Category: Africa

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The Africa Energy Bank (AEB) Effect: How the Africa Energy Bank is Re-Writing the Frontier Investment Playbook

Source: APO – Report:

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While global exploration and production capital expenditure is set to reach $504 billion in 2026, the upstream market is also entering a period of heightened discipline. International oil companies are prioritizing capital efficiency, investors are narrowing exposure to hydrocarbons and commercial banks are scaling back long-cycle lending. For Africa – home to some of the world’s most prospective yet underexplored basins – this tightening threatens to stall exploration just as geological momentum is accelerating. However, with the rise of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB), the continent has the chance to redefine how frontier projects are financed, reshaping risk allocation and restoring confidence in Africa’s upstream investment case.

Financing Africa at a Moment of Constraint

Spearheaded by the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the AEB was established under an overarching goal to address the continent’s energy finance gap – estimated by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) at between $31.5 billion and $45 billion annually. With an initial capitalization of $5 billion, the Bank’s mandate spans upstream, midstream and energy-linked infrastructure, with a core focus on addressing the early-stage financing gap that has historically constrained exploration and appraisal activity. The bank is expected to grow to $120 billion within three to five years, reflecting its potential as a major financing institution in Africa.

Momentum is already building towards the AEB’s operationalization. As of December 2025, Nigeria completed the fully furnished headquarters of the Bank in Abuja. December 2025 also saw Senegal approve its share of payment for the Bank, with the country joining Nigeria, Angola and Ghana fulfilling their requisite capital shares. Other APPO member states including the Republic of Congo, Algeria, Benin, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast have pledged to make their payments, representing a key step towards realizing the potential of this critical institution.

Unlocking New Frontiers

The AEB’s impact is expected to be most visible across Africa’s frontier oil and gas provinces, where exploration interest is strong but financing remains a central challenge. In Namibia, recent deepwater discoveries have transformed geological perceptions, yet advancing appraisal drilling and infrastructure planning requires fresh capital. TotalEnergies hopes to reach a final investment decision for its Venus project in 2026, while Galp is advancing its Mopane discovery toward development. Frontier drilling is currently underway by Shell at PEL 39, Rhino Resources at PEL 85 and Chevron at PEL 82. AEB-backed financing could shorten the timeframe from exploration to development, supporting the creation of a new petroleum province in Africa.

Over the border, South Africa’s offshore basins are similarly attracting renewed interest, but regulatory complexity and long lead times amplify financing risk – precisely where structured, patient capital becomes critical. TotalEnergies, Impact Oil & Gas and Shell are planning multi-well drilling campaigns, while a moratorium lift on shale gas exploration in 2025 is expected to drive onshore exploration in the Karoo. Zimbabwe is also advancing onshore exploration, with Invictus Energy recently reopening its funding search following a failed agreement with Al Mansour Holdings.

Further north, countries across the MSGBC Basin are seeking partners and capital to advance frontier exploration. Hoping to mirror offshore success seen in Senegal (Sangomar) and Mauritania (BirAllah), regional neighbors are engaging operators to invest. Home to Africa’s largest discovery of 2021, Ivory Coast has seen explorers return in force in recent years, with companies such as Murphy Oil Corporation set to drill in the coming months. As frontier exploration advances, the AEB not only strengthens balance sheets, but also de-risks early-stage projects and accelerates the path from geological promise to commercial development.

The AEB on a Global Stage at AEW 2026

The AEB is expected to take center stage at this year’s African Energy Week conference – taking place October 12-16 in Cape Town. As the continent’s leading energy investment platform, the event will convene policymakers, financiers and operators to examine how institutions like the AEB are reshaping capital flows into frontier markets. At a time of tightening global capital and rising African ambition, the AEB effect is clear: frontier exploration is no longer a leap of faith – it is becoming a structured, financeable pathway to Africa’s energy future.

“Africa does not lack resources or opportunity – it lacks access to capital that understands its realities. The AEB is about restoring balance, empowering African projects and ensuring the continent controls its own energy destiny,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. 

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Surge in unaccompanied minors at ports of entry

Source: Government of South Africa

Surge in unaccompanied minors at ports of entry

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has raised concern over the increasing number of unaccompanied minors intercepted at South Africa’s ports of entry during the 2025/2026 festive season.

BMA Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato, said officials recorded a notable increase in cases involving undocumented and unaccompanied children attempting to enter or exit South Africa illegally, during the 2025/2026 festive season.

At Beitbridge Port of Entry alone, about 53 unaccompanied minors were discovered and recorded – some of them as young as three years old.

