Prof Thoko Mayekiso, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mpumalanga
WOMEN’S MONTH MESSAGE
Hon Sindisiwe Chikunga
Minister in the Presidency
Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
LEGAL MATTERS
Spam calls
Have you had enough? What does the POPIA say?
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Proud histories
SABC
Black Sash
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8 | Minister’s Women’s Month Message
Message from Honourable Minister
Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga
28 | Women leading the way in tech transformation
Thulani Dube on reshaping South Africa’s approach to innovation, inclusion, and progress
32 | Top businesswomen in Africa
A new era in business leadership
36 | Leading with purpose
Women at the heart of South Africa’s government
38 | The Black Sash’s
70th anniversary
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the G7 Leaders Summit in Canada
42 | Women in sport
Springbok Women headline SA Sports this Women’s Month
46 | SABC 75th anniversary
Capturing the stories of South Africa and the world
58 | Public sector success stories
Progress on infrastructure, digital transformation, localisation and procurement reform
12 | Addressing the Nation
The National Dialogue must be a place for women to raise their voices
14 | Cover Story
Professor Thoko Mayekiso, ViceChancellor, University of Mpumalanga
24 | Trailblazer
Priscillah Mabelane, NTCSA
Chairperson: Steering national reform through energy leadership
52 | G20 Update
Making progress towards finalising priority issues for the G20 agenda
64 | In Other News
SARS auto-assessment: What’s new for filing season 2025
66 | Regional Focus
Isuzu’s AI and Robotics Centre boosts STEM learning in the Eastern Cape
68 | Sporting Action
All grown up: Baby Boks, Pieter Coetzé, and the pursuit of glory
72 | Financial Fitness
Practical tips to take control of your finances
76 | Legal Matters
How the POPI Act empowers consumers against spam calls
78 | Health and Wellness
The new culture strategy for attracting and retaining top talent
80 | Upcoming Events
August calendar
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In his letter to the nation on August 11, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa focused on Women’s Month and empowerment, referencing Women’s Day in South Africa which commemorates the 1956 Women’s March on the Union Buildings - a political protest against the apartheid-era pass laws, and a powerful assertion of women’s agency
“From the protests against the pass laws, to the so-called beer-hall protests of 1959, to the rent boycotts of the 1980s, to the contemporary protest movements against gender-based violence, South African women have a proud history of standing up and being counted.
“With the first National Convention taking place during Women’s Month, we call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue. This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956,” – His Excellency Ramaphosa.
August is Women’s Month, and this edition honours the achievements of women across sectors, the impact of gender empowerment and highlights those who set the bar high.
Our cover icon this month is Prof Thoko Mayekiso, who is celebrating more than a decade as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mpumalanga.
It is fitting that Honourable Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister of the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities opens the publication with a message to all our readers; and in the Women in Leadership slot is Honourable Nomsa Dube-Ncube, Deputy Higher Education Ministerwhilst our Trailblazer is Priscillah Mabelane, NTCSA Chairperson:
“Priscillah Mabelane stands at the crossroads of transformation in South Africa’s energy sector. Her appointment in January 2024 as Chairperson of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) placed her at the forefront of a structural shift in the country’s electricity landscape. As a seasoned corporate leader and chartered accountant, her journey reflects both professional excellence and publicsector trailblazing.”
In our features we cover two important milestones – the 75 th anniversary of the SABC and the 70th of the Black Sash, an NGO renowned as an antiapartheid stalwart. Further afield we bring you 5 of the top business women in Africa, whilst our local focus falls on the women who are leading us in the national, provincial governments and legislatures.
EDITOR’S
BY FIONA WAKELIN
We have a double delight for you in the sports arena – our regular Sporting Action, which this month looks at Baby Boks, Pieter Coetzé, and the pursuit of glory - as well as a focus on top South African sports women. Thulani Dube has written for us on Women in Tech, looking at leadership and innovation, and, whilst on the topic of leadership, be sure not to miss our monthly update on all things G20:
“The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) hosted the 3rd Technical Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) from 1 to 4 July at Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga. With the theme “The Care EconomyPaid and Unpaid Care Work and Household Responsibilities”, the four-day meeting put the spotlight on the long standing disparities in the recognition and distribution of care work.”
