Category: Africa

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Tshwane communities urged to exercise caution during thunderstorms

Source: Government of South Africa

Tshwane communities urged to exercise caution during thunderstorms

The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department is urging communities to exercise caution as thunderstorms are expected on Friday 06 March 2026.

This as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 4 weather warning for severe thunderstorms. The weather service issued the warning for Gauteng and Mpumalanga on Thursday.

According to the SAWS, the impact of the thunderstorms include damage to infrastructure, settlements (informal), property, vehicles, livelihoods and livestock.

“The impact of climate change during rainy seasons is known to disrupt normal weather systems, often resulting in periods of heavy rainfall, localised flooding and severe thunderstorms.  In Tshwane, these conditions have contributed to waterlogged roads, rising river levels, flash floods in low-lying areas, and an increased risk of weather-related incidents,” the City Emergency Services Department said. 

In its statement on Friday, it added that climate change continues to exacerbate these impacts, with rainfall events becoming more unpredictable and intense.

It called on residents to exercise caution, particularly during periods of heavy rain as several areas within Tshwane are particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to rivers, streams, low-lying terrain and stormwater systems. 

High-risk areas include, but are not limited to:
•    Centurion: areas along the Hennops River, Irene, Zwartkop, Eldoraigne, and Lyttelton
•    Pretoria North and West: low-lying areas and bridges – Apies River, including Wonderboom South, Hercules, and Rosslyn
•    Mamelodi and Nellmapius: informal settlements and flood-prone zones near natural drainage channels
•    Soshanguve and Mabopane: areas affected by overflowing stormwater

Potential impacts include:
•    Heavy downpours that may cause localised flooding in low-lying areas, flat plains and flood-prone roads.
•    Large amounts of small hail, particularly over open areas.
•    Damaging winds and excessive lightning that may result in structural damage or fires. • Traffic disruptions due to flooded major roads. 
•    Minor to major vehicle accidents caused by reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces. • Damage to houses or structures, including roof damage in both formal and informal settlements.
The municipality has issued the following safety tips that should be during severe thunderstorms:
•    Stay indoors where possible and avoid contact with metal objects such as barbed-wire fences and power lines that may attract lightning. 
•    Do not seek shelter under isolated trees or tall objects during thunderstorms. 
•    Avoid crossing flooded low-lying roads, bridges or swollen streams.

“The Emergency Services Department will continue to closely monitor weather developments and remain on high alert for any weather-related incidents.  Residents are urged to stay informed by following short-term weather forecasts and heeding all alerts and warnings issued by the South African Weather Service,” it said. 

The public can contact the City of Tshwane Emergency on 107 toll-free or 012 358 6300/6400. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin

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Government intervenes to address delays in water infrastructure projects

Source: Government of South Africa

Government intervenes to address delays in water infrastructure projects

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says government is prioritising the completion of delayed water infrastructure projects to address the country’s water challenges. 

Mashatile told the National Council of Provinces on Thursday that abandoned and incomplete water projects have reduced water availability and weakened system reliability.

“To address these challenges, long outstanding grant funded projects have been identified and prioritised for accelerated completion. Government has also taken steps to reprioritise funding to ensure delayed projects are finalised and water systems stabilised,” he said. 

In Gauteng, where severe water interruptions have been experienced, government has implemented several interventions. These include:

  • The approval of increased abstraction from the Integrated Vaal River System to assist Rand Water in restoring reservoir levels; 
  • Coordination of demand reduction measures and enforcement of restrictions (a municipal competency), and
  • Acceleration of leak reduction and infrastructure repairs, supported through programmes aimed at improving ring-fencing of water revenues and long-term sustainability.

Mashatile said the Department of Water and Sanitation has also advised municipalities to reduce water losses, strengthen restrictions and invest in additional storage and pumping capacity. 

During an oversight visit in February, Mashatile inspected the Carlswald reservoir construction site and the Grand Central Water Tower in Midrand.

READ | 10-megalitre reservoir to alleviate Joburg water challenges

The 20 million-litre reservoir is expected to be completed in 2027 and will support long-term water supply stability in the area.