In one particularly distressing incident, an 11-month-old baby was found abandoned at the border on 13 December 2025, while 15 minors were intercepted in mountainous areas at Lebombo Port of Entry attempting to illegally exit South Africa.

“Of serious concern was the interception of a Mozambican national, who attempted to smuggle a South African child to Mozambique. It was later discovered that the child was reported missing in Johannesburg, and the suspect was immediately arrested and referred to SAPS [South African Police Service] for further processing,” Masiapato said.

All cases involving unaccompanied minors were referred to the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the children were placed in safe care facilities, in line with domestic and international legislative prescripts on child protection.

In response to the growing challenge, the Commissioner said the BMA, together with the DSD, convened an urgent bilateral meeting with Zimbabwean authorities at the Zimbabwean Embassy.

The delegates at the meeting agreed to engage in collective awareness sessions targeting parents, including the joint screening of children prior to them being reunited with family members.

The Commissioner also commended the cooperation of bus operators in avoiding the transportation of undocumented travellers, particularly minors.

Agricultural and environmental bio-security 

Masiapato said significant progress has been made in safeguarding South Africa against agricultural and environmental bio-security threats.

During the festive period, BMA biosecurity specialists managed to search over 369 703 pieces of luggage at various ports of entry. This led to the interception and destruction of unauthorised consignments, including more than 4 000 plants and plant products, fruit, chicken, dairy products, honey, beef, vegetable seeds, fresh spices, turkey meat, flowers and fresh leaves. All confiscated items were incinerated.

However, the Commissioner said the BMA continues to observe some travellers bringing unauthorised plants, animals and related products into the country.

“Despite all this, the BMA wishes to commend travellers who heeded the call to refrain from bringing alien invasive species, foreign pests and diseases, as well as regulated plant, animal and related products into South Africa outside the prescribed import processes,” he said.

Over one million screened

On Port Health matters, the Commissioner reported that the BMA team of health specialists screened about 1 361 270 travellers on arrival across ports of entry.

One set of human remains was also intercepted, prompting the immediate activation of the relevant health and forensic protocols.

Health inspections also detected several cases of fraudulent documentation, particularly among Angolan nationals attempting to depart South Africa using fraudulently acquired Emergency Travel Certificates (ETCs), as well as individuals attempting to enter the country using fraudulent Yellow Fever certificates.

“Given the various outbreaks of infectious and communicable diseases across the world, the Port Health team ensured the significant intensification of proactive public health and security measures. This period was marked by increased traveller movements, conveyance inspections, screening activities, and disease surveillance, confirming a substantial rise in traveller volumes across the world,” the Commissioner said.

Fifteen travellers were identified as sick on-board aircraft, allowing for immediate medical intervention, while 514 travellers from Yellow Fever endemic countries were detected and screened, with two travellers intercepted without valid Yellow Fever certificates.

In addition, 167 314 travellers from malaria endemic countries were screened, with 213 suspected malaria cases tested upon arrival.

A total of 236 844 individuals further underwent follow-up screening for various infectious diseases, strengthening early-warning and disease surveillance systems during the high-risk travel season.

Enforcement actions also resulted in the confiscation and destruction of harmful and prohibited products, including pesticides, unauthorised mosquito repellents, hair chemicals and skin-lightening creams. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Over 4.9m travellers facilitated during festive season operations

Source: Government of South Africa

Over 4.9m travellers facilitated during festive season operations

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has facilitated the legitimate movement of about 4 902 269 travellers across South Africa’s 71 ports of entry during the 2025/2026 festive period.

This was announced by BMA Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato, during a media briefing, held in Pretoria on Friday, where he presented the authority’s 2025/2026 festive season operational report.

The festive season operational plan was implemented from 10 December 2025 to 15 January 2026.

The implementation of the plan was undertaken in close collaboration with multiple law-enforcement and regulatory partners, including the South African Police Service (SAPS), South African Revenue Service (SARS), South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA), various intelligence structures, INTERPOL, the Immigration Inspectorate of the Department of Home Affairs, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), as well as the Provincial Joint Operations (ProvJoints) and provincial and local traffic authorities.

Of the total travellers facilitated, about 1 369 775 were South African nationals, while approximately 3 532 494 were foreign nationals.

“In facilitating this movement, we processed about 340 876 private vehicles, 9 072 mini-bus taxis, and 10 349 buses through our land modality. On air modality, we processed about 7 787 aircrafts while about 243 vessels were processed through our sea modality,” the Commissioner said.

OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) remained the busiest port of entry, facilitating 991 535 travellers, followed by Lebombo land port of entry to Mozambique with 755 529 travellers, and Beitbridge land port of entry to Zimbabwe with 618 562 travellers.

Lebombo experienced a significant increase in traveller volumes of about 184 398, surpassing Beitbridge to become the second busiest port of entry after ORTIA.

Masiapato attributed the increase to the post-election violence which affected cross-border travel at Lebombo during the 2024/2025 festive period.

The Commissioner noted that 84% of all travellers were facilitated at the top 10 ports of entry, including OR Tambo International Airport, Beit Bridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein, Oshoek, Cape Town International Airport, Maseru Bridge, Ficksburg Bridge, Caledonspoort and Groblersbridge.

Of the total travellers processed, about 4 115 112 were facilitated at the top ten ports, while the remaining 16% were facilitated at the other 61 ports of entry.

Joint law enforcement operations

In dealing with illegal migration and other forms of illegality, BMA Border Guards participated in more than 531 joint law enforcement operations, mainly roadblocks and vehicle check points outside designated border law enforcement areas.

The guards also conducted 10 455 vehicle and foot patrols and raided about 8 288 hotspot areas within the border law enforcement zones.

“The partnership and deployment of DCD Protected Mobility vehicles had a significant operational impact on patrol operations by markedly enhancing our mobility, visibility and response capability in high-risk areas including rugged terrain and flooded rivers.

“The deployment of the Sherp All-terrain Vehicle in the flooded Limpopo River around Beitbridge allowed for uninterrupted operations despite environmental challenges,” Masiapato said.

During the festive operations, Border Guards detected and intercepted about 26 852 individuals attempting to enter South Africa illegally. Of these, about 22 153 were undocumented, 2 353 were declared undesirable due to overstaying, and 2 346 were found inadmissible because of invalid passports, fraudulent visas or lack of yellow fever certificates.

Incrementally, the BMA has managed to intercept more than 530 145 individuals who attempted to enter South Africa illegally since July 2022, following the deployment of the first contingent of Border Guards.

Decline in attempted illegal entries

Masiapato noted a significant decline of 46% in attempted illegal entries compared to the 58 394 recorded during the 2024/2025 festive season, attributing the reduction largely to the deterrent effect of drone deployment in the border environment.

Of the total intercepted individuals, about 14 828 were Basotho nationals, followed by Zimbabweans at 5 370, and Mozambicans at about 1 373.

In addition, Border Guards arrested about 81 travellers for offences, including possession of stolen vehicles, illegal firearms, contraband, drugs and a range of dangerous goods, such as commercial explosives and blasting cartridges. – SAnews.gov.za
 

GabiK

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Reform agenda improves lives of citizens

Source: Government of South Africa

Reform agenda improves lives of citizens

The structural reforms being implemented by government to support inclusive economic growth and job creation are beginning to have a measurable impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.

“The reduction in load shedding, which has resulted from reforms in the energy sector, has had a tangible impact on every household and business,” Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said on Friday in Johannesburg. 

She made these remarks during the release of the third quarter Operation Vulindlela Progress Report, which highlighted key reform milestones achieved across priority areas between October and December 2025.

Established in October 2020, Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of priority structural reforms that support economic growth, improve service delivery, and strengthen State capability. 

“Likewise, reforms in the rail system have supported the recovery of passenger rail services, with the majority of corridors now up and running and providing cheaper public transport for people in every major city,” the Deputy Minister said.

During the 2024/25 financial year, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) saw an increase in passenger trips to 77 million, a significant increase from the previous financial year total of 39.4 million. 

In October last year, PRASA celebrated the delivery of the 300 locally manufactured train sets for transporting commuters.

Furthermore, 46 stations were revitalised, surpassing the target of 40, bringing the total of recovered and operational stations to 313 out of 468 commuter stations.

Growth in tourism

Mhlauli highlighted that the visa reforms have contributed to job creation and the growth of the tourism sector.

South Africa saw a record 10.48 million tourists arrive between January and December 2025, a 17.6% increase from the previous year. 

The latest figures signal a recovery from the COVID-19 impact, which saw the number of tourists falling to 2.8 million and 2.3 million in 2020 and 2021.

“Tourism currently sustains 1.8 million direct and indirect jobs. For every 13 international arrivals, one local job is created. Tourism is a key driver of economic growth, investment and job creation, with  spillover effects into many sectors,” the Deputy Minister said.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that the reform momentum has strengthened, while the State is increasingly moving from planning to delivery.

