By Lerato Mutlanyane
Hailing from Bloemfontein, the City of Roses, Palesa “Lisa S” Sentso is stepping into her own spotlight — and bringing a sound that refuses to be boxed in. First known as part of the duo Harmonic Squared, which made waves on the Bloem music scene in 2018, Lisa S has since evol...
We are immensely proud to announce that our very own Refilwe Mochoari has been honoured with the prestigious Journalist of the Year Award for Best Features Documentary for the Free State, North West, Northern Cape, and Limpopo region.
In a remarkable double achievement, Refilwe has also been named a finalist for the Best Finance Article in the same region.
These accolades are a testament to Refilwe's exceptional talent, versatility, and dedication to excellence in journalism. From crafting powerful, human-centred documentaries to delivering incisive financial reporting, they consistently uphold the highest standards of our newsroom.
Please join us in congratulating Refilwe on this well-deserved recognition. Her work exemplifies our commitment to delivering impactful and award-winning storytelling to our community.
For years South Africa’s broken visa system, slow border processing, and paper-based bureaucracy have effectively cost the country billions and blocked investment.
This is according to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
“I would go so far as saying that they constitute a non-tariff barrier to investment in our country.”
Experts have warned that South Africa risks a multiplier effect on export volumes to the US, given that the 30% tariff is higher than that of rival exporters, making local products less competitive in the American market.
Donald MacKay, CEO of XA Global Trade Advisors, has said tariffs affect about 1.3% of South Africa’s gross domestic product.
The minister was speaking at the 12th edition of The European House – Ambrosetti CEO Dialogue on Southern Africa, held on the sidelines of the G20.
Schreiber said the Home Affairs ecosystem forms “the foundation of the state in any country”.
Yet, Schreiber said these institutions had for years been plagued by inefficiency.
“For many years, this ecosystem was associated with inefficiency, corruption, long queues, and paper-based manual systems.”
The minister linked these failures directly to the economy, highlighting lost tourism, blocked skills, and financial-sector fraud.
“Tourism was held back from key markets like China and India, primarily because of visa inefficiencies,” said Schreiber.
Schreiber added that “companies… struggled to attract critical skills, even though a study from the National Treasury identified this issue as the second biggest impediment to economic growth in our country after loan sharing”.
In addition, key issues identified by the Financial Action Tast Force when it placed South Africa on the greylist also plagued the country.
“Fraud and identity theft, particularly in the financial sector, costs the country billions,” said the minister.
Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Alvin Botes, has said that Illicit Financial Flows – theft – is robbing South Africa of a massive $3.5 billion every year.
Schreiber added that slow processing at land borders and illicit trade robed South Africa of desperately needed tax revenue and holds back regional trade.
“These are all examples of critical economic issues that have a direct impact on South Africa's attractiveness as an investment destination.”
The department is now implementing new solutions to reverse the damage.
Visa reforms are also targeting corporate investment and skills shortages.
“Through regulatory change, we've already introduced the points-based system for world visa adjudication last year, which has created a more transparent and predictable system,” said Schreiber.
The creative sector, hit by visa unpredictability, now benefits from the Screen Talent and Global Entertainment Scheme (STAGES).
“In one case, a R400 million Netflix project left South Africa behind, even though we were the preferred destination, and they went to Mexico instead because they couldn't get visas,” said Schreiber.
As a result, Schreiber said the department has “now launched… STAGES… to obtain their required documents within 24 hours.”
Schreiber said all these changes are part of a broader strategy to bring Home Affairs services to citizens efficiently.
Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau has expressed cautious optimism over ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, despite growing tensions between the two countries.
South Africa is currently locked in high-stakes trade discussions with the Trump administration and had previously reported that negotiations were advancing under a condition precedent framework, a preliminary agreement outlining the necessary steps before a full trade deal can be finalised.
"We have not signed any substantive agreement yet. The document signed was a precedent condition document," Ministerial spokesperson Kaamil Alli said earlier this year.
