Source: APO
The Inauguration ceremony of His Excellency Dr. Mathew Antonio Patrick Herminie, 6th President of the Republic of Seychelles, will be held today, Sunday 26th October 2025, at Stad Linite, Roche Caiman at 5:30pm.
The ceremony will also be broadcast live on SBC 1, TeleSesel and Radyo Sesel
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
Source: APO
The Portfolio Committee has welcomed the briefings it received from the Department of Basic Education on its annual report for the 2024/25 financial year, Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) on audit outcomes of the department and Statutory Bodies, SACE and Umalusi.
The committee also received a briefing from Umalusi on the National Senior Certificate Examinations (NSC) 2025 readiness including learner support for the Second Chance Matric Programme.
The committee commended the department for the successful implementation of the recommendations of the AG after the 2023/24 audit outcomes. Among those recommendations is the department’s successful implementation of control measures that have helped reduce irregular expenditure, showing progress in supporting implementing agents.
The committee also heard that the department has made good progress by Including MTSF indicators in the annual performance plan, which improved transparency and accountability, enabling better tracking of progress and addressing service delivery gaps.
During engagements, the Chairperson of the committee Ms Joy Maimela told the Minister Sive Gwarube that there should be a new funding model for schools because the current one has serious shortcomings. She said the current model perpetuates inequality between the dilapidating and historically disadvantaged and historically privileged schools. She said it is only a new funding model that can assist to address that deepening contradiction.
Reporting on the state of readiness of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, Minister Gwarube told the committee that the class of 2025 started high school in 2021 at the height of the Covid-19 disruptions.
The committee heard that this year there are over 900 thousand candidates who have been registered to write NSC exams. The Minister said 706 000 of them are full-time and the rest are part-time candidates. She reiterated that the department is ready for the 2025 NSC exams that are currently underway, and thus far there have been no incidents of material value.
The committee expressed a concern over the disjuncture between the data of successful matriculants and the enrolment positions often available at universities and colleges. It called for a seamless enrolment transition to avoid the chaotic admission scenarios that often play themselves out at every start of a higher education academic calendar.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Source: APO
Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports of civilian casualties and forced displacement as fierce fighting engulfs the city.
“With fighters pushing further into the city and escape routes cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified – shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare or safety,” Mr. Fletcher said in a statement on Sunday.
He called for “an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, across Darfur and throughout Sudan,” stressing that civilians must be allowed safe passage and humanitarian workers must be protected.
“Safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access must be allowed to reach all civilians in need,” he said. “We have lifesaving supplies ready, but intensified attacks have made it impossible for us to get aid in. Local humanitarian workers continue to save lives under fire.”
City under siege
El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur still under government control, has been under siege for more than a year.
According to media reports, the RSF – a paramilitary group that has been waging a brutal war against its former allies, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) – has claimed to have taken control of the city after seizing the army’s Sixth Division headquarters.
The Sudanese army has not yet commented, but the loss of El Fasher would mark a major setback for government forces and a potential turning point in the civil war that has ravaged the country since April 2023.
The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 11.7 million people, including 4.2 million who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries, according to the UN figures.
Widespread civilian casualties
UN agencies have reported widespread civilian casualties and repeated attacks on medical facilities in the region in recent weeks.
At least 20 people were killed in strikes on a mosque and the Saudi hospital – the city’s last functioning medical facility – earlier this month. This followed nearly 100 civilian deaths in September.
Hold perpetrators to account
Mr. Fletcher condemned the continued targeting of civilians, hospitals and humanitarian operations, urging all parties to respect international law.
“Those responsible for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law must be held to account,” he said
He also reiterated the obligations set out under Security Council resolution 2736 (2024), which demands an end to the siege of El Fasher, the protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access across Sudan.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
Source: APO
The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture will tomorrow embark on a week-long oversight visit programme to the Eastern Cape where it will receive briefings from the Eastern Cape Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, and from the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Agriculture on the projects to be visited that include Ncera Macadamia Nuts Farming Project and the Zanyokwe Farmer Production Support Unit in Keiskammahoek.
The committee on Tuesday will meet Chief Siseko Maqoma in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality and thereafter it will visit the Citrus Projects and Packhouses in the Kat River/Seymor Area.
