Excitement is building ahead of the 2025 Durban July, with organisers confirming a packed programme of fashion, music, and horse racing scheduled for Saturday, 5 July at the Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse. The annual event, often marketed as “Africa’s Greatest Horse Racing and Fashion Event,” will once again spotlight emerging talent through the Durban July Young Designer Award, presented by Durban Fashion Fair. Ten student designers from KwaZulu-Natal colleges have advanced to the final round after a competitive selection process over…

AfriForum has accused a mining company and government officials of breaking the law by secretly changing important documents linked to a proposed coal mine near the southern border of the Kruger National Park. In a media statement released on Monday, the organisation said it had sent a legal letter to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and environmental consultants Kimopax. The letter demands answers about how a revised Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), dated March 2025, was prepared and…

Workers in South Africa’s plastics sector will receive wage increases above inflation after a new agreement was signed between the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and employer associations. Inflation currently stands at 2.8%, but under the new deal, workers will receive wage increases of 7% in the first year, followed by 6% in the second and third years. The agreement covers the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028. The plastics sector, which is part…

The Gautrain rapid rail system has marked 15 years of service since its first train departed from Sandton to O.R. Tambo International Airport on 8 June 2010. In a media statement released on Sunday, the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) said the service has completed over 200 million passenger trips since its launch and currently employs about 1,200 people. Looking ahead, the agency said it plans to expand access to more communities across Gauteng. “In the next 15 years, we want…

Eswatini is gripped by growing tension and outrage as reports of child abductions and suspected ritual murders continue to shock the nation. At the launch of Children’s Month on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla urged the public to remain calm and not allow these tragedies to be used to spark unrest. Speaking at the United Nations House in Mbabane, Dladla warned that “opportunists are now using the killing of children to instigate violence and cause political instability” in…

Zimbabwe’s main remand prison in Harare is dangerously overcrowded, with cells built for 35 inmates now holding over 80 people, according to a new report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC). “Inmates experienced inhumane living conditions mostly due to overcrowding,” said ZHRC Chairperson Fungayi Jessie Majome. “Prison cells designed for 35 inmates were holding more than 80, leading to unsanitary and degrading living conditions.” The commission visited Harare Remand Prison on April 29 to investigate the treatment of inmates,…

South Africa is making significant strides in strengthening its global science and technology relationships. Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, will lead a high-level delegation to China next week to attend the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference in Chengdu. The conference, taking place from 11-12 June 2025, brings together experts, researchers, and officials from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries to discuss the future of scientific collaboration and innovation. Themed “Together for Innovation,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who passed away in a Pretoria hospital on Thursday, 5 June 2025. Mr Lungu, who was 68 years old, had been receiving medical treatment in South Africa for several weeks. In a statement issued by the Presidency, President Ramaphosa extended his condolences to Mr Lungu’s family, as well as to the people and government of Zambia, led by President Hakainde Hichilema. “As regional…

The African Union Commission (AUC) has raised concerns over a new U.S. travel ban that restricts entry from 19 countries, including several in Africa. The move, announced by former President Donald Trump in a video statement, has sparked reactions from international bodies and civil society voices alike. Twelve countries now face a full ban, including Chad, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan from the African continent. Another seven countries, such as Sierra Leone, Togo, and Burundi, face partial restrictions. Trump defended…

“Plastic harms people and nature — rural communities and parks feel the biggest impact”, says SANParks South African National Parks (SANParks) marked World Environment Day (WED) 2025 with a strong message about the dangers of plastic pollution and the need to include local communities in environmental efforts. In a media statement, SANParks said this year’s global WED theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” highlights the urgent need to tackle one of the world’s most serious environmental threats. According to the United Nations,…