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Wider Africa Energy Summit (WAES) 2025 to Connect Operators, Service Providers with Emerging African Opportunities

Source: APO – Report:

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The upcoming Wider Africa Energy Summit (WAES) – taking place in Aberdeen, Scotland on November 18-19, 2025 – will connect international operators and leading service providers with strategic oil and gas opportunities in Africa. This year’s conference features a strong slate of international and African companies that are participating, providing a critical platform for new deals to be signed.

The WAES is organized by OGV Group in partnership with the African Energy Chamber, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Energy Industries Council, the Scottish African Business Association, the UK Ghana Chamber of Commerce and the Global Underwater Hub. By delving into strategic oil and gas opportunities across Africa, the summit connects continents, providing a launchpad for the European supply chain to expand their presence and investments in Africa’s most promising energy markets.

Leading Operators Join WAES

The WAES 2025 has emerged as a strategic platform for operators to gain insight into upcoming investment opportunities across Africa’s oil and gas value chain. Various exploration and production companies have already committed their participation at the event, underscoring its position as a premier meeting place for the industry. These include Shell, which already boasts a strong portfolio of exploration and production assets in Africa. The company has been at the forefront of Namibia’s exploration success with its Graff discovery and is now looking at a new drilling campaign at PEL 39 in 2026. In Nigeria, the company reached a final investment decision for the HI gas project, unlocking 350 million cubic feet of gas per day in production. The company also returned to Angola in 2025 following a deal signed for Block 33.

bp is advancing Africa’s LNG agenda through strategic projects in Mauritania, Senegal and Mozambique. The company started production at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project in Mauritania/Senegal in 2025, with the project’s FLNG vessel reaching commercial operations in July 2025. The company is now looking towards GTA phase two to bolster production. Meanwhile in Egypt, the company started production at the Reven Infills gas project in 2025. Producing 450,000 barrels per day, Harbour Energy is one of the world’s biggest independent oil and gas producers. The company has a strong gas portfolio in North Africa, including stakes in the Reggane Nord in Algeria, the Al Jurf contract areas in Libya and the West Nile Delta, Dissouq and East Damanhour projects in Egypt. Additionally, international players to the likes of Canadian Natural Resources and Serica Energy are also participating. While the companies have downsized their African portfolios in recent years, their participation at WAES showcases their pursuit of strategic opportunities.

Connecting Service Providers to African Projects

The WAES 2025 will also convene leading service providers and African stakeholders, offering a platform for collaboration, deals and strengthened dialogue. Across the African continent, various international service providers are supporting critical projects, and with the recent push towards monetizing underdeveloped resources, opportunities for these firms are only growing. With a focus on digitalization and a dedication to balancing operational efficiency with sustainable development NOV has developed a strong presence in Africa. The company is active in various markets, including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and more, offering cutting-edge technologies and services that support clients enhance their operations.

Oceaneering is also strengthening its presence across the continent. The company is active in Angola and recently announced that it has renewed a contract for its inspection services across West Africa. Meanwhile, Expro continues to advance key projects in sub-Saharan Africa, offering a range of services from well construction and production optimization to well decommissioning and environment solutions. Providing competitive floating solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry, Modec is also participating at WAES 2025. The company has an extensive footprint in West Africa, with contracts in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and more. These companies will be joined by a suite of UK supply chain firms, underscoring WAES’ position as a platform to connect.

Don’t miss your chance to join the WAES 2025. Visit https://WAESummit.com/ for more information.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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The great wildebeest migration, seen from space: satellites and AI are helping count Africa’s wildlife

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Isla C. Duporge, British–French zoologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Princeton University

The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the most remarkable natural spectacles on Earth. Each year, immense herds of wildebeest, joined by zebras and gazelles, travel 800-1,000km between Tanzania and Kenya in search of fresh grazing after the rains.

