Good News

BULLETIN 29 January

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Tracker has introduced a safety pilot programme across Gauteng schools. The initiative allows parents to track their child’s school bus in real-time. Eight schools in the northern suburbs are part of the initial phase, with plans for national expansion. Buses are fitted with tracking units, enabling parents to monitor routes and replay journeys if needed. Tracker’s Charlette Roetz says the initiative will address parental concerns about transit safety.

Meanwhile, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, distributed 110 bicycles to learners at Lesedi Secondary and Boshkop Primary Schools in Pretoria. This was part of the department’s school bicycle initiative to help improve punctuality, fitness, and environmental sustainability. Diale-Tlabela says with some learners walking long distances to school, these bicycles are essential:

# Two Stellenbosch University students, Yasmin de Raay and Chris Erasmus, have advanced to the international round of the 2025 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation competition. This global competition seeks projects from researchers under 30 years, who are working in forest-based science, products using wood, pulp or paper as a raw material, process improvements, or other innovations throughout the forest sector value chain. The projects of Erasmus and De Raay, who are doing their master’s in Engineering, will now be judged against those from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. 

# The University of the Witwatersrand has introduced eduroam at 36 public libraries, providing free, secure wi-fi for students and staff across the City of Johannesburg. The institution partnered with TENET and the metro to expand academic access beyond campuses. Wits University’s Stanley Mpofu says this expansion builds on the success of the institution’s 2023 collaboration with Airports Company South Africa, which introduced eduroam at major airports nationwide.

# And finally: Today is the Chinese New Year, which is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of the year on the traditional Chinese calendar. This year is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac, which is a symbol of wisdom, elegance, and intuition. Festivities span over 15 days and conclude with the Lantern Festival on February 12th. As red is considered a lucky colour in Chinese culture, people often decorate their homes and public spaces during Chinese New Year with lots of red lanterns and other festive decorations.

Stay tuned for more news………….