On Wednesday the committee will be in Ngqushwa Local Municipality where it will visit the Ngqushwa Citrus Projects, farms and the Ripplemead Packhouse. On Thursday the committee will visit the Alexandria FPSU in the Ndlambe Local Municipality. On Friday it will be in Sundays River Valley Local Municipality where it will visit the Santa Clara FPSU and the surrounding citrus farms.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender (Ms)
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Source: Government of South Africa
Monday, October 27, 2025
As part of efforts to raise funds for cancer survivors, Eastern Cape police officers have participated in a Shavathon event.
The Alexandria officers have either shaved their heads or spray painted their heads to raise funds for cancer survivors.
The well-attended event was held at the Dutch Reformed Church, Voortrekker Street in Alexandria last week.
“The members were also joined by several stakeholders, including the local Community Police Forum (CPF) coming together to make a bold statement against the dreaded disease.
“The proceeds that were collected on the day were donated to PALCARE, which is a local non-profit organisation (NPO) that provides home-based hospice and palliative care to those with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement on Sunday.
Brigadier Asogran Naidoo praised the police for participating in the event.
“Your role in the event highlighted compassion and dedication to serving the communities beyond traditional policing.
“This event highlights the ongoing efforts of the South African Police Service to strengthen community-police relations and to promote a ‘community-first’ approach to policing,” Naidoo said. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Government of South Africa
The Secretariat of the Climate Change and Futures in Africa Conference Series 2025 has announced that the upcoming conference will take place in Windhoek, Namibia, from 29 October to 1 November 2025.
The conference will be convened under the theme: ‘Risk in Time and Space’, highlighting the variability of disaster risks over time and space.
According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this year’s edition will place special emphasis on community-based participatory research (CBPR), an approach that empowers local communities to engage actively in risk assessment, decision-making, and the development of adaptive strategies.
“By focusing on local knowledge and participation, CBPR offers powerful pathways for addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change and disaster risks,” the secretariat said in a statement.
The Windhoek 2025 Conference will bring together experts in climate change, disaster risk reduction, policymakers, practitioners, and community-based participatory research from around the world to share insights, exchange knowledge, and explore innovative solutions.
The programme will feature interactive panel discussions, workshops, and breakout sessions designed to encourage dialogue and practical solutions to the complex challenges posed by climate change and disaster risks across disciplines and regions.
Participants will engage with case studies and research findings from Southern Africa and other climate-vulnerable regions, offering critical perspectives on the real-world impacts of climate change.
More than 100 delegates are expected to attend, representing countries including Namibia, South Africa, Canada, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Algeria, Japan, Greece, and Germany.
The conference aims to strengthen networks and partnerships that transcend geographical and disciplinary boundaries, promoting inclusive and forward-looking approaches to disaster risk management.
Through collaborative efforts, this year’s conference seeks to contribute to the development of resilient, adaptive communities capable of navigating the evolving landscape of global climate challenges.
Discussions will explore themes such as risk analysis fundamentals, risk assessment, disaster risk management, risk perception, communication, governance, risk mitigation in sectoral policies, monitoring and coping with real risk problems, and risk and ethics.
The event will be officially opened by the Prime Minister of Namibia, Dr Elijah Ngurare, alongside the Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti.
The third edition of the Climate Change and Futures in Africa Conference Series is being organised collaboratively by the HSRC and several partners.
These include the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology of Namibia, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the National Research Foundation, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, Santam South Africa, the Department of Cooperative Governance, the University of Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu University, Midlands State University, the University of the Free State, Future Earth, and the Africa Institute of South Africa, along with Zimbabwe’s National University of Science and Technology.
For more information, visit the conference webpage: https://climatefuturesafrica.hsrc.ac.za/. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Government of South Africa
By Neo Bodumela
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – President Cyril Ramaphosa has, on behalf of the South African government, welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas.
The President was speaking during a public lecture at the University of Malay at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations on Monday.
“We welcome the ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump and supported by a number of countries in the Middle East and beyond, including the return of the hostages, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the resumption of humanitarian assistance.
“However, we are concerned that this ceasefire is being undermined by continued assaults on Gaza and the West Bank,” he said.
The President called on the international community to make “every effort to ensure that the peace deal provides a path towards Palestinian statehood and self-determination.”
“We must pursue the goal of a two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders, with a Palestinian state existing alongside and in peace with the State of Israel,” he stated.
President Ramaphosa noted that the people of Gaza are “facing genocide.”
“After decades of dispossession, repression and oppression, the people of Gaza are facing genocide.
“We cannot but be moved to action by the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians, forced displacement, deliberate starvation and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals and other essential infrastructure,” he remarked.
Much like South Africa, the Malaysian government has supported the cause of the Palestinian people and championed the cause of a two-state solution.