Are you bombarded by spam? In Legal Matters you will find all you need to know about spam calls and consumer rights – and what the POPI Act has to say about this issue. In Other News we bring you the latest on SARS auto assessment changes – and, while we are on the topic of rands and cents, Financial Fitness has some valuable tips on smart budgeting.
We wish you well throughout Women’s Month.
From myself and our amazing team, we hope you enjoy the read.
FIONA WAKELIN | GROUP EDITOR
Lydia Chikunga
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
Women’s Month 2025
August is not just another month in our calendar; it is a living testimony to the courage of women who changed South Africa’s destiny. In 1956, Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Sophia Williams-de Bruyn, Helen Joseph, and Albertina Sisulu, together with 20 000 women, marched to the Union Buildings to declare that injustice would not stand. Their footsteps remind us that Women’s Month is not symbolic, it is a call to continue their struggle for equality, dignity, and justice.
This year, we mark Women’s Month under the theme “Building Resilient Economies for All.” It reminds us that democracy without women’s economic power is incomplete. Resilience means women with equal access to education, finance, land, markets, and leadership opportunities. It means safe communities free from gender-based violence, and recognition of the unpaid care work that sustains families and economies alike.
Reflecting on our struggles and gains
Almost seventy years later, South African women still face urgent challenges. Nearly half of young women aged 15–34 are not in employment, education, or training, locked out of opportunity and excluded from growth. Women remain underrepresented in corporate leadership and continue to earn less for equal work. The burden of unpaid care work falls disproportionately on women, limiting their economic participation. Most painfully, the crisis of gender-based violence and femicide continues: one in three women has experienced physical violence. These are not just numbers, they are the lived realities of women in every village, township, and city. And yet, there are hard-won victories that must inspire us. Women now make up 46% of Parliament and 43% of Cabinet, placing South Africa among the top countries globally for women in decision-making. In 2024, Justice Mandisa Maya was appointed our first woman Chief Justice, breaking another barrier in our judiciary.
In education, women lead the way, accounting for over 60% of university graduates and increasingly entering STEM fields. In business, women own more than a third of formal enterprises, supported by bold reforms like the Public Procurement Act, which guarantees a minimum of 40% of state procurement for women-owned businesses. The Women’s Economic Assembly (WECONA) is unlocking access to procurement across key sectors.
At this year’s Empower Her Market Trade Fair, a woman entrepreneur testified that while she usually earns between R500 and R1 500 a day, on that platform she
made R20 000 in one day. That is the power of access, markets, and coordination. Her story is a glimpse of the scale of transformation we must replicate nationwide.
We celebrate women innovators who are reshaping our present and future: Dr Nomfundo Mcoyi-Zondo, who has redefined the funeral industry; Phuthi MahanyeleDabengwa, corporate pioneer; Sibongile Sambo, aviation entrepreneur; and the late Ndoni Mcunu and Dr Senamile Masango, whose scientific contributions continue to inspire.
This is the dual story of South African women: one of persistent struggles that demand urgent action, and one of extraordinary resilience and achievement that lights the path forward.
As South Africa chairs the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group, we are advancing priorities on financial inclusion, recognising unpaid care work, and ending GBV and femicide. This year also marks 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, reminding us that our struggle is part of a global movement for gender equality. Throughout August, government, civil society, and business will host commemorative, reflective, and action-driven programmes — from trade fairs to dialogues, from policy summits to grassroots campaigns. But to unlock real change, women’s organisations, networks, and businesses must also coordinate their efforts more deliberately: aligning strategies, sharing resources, and building collective strength to secure markets and opportunities at scale.
This Women’s Month, I extend a call to action:
• To women: keep breaking barriers but also work together; our power multiplies when it is coordinated.
• To young women: your leadership is not tomorrow’s dream, it is today’s imperative.
• To men: transformation cannot be women’s burden alone, walk with us as partners.