“Government is implementing practical measures in other provinces, including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, focusing on accelerating bulk projects, reducing non-revenue water, emergency supply interventions, and strengthened intergovernmental coordination,” he said.  

Mashatile also highlighted the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee, chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, to address water shortages, infrastructure failures and municipal performance challenges across the country. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM

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Sonja Josiah Ntuli appointed as Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions

Source: Government of South Africa

Sonja Josiah Ntuli appointed as Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Sonja Josiah Ntuli as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Mpumalanga.

In a statement on Thursday, The Presidency said the appointment was made in terms of section 13(1)(c) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, following the consultation processes required by the legislation.

Ntuli brings 29 years of experience in the legal field, having served as both an attorney and a prosecutor.

A significant portion of his career has been within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), where he has spent 21 years in various roles, rising through the ranks from a district court prosecutor to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.

Most recently, Ntuli served as the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Mpumalanga for nearly three years.

President Ramaphosa wished Ntuli well in his new role, expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen the rule of law in the province.

“President Ramaphosa wishes Mr Ntuli well in his role of entrenching the rule of law in the province and bringing to book persons or entities that violate the law,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

DikelediM

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SASSA urges beneficiaries to respond to 30-day notice for grant reviews

Source: Government of South Africa

SASSA urges beneficiaries to respond to 30-day notice for grant reviews

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is urging social grant beneficiaries to respond to a 30-day notice requiring them to visit the agency’s offices for a review, warning that failure to comply may lead to grants being suspended or terminated.
 
According to the agency, beneficiaries are formally notified before any grant is cancelled or allowed to lapse, in line with regulations governing the administration of social assistance.

In terms of Sub-regulation 32(2), a notice of suspension or cancellation must be delivered to the beneficiary or their appointed procurator through electronic communication or other means.

Meanwhile, Sub-regulation 32(4) requires the agency to investigate and verify all facts and circumstances surrounding the social assistance before taking a decision to suspend or cancel a grant.

SASSA said the review process is aimed at ensuring that only qualifying beneficiaries continue to receive social grants.

In Mpumalanga, the agency’s third-quarter progress report showed that 12 151 beneficiaries were notified to visit SASSA offices for grant reviews. Of these, 2 303 grants were reviewed, while 221 grants lapsed after beneficiaries failed to respond to the notice.

SASSA Mpumalanga has appealed to beneficiaries to take the process seriously and respond to the notices to avoid disruptions in payments.

“The agency understands that many South Africans depend on social grants, but this does not mean that grants should be received fraudulently,” SASSA said in a statement.

Beneficiaries who are unable to visit SASSA offices themselves may appoint a procurator to conduct the review on their behalf, provided the necessary documentation and procedures are followed.

For more information, beneficiaries can contact SASSA’s toll-free number 0800 60 10 11 during working hours from Monday to Friday. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

DikelediM

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Higher Education Helpdesk resolves over 55 000 student queries

Source: Government of South Africa

Higher Education Helpdesk resolves over 55 000 student queries

More than 55 000 student queries have been resolved since the establishment of a student and stakeholder Helpdesk by Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, in August 2024.

The Helpdesk was established to serve as an interface between the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector, students and members of the public, seeking assistance and information.

So far, the helpdesk has managed 57 283 queries, with around 55 121 resolved and closed, achieving a 90% resolution rate. 

The helpdesk provides quick, personalised support to students and stakeholders, focusing on enquiries about the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), registration status, and issues such as delays in results, diplomas and certificates.

“The work of the Helpdesk closely aligns with my vision of connecting higher education with our communities. Every day through the Helpdesk, we support students and stakeholders by providing a direct platform for them to escalate their queries and grievances. It pleases me to see the Helpdesk growing and reaching the 55 000 milestone in resolved enquiries. This shows we are making a difference and positively impacting students and stakeholders,” the Deputy Minister said in a statement on Thursday.

To effectively assist students and stakeholders, the helpdesk works closely with the department’s internal Exam and Diploma section and with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and University branches within the Department and NSFAS.

READ | Learners, students, urged to hold their heads up high

“With the increasing volume of queries, we are now transitioning to a digital Helpdesk for a faster, smarter, more accessible solution. In the meantime, please contact my Helpdesk by email at Dmsdesk@Dhet.gov.za,” said the Deputy Minister. –SAnews.gov.za

 

Neo

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Nas economias criativas de África, as mulheres estão a reivindicar a propriedade (Por Libby Allen)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Por Libby Allen, Vice-Presidente: Brand & Creative, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com).

