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AI and journalism in southern Africa: editors are using it but balanced with human expertise and editorial judgement

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mandla J. Radebe, Professor, University of Johannesburg

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming part of everyday newsroom work across Africa. It has entered quietly through routine tasks such as transcription, headline writing, translation and content preparation.

In southern Africa, where AI adoption is steadily growing, its application in journalism is raising critical questions from policymakers and governments. While technology offers gains in speed and efficiency, its use remains contested due to ethical concerns and fears about job losses.

As communication and media scholars researching data and digital communication, in our study we examined its influence on production processes, ethical guardrails and job security. Interviews with senior editors revealed that, while AI improves efficiency and, in some cases, quality, it still requires human expertise and editorial judgement.

Senior editors described efficiency: faster turnaround, transcription, summarisation, headline generation and story drafting. Large volumes of information can be processed within tight newsroom deadlines. Most editors do not see AI as an immediate threat to jobs. Ethical concerns remain, prompting some newsrooms to adopt internal guidelines.

AI is already helping journalists sharpen headlines, summarise reports, generate illustrations, transcribe interviews and clean up copy under pressure. In some Zimbabwean newsrooms, AI-powered presenters are already reading weather bulletins and assist with news delivery.

Yet caution prevails. Editors are experimenting with AI because newsroom pressures demand efficiency, but they remain determined not to surrender editorial judgement to machines.

This caution reflects broader structural pressures. Print circulation has declined, advertising revenue remains fragile and newsroom staffing has shrunk. In South Africa, newspaper circulation declined by 17.3% in 2024, with several major titles reducing operations or shifting to digital-first models. Journalists are expected to produce more content, across multiple platforms, at greater speed.

AI, however, introduces its own risks, including factual inaccuracies, hidden bias embedded in training data and weak contextual understanding. For example, AI systems may reproduce racial, gender, political, or cultural biases while struggling to interpret satire, local idioms and politically nuanced African contexts. As a result, editors emphasise that AI must remain under firm human control.

AI is doing the routine work first

The first newsroom functions being reshaped by AI are repetitive tasks. Editors described using AI for headline optimisation, summarising, transcription and minor editing. These are labour-intensive processes but do not determine editorial direction.

In Zimbabwe, experimentation is more advanced in selected organisations. AI avatars, AI-powered digital news presenters capable of delivering human-like news bulletins through synthetic voices, facial expressions and automated script reading, are presenting weather updates and selected content.

South African newsrooms remain more restrained. AI is mainly used in editing, reporting and headline optimisation. Full article generation remains limited because editors insist on rigorous human verification.

For now, AI functions as an assistant rather than a substitute.

Why editors remain reluctant to trust it

The central issue is credibility. Generative AI produces fluent language, but fluency does not guarantee accuracy. It predicts plausible content rather than verifying truth. So it can generate convincing but incorrect information. One example is in the saga involving the development of the South African AI strategy by government. It was found to contain several fictitious academic references likely generated by AI hallucinations.

Editors in both countries highlighted this risk. Zimbabwean editors noted that AI often draws from online sources without distinguishing between verified reporting and misinformation. South African editors raised concerns about plagiarism, weak attribution and unverifiable sourcing.

This creates a paradox: AI speeds up writing but also creates more work, as journalists must verify machine-generated content before publication.

The African challenge is bigger than accuracy

Accuracy is only part of the problem. Many AI systems struggle with African linguistic and cultural contexts. Editors reported issues with pronunciation of indigenous names and poor handling of local nuance.

Most AI systems are developed in the global north and trained on western datasets, leaving African languages underrepresented. This calls for greater investment in African-centred AI research, local language datasets, and inclusive digital innovation policies.

African newsrooms are adopting tools that do not fully recognise their communication environments. Editors argued that locally grounded AI systems will be necessary to reflect African realities and avoid deepening technological dependence.

Will AI reduce journalism jobs?

