Six African Referees Picked for the World Cup

Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been announced.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos made the announcement on Monday afternoon, with the final 23-man squad expected to be confirmed next week.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set a deadline of 11 December for all final squad submissions ahead of the tournament to be hosted by Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.

Broos’ men were drawn in Group B, alongsideREAD MORE

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) — The formation and development of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization have contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions to the global sustainable development predicament, according to a latest think tank report.

This thought represents a deep understanding of the laws of evolution of human civilization and the changing landscape of world development as well as a crystallization of profound thinkings about the way to promote global sustainable development, said the report tilted “Joining Hands to AdvanceREAD MORE

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) — China has seen remarkable results in improving its residents’ housing conditions since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, an official said on the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

To address the housing difficulties of the people, renovation of shanty towns, dilapidated houses, old urban residential communities and urban villages has been carried out across the country over the pastREAD MORE

As the G20 Leaders’ Summit wrapped up in Johannesburg, South Africa delivered a strong and assured finish to a historic gathering that placed Africa at the centre of global decision-making for the first time. Despite geopolitical tensions, a high-profile boycott by the United States, and heavy scrutiny of South Africa’s leadership approach, the summit ended with a clear declaration, a united front among participating nations, and renewed momentum behind the priorities of the Global South.

A declaration secured early,READ MORE

China has persistently advanced high-quality urban renewal to improve residents’ sense of happiness, consciously practicing the people-centered development philosophy, and the efforts have paid off.

Officials and experts discussed in the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency, how China has continuously improved living conditions and the residential environment for its people through the construction of affordable housing, as well as the renovation of shantytowns, old residential communities, urban villages, and dilapidatedREAD MORE

Despite being in the form of his life, attacking midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch has been omitted from Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON].

African Times can reveal the 32-year-old has failed to make the cut for the tournament starting next month in Morocco, where he is playing club football for Wydad Casablanca.

Bafana Bafana’s preliminary squad will be announced on Monday afternoon.

Lorch was again one of the players to watch on the weekendREAD MORE

South Africa reflects on the extraordinary life and legacy of Justice Leonora van den Heever. Beyond being the country’s first female judge, her life embodied the transformative power of courage, perseverance, and dedication to public service. She passed away last Thursday at the age of 99.

Justice van den Heever was appointed to the bench in 1969, a period when South Africa’s judiciary was exclusively male. Her appointment marked a historic breakthrough, challenging entrenched gender barriers and creating opportunities forREAD MORE

Two suspects, including a police official attached to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and a Tembisa Hospital official, are expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 24 November 2025, facing charges of corruption. The arrests follow a sting operation carried out by the DPCI’s Serious Corruption Investigation unit on Sunday.

The suspects were arrested after a planned handover of R100 000 cash as gratification. According to authorities, the 53-year-old Tembisa Hospital official approached a 41-year-oldREAD MORE

Double Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx became the fourth South African to be crowned the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year over the weekend in a historic occasion for South African rugby, with two Boks winning the award back-to-back for the first time in history.

Marx’s team-mate and fellow nominee Pieter-Steph du Toit became the first South African to scoop the title for the second time in history last year.

The 31-year old Marx, who hasREAD MORE

In an exclusive comment to TV BRICS on the sidelines of the G20 summit, Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President of South Africa, emphasised that the global conversation on critical minerals is shifting from extraction to real value creation within Africa. He noted that this agenda is gaining broad international support and now forms a key part of the economic discussions at the summit.

Focusing on the rapidly growing importance of critical minerals for the global green transition, Magwenya stressedREAD MORE