This vast, circular journey is the engine of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The migration feeds predators such as lions and crocodiles, fertilises the land and sustains the grasslands. Countless other species, and human livelihoods tied to rangelands and tourism, depend on it.

Because this migration underpins the entire ecosystem, it’s vital to know how many animals are involved. A change in numbers would not only affect wildebeest, but would ripple outward to predators, vegetation and the millions of people who rely on this landscape.

For decades, aerial surveys have been the main tool for estimating the size of east Africa’s wildebeest population. Aircraft fly in straight lines (transects) a few kilometres apart and use these strips to estimate the total population. This dedicated and arduous work, using a long-established method, has given us an estimate of about 1.3 million wildebeest.

In recent years, conservation scientists have begun testing whether satellites and artificial intelligence (identifying patterns in large datasets) can offer a new way to monitor wildlife. Earlier work showed that other species – Weddell seals, beluga whales and elephants – could be identified in satellite imagery using artificial intelligence.

In 2023, we showed that migratory wildebeest could be detected from satellite images using deep learning. That study proved it’s possible to monitor large gatherings of mammals from space. The next step has been to move from simply detecting animals to estimating their populations – using satellites not just to spot them, but to count them at scale.

Our recent study was carried out through collaboration between biologists, remote sensing specialists and machine-learning scientists. We analysed satellite imagery of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem from 2022 and 2023, covering more than 4,000km².

Using deep learning models

The images were collected at very high spatial resolution (33-60cm per pixel), with each wildebeest represented by fewer than nine pixels. We analysed the imagery using two complementary deep learning models: a pixel-based U-Net and an object-based YOLO model. Both were trained to recognise wildebeest from above. Applying them together allowed us to cross-validate detections and reduce potential bias. The images were taken at the beginning and end of August, corresponding to different stages of the dry-season migration. Smaller herds were observed earlier in the month, as expected.

Across both years, the models detected fewer than 600,000 wildebeest within the dry-season range. While these numbers are lower than some previous aerial estimates, this should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence of a population decline, and we encourage more surveying effort to work out the relative error biases in each approach. While some animals are inevitably missed, under trees or outside the imaged area, it is unlikely that such factors could account for hundreds of thousands more. To confirm that the main herds were covered, we validated the survey extent using GPS tracking data from collared wildebeest and ground-based observations from organisations monitoring herd movements in the region.

These results provide the first satellite-based dry-season census of the Serengeti-Mara migration. Rather than replacing aerial surveys, they offer a complementary perspective on seasonal population dynamics. The next step is to coordinate aerial and satellite surveys in parallel. This way each method can help refine the other and build a more complete picture of this extraordinary migration.

Future directions

Satellite monitoring is not a panacea. Images are expensive, sometimes obscured by cloud cover. And they can never capture every individual on the ground (neither can aerial surveys). But the advantages are compelling. Satellites can capture a snapshot of vast landscapes at a single moment in time, removing much of the uncertainty that comes from extrapolating localised counts.

The approach is scalable to many other species and ecosystems. And as more high-resolution satellites (capable of imaging at less than 50cm) are launched, we can now revisit the same spot on Earth multiple times a day, bringing wildlife monitoring closer to real time than ever before.

Beyond population counts, satellites also open up a new scientific frontier: the study of collective movement at scale. The wildebeest migration is a classic case of emergent behaviour: there is no leader, yet order still arises. Each animal follows simple cues like where the grass is greener or where a neighbour is moving, and together thousands create a vast, coordinated journey.

With high-resolution satellite data, scientists can now explore the basic physics that shape how animals move together in large groups. But how do density waves of movement propagate across the landscape, what scaling rules might be governing patterns of spacing and alignment, and how do these collective patterns influence the functioning of ecosystems?

Our findings demonstrate how satellites and AI can be harnessed not only for wildlife population monitoring but also for applications that extend beyond population counts to uncovering the mechanisms of collective organisation in animal groups.