"This is a precursor to the finalising of the negotiations, which are ongoing".
However, tensions escalated even further last week with the US making good on its threat to boycott the G20 summit. The US government has also revoked the former International Relations , Naledi Pandor's Visa.
The US government also attempted to send a junior embassy official to receive the G20 presidency gavel from President Cyril Ramaphosa, a move South Africa rejected as a breach of diplomatic protocol.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the summit, Tau said South Africa remains committed to ongoing dialogue with the US, while continuing to engage with other international partners through multilateral forums like the G20.
"The reality is that the US made a decision not to come to this country. I do accept that as part of the reality, the choice that the US made. We’re still engaging with the US Government from a trade point of view.” Tau said.
Tau also touched on the importance of multilateral engagement and the broader significance of international negotiations.
"On the reaffirmation of multilateralism, the mechanisms are established by the country. On a cumulative level, when you get to a declaration, it’s a tough, intense negotiation to get to the outcome."
The University of Pretoria (UP) has cemented its position as a powerhouse for women in science, with five exceptional researchers earning recognition at the 2025 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA). The accolades highlight not just individual brilliance, but the University's commitment to nurturing diverse talent across multiple disciplines.
At the forefront of this achievement stands Dr Maurine Musie, who won the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher Award in Human and Social Sciences. The youngest PhD holder in UP's Nursing Science Department, Dr Musie has dedicated her career to improving maternal and neonatal health through ground-breaking approaches that blend traditional and modern healthcare practices. Her work with midwives and traditional birth attendants in rural areas addresses real healthcare challenges facing South African communities.
Dr Musie's impressive portfolio includes 19 peer-reviewed publications and leadership roles spanning from the South African Young Academy of Science to the International Nursing Now Global Committee. Her selection as one of South Africa's top 10 scientists to represent the country at the BRICS Young Scientist Forum in Russia speaks to her growing international influence. She currently supervises six PhD, 13 master's and nine honours degree candidates, embodying the spirit of mentorship that defines true academic leadership.
Professor Nombulelo Sepeng secured the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher Award for Public Engagement with Research, a category that recognises scientists who build bridges between research and society. Prof Sepeng's journey began with an Atlantic Philanthropies scholarship in 2011, and her impact on UP's Nursing Science Department has been transformative. Under her research leadership, the department achieved unprecedented doctoral training success, graduating 15 PhD students in 2025 alone – the highest number in its history.
Her National Research Foundation (NRF) C2 rating reflects the quality of her scholarly work, which focuses on vulnerable populations including sexual assault survivors, HIV studies, and teenage pregnancy. Prof Sepeng's approach goes beyond academic research – her community-based initiatives include outreach campaigns, public webinars and school-based awareness programmes that directly improve lives. Her co-authorship of an R850 000 NRF grant to host a national conference on African epistemologies demonstrates her commitment to elevating indigenous knowledge systems.
Professor Lucy Moleleki earned recognition as first runner-up in the Distinguished Woman Researcher category for Natural and Engineering Sciences. Her research on potato–pathogen interactions might seem niche, but it addresses fundamental questions about food security and sustainable agriculture. Prof Moleleki's work on molecular virulence mechanisms helps farmers and policymakers understand how plant diseases spread and how to combat them effectively.
Since completing her PhD at the University of Dundee in Scotland in 2007 and joining UP in 2009, Prof Moleleki has built an impressive research profile with over 50 peer-reviewed articles, an h-index of 28, and more than 3 000 citations. Her international recognition includes keynote presentations at global conferences and editorial positions on leading journals. She has mentored five postdoctoral fellows, 10 PhD students, and 16 master's students, creating a ripple effect of scientific excellence.
The University's success extends to emerging researchers as well. Nadine Du Piesanie, a PhD candidate in Consumer Science, received a DSTI–Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri Doctoral Fellowship for her innovative work on food literacy among Generation Alpha. Her development of ‘Sprouts’, a computer game that teaches food literacy, earned second place at the 2024 International E-Learning Excellence Awards in Porto, Portugal. This creative approach to addressing malnutrition demonstrates how young researchers are thinking differently about persistent social challenges.
