South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged intensified mediation efforts in South Sudan ahead of national elections scheduled for December, describing 2026 as a decisive year for the country’s future. Speaking at the African Union Ad-hoc Committee Summit on South Sudan, held in partnership with the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and…
South Africa’s newly appointed Environmental Minister, Willie Aucamp, has published draft export quotas for hunting trophies of elephants, black rhinos and leopards — marking the first such proposal since 2021. The draft measures, now open for a 30-day public comment period, aim to reintroduce regulated export limits for three of the country’s most commercially valuable…
On Thursday 12 February 2026, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa used his 2026 State of the Nation Address to outline an ambitious programme aimed at accelerating economic growth, strengthening governance and addressing persistent social challenges. Opening his speech with references to the 1956 Women’s March and the 1976 Soweto uprising, Ramaphosa linked South Africa’s democratic…
South Africa’s pork sector is facing renewed price pressure as African Swine Fever (ASF) spreads across several provinces, adding to the ongoing impact of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) on the broader meat industry. The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation reported outbreaks at commercial pig farms in the Free State, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and areas northeast of…
Sales of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have climbed sharply in South Africa’s private healthcare sector, yet the majority of potential beneficiaries remain excluded due to prohibitive pricing and restricted medical scheme coverage. Neither the public health system nor most private insurers fully fund these treatments for obesity, despite recent clinical guidelines endorsing their use….
South Africa is confronting a systemic water emergency driven by a combination of aging infrastructure, financial instability within municipalities, and consumption rates that far exceed global norms. Industry specialists and government officials warn that the nation has reached a decisive turning point, where the inability to maintain reliable water services is no longer a localized…
The outbreak of a highly contagious, economically devastating viral Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) affecting cloven-hoofed livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats that has spread from Kruger National Park to KwaZulu Natal to other provinces has come under close scrutiny of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture. The committee demanded answers and urgent interventions from…