• To business and civil society: invest, mentor, and open markets for women.
Let it be said that in our generation, we did not only celebrate the march of 1956, but we also advanced it. We turned resilience into justice, protest into progress, and solidarity into shared prosperity.
Happy Women’s Month 2025. #RekaofelaBasadi — Let’s support women, together.
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BY FIONA WAKELIN
On 11 August, in his letter penned to the nation, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa focused on Women’s Month and empowerment. His letter began with a reference to Women’s Day in South Africa which commemorates the 1956 Women’s March on the Union Buildings - a political protest against the apartheid-era pass laws, and a powerful assertion of women’s agency.
His Excellency then segued to 15 August when organisations from across South Africa will gather at the National Convention in Pretoria to commence the National Dialogue process that will bring together individuals and organisations from across society to find common ground and new solutions for the country’s challenges.
“Recognising that the lives of women are bound up with the future of the nation as a whole, we are counting on women’s groups and organisations to mobilise around the National Dialogue process. If we are to remain true to our objective of giving all sectors of society a voice as we build the South Africa we want, we have to ensure that all women are represented. This means a concerted effort to mobilise young and old, urban and rural dwellers, women from different ethnic and linguistic communities, women with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people.
“The reality is that women’s struggles are not all the same and we should not assume they are. Although they may be similar in certain respects, the issues
and challenges facing rural women and women in traditional communities differ vastly from those of women in urban areas with access to education, resources and public services,” – H.E. Ramaphosa.
His Excellency emphasised that the Government of National Unity is driving the strategic priorities of inclusive growth, job creation, alleviation of poverty, addressing the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state. He confirmed that the GNU is committed to ensuring that gender is mainstream in all government policy and that a gendered lens is consistently applied to every challenge when developing and implementing solutions.
“From the protests against the pass laws, to the socalled beer-hall protests of 1959, to the rent boycotts of the 1980s, to the contemporary protest movements against gender-based violence, South African women have a proud history of standing up and being counted.
“With the first National Convention taking place during Women’s Month, we call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue. This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956,” – His Excellency Ramaphosa.
By Fiona Wakelin
The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) is situated in the scenic province of the rising sun, a context for staff and students’ inspiration. UMP was established in 2013, and enrolled the first cohort of 169 students in February 2014 in three programmes, namely Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase Teaching), Bachelor of Agriculture in Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Development and Diploma in ICT. Rapid and gratifying growth has been experienced since the establishment of the University. The University now offers 78 qualifications, to a total of 11,885 students in 2025.
The year 2025 marked the 10th graduation ceremony of the University of Mpumalanga. Two thousand and thirty five degrees/diplomas were conferred including 61 Master’s degrees from 60 qualifications. UMP conferred the first doctoral degree - a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Sciences - to Dr Khumbelo Mabadahanye. One hundred and seventy qualifications were awarded cum laude and 45 students were recipients of the Vice-Chancellor Scholarship. Ten qualifications were awarded for the first time, with graduates coming from South Africa, eSwatini and Zimbabwe.
We asked our cover icon, founding Vice Chancellor Prof Thoko Mayekiso, to dive deeper into the journey of this trailblazing university:
The pioneering journey captures the fact that we started UMP from scratch, sod- turning and laying the foundation, to the now iconic structure which can be seen from afar perched on the hill on 31 October 2013. The statement “Pioneers have to build a firm foundation, mindful that what they are creating should be durable, marketable, sustainable and enduring” - Prof Mayekiso (2015) - captures the essence of the pioneering journey (luhambo lwemhlahlandlela).
This speaks indeed to our trailblazing journey. We started with 169 students in 2014 , and now have 11 885 students in the current year. Academic offerings increased from 3 to 81 in 2025. Our qualifications range from Higher Certificate to Doctoral degree in the true typology of a comprehensive institution. Six of the qualifications are doctoral programmes.
When we started with a few qualifications, we did not have faculties and operated at the programme-level. The first faculty was established in 2016 - the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, with Prof Moses Mbewe, as the Founding Dean.