Jacqueline Maphutha, a fellowship recipient pursuing a PhD in Medicinal Plant Science, represents the intersection of traditional knowledge and cutting-edge research. Her investigation into indigenous plants' effects on metastatic melanoma drug resistance showcases how South African researchers are leading global conversations about cancer therapy while honouring traditional healing practices.
The University of Pretoria congratulates these outstanding #WomenOfUP for their excellence in their respective fields of work. Their work contributes to the success of South African researchers who are taking research to new heights.
Fifty of the more than 300 children snatched by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria have escaped their captors, a Christian group said on Sunday.
Gunmen on Friday raided St Mary's co-education school in Niger state, taking 303 children and 12 teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria.
The abduction came days after gunmen stormed a secondary school in neighbouring Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls.
"We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents," said the Christian Association of Nigeria in a statement, adding they escaped between Friday and Saturday.
The number of boys and girls - aged between eight and 18 years - kidnapped from St Mary's is almost half of the school's student population of 629.
The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the number of students and teachers abducted.
"As much as we receive the return of these 50 children that escaped with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims," CAN chairman in Niger State, Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said in the statement.
Mounting security fears in Africa's most populous nation have sparked a wave of school closures across the country.
Since Islamist militants kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok town more than a decade ago, Nigeria has struggled with a spate of mass kidnappings, mostly carried out by criminal gangs looking for ransom payments.
Gunmen often attack remote boarding schools where they know a lack of security presence will make for soft targets. Most victims are released after negotiations.
'DEEP SORROW'
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday made "a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages".
He expressed his "deep sorrow, especially for the many young boys and girls kidnapped and for their anguished families," at the end of the Angelus prayer.
The two abduction operations and an attack on a church in the west of the country, in which two people were killed and dozens abducted, came as US President Donald Trump threatened military action over what he called the persecution of Christians by radical Islamists in Nigeria.
When asked about the recent attacks and kidnappings on Fox News Radio, Trump said "what's happening in Nigeria is a disgrace".
Nigeria is also dealing with a deadly Islamist insurgency in the northeast of the country, where the violence has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million since it erupted in 2019.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
The Department of Basic Education has published proposed amendments to the School Calendar Policy ensuring a streamlined framework for determining school term dates across all nine provinces.
The South African Department of Basic Education has initiated a significant overhaul of the existing school calendar system, aiming to introduce a clear and modernised national framework applicable to all nine provinces.
One of the most noteworthy changes is the introduction of a singular national school calendar. This move marks the end of the previous staggered system where inland and coastal provinces operated on different academic schedules.
By harmonising the school start dates, the Department envisions a streamlined educational experience for South African learners, regardless of where in SA they reside.
In a bid to enhance operational efficiency, the Department has also decided to eliminate consideration of holiday traffic when planning school holidays. Historically, the timing of school breaks was influenced by traffic patterns to ease congestion on major routes.
However, the proposed changes will now allow the calendar to focus solely on educational needs, ensuring that the school year aligns more closely with academic requirements rather than external factors.
Additionally, the reforms promise to discard archaic rules and unnecessary clauses that hinder the clarity of the School Calendar Policy. The intention is to remove outdated definitions and redundancy, making the calendar more user-friendly and accessible to all stakeholders.
While the school year will continue to commence on a Wednesday, a consistent opening in the third week of January is set to become the new norm. Teachers are expected to report two days prior to the learner start date, maintaining a familiar rhythm to the academic year while allowing for readiness and preparation.
Importantly, the need for provinces to have equal school days has been deemed unnecessary in this new framework, as the implementation of a national calendar inherently addresses this concern.
Furthermore, the introduction of a new section detailing how term dates will be established will replace the previous cluster-based method of organisation, bringing about a simpler set of principles to guide schools in scheduling their terms.