Todos os anos, em março, o Dia Internacional da Mulher enche o calendário com campanhas, flores e anúncios cuidadosamente programados. O dia tem um peso histórico real – nasceu das reivindicações do início do século XX pelo direito ao trabalho, ao voto e à organização. A questão a que raramente chega é a que realmente vale a pena colocar: não quem é celebrado, mas quem controla o que foi construído.

Nas indústrias criativas africanas em 2026, esta questão tem respostas instrutivas. São económicas, não simbólicas. E estão a ser escritas por mulheres.

O argumento da propriedade

No Senegal, Diarra Bousso cresceu num lar onde a arte e o estilo eram uma linguagem quotidiana. Estudou matemática, trabalhou em Wall Street e regressou a Dakar com um modelo para uma marca de moda e estilo de vida: nada é feito até que alguém o peça.

A DIARRABLU, a marca que construiu a partir do telhado da casa dos seus pais, utiliza algoritmos matemáticos próprios para gerar desenhos, submete-os a uma votação da comunidade antes de uma única peça de vestuário ser cortada e produz inteiramente à medida das necessidades – conseguindo uma redução de 60% no desperdício e eliminando o excesso de stock. A sua cadeia de fornecimento é quase exclusivamente constituída por artesãos senegaleses. A PI – os algoritmos, a metodologia, o sistema de conceção – é inteiramente sua. O valor está no processo de Bousso, e o processo é detido por si.

Na África do Sul, o estúdio de jogos Nyamakop passou anos a construir algo difícil de copiar. Relooted, lançado no mês passado, é uma aventura passada numa Joanesburgo futurista, na qual o jogador recupera 70 artefactos africanos reais de museus ocidentais e coleções privadas. O jogo foi criado por uma equipa oriunda de mais de dez países africanos. Mohale Mashigo – o seu diretor narrativo, romancista e escritor de banda desenhada que também trabalhou para a Marvel e a DC – é preciso quanto à propriedade. Cada artefacto do jogo corresponde a um objeto real com uma história documentada, pertencente a um determinado povo.

Essa especificidade não é apenas um rigor artístico. O mundo de Relooted está construído de forma a não poder ser separado do seu próprio contexto e reutilizado noutro lugar. A cultura viaja de forma diferente quando é de autoria própria.

Na Nigéria, Mo Abudu aplica a mesma lógica à distribuição. A EbonyLife Media – a produtora e rede de televisão que fundou em 2012, cujos filmes e séries atraíram milhões de horas de visualização – lançou a EbonyLife ON Plus em novembro do ano passado. Trata-se de uma plataforma de subscrição concebida para manter o valor da narração de histórias africanas no continente. A plataforma é nova, mas a estratégia não: é necessário possuir a infraestrutura, ou outra pessoa irá estabelecer os termos.

Três países. Três setores criativos. É necessário encontrar o ponto da cadeia onde o valor é capturado. Detê-lo.

Detido, mas exposto

Os conteúdos gerados por IA intensificaram a pressão. Os modelos da GenAI são treinados, em grande parte, com base em resultados criativos pelos quais não pagam. A questão de saber se esses resultados contam como um contributo compensável está agora a ser testada em tribunais e câmaras de decisão política. Nas economias criativas africanas, onde o volume de material visual, narrativo e cultural é vasto e a infraestrutura formal de PI é desigual, a exposição é significativa. A produção criativa das mulheres está a alimentar sistemas que não lhes pertencem.

A questão da IA e a questão das infraestruturas não estão separadas. Uma delas está a decorrer nos tribunais. A outra está a acontecer nos mercados.

Controlo da narrativa

Atingir os mercados certos requer um tipo diferente de propriedade. África não é um mercado único. São 54 países distintos, cada um com o seu próprio panorama mediático, línguas, culturas e decisores. Muitos parceiros de comunicação oferecem visibilidade, mas não conhecem as nuances de cada mercado. Não estão presentes no terreno, por isso oferecem aproximações, que implicam custos enquanto a narrativa se dilui.