The next faculty to be established was the Faculty of Education in 2019, with Prof Hilda Israel, as the Founding Dean. The last faculty to be established was the Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences in 2020, with Prof Vusi Gumede as the Founding Dean. In addition to the three faculties, the University has established 8 Schools: The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences has four Schools, namely the School of Agricultural Sciences; the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences; the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences and the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. The Faculty of Education has the School of Early Childhood Education and the Faculty of Economics, Development and
Business Sciences has the School of Development Studies; the School of Social Sciences and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
“Creating Opportunities” through the Vision, Mission and Values
The University has created a number of opportunities for staff and students in line with its Vision, Mission and Values. The University committed itself through its mission to the holistic development of students. Students are developed cognitively, physically, socially, personally and aesthetically, thereby maximising their potential to benefit from the opportunities the University creates for them. Students are exposed to a number of opportunities through the relevant programmes that are offered at the University and the conducive ecology in why they study. The content of our offerings at UMP makes it easy to be fully prepared for employment opportunities or opportunities for
further studies. The innovative and entrepreneurial inclination of UMP enables our students to create opportunities – whilst being equally ready to grab opportunities that exist out there. Our staff and students have benefitted from the partnerships the University has established nationally and internationally. Students have benefitted from Study Abroad opportunities which have contributed to their academic development.
ENACTUS a flagship project
ENACTUS is a global organisation that uses entrepreneurial action to create social and economic impact. UMP ENACTUS Society is one of the flagship student societies at UMP showing creativity and innovation. The team has won 39 trophies since they started participating in the national competition in 2017. UMP ENACTUS was crowned national champions at the ENACTUS national championships held in Sandton, Johannesburg on 17 July 2025.
“Prof Thoko Mayekiso, received the 2025 ENACTUS Champion Award as a recognition of her extraordinary leadership, unwavering passion and commitment to the ENACTUS movementthe first recipient of the award in higher education. Only four such awards have been made in the past and one of them went to Dr Patrice Motsepe. The UMP ENACTUS Team will represent South Africa at the ENACTUS World Cup Competition in Bangkok, Thailand, from 26 – 28 September 2025.”
The University of Mpumalanga continues to make strides in student entrepreneurship on both national and international platforms. Through its commitment to fostering innovation and business acumen, UMP proudly participated in the THENSA Entrepreneurship Training, held from 28 July to 2 August 2024 in partnership with Munster University of Technology (Ireland) and funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). This intensive in-person five-day programme provided Studentpreneurs with critical skills in market research, financial management, business model development, sales strategies, and public speaking, empowering them to refine and sustain their business ventures.
Among the 50 participants from six universities, five outstanding UMPCFERI Studentpreneurs attended the training. Following their exceptional performance, three of them were selected to represent UMP and South Africa together with five students from other universities on the 2025 Ireland Entrepreneurship Tour [16 May – 24 May 2025]. The UMP students on the tour were:
1. Mr Sandile Tyrant Nhuvunga: (Master’s in Development Studies: 2nd year)
2. Mr Mcolisi Austine Shongwe: (Master’s in Development Studies: 2nd year)
3. Ms Ndiwanga Murena Overcome Muravha: (BSc Agric: 4th year)
Ireland tour programme proceeding:
• Each site visit during the study tour was carefully selected to match the business interests of the Studentpreneurs from UMP who attended. These visits helped them to reflect on their current business models and provided ideas on how to improve them to be more competitive in global markets. They had the chance to engage with business owners, support institutions, and educational institutions, all of which contributed valuable insights.
• The tour gave them a clear understanding of how Ireland supports entrepreneurship especially in rural areas through innovation, technology, and collaboration. They saw how businesses are built around sustainability, creativity, and community involvement. The three Studentpreneurs also
learned how support structures such as incubators, enterprise offices, and universities play a big role in helping entrepreneurs succeed.
• Furthermore, the programme gave them practical exposure to real businesses and support systems. The tour opened up their minds to new possibilities and showed them that entrepreneurship is not only about making profit, but also about solving problems, creating opportunities for others, and building businesses that can grow and last.
The Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony is an annual event which takes place during the Graduation Ceremonies as a separate ceremony. These awards are given to students who have excelled academically during the previous year. We celebrate students who have excelled in each of the faculties at first year level, diploma level and degree level. We also recognise the top students overall and they are awarded the ViceChancellor Award for the Best Diploma Graduate and Vice-Chancellor Award for the Best Degree Graduate. Some of the awards are sponsored externally by the Robert Gumede Keni Foundation ( Best Student in ICT), Halls and Sons (Best Student in Agriculture) and Sanlam (Best Student in Nature Conservation).
The University of Mpumalanga, in collaboration with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, cohosted the 2nd G20 Research and Innovation Working Group meeting from 25 – 27 May 2025 at the Mbombela Campus. The meeting focussed on three priority areas, namely Open Innovation for Development; Biodiversity for Sustainable Development and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Science, Technology and Innovation.
The University will co-host, in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training, the G20 Outreach for the Education Working Group at the Mbombela Campus, on 9 October 2025.
UMP has a number of established researchers and professors in various fields of study. At present, UMP has
21 NRF rated scientists ranging from C1 to P2. Three of our professors are members of the prestigious Academy of Science South Africa, namely Prof Ndiko Ludidi, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and Professor in Food Technology; Prof Victor Mlambo, Professor in Animal Science and Programme Leader for Animal Production; and Prof Thoko Mayekiso, Professor in Psychology and Vice-Chancellor.
Three of our professors have recently presented their Professorial Inauguration Lectures. Prof Funso Kutu, Head of School of Agricultural Sciences and Professor in Agronomy presented his Inauguration Lecture on, “Life Beyond Our Daily Bread: Unravelling Soil Health Myths”, on 10 June 2025. This was followed by the Professorial Inauguration Lecture by Prof Tarombera Mwambvu, Programme Leader for the Bachelor of Science and Professor in Biology on “Life on Land: Why Soil Macroinvertebrates?” on 11 August 2025. The third Professorial Inauguration Lecture was delivered by Prof Victor Mlambo, on “Towards Sustainable Animal Food Systems: Keeping Up with Shifting Consumer Expectations” on 20 August 2025.
Key local and international collaborations and partnerships
UMP has an extensive list of partners and collaborators locally, nationally and internationally. Nationally, we work closely with a number of SETAS, TVETs and a number of organisations/industries including those that provide Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) to our students studying Agriculture (Crop Production), Nature Conservation, Animal Production and Hospitality Management. We also collaborate with Science Councils such as the Agricultural Research Council and a number of higher education institutions nationally especially in the area of Curriculum Development such as the University of Johannesburg.
We currently have 41 partnerships with international higher education institutions in Europe (14); Africa (10); Asia (11); Australia (2) and North America (4). UMP is
a member of international associations such as the Southern African-Nordic Center (SANORD), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), Australia – Africa Universities Network (AAUN) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
I am inspired by the hard-working and committed people who put their all on their calling across all fields of human endeavour. People who faultlessly ensure that what they promised to do and deliver in the form of programmes or services, have a stamp of excellence.
If you had an extra hour in the day, how would you spend it?
I would spend the extra hour thinking and planning for the following day. At the same time, reflecting about the day and evaluating it are equally important – if only to ensure self-improvement and safeguarding total wellness. The last few minutes of the hour would be to unwind and relax.
There is a lot going on around developments in technology – AI and ChatGPT. I would like to delve deeper into understanding these, especially their impact on mental health, whilst simultaneously rethinking and re-imagining the future, and how one could continue making contributions to advance our country and its people. I am looking forward to writing a book and sharing the experience I have gained over forty years in higher education both as an academic and a leader.
It is important to identify our purpose in life, and pursue it ceaselessly. The path to success is not smooth, but never allow distractions to take you away from your goals. Focus, determination and dedication will take you to achievements beyond your dreams. As the adage goes, the reward for something welldone, is to have done it.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s swearing-in as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training on 22 July 2025 marks more than a return - it symbolises the unwavering rise of women in leadership within South Africa’s public sector. As the first female Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, her journey reflects the power of resilience, academic rigour, and inclusive governance.