– The great wildebeest migration, seen from space: satellites and AI are helping count Africa’s wildlife
– https://theconversation.com/the-great-wildebeest-migration-seen-from-space-satellites-and-ai-are-helping-count-africas-wildlife-266308

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Africell Expands Multi-year Collaboration with National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa

Source: APO

The brand collaboration between Africell, Africa’s only U.S.-owned mobile network operator, and NBA Africa (https://Africa.NBA.com/) in Angola has taken a leap forward with the widening of its scope to include all four of Africell’s African operating markets with the addition of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

Launched in 2022, the collaboration between Africell and NBA Africa in Angola has already seen thousands of young Angolans given opportunities to learn and play the game. Basketball has a rich history and broad popular appeal in the country of over 30 million people, and Africell and NBA Africa have nurtured a new generation’s passion for the sport through a wide-ranging programme, including Jr. NBA tournaments, clinics and a court refurbishment.

Building upon the momentum established through the collaborative efforts in Angola to date, Africell and NBA Africa will roll out the initiative to the DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone. While distinct in many ways, each of these countries has a young and highly active population craving opportunities to participate in high-quality organised sports.  The expanded collaboration will introduce a Jr. NBA league in Angola, which will tip off next month, and will be followed by clinics and 3-on-3 tournaments in Angola, the DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone in 2026. 

Sports and healthcare are key impact areas of the Africell Impact Foundation, and the collaboration between Africell and NBA Africa across Africell’s four operating markets aims to deliver meaningful social impact while also supporting Africell’s commercial strategy by growing its customer base and engaging new audiences.

“It is difficult to overstate the magnetic pull that the NBA brand enjoys in Africa,” says Ziad Dalloul, CEO, president and founder of Africell Group. “Not only does the NBA name have associations with legendary teams and star athletes, but it also stands in the minds of many for the values of aspiration, hard work and excellence. Africell is thrilled to be expanding its collaboration with NBA Africa to DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone for the first time, and we look forward to sharing the stardust with our many young customers.”

Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, says: “Our collaboration with Africell in Angola has shown us firsthand how basketball can inspire, empower and transform the lives of youth. Building on that success, we are excited to expand into the DRC, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone – countries where Africell is already deeply rooted, where there is strong affinity for basketball, and where together we can make a meaningful and lasting social impact.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

About Africell:
Africell (https://Africell.com/) provides fast, reliable, low-cost mobile network coverage and related technology services to almost twenty million subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa.  We currently operate in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.  Africell is US-owned, headquartered in London, and directly and indirectly employs more than ten thousand people.

Through the Africell Impact Foundation, Africell invests in and supports initiatives that provide benefits to our operating markets and the wider region in the areas of sports, health and wellbeing; education and entrepreneurship; and arts, culture, and heritage. Our ambition is to narrow Africa’s opportunity gap by linking people to the digital and physical resources they need to engage fully in community life at a local, national and international level.

For more information, visit www.Africell.com or connect with us on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/47iivri).

About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya.  The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more.

NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015. The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that concluded its fifth season in June 2025. Fans can follow @ NBAAfrica on Facebook and YouTube, @ nbaafricaofficial on Instagram, @ NBA_Africa on X, and @ theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Media files

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Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina Hold Round of Political Consultations

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, October 20, 2025

The third round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the State of Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina was held Monday in Doha.
HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi headed the Qatari side, while HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Edin Dilberovic headed the Bosnian side.
The round of consultations discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and strengthen them.

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Comprehensive treatment for serious mental health conditions is possible in South Sudan

Source: APO


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“I knew I was unwell, but not a criminal,” says Samat Nyuk, a patient recovering from a mental health condition in Malakal, South Sudan. “I needed support, not punishment. What hurt the most was that my own family chose prison for me instead of treatment.”

Samat was sent to prison by his family when traditional herbs and remedies failed to calm the turmoil in his mind. At the onset of his illness, he experienced vivid and terrifying visions.

