovative, science-based solutions to real water challenges affecting their schools and communities.

Over the years, the competition has nurtured some of the country’s brightest young minds and provided a platform for future scientists, engineers and environmental leaders.

Nkosi secured the national title with his project, “The Sentinel Barrier”, an innovative silicone-based elastomeric coating applied to the interior of PET plastic bottles.

The invention helps prevent microplastics and harmful chemicals from leaching into drinking water, offering a practical solution to some of the biggest environmental and public health concern.

As South Africa’s representative, Sinenhlanhla will compete alongside some of the world’s most promising young scientists at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in a few weeks, competing against students from more than 30 countries, all sharing their passion for water and environmental issues.

The department has encouraged members of the public to support Sinenhlanhla by voting for his project in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize People’s Choice Award.

“Every vote is a vote of confidence in a young South African whose innovation and determination have taken him from a classroom in Mpumalanga to one of the world’s most respected science platforms,” the department said.

Members of the public can cast their votes by visiting the Stockholm Junior Water Prize People’s Choice Award web page: https://stockholmwaterfoundation.org/stockholm-junior-water-prize/peoples-choice-award/. Select Sinenhlanhla Sikhulile Nkosi’s project, “Barrier coatings for reducing microplastic release and chemical leaching in plastic containers” and then submit your vote.

Voting is open until 15 August 2026. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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As the first Black South African woman to earn a university degree in the United States in 1901, struggle stalwart Charlotte Mannya Maxeke broke barriers and laid the foundation for generations of women to pursue education, leadership and social change.

More than a century later, her legacy lives on through the Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Trust Fund, which provides financial assistance to young women pursuing higher education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, helping those at risk of dropping out because of financial constraints.

The fund assists students by covering financial shortfalls, outstanding fees, and registration gaps that could prevent them from continuing their studies or graduating.

“This year marks the 125th anniversary of Mama Charlotte Maxeke’s graduation from university. We want to ensure that her legacy continues through this education fund. We want to ensure that women continue to thrive, because women contribute in unique ways,” Ambassador for the Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute (CMMI), Dr Zanele Matsane, said.

The lecturer in Construction Management and Quantity Surveying at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) was speaking at the inaugural International Portraits of Power exhibition, hosted by the CMMI in partnership with The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa and participating diplomatic missions.

More than an art exhibition, Portraits of Power serves as a mentorship platform that brings together international women leaders, diplomats, cultural practitioners, South African artists, art students and emerging women leaders.

The initiative seeks to inspire the next generation of leaders and artists through direct engagement with international role models while fostering cultural exchange, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Matsane emphasised that education extends beyond financial support, highlighting the importance of networks and meaningful partnerships in enabling women to succeed. 

She also encouraged diplomats to collaborate with the foundation to broaden opportunities and global exposure for young women.

“Education is about networks. It is about understanding multiple disciplines, cultures and history. So, we stand here today to invite everyone present – Your Excellencies and our esteemed colleagues – to please keep those doors open.

“When we knock and ask to be invited into those positions of power, please keep those doors open for us as well. I can only imagine the incredible opportunities we will create when we bring these young girls and young women together to work and network with people from different nationalities, learning about one another’s histories,” Matsane said.

Co-founder and Managing Director of Joncto & Zondi Inc., Khonzi Zondi, said creating opportunities for young women is essential to building a more equitable future.

“We are products of the opportunities that were given to us and the paths that were paved by others. Through Mam Charlotte, we see the importance of education; it opens doors, opportunities and networks. I would not be an attorney without education.

“We are truly honoured and privileged, as an education trust fund, to partner with you in shaping the future of young women in our country and wherever opportunities are needed through our fund,” said Zondi, who also serves as an ambassador for the foundation.

Matsane added that the foundation wants the students it supports to develop a broader understanding of the world beyond South Africa by learning about the global diaspora and the women whose contributions paved the way for future generations.

“Maya Angelou once said that a man will work if you give him a job, but women are always building connections. They are always finding ways to relate their work to the greater community,” Matsane said.
The International Portraits of Power exhibition was launched in Pretoria on Tuesday as part of a series of legacy projects commemorating the 155th anniversary of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke’s birth.

The exhibition celebrates extraordinary women whose courage, leadership and achievements have shaped nations and inspired generations. It features portraits endorsed by 15 participating embassies representing countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

The event takes place during Women’s Month, which is being observed under the theme: “Empowered Women Empower the Nation.”  –SAnews.gov.za
 

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Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister (CoGTA),  Velenkosini Hlabisa, on Friday gazetted the proclamation of the 2026 Local Government Elections date.

“In terms of section 24(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998), I, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, hereby call an election of all municipal councils and set 04 November 2026 as the date for such an election,” the Minister said in the Government Gazette dated 7 August 2026.

In terms of Section 159 of the Constitution, read together with the Municipal Structures Act, the Minister of CoGTA is responsible for proclaiming the date of local government elections, which must be held within 90 days after the expiry of a five-year municipal term.

Earlier in the week, the Minister urged all eligible South Africans to register and verify their voter registration details before the proclamation of the 2026 Local Government Elections date on 7 August 2026.

The proclamation and gazetting of the election date sees the closure of the voters’ roll for the 2026 elections.

The gazette can be accessed here: https://www.cogta.gov.za/cgta_2016/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Government-Gazette.pdf

The gazetting of the election date follows a successful voter registration weekend held on 1 and 2 August 2026, during which approximately 1.7 million citizens interacted with the Electoral Commission (IEC). Of these, 291 806 registered as first-time voters, while more than 1.5 million voters updated or confirmed their registration details.

At the time, the Minister reminded voters that, in local government elections, citizens may only vote in the ward where they are registered. 

He encouraged voters to make use of the IEC’s Online Voter Registration Portal and voter verification services to confirm their registration status.

The gazette comes as the Electoral Commission updated the nation on the key dates in the election timetable as the country marches towards the 4 November polls. This is as several hours are left before the midnight deadline for South Africans to register or update their details online ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

In a post on social media platform X, on Thursday, the Commission said: “Your vote starts with registration. Proclamation on 7 August [at] midnight. Online registration closes then.”

Voters who were unable to visit a registration station during the weekend can register or update their details through the IEC’s Online Voter Registration portal before the registration period closes. 

The registration portal can be accessed on: https://registertovote.elections.org.za

Voters can also register via WhatsApp. To use the service, voters can WhatsApp “Hi” to 0600 88 0000. The platform uses secure identity verification, including one-time password authentication, ID document uploads, address verification, and voting-station confirmation.

Citizens can register from the age of 16, although only those who are 18 or older are eligible to vote.

The IEC has also stressed the importance of ensuring that registration details are correct, particularly for voters who have moved. 

In local government elections, voters must vote at the voting station where they are registered, meaning those who have changed addresses should update their details before the deadline.

Voters can check their registration status by SMSing “myID” followed by their ID number to 32810.

The IEC’s contact centre, 0800 11 8000, is also available to assist with registration queries.  –SAnews.gov.za  

 

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