A rising star in government ranks Born and educated in KwaMashu, Dr Dube-Ncube grew steadily through local government ranks, serving as Mayor of North Central Municipality and chief whip in eThekwini before becoming South African Ambassador to the Czech Republic.
In 2009, she entered the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and began a decade-long tenure as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Her adaptability saw her take on roles in economic development, tourism, environmental affairs, and finance before becoming the first woman Premier of KwaZulu-Natal in August 2022.
President Cyril Ramaphosa then selected her amid a leadership shake-up in higher education reform, pairing her with Minister Buti Manamela to replace.
In May 2025, the University of KwaZulu-Natal conferred Dr Dube Ncube with a Doctorate in Administration. Her thesis explores the institutional architecture and community engagement needed for genuine poverty alleviation in iLembe District Municipality—emphasising bottom-up strategy and governance reform.
This academic milestone underscores Dr Dube-Ncube’s commitment to evidence-based policy and her belief that high-level
qualifications strengthen public service and governance. Dr Dube-Ncube brings exceptional administrative discipline: her decade in Cooperative Governance, followed by stewardship of KwaZulu-Natal’s Finance department, earned praise for reform-minded oversight and fiscal accountability. These capabilities are vital as the Higher Education Department handles funding and governance issues at scale.
Her appointment comes after Hon. Manamela (the previously Deputy Minister)was elevated to full Minister, creating a partnership that couples institutional continuity with provincial implementation insight.
Championing women’s leadership and transformation At each turn in her career, Dr Dube-Ncube has shattered ceilings: as MEC, finance head, ambassador and premier. Her national appointment reaffirms the government’s growing emphasis on gender parity and technologyenhanced institutional leadership.
As Deputy Minister, she steps into a portfolio facing urgent demands: reforming the NSFAS structure, accelerating access to tertiary education, stabilising SETA governance, and enabling transformation in historically underserved communities.
Dr Dube-Ncube has a proven track record of steering complex provincial portfolios with resilience and foresight, earning widespread respect for her strategic capability and decisiveness. As the first woman to serve as Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, and now as Deputy Minister of Higher Education, her rise reflects a commitment to gender equity and inclusivity in governance.
Her academic credentials, including a PhD focused on data-driven policy and poverty alleviation, position her as both a practitioner and a scholar - an asset in an era that demands informed, evidence-based leadership.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Dr Dube-Ncube is also known for her administrative integrity, having developed a reputation for strong financial stewardship, governance acumen, and operational oversight across government functions.
Her journey is a powerful testament to the ongoing transformation of public leadership in South Africa, where lived experience, academic insight, and governance competence intersect to drive systemic change.
As Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dr Dube-Ncube’s focus will be on stabilising student funding, particularly through reforming NSFAS to prevent fiscal leakage and clear backlogs. She is also expected to tighten SETA governance, ensuring better alignment between training programmes and the country’s skills development needs. Her priorities include enhancing institutional performance and transformation at universities and TVET colleges, with stronger governance standards and accountability. A key strength she brings is the ability to bridge provincial and national policy frameworks, with a particular emphasis on expanding rural access to higher education.
Her academic background supports a people-centred approach—emphasising community empowerment, decentralised decision-making, and inclusive growth —as educational and economic transformation pillars.
Dr Dube-Ncube’s life journey - from municipal politics to academic achievement and national Cabinet - stands as a powerful blueprint for women in public leadership. Her narrative shows how perseverance, educational attainment, and sectoral track record can combine to break structural barriers.
Her role as Deputy Minister therefore resonates beyond her portfolio: she represents the growing footprint of women in South Africa’s governance architecture and a commitment to transformation grounded in experience, scholarship, and integrity.
Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s appointment is a milestone in South Africa’s pathway toward inclusive public
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
PRISCILLAH MABELANE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL TRANSMISSION COMPANY OF SOUTH AFRICA (NTCSA)
Priscillah Mabelane stands at the crossroads of transformation in South Africa’s energy sector. Her appointment in January 2024 as Chairperson of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) placed her at the forefront of a structural shift in the country’s electricity landscape. As a seasoned corporate leader and chartered accountant, her journey reflects both professional excellence and public-sector trailblazing.
Hailing from a rural village called Mabocha near Groblersdal in Limpopo, Ms Mabelane was an exceptional mathematics student - a foundation that later paved her way into accounting. She earned her BCom Honours in Accounting from the University of Limpopo and furthered her studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She became a chartered accountant and began a distinguished career at Ernst & Young, then moved into key finance roles at the Airports Company of South Africa and Eskom. She later ascended to CFO of BP Southern Africa in 2011 and, in 2017, made history as the first black woman to serve as CEO of a major multinational oil and gas firm in South Africa.
In 2020 she joined Sasol as Executive Vice President of Energy Business, advancing its vision of a Just Energy Transition and positioning the company for global leadership in green hydrogen.
Navigating the future of electricity transmission
The NTCSA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eskom, formally operational from July 2024. Established through the unbundling of Eskom’s vertically integrated structure into separate entities - generation, transmission,
and distribution - NTCSA was granted the critical role of owning and operating the national transmission grid. This includes managing over 374 transmission lines, 500 three-phase transformers, and nearly 170 substations with a capacity of 159,384 MVA. NTCSA holds transmission, trading, and import/export licences from NERSA and functions as the Market Operator and System Operator— laying the foundations for a more competitive electricity market.
As chairperson, Ms Mabelane’s leadership steers this fledgling entity through the complexities of market reform. The NTCSA has already taken its first major step as the electricity “buyer” by launching a procurement plan for 750 MW of grid reserve capacity to support system stability. It also leads preparations for the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM), including internal capacity building and educational programmes for market participants.
Ms Mabelane leads a distinguished board of diverse experts, from leading economists and digital transformation experts to academic leaders and governance specialists. Her ability to forge consensus among high-calibre professionals is highly valued. Upon her appointment, it was noted that the board’s composition brings critical credibility to Eskom’s transformation journey.
With her strong career foundation in both finance and energy, she brings a governance-first, stakeholder-driven approach. Her role is not merely ceremonial: it is central
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
to defining the NTCSA’s organisational culture, regulatory compliance, and long-term strategy. Her dual experience in private-sector leadership and public stewardship equips her to guide NTCSA through a crucial preparatory phase ahead of full market liberalisation.
Championing reform, efficiency, and inclusion
Under Mabelane’s guidance, NTCSA is being shaped into an efficient, transparent agent of electricity reform.
Key initiatives underway include:
• Grid Expansion: Coordinating infrastructure enhancements to support increased capacity and renewable energy integration.
• Transparent Markets: Overseeing the launch of SAWEM to bring transparency
• Code and Tariff Implementation: Leading regulatory consultations and code development for market entry.
• Capacity Development: Running SAWEM training programmes (SAWEM School) to prepare traders, academics, and practitioners for market operations.
Her leadership style is inclusive, data-driven, and focused on enabling structural change with accountability.
Ms Mabelane’s journey to being one of South Africa’s most influential energy leaders is a powerful story of transformation and female empowerment. Her example demonstrates how women can occupy and thrive in leadership roles traditionally held by men—setting an inspiring precedent for young women pursuing STEM, finance, and
Ms Mabelane continues to leverage her influence beyond the boardroom. Under her oversight, NTCSA is actively building internal capacities for market operations - creating internal systems to function as Transmission System Operator
Working closely with Eskom and the Department of Public Enterprises, she ensures NTCSA remains aligned with broader economic and energy reform policies. As the NTCSA begins procurement actions for essential grid reserves, her leadership guides pragmatic implementation within regulatory parameters - a role critical to stabilising South Africa’s energy system in the short term, while laying the groundwork for long-term
Source: News24 | Sowetan LIVE. | Wits Business School | NTCSA | GO15 | International Trade Administration | Engineering News
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BY THULANI DUBE
Thulani Dube, Head of Innovation and Advancement, Cornerstone Institute
Reshaping South Africa’s approach to innovation, inclusion, and progress
While noticeable strides have been taken to drive inclusivity and gender parity within the technology industry, we have to continually ask ourselves what meaningful inclusion looks like in a country with a history of engineered inequality.