While fears about job losses are widespread, editors offered a more measured view. Most do not expect journalists to disappear but anticipate pressure on technical roles such as sub-editing and layout.

Some acknowledged that media owners may eventually use AI to justify leaner staffing. But high costs remain a barrier. In Zimbabwe, in particular, expensive subscriptions and infrastructure challenges limit adoption.

In South Africa, editors similarly noted that current adoption levels are too limited to drive major labour restructuring. For now, AI is reshaping workflows rather than eliminating jobs. For example, one editor noted that AI tools have improved audience analytics and helped identify stories most likely to convert casual readers into paying subscribers. It also freed financial resources that can be redirected towards hiring freelance journalists.

Policy is falling behind technology

A key concern is that newsroom governance is not keeping pace with technological change. Zimbabwe’s Zimpapers group has introduced internal AI policies addressing disclosure, verification and training. Many South African newsrooms have yet to formalise such frameworks. The inputs from editors suggest that while existing press codes and ethical frameworks provide a basis for addressing AI-related challenges, they still need to be adapted to respond to the new ethical, operational and transparency risks posed by AI.

This gap matters because journalism depends on public trust. Readers need transparency when AI is used, and journalists require clear guidelines on accountability.

Without safeguards, efficiency gains risk undermining credibility.

Journalism remains a human responsibility

The central lesson is not that AI should be resisted, nor that journalism faces immediate automation. Rather, journalism remains fundamentally human because public trust depends on judgement, responsibility and context.

Machines can generate text and process information quickly, but they cannot fully grasp political sensitivity, moral consequence or historical meaning.

For this reason, editors in both countries maintain a clear position that AI may assist the newsroom, but journalism must remain under human editorial control.

– AI and journalism in southern Africa: editors are using it but balanced with human expertise and editorial judgement
– https://theconversation.com/ai-and-journalism-in-southern-africa-editors-are-using-it-but-balanced-with-human-expertise-and-editorial-judgement-282644

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Getting through school in South Africa: how learners make it to the end after a poor start

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ursula Hoadley, Professor, University of Cape Town

South Africa’s schooling system presents a striking paradox. Fewer than one in five grade 4 learners can read for meaning, yet more than 60% of young people (aged 15 to 24) eventually complete grade 12. Matric (school leaving exam) pass rates have been rising steadily and reached record highs in recent years, especially in poorer schools.

How do so many learners make it through the system when their early learning paths suggest they should not?

This question motivated recent work by our research project, the Mixed Methods Investigation of Learner Assessment Progress and Support, located at Stellenbosch University, the University of Cape Town and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Fifty teachers in eight high schools were interviewed about how learners move through the schooling system. We also drew on existing quantitative databases, official reports and policy documents.

Rather than offering a single explanation, the research identifies a set of interlocking policies and practices that enable learners to reach grade 12 even when mastery of grade-level content is limited.

The system operates with two competing pressures:

  • keeping learners in school and moving through the grades

  • upholding the quality of learning.

This tension places teachers under immense strain, especially without adequate remediation opportunities for learners with large learning gaps.

A hybrid system of promotion and progression

When large numbers of learners fall behind, education systems typically choose between two strategies: grade retention, where learners repeat until they meet minimum requirements; or social promotion, where they advance regardless of performance. Grade retention is used in many low- and middle-income countries, like Brazil. Social promotion is used across a range of contexts, from Denmark to Ghana. South Africa uses both.

Official policy limits learners to repeating only once per school phase (foundation, intermediate, senior). After that, they must progress to the next grade even if they haven’t met the requirements for promotion. This “years-in-phase” rule was introduced partly to reduce over-age learners in the system and control the cost of repetition, where repeaters consume around 8% of the national education budget. Only 30% to 40% of learners reach matric without repeating.

The result is a hybrid system that retains some learners to repeat the grade while allowing others to progress to the next grade despite not having met the promotion requirements.

In practice, many learners enter high school without the curriculum knowledge they should have.