A mesma lógica que levou Bousso a manter os seus algoritmos proprietários, que levou Mashigo e Nyamakop a construir um jogo tão exato, que levou Abudu a construir as suas próprias plataformas em vez de as licenciar – também se aplica aqui. Quem conta a história, em que mercados, em que língua e através de que canais: é aqui que o controlo narrativo se mantém ou se perde. Para que as marcas cheguem a toda a África, as comunicações das marcas têm de ser africanas.

O que acontece a seguir?  

O Dia Internacional da Mulher irá gerar milhares de mensagens neste mês de março. Vale a pena ver o que acontece nos dias que se seguem – se as mulheres que estão a criar propriedade nas indústrias criativas africanas controlam mais o seu trabalho, a sua distribuição e a sua narrativa do que no ano anterior. Esta é a única medida que importa.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para APO Group Insights.

Contacto para a comunicação social:
marie@apo-opa.com 

Sobre o APO Group: 
Fundado em 2007 por Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, o APO Group é uma consultora de comunicação que tem em mente o desempenho – combinando aconselhamento estratégico, execução no terreno e visibilidade garantida em todos os mercados africanos.

Reconhecido com múltiplos prémios internacionais, incluindo as distinções SABRE, Davos Communications e World Business Outlook, o APO Group estabelece parcerias com organizações globais e africanas para fornecer comunicações que funcionam – através da estratégia, execução e visibilidade mensurável.

As funções consultivas do nosso fundador junto de instituições internacionais reforçam o acesso do APO Group aos decisores e reforçam o nosso papel como a consultora de comunicação mais conectada do continente. Os seus clientes incluem a Canon, a Emirates, a Nestlé, a NFL, a Liquid Intelligent Technologies, o Afreximbank, o Grupo do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento, a GITEX Global e o Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento (PNUD).

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Dans les économies créatives africaines, les femmes revendiquent la propriété (Par Libby Allen)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Par Libby Allen, Vice-Présidente : Marque et Création, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com).

Chaque mois de mars, la Journée Internationale de la Femme remplit le calendrier de campagnes, de fleurs et d’annonces soigneusement planifiées. Cette journée a un véritable poids historique : elle est née des revendications du début du XXe siècle en faveur du droit de travailler, de voter et de s’organiser. La question qu’elle pose rarement est celle qui mérite d’être posée aujourd’hui : qui contrôle ce qu’elles ont construit ?

Dans les industries créatives africaines en 2026, cette question a des réponses instructives. Elles sont économiques et non symboliques. Et elles sont écrites par des femmes.

L’argument de la propriété

Au Sénégal, Diarra Bousso a grandi dans une famille où l’art et le style étaient un langage du quotidien. Elle a étudié les mathématiques et travaillé à Wall Street avant de revenir à Dakar avec un modèle pour une marque de mode et de style de vie, et la conviction que rien n’est fait tant que quelqu’un ne l’a pas demandé.

DIARRABLU, la marque qu’elle a créée sur le toit-terrasse de ses parents, utilise des algorithmes propriétaires pour générer des designs, les soumet à un vote de la communauté avant qu’un seul vêtement ne soit coupé et produit entièrement à la demande, ce qui permet de réduire de 60% les déchets et les stocks excédentaires. Sa chaîne d’approvisionnement est presque entièrement composée d’artisans sénégalais. La PI (algorithmes, méthodologie, système de conception) est entièrement sienne. La valeur est dans le processus de Bousso, et elle en est la propriétaire.

En Afrique du Sud, le studio de jeux Nyamakop a passé des années à construire quelque chose de difficile à copier. Sorti le mois dernier, Relooted est un jeu de braquages se déroulant dans un Johannesburg futuriste dans lequel le joueur récupère 70 véritables artefacts africains provenant de musées occidentaux et de collections privées. Le jeu a été conçu par des talents venus de plus de dix pays africains. Mohale Mashigo, sa Directrice Narrative, est une romancière et autrice de bandes dessinées qui a également travaillé pour Marvel et DC et qui aborde le thème de la propriété avec une grande précision. Chaque artefact du jeu correspond à un objet réel, avec une histoire documentée et un propriétaire désigné.