“We pay tribute to the principled solidarity of the peoples of Malaysia with the oppressed and suffering Palestinian people.
“We salute Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership in publicly supporting South Africa’s case against the State of Israel at the International Court of Justice and for Malaysia’s active leadership within the Hague Group.
“This is truly the spirit of Bandung: the solidarity of conscience,” the President noted.
The two nations also “stand shoulder to shoulder on the global stage in our mutual quest for social justice for people everywhere”.
“Our two nations have stood consistently for the reform of the institutions of global governance so that the needs of the Global South are reflected.
“We continue to call for reform of the United Nations Security Council so that it reflects the realities of the 21st century, and so that it may fulfil its original purpose as a guarantor of international peace and security,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Government of South Africa
By Neo Bodumela
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – President Cyril Ramaphosa has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations by the University of Malay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The honour was bestowed some 35 years after the same institution conferred an Honorary Doctorate on Former President Nelson Mandela.
Delivering a public lecture during the conferment ceremony, President Ramaphosa said while the honour is conferred in the name of an individual, it is a recognition of South Africa’s evolution from a painful history of subjugation of one on another and racial segregation and discrimination to a democratic dispensation.
“[This] honour recognises the achievements of an entire nation. It recognises the struggle of the South African people for democracy and freedom.
“It acknowledges the progress we have made in building a new society founded on the principles of equality, justice and solidarity,” President Ramaphosa said on Monday.
Solidarity
The President reflected on the history between South Africa and Malaysia which spans back to the Southeast Asian slave trade which brought the peoples from Southeast Asian nations – including Malaysia – to the Cape as labourers for Dutch colonialists.
“Among these early arrivals were also political exiles, skilled artisans and religious scholars. Yet even amidst the degradation and dehumanisation of slavery, the arrival of these people was transformational.
“This early community carried Islam to South Africa, and the Holy Quran’s message of equality brought comfort to the dispossessed peoples of South Africa,” he said.
Malaysia also stood in solidarity with South African freedom fighters in the struggle against apartheid.
“It is a source of great pride to us that the ties between Malaysia and South Africa have endured. Since the time of the early Cape Malay community, through the anti-apartheid struggle and into our democracy, our destinies have been intertwined.
“Our shared history may not have been of our making, but it has evolved into a principled solidarity. When we were liberated from apartheid bondage, Malaysia was at our side. When President Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, [then] Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed was one of the first foreign leaders he met with,” he said.
President Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of this shared history – touting it as a lesson on how through solidarity, “we can escape the ghosts of the past, overcome the most strident of obstacles and help reshape our common destiny”.
“As we look to the future, it is essential that we continue to strengthen the historical linkages that exist between us.
“We should celebrate the rich history that binds Malaysia and South Africa. It is important for us to honour the struggles and sacrifices made by our forebears and strive to build a future rooted in collaboration and mutual respect,” the President noted.
He called for the deepening of friendship between South Africa and Malaysia.
“I receive this honorary doctorate with gratitude from the Universiti Malaya, an institution with a rich and proud history. I accept it on behalf of your brothers and sisters in South Africa, who owe the people of Malaysia and its noble leaders a great debt. Thank you for standing with us in our quest for dignity and justice.
“As we enter a new and even greater era of South-South cooperation, we carry with us the spirit of the early Cape Malay community whose values are the bedrock of the free South Africa we have today.
“Let there be friendship. Let there be peace. Salaam Alaikum,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: APO
In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) is today using its participation in the FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) Technical Seminar 2025 (Rome, 8th – 10th October) to announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17, a next-generation inkjet press engineered for industrial-scale corrugated packaging production. Capable of digitally printing up to 8,000 m2 per hour (15 million m2 per year), the corrPRESS iB17 delivers offset-like quality directly onto corrugated boards up to 1.7 m wide with water-based inks and primer for indirect food contact. The highly automated corrPRESS iB17 enables cost-efficient short- to medium-length runs with ultra-fast turnaround times and requires fewer operators and lower skill levels. Designed for seamless integration into existing production environments, the corrPRESS iB17 offers outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, and extends the economic benefits of digital printing far beyond traditional short-run applications.
Building on Canon’s proven expertise and experience in commercial digital printing and following the development roadmap presented as a concept at drupa 2024, the Canon corrPRESS iB17 will address the evolving needs of corrugated converters that face increasing pressure to deliver shorter runs with more variants, faster turnaround times and premium quality, and all without compromising cost efficiency.