One of the striking findings of the study is how poorly progression status is understood at the school level. Many teachers are unaware of how many progressed learners are in their classes, or even how to identify them. This information exists in learner records, but is rarely used to plan teaching or provide additional support.

Teachers in our study reported significant academic gaps, especially in grades 8 and 9. Learners may struggle to read, write or perform basic calculations, yet are expected to engage with increasingly demanding content. Without dedicated support structures, teachers are left to “turn stones into bread”, as one teacher put it.

School-based assessment makes passing possible

Promotion decisions depend heavily on school-based assessments – projects, tests, assignments, orals and practical tasks set and marked by teachers.

Over time, the weighting of these assessments relative to examinations has increased, especially during and after the COVID-19 period. Our research shows they are often leniently marked and rarely failed. Learners are frequently given multiple opportunities to complete tasks, with help from teachers or parents. As one grade 8 mathematics teacher explained:

We mark and return the work to them so that they can fix what they have done. The mandate is that no child should fail an assignment. They can fail a test but not an assignment. If they fail you have to give it back to them so that they redo.

As a result, school-based assessment marks often compensate for weak examination performance. Administrative data confirm widespread “bunching” of learner marks just above pass cut-offs, particularly at the end of the school year. One teacher explained:

We get told, ‘you have too many failures’, ‘go back to rectify’. So those close to 30%, they get pushed up.

Predictable exams and teaching to the test

Examination formats have become more predictable. Past papers are recycled. Teachers in the study described coaching learners to recognise recurring question types, memorise essays and rehearse model answers.

That might help learners move through the grades, but it can discourage deeper conceptual understanding and potentially limit learners’ ability to transfer knowledge to unfamiliar contexts.

Read more: What’s stopping kids from learning useful skills? Short answer: exams

Bureaucratic and political pressure to pass

Matric results are publicly reported and used to evaluate schools and provincial education systems, which intensifies the focus on pass rates. Retaining learners, by contrast, involves onerous administrative procedures and increases financial pressure on the system. Progression, therefore, becomes not only a decision about learning, but an organisational and political one.

Teachers in the study felt that their professional judgment was overridden in the process. The ethical dilemma of passing students, knowing they are not academically prepared for the next grade and are unlikely to receive additional support there, is deeply felt.

Intensive support arrives late, and unevenly

In addressing academic backlogs, the system concentrates its resources at the very end of schooling. Grade 12 learners benefit from extra classes, revision camps, NGO programmes and targeted district interventions. These “just-in-time” strategies are designed to push learners over the matric finish line.

Grades 8 and 9 often receive less experienced teachers and minimal additional support. The study found that in some schools, student teachers are assigned to lower secondary grades while senior teachers focus on matric classes.

By matric, the cohort is smaller and more resilient

Many learners drop out or repeat before reaching grade 12; currently just over 60% of youth will obtain a matric. Those who remain tend to be more academically able and more resilient. And motivation increases as matric approaches.

However, schools also engage in gatekeeping, recent research shows, discouraging weaker learners from proceeding to grade 12 if they are seen as a risk to overall pass rates. The eventual matric cohort is therefore winnowed and intensively supported.

Progression without remediation comes at a cost

Taken together, these dynamics explain how learner flows to grade 12 are sustained despite poor early learning outcomes.

The hybrid model is not inherently flawed, but is poorly understood and insufficiently supported. We argue that progression must be accompanied by realistic, well-resourced strategies to address learning gaps early, especially in lower secondary grades.

The challenge is to ensure that reaching the end of school represents meaningful learning, not just survival through the system.