Cette spécificité ne se limite pas à la rigueur artistique. Le monde de Relooted est construit de sorte qu’il ne peut pas être détaché de son propre contexte et réutilisé ailleurs. La culture voyage différemment lorsqu’elle est auto-écrite.

Au Nigeria, Mo Abudu applique la même logique à la distribution. EbonyLife Media, la maison de production et le réseau de télévision qu’elle a fondé en 2012, dont les films et les séries ont généré des millions d’heures de visionnage, a lancé EbonyLife ON Plus en novembre de l’année dernière. Il s’agit d’une plateforme par abonnement conçue pour conserver la valeur de la narration africaine sur le continent. La plateforme est nouvelle ; la stratégie ne l’est pas : il faut détenir l’infrastructure, sinon quelqu’un d’autre fixera les conditions.

Trois pays, trois secteurs créatifs. L’important est de savoir là où la valeur est capturée. Et de la posséder.

La propriété doit aller de pair avec l’exposition

Le contenu généré par l’IA a intensifié la pression. Les modèles d’IA générative sont formés, en grande partie, à partir d’une production créative qui ne reçoit aucune rémunération en retour – et la question de savoir si cette production compte comme un intrant rémunérable est actuellement examinée devant les tribunaux. Dans les économies créatives africaines, où le volume de contenu visuel, narratif et culturel est vaste et l’infrastructure formelle de propriété intellectuelle déséquilibrée, l’exposition est importante. La production créative des femmes alimente des systèmes qu’elles ne possèdent pas.

Les questions de l’IA et de l’infrastructure ne sont pas séparées. L’une se joue devant les tribunaux. L’autre sur les marchés.

Contrôle narratif

Atteindre les bons marchés nécessite un autre type de propriété. L’Afrique n’est pas un marché unique, mais se compose de 54 pays distincts, chacun avec son paysage médiatique, ses langues, ses cultures et ses décideurs. De nombreux partenaires de communication offrent de la visibilité mais ne connaissent pas les nuances de chaque marché ; comme ils ne sont pas présents sur le terrain, ils souffrent d’approximation, ce qui a un impact négatif et dilue le récit.

La logique qui a poussé Bousso à conserver la propriété de ses algorithmes, Mashigo et Nyamakop à créer un jeu et Abudu à construire ses propres plateformes plutôt qu’à octroyer des licences – c’est la même logique qui s’applique ici. Qui raconte le récit, dans quels marchés, en quelle langue, par quels canaux ? C’est là que le contrôle narratif est détenu ou perdu. Pour que les marques aient un écho en Afrique, les communications doivent être africaines.

Quelle est la prochaine étape ?  

La Journée Internationale de la Femme générera des milliers de publications en mars. Il sera intéressant de voir ce qui se passera dans les jours suivants et de savoir si les femmes qui s’approprient les industries créatives africaines contrôleront plus leurs travaux, leur distribution et leur récit que l’année précédente. C’est le seul indicateur qui compte.

Distribué par APO Group pour APO Group Insights.

Contact avec les médias :
marie@apo-opa.com  

À propos d’APO Group : 
Créé en 2007 par Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, APO Group est le cabinet de conseil en communication pensé pour la performance et alliant conseil stratégique, exécution de terrain et visibilité garantie sur tous les marchés africains.

Reconnu par de nombreuses distinctions internationales, notamment les prix SABRE, Davos Communications et World Business Outlook, APO Group s’associe à des organisations mondiales et africaines pour fournir des communications performantes, grâce à la stratégie, à l’exécution et à une visibilité mesurable.

Les fonctions consultatives de notre fondateur auprès d’institutions internationales élargissent l’accès d’APO Group aux décideurs et renforcent notre rôle de cabinet de conseil en communication le plus connecté du continent. Parmi nos clients figurent Canon, Emirates, Nestlé, la NFL, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Afreximbank, le Groupe de la Banque Africaine de Développement, GITEX Global, et le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PNUD).