“As the President has said, we are seeing important green shoots in the economy. Four consecutive quarters of positive economic growth, declining unemployment, a strengthening currency, and rising commodity prices are all acting as powerful tailwinds for our economic recovery.

“The reform programme that we are pursuing through Operation Vulindlela is essential to ensure that these positive indicators result in a sustained shift in our economic trajectory, rather than a temporary lift in growth. Ultimately, these reforms – whether in the energy, water and logistics sectors or in the immigration system – are about unlocking much higher rates of fixed investment in the economy and powering long-term growth,” the Deputy Minister said.

In the third quarter of 2025, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported that the unemployment rate fell to 31.9%, down by 1.3 percentage points from the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, the real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.5% in the third quarter (July – September) of 2025, following an increase of 0.9% in the second quarter of 2025.

“For more than a decade, we have experienced low levels of economic growth and high levels of uncertainty. This year, however, we are turning a corner, largely as a result of our commitment to far-reaching economic reform.

“By strengthening our economic fundamentals and creating an environment for growth, we can protect our economy from global disruptions and take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging alongside them. All of this combines to make a strong case for investment in order to capitalise on South Africa’s growth story,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle

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Online Press Conferences Are Credibility Tests (By Malika Bouayad)

Source: APO

By Malika Bouayad, Group Account Director, Public Relations & Strategic Communications, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com)

Online press conferences – or OPCs — have become routine across Africa. Governments, multinationals, DFIs, and listed companies use them to deliver speed, access and reach across markets.

What has changed is not their prevalence but their function.

Today, an OPC is less a platform for information-sharing than a live test of institutional confidence – conducted in public, under pressure, and judged less on what is said than on how an organisation behaves when control loosens.

What journalists are really watching

Journalists don’t join OPCs simply to hear prepared remarks. They attend to observe how an organisation responds when questioning escalates.

They notice hesitation.
They track how follow-ups are handled or deferred.
They assess whether responses feel coordinated or internally negotiated.

These signals shape how reporting unfolds long after the session ends. Organisations that appear coherent and assured are treated differently from those that appear cautious, fragmented or defensive.

This scrutiny is particularly pronounced in multi-market African contexts, where regulatory pressure, political sensitivity and uneven access to information intersect. A question that appears technical may carry implications across jurisdictions. A pause intended to be responsible can be read as evasion.

Once the OPC begins, there’s no private margin for error.

Why OPCs expose more than messaging

Most OPC failures are not technical. The platform works. The speakers arrive. The agenda is followed. What falters is decision confidence.

OPCs surface assumptions organisations often make about access, responsibility and escalation – assumptions that may hold internally but unravel in live environments.

Who’s authorised to answer follow-up questions if new information emerges?
Who decides whether a line of questioning should be closed or pursued?
Who has the mandate to intervene if legal, reputational and operational priorities collide?

Too often, these decisions are assumed rather than designed, and the gap becomes visible quickly.

OPCs sit on the critical path of reputation

OPCs are not neutral containers. They’re live by default; attended by journalists publishing in real time; recorded, clipped and redistributed immediately; and accessed across borders, time zones and editorial contexts. This means design choices become reputational choices.

An OPC that appears controlled but inflexible raises different concerns from one that appears responsive but disorganised. In both cases, journalists draw conclusions not only about the issue at hand, but about the institution behind it.

This is why, in practice, OPCs demand far more than technical execution. They require governance, media judgement, and active stewardship of how information moves across markets.

Five judgements that separate stable OPCs from fragile ones

This isn’t about tools or formats. It’s about governance under pressure.

1. Access must be designed, not assumed
Open access is not inherently inclusive. Controlled registration protects the integrity of the briefing without limiting legitimate media participation.

2. Responsibility must be explicit
An OPC is not one task. Moderation, access control, technical oversight and decision authority must be clearly owned. When roles blur, response slows precisely when speed matters.

3. Preparation is about failure, not polish
Dry runs expose handover gaps, translation delays, escalation blind spots and decision bottlenecks. In pan-regional OPCs, preparation is risk mitigation.

4. Escalation must be agreed before it’s needed
Live environments do not allow for internal debate. Effective OPCs define in advance who can intervene, pause proceedings or redirect if the briefing is compromised.

5. Distribution is part of the event
An OPC disconnected from press release publishing, newsroom access and post-event assets fragments interpretation and weakens impact.

Beyond rehearsals: why design drills matter

Among the organisations APO Group consults with, the most effective OPCs are marked by a shift away from traditional rehearsals and towards design drills.