– Getting through school in South Africa: how learners make it to the end after a poor start
– https://theconversation.com/getting-through-school-in-south-africa-how-learners-make-it-to-the-end-after-a-poor-start-282533

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Bénin – Certificat d’Études Primaires (CEP) 2026 : Le Ministre Armand Kuyema NATTA donne le coup d’envoi des épreuves à Aplahoué

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Le Ministre des Enseignements Maternel et Primaire, Monsieur Armand Kuyema NATTA, a procédé ce lundi 1er juin 2026 au lancement officiel des épreuves du Certificat d’Études Primaires (CEP), session de juin 2026. Le coup d’envoi a été donné au Complexe Scolaire Gbofoly, situé dans la commune d’Aplahoué en présence du Préfet du département du Couffo, des acteurs du monde éducatif et des autorités politico- administratives. 

À l’échelle nationale, 286.995 candidats sont inscrits à cette session, soit une hausse de 5,56% comparativement à l’année 2025. Parmi eux, 286.898 candidats sans difficultés majeures dont 148.423 garçons et 138.571 filles composent dans 847 centres de composition. À ceux-ci s’ajoutent 97 candidats à besoins spécifiques repartis dans 13 centres aménagés pour leur favoriser une bonne composition. 

Accueilli par le Préfet Christophe MEGBEDJI, le Ministre Armand Kuyema NATTA s’est assuré dans un premier des dispositions prises pour le bon déroulement de l’examen. Le Ministre des Enseignements Maternel et Primaire est ensuite passé dans les différentes salles de composition où il a prodigué de sages conseils aux candidats : « Soyez concentrés, mais n’ayez pas peur. C’est un examen. Le gouvernement a pris toutes les dispositions pour que les choses se déroulent bien. Bonne composition à vous », a-t-il déclaré. 

Huit heures trente minutes. La sonnerie retentit dans le ciel du Complexe scolaire Gbofoly, donnant ainsi le top pour la distribution des épreuves. Au terme du lancement, le Ministre s’est réjoui de s’être acquitté d’un devoir républicain et surtout crucial pour l’avenir du Bénin : « C’est avec une émotion de joie empreinte d’honneur, mais aussi de responsabilité que j’ai lancé ce jour au Complexe scolaire Gbofoly, les premières épreuves du CEP. Nous avons prodigué aux candidats des conseils pour qu’ils puissent bien composer afin que les résultats soient à la hauteur des attentes des parents et de tout le dispositif du système éducatif ». 

Quant au choix du Complexe scolaire Gbofoly, le Ministre a évoqué le principe de rotation qui se base sur deux logiques, celle de la préservation de l’intégrité territoriale, et celle de l’émulation. 

À travers ce lancement officiel, le gouvernement du Président Romuald WADAGNI réaffirme son engagement en faveur de l’éducation et de l’amélioration continue du système éducatif national. Les candidats, soutenus par leurs familles et leurs enseignants, abordent cette étape déterminante de leur parcours scolaire avec espoir et détermination. 

Avant de se retirer, le Ministre NATTA a procédé à la mise en terre d’un plant en cette journée de l’arbre.

Distribué par APO Group pour Gouvernement de la République du Bénin.

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Authorities arrest 36 people in illegal mining crackdown

Source: Government of South Africa

Authorities arrest 36 people in illegal mining crackdown

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have arrested 36 people, including illegal immigrants, and confiscated more than 800 rounds of live ammunition and 16 unlicensed firearms during law enforcement operations in Gauteng.

Authorities also recovered illegal mining equipment, including phendukas, gas cylinders, generators and steel pot crushers, during the joint operation known as Operation Prosper, which was conducted across the West Rand, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni between 25 and 31 May 2026.

The intervention forms part of a national initiative announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to intensify efforts against criminal networks linked to illegal mining and gang violence.

Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said the operation’s aim is to uphold the rule of law, with SAPS leading enforcement while the SANDF acts as a force multiplier.

“Police and soldiers have tightened the net on gangs and illegal miners in Gauteng and in other places in Gauteng. The intelligence-driven operation is targeting gang violence and illegal mining across the West Rand, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni,” Nevhuhulwi said.