“I felt like I was crossing a river where the water reached my neck, and I saw fingers pointing at me while voices urged me to drown,” he shares.

A friend, noticing Samat’s distress, sought traditional remedies. A local elder gave him an herbal root that brought a momentary reprieve. Concerned for both his son’s safety and their family’s well-being, Samat’s father, Nyuk, asked the local authorities to detain his son or find him help. Samat was restrained in June 2025 and taken to Malakal Central Prison, where he was placed in a small cell in the prison’s isolated section for those suffering from mental illness.

In Malakal, where no psychiatric care is available, families are often left with no alternative — sending their loved ones to jail becomes a desperate last resort. Life in prison was brutal for Samat. Initially, he was confined to a dark cell with nothing but a thin mat. He endured nights of cold, swarms of mosquitoes, and relentless voices in his head.

A growing but overlooked crisis

South Sudan is grappling with a profound but often invisible mental health crisis. Decades of conflict, displacement, poverty, and food insecurity have inflicted lasting wounds. Ongoing insecurity and recurrent displacement continue to disrupt essential services, forcing communities to remain on the move and putting health staff and facilities at constant risk. This situation not only deepens the need for mental health support but also severely undermines the ability to deliver sustained care.

Many people live with anxiety, depression, trauma, and post-traumatic stress; however, services remain woefully inadequate. Access to trained professionals, effective treatments, and community awareness is limited. The outcome is grim: individuals with mental health conditions often face stigma, neglect, or are treated as criminals, leading to their incarceration.

Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence face additional layers of trauma, underscoring the need for integrated mental health and legal support services. These comprehensive responses are resource-intensive and often unavailable in many parts of the country.

On the other hand, mental health and psychosocial support programmes remain chronically underfunded and vulnerable to sudden budget cuts, threatening the continuity of services, staff retention, and the steady supply of essential medicines.

“In many cases, detention centres become the only places where those with severe symptoms can receive care or be kept safe,” says Laura Ximena, MSF’s mental health activity manager in Malakal. “While this is far from ideal, it reflects the urgent need for enhanced mental health infrastructure in the region.”

MSF’s response in Malakal

In Malakal, we provide mental health services at the Malakal Teaching hospital. Since 2023, we have been providing mental health care and psychiatric medications at the Malakal Central Prison. MSF staff members and one staff from the Ministry of Health provide follow-up care through counselling and psychopharmacological treatment. In the detention centre, we try to ensure that patients are doing well and take their medication every day.

Between January and August 2025, MSF provided mental health consultations to 1,130 individuals in Malakal, which included 761 women (67%) and 369 men (33%). For patients requiring specialised care and pharmacological care, the most common diagnoses include psychosis, bipolar disorder, depression, and mental health comorbidities involving psychoactive substance use.

Samat’s experience mirrors the plight of many patients in need of mental health care in South Sudan—faced with limited options, individuals often resort to desperate measures. Some have even had suicidal thoughts.

Between January and September this year, 12 patients seen by MSF admitted to contemplating suicide, primarily due to prolonged trauma, instability, inadequate psychosocial support, food insecurity, and exposure to violence. April 2025 saw the highest number of cases, with four patients having attempted suicide and one having thoughts of suicide.

MSF also conducts awareness sessions in various settings targeting healthcare staff and patients in hospitals. These include brief talks in waiting areas and community focus group discussions with local leaders to promote mutual support and reduce stigma. MSF also holds participatory awareness sessions in secondary schools and runs radio programmes in local languages.

Our work in Malakal continues to show that with appropriate medication, counselling, and consistent follow-up, as well as family and community support, recovery is possible. However, progress remains fragile without food security, social support, and an effective health system.

“Mental health must be integrated into healthcare services across South Sudan, ensuring trained professionals are available at all care levels,” says Ximena. “This also requires securing essential psychotropic medicines, maintaining buffer stocks, and integrating them into existing supply chains.”