Rehearsals focus on logistics: speakers, timing, slides and links. Design drills focus on decision authority. In practice, this means stress-testing realistic scenarios where information is incomplete, questions escalate unexpectedly, or legal, reputational and operational priorities collide. The aim is to identify where authority is unclear – before that uncertainty plays out in public.

This approach builds institutional confidence, not just presentational polish.

Pan-African OPCs in practice

APO Group’s OPC work creates the unmatched opportunity to assemble key journalists from across the continent in one setting. Spanning the full lifecycle of a virtual media event, our team develops the brief, secures panellists, manages registrations, coordinates media outreach across markets, and runs the live technical environment – including moderation, Q&A management, and recording.

The differentiator is how these elements are orchestrated to protect credibility under scrutiny.

In Somalia, for example, APO Group supported TikTok’s #SaferTogether digital safety campaign by mapping a high-risk media landscape, working with the Somalia Journalists Association, managing live Q&A, and supporting post-event coverage – resulting in strong qualitative engagement and sustained media dialogue.

In West Africa, a bilingual OPC for Nestlé Maggi combined English and French media participation, same-day execution, and integrated post-event distribution to drive both visibility and measurable commercial outcomes across multiple markets.

In Guinea, OPC activity formed part of a broader launch strategy for Mercy Ships’ dental education initiative, combining live and on-ground media engagement to position the programme as a regional healthcare milestone.

Across these contexts, the common factor is discipline: how access is controlled, how authority is exercised, and how narratives are guided once the session ends.

What strong organisations are doing differently in 2026

OPCs will continue to grow because they solve a real operational problem: speed, access and scale across markets. But the organisations getting real value from them are treating OPCs less like isolated events and more like repeatable systems.

They design the briefing for the way journalism actually works – anticipating what will be quoted, clipped, shared and reframed across markets before the first question is asked.

They also plan for what happens after the session ends: coordinated press release publishing, newsroom-ready assets, rapid turnaround of quotes and cut-downs, and distribution pathways that reduce fragmentation and prevent parallel narratives from forming.

This is the shift that matters.

An OPC that runs smoothly in the room but produces confusion in the replay is not a briefing. It is a missed opportunity.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Media Contact:
marie@apo-opa.com 

About APO Group:
Founded in 2007 by Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, APO Group is the communications consultancy built for performance – combining strategic advisory, on-the-ground execution, and guaranteed visibility across every African market.

Recognised with multiple international awards, including SABRE, Davos Communications, and World Business Outlook distinctions, APO Group partners with global and African organisations to deliver communications that perform – through strategy, execution, and measurable visibility. Our founder’s advisory roles with international institutions strengthen APO Group’s access to decision-makers and reinforce our role as the continent’s most connected communications consultancy. Clients include Canon, Emirates, Nestlé, NFL, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Afreximbank, the African Development Bank Group, GITEX Global, Royal African Society, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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South Africa: Committees Demand Urgent Action on Governance Failures in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Municipalities

Source: APO


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The joint oversight committees, comprising the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee on Auditor-General, have raised serious concerns over persistent governance, financial management and service delivery failures at several KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) municipalities, including Impendle and Nquthu municipalities.

The committees held engagements with the municipalities at the Pietermaritzburg Town Hall yesterday, as part of their week-long oversight oversight visit to KZN, focusing on municipalities identified by the Auditor-General of South Africa as distressed or dysfunctional.

The committees expressed deep concern over Nquthu Local Municipality’s recurring audit failures and weak post-audit action plan. While limited progress was noted, the municipality was warned that its submissions lack clear targets, measurable outcomes and credible strategies to address supply chain and contract management failures, budget–service delivery misalignment and overreliance on consultants.

The municipality was instructed to submit a comprehensive, time-bound post-audit action plan with clear responsibilities, measurable outcomes and monitoring mechanisms. Provincial Treasury, the MECs for COGTA and Finance, and the Auditor-General will oversee implementation.

The committees further directed the municipality to strengthen controls to prevent unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful (UIFW) expenditure and to submit a full report on investigations, disciplinary or criminal action taken and preventative measures. Bonuses and incentives must reflect actual performance, failing which restitution will be enforced.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on COGTA, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said the municipality has three months to submit the required reports and demonstrate improvement, warning that failure will lead to constitutional interventions.

The committees also expressed grave concern over Impendle Local Municipality’s financial distress and governance failures. Despite repeated Treasury interventions during the 2024/25 financial year, recommended measures were not implemented resulting in the loss of R36 million in grant funding and irregular payments exceeding R600 000 in bonuses, gratuities and allowances.