Nevhuhulwi said the operation is aimed at disrupting criminal networks and restoring stability in communities affected by gang crime and illegal mining.

She said law enforcement teams will remain on the ground as part of ongoing efforts to remove illegal firearms, arrest suspects and dismantle criminal operations.

Police have called on communities to help by reporting criminal activities at their nearest police stations or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or send anonymous tip-offs through the MySAPS App. – SAnews.gov.za

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Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Statement on Attacks Against Health Facilities During the Bundibugyo Virus Disease Response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Source: APO


.

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (www.AfricaCDC.org) is concerned about the recent attack and destruction of a treatment facility serving communities affected by the Bundibugyo Virus Disease, in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We strongly condemn all acts of violence against health facilities, healthcare workers, patients, and response teams working tirelessly to protect communities and contain the outbreak. 

We recognise that outbreaks such as Bundibugyo Virus Disease generate fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and social distress within affected communities. Families are worried about their safety, livelihoods, loved ones, and the impact of public health measures on their daily lives. These concerns are real and legitimate, and they must be addressed through empathy, transparency, dialogue, and sustained community engagement. 

“Communities are not the enemy in an outbreak response. Fear, misinformation, mistrust, and lack of engagement are often the greatest barriers to controlling disease outbreaks,” said H.E. Dr Jea n Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “Our responsibility as public health institutions is to provide treatment and technical support, to listen, engage honestly, build trust, and work alongside communities every step of the way.” 

At the same time, attacks on treatment centres and response teams place communities at even greater risk. Treatment centres are established to protect communities by providing safe care, isolating infected patients, supporting surveillance and contact tracing, and helping prevent further spread of the disease. When these facilities are attacked or disrupted, outbreaks become harder to contain, frontline workers are endangered, and vulnerable families lose access to life-saving services. 

Africa CDC is particularly concerned that community mistrust and misinformation risk becoming a parallel crisis alongside the outbreak itself. The lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks in the region, including the 2018–2020 North Kivu outbreak, demonstrated clearly that outbreaks cannot be contained through technical interventions alone. Community trust is essential to an effective response. 

Despite these challenges, there are encouraging signs of progress. The recent discharge of Ebola survivors in Bunia represents a powerful message of hope and recovery that can help strengthen community trust and ownership of the response. Survivors bring lived experience and credibility that can support community engagement efforts, address fears and misconceptions, and encourage timely care-seeking. In addition, the training and deployment of Community Health Workers will further strengthen community awareness, surveillance, infection prevention and control (IPC), and other critical response activities. Together, these efforts will contribute to controlling the outbreak while strengthening the resilience of communities and the health system.

“We must approach communities with humility, respect, and solidarity,” added Dr Kaseya. “Communities must remain at the centre of the Bundibugyo Virus Disease response. The recovery of survivors demonstrates that early detection and quality care save lives. By working alongside communities, supporting frontline health workers, and building trust through meaningful engagement, we can overcome this outbreak together. Protecting health facilities and health workers ultimately means protecting families, protecting communities, and protecting lives.”

Africa CDC therefore reaffirms that Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) remains a core and strategic pillar of the Ebola response. Africa CDC is intensifying support to national authorities and partners through strengthened community engagement, social listening, rumour management, behavioural insights, and community-led approaches aimed at building trust, addressing fears and misinformation, and improving public understanding of the response. 

Africa CDC will continue mobilising technical and operational resources  to support RCCE coordination, strengthen local engagement capacities, and promote sustained dialogue between responders, local leaders, and affected communities. 

Africa CDC calls on all actors to respect and protect healthcare workers, health infrastructure, and affected populations in accordance with humanitarian and public health principles. We further urge all partners and leaders to continue engaging communities with dignity, transparency, cultural sensitivity, and compassion. 