Offering industrial-scale throughput at up to 8,000 m2 per hour, the corrPRESS iB17 allows converters to achieve cost-efficient production for runs up to 20,000 m2, extending digital printing viability well beyond traditional short-runs. Supported by automated printhead cleaning and quality control systems, the press minimises operator intervention while maximising production efficiency. The system’s design also reduces waste through efficient print on demand and eliminates the use of printing plates and chemicals. Unlike conventional technologies, the corrPRESS iB17 does not produce contaminated water, which then has to be filtered or released into the wastewater system.
Featuring Canon’s proprietary, high-performance, 1200 dpi piezo printheads and specially formulated, water-based pigment inks and primer, which provide an extended colour gamut with CMYK and later OVG, the corrPRESS iB17 achieves pre-print offset-like quality in the post-print process. This improves production efficiency by eliminating the traditional lamination step while reproducing vibrant, accurate and consistent colours, sharp text and precise detail on both coated and uncoated topliners at rated speeds. The system also uses an advanced spot primer that ensures optimal ink adhesion and colour reproduction across the full range of corrugated materials. The ink is jetted onto the board immediately after the primer application without any drying in between, minimising the impact of drying on the board and contributing to a highly reliable production process.
The sophisticated Canon drying technology in the corrPRESS iB17 has been optimised to minimise corrugated board stress and energy consumption and to increase production efficiency. Covering approximately 80% of retail packaging applications, the system supports coated and uncoated boards up to 1.7 m wide and 1.3 m long, and ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm thick, at a linear speed of 80 m per minute. Unusually for a digital corrugated press, Canon owns all the key components in the printing process – printheads, inks and drying – enabling Canon to optimise the system’s performance more easily. This high level of integration and synchronisation will result in exceptional levels of productivity and reliability. By combining proven proprietary inkjet technology with an industrial board transport system, Canon has developed an innovative press that delivers offset-quality prints with outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, all developed for indirect food contact applications
Jennifer Kolloczek, Senior Director, Marketing & Innovation, Production Printing, Canon EMEA, commented: “Corrugated converters face rising demands for shorter runs, more variants and faster turnaround without compromising quality or cost. We’re thrilled to now announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17 — a digital corrugated press that empowers converters to respond to the changing demands with agility and unlock growth. For Canon, the corrPRESS iB17 marks a major milestone in our journey to becoming a key player in the packaging industry and we’re especially excited that EMEA customers will be the first to benefit from this innovation. Although we’re new to corrugated, we bring many years of collaborative innovation from industrial-scale commercial print and will combine our digital expertise with converters’ value-chain knowledge to drive progress in packaging together.”
For more information about the Canon corrPRESS iB17, please visit: https://apo-opa.co/42VZHwG
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).
Media enquiries, please contact:
Canon Central and North Africa
Mai Youssef
e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com
APO Group – PR Agency
Rania ElRafie
e. Rania.ElRafie@apo-opa.com
About Canon Central and North Africa:
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2016 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.
Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.
Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei (http://apo-opa.co/42TVl9i) – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.
For more information: www.Canon-CNA.com
Source: APO
A high-level delegation from Shaanxi Province of China visited Zambia from 22 to 24 October, 2025, headed by Mr. Wang Xiao, Executive Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province. On 22 October, 2025, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Hon. Chipoka Mulenga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Zambia.
Mr. Wang Xiao stated that during President Hakainde Hichilema’s visit to China last year to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he visited Shaanxi Province and toured several Shaanxi-based businesses. This visit aimed to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit and the consensus reached by the two heads of state. Mr. Wang expressed a readiness to further strengthen local and economic exchanges with the Zambian side, as part of the practical cooperation between the two countries.
Hon. Mulenga welcomed the delegation, and stressed that under the guidance of older generations of leaders from China and Zambia, in particular, Chairman Mao Zedong and President Kenneth Kaunda, the traditional friendship between China and Zambia remains unbreakable, with the Tanzania-Zambia Railway serving as the best testament. With the personal attention of President Xi Jinping and President Hakainde Hichilema, the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has achieved breakthrough. Hon. Mulenga further expressed a readiness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Shaanxi Province and welcomed more Shaanxi businesses to invest in Zambia.
During the visit, the delegation also paid courtesy calls on Minister of Agriculture of Zambia as well as Permanent Secretary of the Education and Energy,and hosted a China (Shaanxi)-Zambia Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference. Ambassador Han Jing and Minister Counsellor Wang Sheng were present at these events.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Zambia.