“Community awareness and family involvement are equally vital,” she says. “Above all, individuals with mental health conditions deserve to be treated as persons with dignity, and not resort to detention centres where they can be associated with criminals.”

MSF continues to follow up with Samat and other patients who have been sent home, providing them with medication and counselling. Today, Samat is regaining his strength and searching for a job.

“What gives me hope now is freedom,” he says.  “Prisons are not suitable for individuals with mental health conditions. We need hospitals—places offering treatment, food, and hope for recovery.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

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Call to dismantle inequality 

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga, has addressed a dialogue where she emphasised the right to equality of each individual and the need to dismantle it across society. 

“We are not only discussing policy; we are renewing a moral covenant — that no woman, no girl, no person should ever have to negotiate their safety, their dignity, or their worth. This is the generation that must make equality irreversible,” she said.

The Minister was addressing the Intergenerational Dialogue on Building Positive Masculinities for a South Africa Free from Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

Monday’s dialogue was an official side event of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) and comes ahead of next week’s Ministerial Meeting.

Bringing together voices such as Advocate Joyce Maluleke, Director-General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) to advance conversations on building positive masculinities for a South Africa free from gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

“We are gathered to confront a deeply entrenched truth: which is, inequality is sustained at the intersection of belief, custom and power. I am of the view that, the challenge is not faith or culture themselves, but rather how they are sometimes interpreted and practised in ways that legitimise male dominance, silence women and girls, and normalise violence and exclusion,” she said.

The Minister also spoke about the Positive Masculinity Initiative, a partnership between the department and the GBVF Response Fund, United Nations Resident Office and related UN Offices.

The initiative focuses on redefining manhood and transforming social norms engaging men and boys through schools, faith spaces, initiation forums, sports and workplaces and supporting communities to adopt local charters on positive masculinity among others.

“Later this month we will convene the Positive Masculinity Conference to consolidate this national framework and align it with the broader G20 effort,” she said.

She added that across the African continent, patriarchal norms remain deeply embedded in faith and cultural systems and that studies by UN Women and Afrobarometer show that even where women’s equality is recognised in principle, it is often undermined in practice by male-dominated religious and customary leadership structures.

“In South Africa, these dynamics take on painful, visible forms. We have seen girls married off to older men under the cover of religion, from KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape; we have seen ukuthwala — the abduction of young girls for marriage — misused to justify coercion; and ukungenwa, a custom exercised on widows, which still continue in some communities. Each of these violates the law and the moral core of our traditions. So, let us be clear, under-age and coerced unions are crimes, not culture or faith,” she said.

She added that inequality begins not in policy or legislation but in the household.

“So, distinguished guests, our task today is therefore not theoretical. It is to dismantle the architecture of inequality — in pulpits and in parliaments, in cultural councils and in households— and to replace it with a culture of care, equality, and accountability that gives practical expression to our Constitution’s promise of dignity and freedom for all,” she said. –SAnews.gov.za 
 

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Operation Shanel II nets over 17 000 suspects across the country

Source: Government of South Africa

Over 17 00 suspects have been arrested across the country, with 79 unlicensed firearms confiscated from 13 to 19 October 2025.

“These crime-fighting initiatives and successes are attributed to intelligence-led takedowns, high-visibility patrols and strategic interventions across multiple provinces,” the police said on Monday.

The police’s Operation Shanela has also secured the arrest of 2 124 most wanted suspects linked to heinous crimes, including murder, rape, car hijackings and armed robberies.