Africa CDC stands in solidarity with the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, frontline responders, and affected communities as they continue efforts to stop the spread of  Bundibugyo Virus Disease and protect public health under extremely challenging circumstances. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

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KZN Workers’ Parliament charts path to job creation, economic growth

Source: Government of South Africa

KZN Workers’ Parliament charts path to job creation, economic growth

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has tabled a series of resolutions adopted during the provincial Workers’ Parliament, aimed at addressing unemployment, promoting decent work and strengthening economic participation across the province.

The Workers’ Parliament, held at the Greytown Civic Centre in the uMvoti Local Municipality under the uMzinyathi District Municipality on Friday, 29 May, brought together representatives from government, organised labour, workers’ formations and other key stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting workers, economic development and employment creation in the province.

The sitting took place against the backdrop of recent labour market statistics released by Statistics South Africa. According to the latest statistics, the national unemployment rate has increased to 32.7%, leaving an estimated 8.1 million South Africans without work. Youth unemployment remains a significant concern, with 45.8% of people aged between 15 and 34 currently unemployed.

Addressing delegates, Ntuli acknowledged the severity of the unemployment crisis and its impact on households, communities and the broader economy. He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among government, organised labour, business and civil society in finding sustainable solutions to unemployment and economic exclusion.

Despite the challenging national economic environment, Ntuli highlighted encouraging developments within KwaZulu-Natal.

“The province recorded the creation of more than 6 000 new jobs, contributing to a decline in the provincial unemployment rate from 32.3% to 31.2%,” Ntuli said.

Ntuli attributed the improvement to targeted government interventions aimed at stimulating economic growth, supporting investment, strengthening industrial development and expanding opportunities for job creation across key sectors of the provincial economy.

“The resolutions adopted by the Workers’ Parliament will assist government in shaping responsive policies and programmes that promote decent work, protect workers’ rights and strengthen economic participation, particularly among young people and vulnerable groups,” the Premier said.

The Workers’ Parliament reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to working closely with organised labour and social partners to accelerate economic growth, improve living conditions, and create sustainable employment opportunities for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. – SAnews.gov.za

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eThekwini commits R75.3bn to better services, infrastructure and growth

Source: Government of South Africa

eThekwini commits R75.3bn to better services, infrastructure and growth

The eThekwini Council has officially adopted the Municipality’s 2026/2027 Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF), approving a R75.3 billion budget aimed at accelerating service delivery, renewing infrastructure, and advancing turnaround strategies for the city’s trading services.

The adopted budget comprises an operating budget of approximately R69 billion and a capital budget of R6.3 billion. The budget was developed within an overall planning framework aligned to the city’s strategic objectives, with a strong focus on sustainable service delivery and long-term financial stability.

Addressing Council during the adoption of the budget, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said the budget represents a practical and sustainable financial plan for the city.

“The 2026/2027 budget is not an aspirational document. It is a funded, credible, and sustainable plan, assessed as such by National Treasury. It prioritises the acceleration of repairs, the upgrading of bulk infrastructure, and the full implementation of our trading services turnaround strategies,” Xaba said.

Xaba said the budget followed an extensive public participation process after the draft budget was tabled in March 2026. Between 13 April and 11 May 2026, the city hosted 12 public budget hearings, including dedicated engagements with business stakeholders, disability organisations, and ratepayer associations, as well as regional hearings covering all municipal wards.

“The hearings were well attended, with most inputs reflecting the real challenges faced by our communities. The process was widely advertised through radio, print, and social media, inviting public participation and written submissions,” he said.

The city noted that several public inputs were incorporated into the final budget to provide relief to residents amid ongoing economic pressures.

“As a result, we have made meaningful adjustments to the draft budget. However, not all requests could be accommodated within the available financial envelope. This budget therefore balances service delivery, infrastructure renewal, job creation, affordability, and financial sustainability,” the mayor said.

Following engagements with stakeholders and national government, Council approved revised tariff increases for the 2026/2027 financial year, including reductions to the proposed increases for water, sanitation, electricity, refuse removal, and property rates.

