MIL Africa Engine

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The African Union (AU) has called on the Group of Twenty (G20) members to support inclusive financing frameworks for the cultural and creative industries.

Addressing the fourth G20 Culture Working Group Meeting, AU Head of the Culture Division, Angela Martins, noted that Africa’s creative industries, ranging from film, music, fashion and design to digital arts are among the fastest-growing sectors in the economy. 

“Culture is not only our identity; it is a driver of innovation, employment, and sustainable growth,” Martins said on Monday in Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal.

She emphasised the importance of integrating culture into national development strategies, and empowering women and youth to fully participate in global value chains.

“Through initiatives like the AU Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries (AU-POA) and the Creative Africa Nexus (CANNEX), we are fostering partnerships, expanding markets, and ensuring fair remuneration for our creators,” Martins said.

Martins recognised the role that technology can play in empowering the youth and ensuring that Africa’s rich cultural tapestry reaches every corner of the globe.

“Technology offers a unique opportunity to showcase Africa’s culture to the world. Through the AU Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030, we are developing digital infrastructure, training, and innovation hubs that allow African creators to protect, share, and monetise their work globally,” Martins said.

She highlighted that people’s values, beliefs, traditions, and ways of life play an important role in how societies understand, respond to, and adapt to climate change.

“Culture is also critical in addressing the challenges of climate change. Through platforms like the Group of Friends for Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA), which the African Union actively supports, we promote culture-based climate action, integrating heritage, traditional knowledge, and creative expression into strategies for environmental resilience.

“We urge the G20 members to invest in climate-smart cultural infrastructure and support communities whose heritage is at risk. South Africa’s priority on disaster resilience and culture aligns with Africa’s vision that culture is not only our identity but also a tool for adaptation, resilience, and hope,” Martins said.

The G20 Culture Working Group was established in 2020 as a permanent forum within the G20 framework to foster dialogue and collaboration among member states on cultural matters. 

Its objective is to promote culture as a driver of sustainable development, support the creative economy, and protect cultural heritage globally.

As part of the build-up to the G20 Summit taking place in November 2025, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, convened a three-day meeting with government Ministers and senior officials from across the African continent and other G20 member states under the theme, “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.” –SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

With the 2025 Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) underway, delegates have consistently emphasised the need to develop regional value chains to industrialise the African continent and enable businesses to compete globally.

“While we have observed an improvement in the manufacturing sector, its contribution to the economy has stabilised around 12-13% over the years, up from 11-12%. 

“That is an indication that we have done better with regards to improvements, necessitating enhancements in quality, productivity and the adoption of new technologies, such as the electric vehicle programme in the auto industry, aimed at producing cars for export,” said Acting Deputy Director-General of Sectors at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Dr Tebogo Makube, on Monday.

Makube was setting the tone for a panel discussion at AKAC, which is being held in Boksburg, Gauteng, under the theme ‘African Industrialisation through Fostering Competitive Firms and Value Chains on the Continent’.

READ | Kaizen Conference to boost productivity and growth in Africa

This year’s conference brings together leaders and practitioners of Kaizen Institutions and National Productivity Organisations on the African continent, including a network of entities that promote quality and productivity improvement activities across the country, known as the National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN).

Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement that involves making continuous small changes to increase efficiency and quality. The term is a combination of the Japanese words “kai” (change) and “zen” (good). The philosophy forms an integral part of lean manufacturing and is based on the idea that every employee has a role to play in making manufacturing processes more efficient. 

In the context of South Africa, it holds significant importance for efficiency improvements in the different sectors of the economy, including the Black Industrialists Programme of the dtic and other South African transformation initiatives. 

Makube said Kaizen is crucial for supporting supplier development and integrating emerging suppliers into Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) value chains. 

Moreover, Makube said Kaizen can be replicated across various economic sectors, particularly those targeting exports like agro-processing, plastics and textiles.

By using the Kaizen philosophy, Makube said suppliers are bound to deliver quality products, which in turn builds trust and is fundamental to effective brand management. This, he said, is key to business survival.

AKAC is an opportunity to accelerate Quality and Productivity Improvement (QPI)/Kaizen activities through mutual learning and combining African wisdom to improve industry capabilities and competitiveness.

The Africa Kaizen Annual Conference was first launched in 2017 by the African Union Development Agency and the Japan International Cooperation Agency [JICA] under the Africa Kaizen Initiative (AKI). This year’s gathering builds on the growing momentum of the QPI movement, which now spans more than 10 African countries.

Sharing perspectives from the continent

Esther Marie Renee, the Head of Human Capital Development at the Ministry of Economy and Finances in Burkina Faso, said while African industrialisation fundamentally requires increased productivity, sustained innovation and the resilience of companies, Africa must take advantage of the digital economy.

She described the digital economy as essential for teasing out accurate information on Kaizen’s impact, enabling evidence-based policy development, and improving operational efficiency through enhanced productivity, cost reduction, waste reduction, and reduced absenteeism.

The Executive Director of National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) in Mauritius, Dr Vinaye Ancharaz, concurred with Renee’s views, saying that artificial intelligence is the future of smart manufacturing, which is greatly enhanced by the Kaizen approach.

The conference was also a platform to cast the spotlight on geopolitical tensions and stiff tariffs, which have led to significant negative impact on business, including component manufacturer closures and job losses. 