Key arrests:

  • 117 suspects were arrested for murder. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest arrests (40), followed by Gauteng (27).
  • 125 attempted murder suspects were arrested across the country.
  • 233 suspects were arrested for rape, with the majority of arrests in KwaZulu-Natal with 119.
  • 322 suspects arrested for dealing in drugs, with 62 in the Western Cape, 59 in KwaZulu-Natal, 58 in Gauteng, and 50 in the Northern Cape.
  • 1 615 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, with the majority of arrests in KwaZulu-Natal (418), followed by Gauteng (308), Western Cape (291) and the Eastern Cape (195).
  • 141 suspects were arrested for illegal possession of unlicensed firearms.
  • Police also arrested 760 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (198 in Mpumalanga, 135 in Gauteng and 132 in KwaZulu-Natal).

Major seizures and recoveries

  • 1 275 ammunition were seized during this period.
  • 25 169 litres of alcohol were seized, including 9,827 litres in Northern Cape alone.
  • Contraband worth more than R7.2 million was confiscated, crippling illicit trade networks.
  • 74 stolen vehicles were recovered, ranging from sedans to trucks and motorcycles

Highlights of takedowns 

Gauteng: Police arrested a suspected illegal miner for possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition during a disruptive operation conducted in Magaliesburg, West Rand District on15 October 2025. The team also seized 15 tons of gold bearing material.

The Gauteng Counterfeit Unit, in collaboration with brand protectors, confiscated 58 240 counterfeit and illicit items, including cellphone accessories, toys, consumables, clothing and illicit pharmaceutical products worth R8 367 200.

Limpopo: On 14 October 2025, a 30-year-old suspect linked to a series of business robberies, committed in various parts of Mopani District, was arrested. Several appliances were also recovered. 

Two suspects were arrested, and two firearms and ammunition were seized during a shootout with police in Bolobedu, Tzaneen.

Western Cape: Anti-Gang Unit members executed a search and seizure warrant in Langebaan and discovered five rifles, two shotguns, two pistols, one .38 special revolver and a .22 revolver. They arrested an Algerian foreign national, who was linked to the local gang in Kengsington on the scene on 17 October 2025.

Free Sate: On 16 October 2025, police intercepted a suspicious vehicle on the N1 with three occupants and discovered 248 bottles (100ml) of Bronlceer cough syrup medicine inside the vehicle. All three suspects were arrested and charged with contravention of Medicines and Related Substances Act, and possession of suspected stolen property. 

KwaZulu-Natal: A 20-year-old suspect, who was wanted for murder and several cases of house and business robberies, was shot and killed in a shootout with police at Cato Manor in Durban on 16 October 2025. Police seized a firearm and ammunition. 

Two suspected armed robbers were shot and killed in a shootout with police during a takedown in a complex in Durban, in the Waterfall area, on 14 October 2025.

The police said with festive season operations already launched across multiple provinces, Operation Shanela’s impact will be felt nationwide. 

“These arrests send a stark warning to prospective criminal: do not even consider engaging in any form of criminal activity. As the festive season rapidly approaches, these operations will be conducted with intensified force and precision,” said National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. – SAnews.gov.za 

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Government wishes Class of 2025 well in their examinations

Source: Government of South Africa

Government extends its best wishes to all matriculants as they commence the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations tomorrow, 21 October 2025. 

This period marks the culmination of 13 years of learning, commitment and perseverance.

In that regard, learners are encouraged to approach the examinations with focus, confidence, and determination. 

“Your hard work represents not only personal achievement but also a vital contribution to the development and progress of our country,” said Acting Government spokesperson William Baloyi.

“Government further appeals to parents and guardians to provide the necessary support and a conducive environment for learners during this crucial time. A calm, encouraging atmosphere at home helps to reduce anxiety and allows learners to perform to the best of their ability. 

“Families are encouraged to ensure that learners maintain healthy routines, including adequate rest, nutritious meals, light exercise, and regular study breaks to sustain concentration and overall well-being.

“Government salutes the Class of 2025 for their resilience and commitment, and extends its appreciation to teachers, parents, and communities for their continued support. Together, we build a nation of capable and confident young people ready to shape South Africa’s future,” Baloyi said.