The revised tariff adjustments are as follows:
•    Domestic water tariff increase reduced from 15% to 12%
•    Business water tariff increase reduced from 16% to 13%
•    Domestic sanitation tariff increase reduced from 13% to 8%
•    Business sanitation tariff increase reduced from 14% to 9%
•    Average property rates increase reduced from 5% to 2%
•    Refuse tariff increase reduced from 13% to 9.5%
•    Electricity tariff increase reduced from 10.5% to 9%

Xaba said the revised tariffs are intended to provide much-needed relief to residents and businesses.

“As a caring city, we certainly hope that this brings some relief to our ratepayers and consumers,” he said.

Council also approved amendments to the City’s Indigent Support Policy to ensure more targeted assistance for vulnerable households. 

The threshold for exemption from property rates for indigent households has been increased from R350 000 to R400 000, while pensioner rebate qualification thresholds have been raised from R2.5 million to R2.75 million.

The Mayor said the main sources of funding for the operating budget are service charges, property rates, and grants and levies. Key areas of expenditure include bulk purchases, employee-related costs, contracted services, and operational expenditure.

The adopted budget places significant emphasis on upgrading ageing infrastructure, improving the reliability of water, sanitation, and energy services, and driving spatial transformation initiatives across the city.

“The main focus of the budget is to ensure efficient and effective service delivery to our residents in order to uplift their quality of life,” he said.

Improved access to basic, infrastructure services

The Mayor highlighted the significant progress made over the past five years, including improved access to basic services and major infrastructure delivery.

“There has been improved access to basic services, with more than 21 000 new electricity connections, mostly in previously underserved areas, bringing electricity coverage to almost 100%. 

“We have built 7 910 housing units and issued 3 200 title deeds, restoring dignity and providing security of tenure to families who previously had no shelter, and we have successfully rehabilitated more than 500 kilometres of roads,” the mayor said.

An emphasis has also been placed on good governance and internal controls to drive productivity and value for money. 

This includes interventions to reduce overtime abuse, improve response times, and the use of artificial intelligence and digitalisation to improve efficiency and effectiveness. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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SAPS commends investigative teams after bail denied in two high-profile cases

Source: Government of South Africa

SAPS commends investigative teams after bail denied in two high-profile cases

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has commended members of the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and the Commission Recommendations Task Team (CRTT) for their investigative work following the denial of bail in two high-profile cases.

While all accused persons remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, SAPS Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, welcomed the courts’ decisions, saying they reinforce public confidence in the criminal justice system and send a strong message that serious crimes, including murder, corruption and fraud, will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.

Dimpane said the denial of bail in both matters reflects the quality of the investigations conducted by the respective teams and demonstrates the strength of the cases presented before the courts.

The first case relates to the murder of Marius van der Merwe (Witness D). Accused Matipandile Sotheni appeared before the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court, where bail was denied.

The second case involves Janitha van Reneen, an employee of Emfuleni Local Municipality, who is facing fraud charges linked to transactions involving the municipality. 

She was also denied bail by the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court.

“The decision by the courts to deny bail is an indication that compelling evidence was placed before the court. 

“It demonstrates the diligence, professionalism and commitment of our investigators and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutors in ensuring that those accused of serious crimes are held accountable through the criminal justice process,” Dimpane said. –SAnews.gov.za

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Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Receives Phone Call from Swiss Foreign Minister

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, June 1, 2026

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a telephone call from HE Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis.

The conversation addressed advancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries, as well as Pakistan-led mediation efforts between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In addition, they spoke about coordinating efforts to back mediation aimed at de-escalation, thereby helping reinforce security and stability in the region.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs underscored the importance of all parties responding constructively to the ongoing mediation efforts to address the root causes of the crisis through diplomacy and lead to sustainable peace.