Misleading information provided to Parliament, including the underreporting of salary expenditure, was strongly condemned. Political instability, including the absence of a functioning mayor and poor council cooperation, was cited as a key contributor to the municipality’s dysfunction.

Municipal leadership was directed to comply fully with MEC-recommended recovery plans, strengthen financial controls, ring-fence compensation of employees and prevent further UIFW expenditure. The committees warned that misleading Parliament and continued non-compliance will attract serious consequences. Urgent intervention is required to stabilise governance and restore service delivery, particularly in water, housing and infrastructure.

The committees also engaged with Endumeni, Nongoma, Msunduzi and uMhlathuze local municipalities, raising concerns over audit failures, weak financial and procurement controls, unfunded budgets, infrastructure backlogs, high consultancy costs and poor accountability.

Endumeni Local Municipality was rebuked for unexplained cash gratuities exceeding R20 000 for each senior manager and was directed to submit a time-bound Audit Action Plan. Nongoma Local Municipality was criticised for weak contract management and grant under-spending and ordered to submit a verified post-audit plan.

Msunduzi Local Municipality received a stern warning over persistent governance failures, rising debt and service delivery breakdowns. At uMhlathuze Local Municipality, the committees raised concerns over water losses, budget shortfalls, security risks and unlawful salary deductions. They warned that provincial intervention may be required.

Dr Mkhize reaffirmed the committees’ commitment to enforcing accountability, financial discipline and constitutional obligations to the municipalities. The committees will wrap up their oversight visit programme today with engagements with the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma District Municipality and traditional leaders in Pietermaritzburg.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, DR ZWELI MKHIZE.

For media enquiries and interviews with the chairperson contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Malentsoe Magwagwa (Ms)
Cell: 081 716 5824
Email: mmagwagwa@parliament.gov.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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Deadline looms for NSFAS rejected students to appeal

Source: Government of South Africa

Deadline looms for NSFAS rejected students to appeal

Students, including first-time applicants and continuing students, who were rejected by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for funding, have until 31 January, to appeal the decision.

The appeals window is open until 31 January 2026.

For the 2026 academic year, NSFAS has streamlined its appeals process to ensure that every student is afforded a fair and equitable opportunity to have their application reconsidered.

“Upon receiving the outcome of their NSFAS application, students who wish to appeal are required to initiate the process promptly. The appeals window is open, and NSFAS will notify students of the outcome of their appeals on an ongoing basis,” said the financial aid scheme.

It further said that it is imperative that students submit all required supporting documentation as part of their appeal, as incomplete submissions cannot be processed.

“Applicants are granted a strict 30-day window from the date of their outcome notification to provide the necessary documents and complete their appeal. Failure to submit the requisite documentation within this period will result in forfeiture of the appeal opportunity.”

NSFAS encouraged students to prepare all relevant documents in advance and to adhere strictly to the prescribed deadlines to ensure their appeals are considered in a timely manner and without unnecessary delay.

For more information visit https://www.nsfas.org.za/content/appeals.html. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Janine

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Fossil hunters find a new dinosaur track site on South Africa’s coast – the youngest so far

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University

Southern Africa is world renowned for its fossil record of creatures that lived in the very distant past, including dinosaurs. But, about 182 million years ago, a huge eruption of lava covered much of the landscape (the inland Karoo Basin) where most of the dinosaurs roamed. After that, the dinosaur fossil record in the region goes abruptly quiet for the Jurassic Period (which lasted from 201 million to 145 million years ago).

Two exciting recent discoveries confirm, however, that there is more to find of dinosaurs that lived in southern Africa a long time after those lava flows.

First, dinosaur tracks aged around 140 million years were reported in 2025 on a remote stretch of the coast in South Africa’s Western Cape province. These were the first to be found in the region from that geological time period (the Cretaceous, 145 million to 66 million years ago).

Now, we’ve found more.

Our work as a team of ichnologists (studying fossil tracks and traces) often takes us to the Knysna area of the Western Cape coast, where we investigate tracks in coastal aeolianites (cemented sand dunes) in the age range of 50,000 to 400,000 years old.

During one of these visits, early in 2025, we decided to visit a small patch of rock that formed during the early Cretaceous Period. It’s the only place in the vicinity where rock of this age is exposed, and much of it is underwater at high tide. We thought we might be lucky enough to find a theropod (dinosaur) tooth like the one discovered in those rocks by a 13-year-old boy in 2017.