Kaizen was highlighted for its significant role in promoting localisation, developing black industrialists, and driving transformation in the automotive value chain, in line with the South Africa’s Automotive Master Plan objectives. 

Given rapid technological advancements, delegates agreed that digitalisation must be infused into the implementation of Kaizen.

Today, the South African National Productivity Awards, hosted by Productivity SA, will be held as the conference draws to a close.  The awards will recognise organisations and productivity practitioners that have demonstrated excellence in Kaizen and productivity improvement across the continent. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

As the country continues to mark Transport Month, an initiative aimed at demonstrating the viability of electric vehicles (EVs) for long-distance travel in South Africa has been launched.

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), in collaboration with the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), the Uyilo e-Mobility Programme at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), and Volvo Cars South Africa, have launched the e-Mobility Energy Drive. 

The landmark initiative began over the weekend and culminates at the Uyilo e-Mobility Innovation Summit in Gqeberha which begins on Tuesday, 28 October 2025.

The summit, which is being held in the Eastern Cape, is a flagship event celebrating Transport Month which is commemorated annually in October and highlights South Africa’s progress toward a sustainable mobility future.

This as a fully equipped Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor Ultimate is being driven from Johannesburg to Gqeberha, passing through Gauteng, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape. 

Along the route, the vehicle is collecting real-world data on EV performance, charging efficiency, and energy consumption. 
This data will contribute to ongoing research by the DSTI and SANEDI regarding infrastructure readiness and user experience.

“This initiative proves that clean mobility is not just a vision for the future; it is happening now,” said Acting Chief Director for Hydrogen and Energy at DSTI, Mandy Mlilo. 

“Through strategic partnerships with SANEDI, Uyilo and Volvo, we are building public confidence in electric mobility, advancing our just energy transition goals and reducing our national carbon footprint.”

The Energy Drive aims to raise awareness about clean mobility, featuring DSTI and SANEDI branding and messaging as it travels through various communities.

Through public engagements and media events, the initiative showcases the advantages of EVs, the growth of public charging infrastructure, and the role of innovation in transforming South Africa’s transportation sector.

In addition, the goals include promoting the reliability and practicality of EVs for interprovincial travel, informing policy and infrastructure planning with the data collected, and fostering collaboration among public institutions, universities, and private sector leaders.

The Uyilo e-Mobility Summit and Energy Drive serve as a significant platform to foster collaboration among government, academia, and industry. 

The summit aims to establish South Africa as a rising leader in the global transition toward smart and sustainable mobility.

CEO of SANEDI, Dr Titus Mathe, added: “This partnership reflects our nation’s growing capacity and commitment to cleaner transportation. By aligning research, innovation and public engagement, we are driving tangible progress toward a low-carbon, energy-efficient future.”

The EV will be on display throughout the summit at NMU before returning to Johannesburg to continue its awareness and data-gathering mission.

The e-Mobility Energy Drive underscores South Africa’s efforts in building a resilient and sustainable transport ecosystem that supports economic growth, environmental stewardship and energy justice. 
 

The summit will conclude on Thursday, 30 October 2025. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is co-hosting the annual OR Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI), focussing on evaluating the initiative’s impact and discussing strategies for the future of Research Chairs in Africa. 

The gathering began on Monday and will conclude on Friday at the Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

ORTARChI, which was launched in December 2018, aims to enhance research and innovation capacity across Africa. It is an innovative collaborative research funding initiative led by the NRF in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation (OATF), and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

This year, the partner organisations are hosting the ORTARChI Annual Gathering, which focuses on the theme “Advancing Africa’s Future-Ready Generation: Leveraging Science, Collaboration, and Research Partnerships for Self-Sustainability and Aligned Growth”.

The foundation announced that the theme honours the legacy of Oliver Reginald Tambo, the late anti-apartheid leader for whom it was named.

After earning a BSc degree in mathematics and science in 1941 from the University of Fort Hare, Tambo taught science and mathematics at St Peter’s College in Johannesburg for 10 years before switching to law and a lifelong career of political struggle until his passing in 1993. 

“The theme draws on Tambo’s deep belief in education as a tool for liberation and self-reliance, as well as his unwavering commitment to pan-African collaboration, exemplified by his efforts to work with liberation movements and foster cross-border solidarity,” the statement read. 

It aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024, promoting institutional capacity building, skills development, and excellence in research.

The foundation has announced that it complements the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa and has established 10 Research Chairs across seven countries. 

These Chairs address critical challenges such as climate change, public health, and food security. The seven countries involved are Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda.

During the meeting, the Uganda Research Chair, held by Professor David Bisagaya Meya and focused on infectious and neurological diseases, will be formally launched.

According to the NRF, the launch of the Research Chair at Makerere University marks a significant milestone.

ORTARChI is based on the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), which was established in 2006 by the NRF and DSTI.

SARChI is a national initiative focused on strengthening South Africa’s research capacity.

The NRF is an independent statutory body that supports and promotes research by providing funding, developing human resources, and offering necessary research facilities. 

Its goals include fostering knowledge and innovation across all scientific fields, enhancing public engagement with science, maintaining national research facilities, and aligning with government priorities to improve the quality of life for all South Africans. – SAnews.gov.za