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Contribution de la diaspora Ivoirienne au développement : le gouvernement mobilise les Ivoiriens de l’extérieur pour la transformation de l’économie

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Une stabilité politique, des indicateurs sociaux au vert, des performances économiques qui rassurent… la Côte d’Ivoire avance. Et elle veut le faire avec toutes ses filles et tous ses fils. Le gouvernement veut faire de la diaspora ivoirienne un levier du développement économique et social.

La diaspora ivoirienne comprend plus de 1,15 million de personnes vivant dans plus de 140 pays à travers le monde. Certains à la tête de grandes institutions ou d’importantes organisations sous régionales participent au rayonnement du pays. Et d’autres évoluent dans différents secteurs d’activité. Mais tous peuvent être des acteurs engagés dans la construction de la grande Côte d’Ivoire. Pour y arriver le pays veut bâtir des relations plus stratégiques, plus structurées et plus ordonnées pour un investissement à impact significatif.

Les transferts financiers des Ivoiriens de la diaspora sont passés de 99,5 milliards FCFA en 2008 à 640 milliards en 2023 puis à 840 milliards FCFA en 2024. Dans le détail, seulement 10 à 15% de ces ressources sont consacrés aux investissements productifs. 60% à 70% vont dans les aides aux familles et 15 à 20% sont investis dans le logement.

Pour le ministre délégué chargé de l’Intégration africaine et des Ivoiriens de l’extérieur, Adama Dosso, c’est « un potentiel de plus de 600 milliards de FCFA mobilisables chaque année et un vivier de plus d’un million de compétences ».

Le gouvernement entend bien canaliser ces flux et en faire un atout pour le développement économique et social. Il a lancé le 7 mai 2026, à Abidjan, le Forum de la diaspora.

Ce forum veut marquer un changement de paradigme. « Nous passons d’une diaspora contributive à une diaspora investisseuse, d’une diaspora solidaire à une diaspora stratégiquement engagée », a indiqué Adama Dosso.

Le Roadshow de Milan (Italie) aura lieu le 6 juin et le Forum de Paris prévu les 26 et 27 juin. Ces grands rendez-vous vont permettre de consolider les passerelles entre la Côte d’Ivoire et sa diaspora.

Le gouvernement ivoirien pour faciliter et renforcer la contribution économique de sa diaspora a pris certaines dispositions. C’est dans ce sens que le ministre délégué chargé de l’Intégration africaine et des Ivoiriens de l’Extérieur a procédé à la signature de convention-cadre avec des établissements bancaires.

Les accords visent à faciliter l’accès des Ivoiriens résidant à l’étranger à des solutions de financement pour leurs projets d’investissement en Côte d’Ivoire

Le Centre de promotion des investissements en Côte d’Ivoire (Cepici) a créé un Service Afrique et Diaspora et mis en place des mécanismes structurants pour capter cette énergie et la transformer en investissements concrets.

Toute cette nouvelle dynamique repose sur une volonté politique forte. En effet, le Président de la République, Alassane Ouattara depuis son accession au pouvoir a exhorté tous les Ivoiriens à participer à la marche du pays. On peut rappeler la création d’une direction générale des Ivoiriens de l’extérieur ; l’organisation de la journée « Diaspora for Growth » à Paris, le 22 juin 2013, avec pour thème « la diaspora dans la reconstruction socio-économique : quelle implication ? » et l’organisation de la 1ère édition du forum de la diaspora ivoirienne, à Abidjan les 7 et 8 mai 2015, avec pour thème : « Diaspora ivoirienne, quels enjeux pour une Côte d’Ivoire en voie d’émergence » et qui sera suivie de plusieurs autres éditions.

Et depuis quelques années, le gouvernement qui entend mobiliser les compétences a, à travers le ministère de la Fonction publique et de la Modernisation de l’administration, ouvert un concours de recrutement exceptionnel spécifique de la diaspora.

Ainsi, le pays multiplie les efforts pour attirer les flux financiers et les expertises. Il compte donner une place à chaque Ivoirien pour que tous ensemble ils portent le développement et construisent une belle et grande nation.

Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.