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Equatorial Guinea to Showcase 2026 Licensing Round to Global Investors at Invest in African Energy (IAE)

Source: APO


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Reflecting a renewed drive for growth and upstream revitalization, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Antonio Oburu Ondo, will deliver a keynote address at the Invest in African Energy Forum, scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris. Designed to connect African energy opportunities with institutional and private capital, the forum provides a strategic platform for governments to present bankable projects directly to global investors.

At the center of Equatorial Guinea’s investor outreach is EG Ronda 2026, an upcoming licensing round expected to offer 24 upstream blocks across offshore and onshore basins. First announced at African Energy Week, the round will run through late 2026 and features updated fiscal terms and a competitive open-door framework aimed at attracting both majors and independents. In preparation, the Ministry has advanced seismic data acquisition and reprocessing programs, strengthening the technical dataset available to bidders and materially reducing exploration risk.

Equatorial Guinea’s strategy extends beyond licensing. In early 2026, the government signed a reconnaissance license agreement with Eni to support renewed upstream evaluation and field revitalization efforts. At the same time, cross-border collaboration on the Yoyo-Yolanda gas fields continues to advance, with a recent unitization agreement between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon paving the way for joint development. The move reinforces the country’s ambition to deepen regional integration, optimize shared resources and accelerate monetization through coordinated infrastructure planning.

Project-level momentum further supports this positioning. The Aseng Gas Project, backed by Chevron, represents an estimated $690 million investment aligned with Equatorial Guinea’s flagship Gas Mega Hub initiative – a multi-phase strategy to strengthen domestic processing capacity and position the country as a regional gas hub. National oil company GEPetrol recently increased its stake in Aseng to more than 32%, signaling deeper national participation alongside international operators and a clearer pathway to execution.

For capital providers focused on the Gulf of Guinea and broader African energy markets, Minister Ondo’s address in Paris will provide direct insight into fiscal reforms, licensing mechanics, partnership models and infrastructure expansion plans through 2026 and beyond. As global capital becomes more selective, IAE 2026 offers a critical space for engagement, due diligence and deal origination – helping convert announced opportunities into executed transactions.

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

About Invest in African Energy: 
IAE 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/4b9Eang) is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com

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In Africa’s Creative Economies, Women Are Claiming Ownership (By Libby Allen)

Source: APO

By Libby Allen, Vice President: Brand & Creative, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com).

Each March, International Women’s Day fills the calendar with campaigns, flowers, and carefully timed announcements. The day has real historical weight – born from early twentieth century demands for the right to work, vote, and organise. The question it rarely reaches is the one worth asking: not who is being celebrated, but who controls what they have built.

In African creative industries in 2026, that question has instructive answers. They’re economic, not symbolic. And they’re being written by women.

The ownership argument

In Senegal, Diarra Bousso grew up in a home where art and style were a daily language. She went on to study mathematics, worked on Wall Street, and came back to Dakar with a model for a fashion and lifestyle brand: nothing gets made until someone has asked for it.

DIARRABLU, the brand she built from her parents’ rooftop, uses proprietary mathematical algorithms to generate designs, puts them to a community vote before a single garment is cut, and produces entirely on demand – achieving a 60% reduction in waste, and cutting excess stock. Her supply chain is almost entirely Senegalese artisans. The IP – the algorithms, the methodology, the design system – is entirely hers. The value is in Bousso’s process, and the process is owned.

In South Africa, game studio Nyamakop spent years building something hard to copy. Relooted, released last month, is a heist adventure set in a futuristic Johannesburg in which the player recovers 70 real African artefacts from Western museums and private collections. The game was built by a team drawn from more than ten African countries. Mohale Mashigo – its narrative director, a novelist, and comic book writer who has also worked for Marvel and DC – is precise about ownership. Every artefact in the game maps to a real object with a documented history belonging to a named people.

That specificity isn’t just artistic rigour. The world of Relooted is built so it can’t be detached from its own context and repurposed elsewhere. Culture travels differently when it’s self-authored.

In Nigeria, Mo Abudu applies the same logic to distribution. EbonyLife Media – the production house and TV network she founded in 2012, whose films and series have drawn millions of viewing hours – launched EbonyLife ON Plus in November last year. It’s a membership-based platform designed to keep the value of African storytelling on the continent. The platform is new; the strategy is not: own the infrastructure, or someone else sets the terms.