We were pleasantly surprised when instead Linda Helm, a member of our party, told us in a state of excitement that she had found dinosaur tracks. Further examination of the deposits revealed more than two dozen probable tracks.

The Brenton Formation exposure. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

This so-called Brenton Formation exposure is tiny, no more than 40 metres in length and five metres in width, with cliffs rising from the shore to a maximum of five metres. To find dozens of tracks in this small area suggests a considerable dinosaur presence in the region during the Cretaceous.

In our study we estimate that these tracks are 132 million years old, making them the youngest known dinosaur tracks in southern Africa (50 million years younger than the youngest tracks reported from the Karoo Basin). They form the second record of dinosaur tracks from the South African Cretaceous, and the second record from the Western Cape province. Some of them occur on rock surfaces, while others occur in the cliffs in profile.

Theropod track, seen ‘three-quarters-on’ – the three narrow toes can be seen above the 10cm scale bar. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

Dinosaur fossil treasures

Southern Africa has a wealth of vertebrate tracks and traces from the Mesozoic Era (the “Age of Dinosaurs”, from 252 million to 66 million years ago, a time span that includes the Jurassic) in the Karoo Basin – a vast inland basin filled with thick piles of sedimentary deposits.

Read more: Why South Africa’s Karoo is a palaeontological wonderland

Dinosaur tracks from the Triassic and Jurassic periods are abundant in Lesotho and surrounding areas in South Africa’s Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

But vast quantities of lava, now referred to as the Drakensberg Group, overlaid these track-bearing deposits as a result of large-scale eruptions. A few dinosaurs appear to have briefly survived the initial effects of the lava flows, and were probably among the last vertebrates to inhabit the Karoo Basin.

Then, as the supercontinent of Gondwana fragmented at the end of the Jurassic Period and in the early Cretaceous Period, limited Cretaceous terrestrial deposits formed in rift basins in what are now the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.

Dinosaur body fossils have been reported from those deposits, mostly from the Eastern Cape. They include the first dinosaur to be identified in the southern hemisphere, now identified as a stegosaur, as well as sauropods, a coelurosaurian and iguanodontid hatchlings and juveniles.

The only examples of dinosaur skeletal material from the Western Cape are a few isolated sauropod teeth, disarticulated bones of a probable sauropod, and two cases from the Knysna area: the theropod tooth mentioned above and a portion of a tibia.

But now we’re after their tracks.

This theropod track has been lightly outlined in white chalk; scale bars = 10 cm. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

Dinosaurs of Knysna

The tracks we found at Knysna are in the modern intertidal zone, where the high tide covers most of them twice a day.

It would be difficult to imagine a more different scene, 132 million years ago, than the spectacular coastline, magnificent estuary, and lots of development by humans that we encounter today. Back in the early Cretaceous, many dinosaurs would have been visible in the area, perhaps inhabiting tidal channels or point bars (river beaches). The vegetation would also have been very different from that of today.

The Brenton Formation tracks were made by theropods, possibly ornithopods (both these kinds of dinosaur were bipedal, walking on two legs), and possibly sauropods (huge dinosaurs with very long necks and very long tails that were quadrupedal, walking on four legs). Theropods were meat eaters, while ornithopods and sauropods were plant eaters.

It can be challenging at times to distinguish theropod tracks from ornithopod tracks. Sauropod tracks are larger and don’t always have clear digit impressions, also sometimes making them hard to identify with confidence.

Read more: Identifying dinosaurs from their footprints is difficult – but AI can help

Some of the dinosaur tracks are evident in profile; scale bar = 10 cm. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

In most cases, we have chosen not to “over-interpret” which types of dinosaurs made which tracks, as they just aren’t clear enough. Our research paper simply intends to document that dinosaur tracks of this age are relatively plentiful in the Brenton Formation.

Part of a dinosaur trackway in the Brenton Formation; scale bars = 10 cm. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

The fact that early Cretaceous dinosaur tracks have now been identified in both the Robberg Formation and the Brenton Formation suggests that more may be found if a search is conducted in appropriate places. There are a number of other exposures of non-marine Cretaceous rocks in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape. Systematic exploration of these deposits is now indicated, in the hope that in addition to finding more dinosaur skeletal material, more dinosaur tracks (and potentially those of other vertebrates) will be identified.

Mark G. Dixon and Fred van Berkel of the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, contributed to this research.

