# The Benchmarks Foundation says proposed changes to South Africa’s mining laws may fail to target the masterminds behind illegal mining syndicates. The General Mining Laws Amendment Bill proposes making illicit mining and related activities criminal offences, with fines of up to 100-million-rand and prison terms of up to 30 years. Foundation researcher David van […]
# Agriculture experts have revealed that near-record food inventories, improved farming technology and stronger exporters are expected to cushion the global food systems against potential severe El Niño. In addition, advances in drought-tolerant crops, irrigation, precision agriculture and weather forecasting have strengthened resilience. However, experts warn that drought, fertilizer shortages and geopolitical disruptions could still […]
# The draft updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2026 to 2035 has been published for public comment. Forestry, Fisheries and Environment minister David Maynier says the plan will guide South Africa’s efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity. The strategy aligns with the global Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework adopted in 2022. The government […]
# Build One South Africa says government is spending billions on technical and vocational education and training colleges without reliably knowing how many students graduate or drop out. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane says Higher Education minister Buti Manamela admitted the department lacks sufficiently reliable national data on programme completion and dropout rates. He says the […]
# The Presidency has rebuked Eskom chairperson Mteto Nyati for publicly questioning plans to restructure the power utility. He has warned transferring transmission assets could affect lending agreements, accounting and bondholders. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says government is committed to ensuring Eskom does not emerge financially weaker from the unbundling process. He says Eskom’s concerns […]
# Die SABC benodig 120-miljoen-rand om regverdige en omvattende dekking van November se plaaslike regeringsverkiesing te verseker. Die voorsitter van die Parlement se portefeuljekomitee oor Kommunikasie en Digitale Tegnologieë, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, sê geld is nodig vir redaksionele bedrywighede, tegnologie, uitslagdata en digitale dienste. Sy waarsku die openbare uitsaaier is op die rand van ineenstorting en […]
# Union federation SAFTU says thousands of abandoned, derelict and inadequately secured mines have become death traps, environmental hazards and breeding grounds for organised criminal syndicates. A rockfall at a mine at Nkaneng near Rustenburg in North West killed 14 illegal miners yesterday, most of them from Lesotho. SAFTU’s Asive Dyani says this tragedy once […]
# The SABC needs 120-million-rand to provide fair and comprehensive coverage of November’s local government elections. The chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, says the funding is needed for editorial operations, technology, results data and digital services. She warns the public broadcaster is on the brink of collapse and […]
# South Korea has unveiled an ambitious technology strategy centred on seven projects ranging from nuclear energy and quantum computing to space and biotechnology. The country also seeks to secure new growth engines beyond semiconductors and artificial intelligence. At the launch of the initiative named Seven Major Seed, president Lee Jae-myung stated that it brings […]