Last Wednesday, the quality assurance body, Umalusi, expressed full confidence that the country’s examination system is ready for the conduct, administration and management of the 2025 end of year national examinations. 

According to Umalusi’s audit report, a total of over one million candidates are registered to sit for various national examinations this year, including more than 900 000 learners writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams under the Department of Basic Education (DBE). – SAnews.gov.za

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75 suspects arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, October 20, 2025

Gauteng police kicked off their Safer Festive Season Operations with a major weekend crackdown that saw more than 1 000 suspects arrested, including 75 motorists caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

The provincewide campaign, launched on Friday and led by Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, aims to curb crime and promote safety as the festive season approaches.

Mthombeni said the focus areas for this year’s operation include intensified roadblocks, stop-and-searches, raids on liquor outlets, and heightened patrols at taxi ranks, bus terminals, train stations, and shopping centres. Police will also target illegal firearms, drug trafficking, and gender-based violence.

“The operations are designed to ensure that the people of Gauteng can enjoy the festive season without fear of crime,” Mthombeni said.

According to the South African Police Service, arrests were made across all districts.

  • In Ekurhuleni, 154 suspects were detained for offences including drug possession, liquor trading violations, and immigration-related crimes.
  • Tshwane saw 463 arrests for crimes ranging from car hijacking to kidnapping.
  • In Sedibeng and the West Rand, 179 people were taken into custody for possession of stolen property, drug dealing, and operating unlicensed liquor outlets.
  • In Johannesburg, 218 suspects were arrested for offences including firearm possession, assault, and property damage. 

Detectives also tracked down several wanted suspects linked to serious crimes such as rape, sexual assault, murder, attempted murder, and robbery.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear in various magistrates’ courts from Monday, while others were released after paying admission of guilt fines.

Police have urged the public to cooperate with law enforcement officers during the festive period as efforts to “turn Gauteng into a safer province” intensify. – SAnews.gov.za

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Parliament honours former Kenyan PM, Raila Odinga

Source: APO


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Lawmakers have hailed the late former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Amollo Odinga for his Pan Africanism spirit saying that he was a leader revered across Africa and the whole world.

Odinga died in India on Wednesday, 15 October 2025 after he reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest. 

He was laid to rest on Sunday, 19 October 2025 in his ancestral home in Bondo, near Lake Victoria, Western Kenya.

Members of Parliament paid tribute to Raila Odinga during the plenary sitting on Monday, 20 October 2025.

In his communication, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said that Raila Odinga contributed towards the development and promotion of democracy across Africa.

“He was a true statesman, a Pan Africanist and he was a good friend of Uganda, a good friend of the region and we shall miss him. Our condolences to the people of Kenya, Africa and the world at large,” Tayebwa said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi described Odinga as a political giant who fought for his country’s democracy. 

“Odinga sought to become President of Kenya and it did not happen but his contribution to Kenya’s democracy is indelible. We do sympathise with his family and the people of Kenya”, Ssenyonyi said.

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon.  Nobert Mao applauded Odinga for championing the East African Community integration. 

“Those of you who were here in the previous parliaments, there were two bodies; the Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace and the Parliamentary Network on World Bank. The late Raila Odinga was a key promoter of those bodies,” Mao said.

Tororo District Woman Representative, Hon. Sarah Opendi said that Odinga shaped the politics of Kenya adding that his counsel was valuable to Kenya’s presidents. 

“No president ruled Kenya without engaging with Odinga, little wonder he was commonly referred to as Baba. There is a lot that we can learn from him, there was unity in Kenya, everybody was mourning”, said Opendi.

She added that Odinga will be remembered for advocating for infrastructural development in East Africa, especially the Standard Gauge Railway.

Odinga who died aged 80 was an avid opposition leader, who became Prime Minister in 2008. His political journey saw him form alliances with former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 and incumbent President, William Ruto in 2024. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.