– Fossil hunters find a new dinosaur track site on South Africa’s coast – the youngest so far
– https://theconversation.com/fossil-hunters-find-a-new-dinosaur-track-site-on-south-africas-coast-the-youngest-so-far-274337

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Remarks by Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Ms Nonceba Mhlauli, at the release of the Operation Vulindlela Phase II Q3 2025/2026 Progress Report, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Sandton

Source: President of South Africa –

Programme Directors,
Deputy Minister Dr David Masondo,
Members of the media,
Captains of industry, 
Ladies and gentlemen. 

Good morning members of the media, investors and analysts, ladies and gentlemen.

As we launch this progress report for the third quarter outlining the steps we have taken to advance the economic reform agenda, it is important to step back and situate this report within the broader moment South Africa finds itself in.

Our country is operating in a constrained global environment. Growth globally remains uneven. Geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, climate shocks, and tighter financial conditions continue to place pressure on emerging economies. Domestically, we continue to contend with the legacy of infrastructure underinvestment, uneven service delivery, and the imperative to restore confidence in the state’s capacity to implement.

Against this backdrop, the progress reflected in this report matters.

It matters because South Africa’s growth outlook is not determined only by external conditions, but by our ability to remove long-standing structural constraints that have held the economy back for more than a decade. It matters because ratings agencies, investors, businesses, and citizens are increasingly looking not at policy intent, but at whether reforms are being executed consistently and credibly.

Without repeating what has already been said, I want to emphasise two points.

The first is that reform momentum has strengthened, and that the State is increasingly moving from planning to delivery.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa has said, we are seeing important green shoots in the economy. Four consecutive quarters of positive economic growth, declining unemployment, a strengthening currency, and rising commodity prices are all acting as powerful tailwinds for our economic recovery.

The reform programme that we are pursuing through Operation Vulindlela is essential to ensure that these positive indicators result in a sustained shift in our economic trajectory rather than a temporary lift in growth. Ultimately, these reforms – whether in the energy, water and logistics sectors or in the immigration system – are about unlocking much higher rates of fixed investment in the economy and powering long-term growth.

Colleagues,

The second is that these reforms aim to improve the lives of all South Africans. That is why in Phase II of Operation Vulindlela, we have focused on achieving more inclusive and not only more rapid economic growth.  

The reduction in load shedding which has resulted from reforms in the energy sector has had a tangible impact on every household and business. Likewise, reforms in the rail system have supported the recovery of passenger rail services, with the majority of corridors now up and running and providing cheaper public transport for people in every major city.

Going forward, as we advance the more recent reforms in housing policy and the local government system, we will make progress on many of the issues that are most critical to poor households – improving the delivery of basic services, making our cities work effectively, and accelerating the delivery of well-located and dignified housing so that people can live closer to work and contribute to the economy.

Finally, what this progress report shows is that now is a good time to invest in South Africa.

Distinguished guests,

For more than a decade, we have experienced low levels of economic growth and high levels of uncertainty. This year, however, we are turning a corner, largely as a result of our commitment to far-reaching economic reform.

By strengthening our economic fundamentals and creating an environment for growth, we can protect our economy from global disruptions and take advantage of the opportunities that are emerging alongside them.

All of this combines to make a strong case for investment, in order to capitalise on South Africa’s growth story.

Thank you once again for joining us today, and for continuing to engage with Operation Vulindlela as we continue the work of reform.

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Centurion Home Affairs office relocated to Centurion Mall

Source: Government of South Africa

Centurion Home Affairs office relocated to Centurion Mall

The Department of Home Affairs will from today relocate its Centurion office to Centurion Mall, with the new office opening to the public on Monday.

The current Centurion office will close on Friday, 30 January 2026.

“During this brief closure period, mobile units will be stationed at the existing site to assist clients with Smart ID Card applications and collections only. All other Home Affairs services will remain available at nearby offices within the Tshwane District,” the department said.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said: “Our teams in Gauteng are working hard to ensure minimal disruption during this move. We are transitioning from an outdated and unsuitable facility to a modern, well-equipped environment that allows Home Affairs to serve people with dignity.

“This move forms part of our broader reform programme to deliver dignity for all by ensuring that Home Affairs services are provided in environments that are safe, professional and worthy of the people we serve.”

The move directly addresses long-standing safety and operational challenges at the previous site.

The department has received numerous complaints about the selling of queue positions by unscrupulous individuals, as well as poor service conditions linked to infrastructure limitations. In addition, the lack of secure on-site parking previously forced clients to park on the street, exposing them and their vehicles to criminal activity.

The Minister thanked members of the public for their patience and cooperation during the transition. – SAnews.gov.za

Janine

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