Three countries. Three creative sectors. Find the point in the chain where value is captured. Own it.

Owned but exposed

AI-generated content has intensified the pressure. GenAI models are trained, in large part, on creative output they don’t pay for – and whether that output counts as a compensable input is now being tested in courtrooms and policy chambers. In African creative economies, where the volume of visual, narrative, and cultural material is vast and formal IP infrastructure is uneven, exposure is significant. Women’s creative output is feeding systems they don’t own.

The AI question and the infrastructure question aren’t separate. One is playing out in courtrooms. The other is playing out in markets.

Narrative control

Reaching the right markets requires a different kind of ownership. Africa isn’t a single market. It is 54 distinct countries, each with its own media landscape, languages, cultures, and decision-makers. Many communications partners offer visibility but don’t know the nuances of each market; they’re not present on the ground – so they offer approximation, which costs while the narrative is diluted.

The same logic that drives Bousso to keep her algorithms proprietary, that drove Mashigo and Nyamakop to build a game precisely, that led Abudu to build her own platforms rather than license outward – it applies here too. Who tells the story, in which markets, in whose language, through which channels: this is where narrative control is either held or lost. For brands to reach across Africa, brand communications must be African.

What happens next?  

International Women’s Day will generate thousands of posts this March. It’s worth watching what happens in the days after – whether the women building ownership across African creative industries control more of their work, their distribution, and their narrative than they did the year before. That is the only measure that matters.

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Bronkhorstspruit gets water relief as government intervention delivers new borehole

Source: Government of South Africa

Bronkhorstspruit gets water relief as government intervention delivers new borehole

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina will this morning officiate the handover of a newly completed borehole in Bronkhorstspruit, Tshwane, as part of government’s interventions to increase water supply to the area.

The handover will take place at the Indlu Yokuthula Service Center in Sokhulumi, Bronkhorstspruit, under the Department of Water and Sanitation’s International Women’s Day 2026 Ministerial Engagement and the Water Month Flagship Programme.

“The intervention is part of government’s ongoing commitment to expanding reliable access to water and advancing women’s empowerment through sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives.

“This milestone not only improves local water access but also serves as a strategic platform to mobilise support for the Sector Wide Women in Water Programmatic Approach 2026 – 2030.

“The framework aims to strengthen gender mainstreaming across the water and sanitation sector, while advancing women’s leadership, skills development, entrepreneurship and economic participation,” the department said.

According to the department, the ministerial engagement will convene women leaders across the water sector, water boards and entities, business leaders, private sector partners, non-governmental organisations, civil society, rural women representatives, and educational institutions.

Stakeholders are expected to pledge their commitment to accelerating opportunities for women and building a more inclusive and equitable water industry.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa elevated water to one of the country’s most pressing concerns, from large cities such as Johannesburg, to smaller towns like Knysna and rural areas such as Giyani.

The President announced the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee, which he will personally chair. This as government intensifies efforts to confront South Africa’s deepening water challenges.

“We have all seen the pain that our people have been expressing through demonstrations in various parts of Gauteng. These protests have been fuelled by frustrations over inadequate and unreliable access to basic services such as water,” President Ramaphosa said at that time.

The President explained that the National Water Crisis Committee will ensure that action is taken swiftly to address these challenges and strengthen coordination across all spheres of government.

“This structure will bring together all existing efforts into a single coordinating body. It will deploy technical experts and resources from national government to municipalities facing water challenges. It will ensure that action is taken swiftly and effectively to address the problem,” he said. 

March is a month of landmark observances, including National Water Month, International Women’s Day, and Human Rights Day. International Women’s Day is commemorated globally on 8 March, drawing attention to gender equality and the empowerment of women, with a strong link to water issues. 

Meanwhile, National Water Month highlights progress in delivering water as a constitutional human right in South Africa, while acknowledging persistent challenges of water scarcity.

The programme also aligns to this year’s United Nations’s World Water Day theme — ‘Water and Gender’, with the slogan: ‘Where Water Flows, Equality Grows’, which implore governments worldwide to centre women and girls in water solutions, ensuring their voices, leadership, and agency are fully recognised in water decision-making. 

The theme also highlights a transformative, rights-based approach to solving the water challenges. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin

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