The tech space in South Africa continues to be shaped by visionary women striving for digital innovation and inclusive leadership. It becomes imperative for female tech leaders like tech social entrepreneur Baratang Miya to emerge and challenge norms, as well as build bridges for future talent. While leaders must have a presence so as to take up space, it is also important for them to create spaces for future generations to follow, something that Baratang has continually done, making her endeavors align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 focused on promoting women in achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
Recently at a Transformation and Empowerment focused conference, Dr Simamkele Dlakavu, a lecturer on Gender Studies, asserted that the current gender inequality in various industries is by design and therefore needs leaders who will be intentional when it comes to issues such as women employability and equity. Leaders in the technology space must therefore make equity a core strategic priority and not another HR buzzword, whilst actively challenging entrenched systems and cultures in order to inspire a shift in organisational mindset around gender, power, and value.
The gender gap in South Africa’s Information and Technology sector reminds us that transformation requires more than policy, it demands intention and action. As of 2024, women account for just under 40% of the ICT workforce. While that figure signals some movement, it is far from parity and even further from power. The problem starts early where only 13% of STEM graduates in South Africa are women, a sobering contrast to the global average of approximately 35%.
This limited pipeline of talent feeds directly into an even more exclusive leadership tier. Notably just 5% of ICT CEOs in South Africa are women, and across all JSE-listed companies, only 14% of CEOs are female. At board level, women hold only 20% of director positions, and top executive roles sit stubbornly
at 17% female representation. These aren’t just numbers,they’re symptoms of a system that wasn’t designed with women in mind.
Women redesigning the future and paving the way for others to follow
Amid these structural imbalances, a generation of formidable women is rising to redesign the future from within. Leaders like Naadiya Moosajee, engineer and co-founder of WomEng, are not only breaking barriers - they’re building frameworks for thousands of women to follow. Through her work across Africa, she has become a global advocate for gender equity in STEM, ensuring that young women don’t just enter the field but thrive within it.
Equally inspiring is Mpumi Madisa, CEO of Bidvest Group and the first Black African woman to lead a JSE Top 40 company. Her ascent signals what’s possible when competence meets opportunity and when corporate South Africa embraces inclusive innovation. Basani Maluleke, former CEO of African Bank, brought a bold voice to the fintech space, illustrating the power of representation in reimagining financial services for a broader, more inclusive economy.
And then there’s Emma Mphahlele, whose journey from rural Limpopo to international tech stages defies the limits historically placed on girls in underserved communities. Through initiatives like Kids Innovate Africa and African Youth Ignited, she is championing access, neurodiversity, and digital empowerment for girls and differently-abled youth alike. As a TechWomen alumna and UN Women-endorsed facilitator, her mission is not only deeply personal but structurally transformative. These women are more than outliers, they are architects of change. Their journeys stand as living proof that while the system may not have been built for women, it can be reshaped by them.
Collectively building an ecosystem of transformation across sectors
The growing influence of women across key sectors is reshaping South Africa’s approach to innovation, inclusion, and progress. In government, women leaders are playing a crucial role in shaping the country’s
BY THULANI DUBE
digital transformation agenda through expanding broadband access in rural areas and embedding gender-sensitive approaches in ICT policy. Initiatives like the SA Women in ICT Forum and the TechnoGirl Trust are helping to bridge the gap between young talent and future-ready careers, ensuring that girls are not left behind in the tech-driven economy.
In the private sector, leaders such as Nolitha Fakude, Chairperson of Anglo American’s Management Board in South Africa, are at the forefront of embedding sustainability and inclusive innovation into core business strategy. Through her work, she has championed digital upskilling, enterprise development, and gender equity in traditionally male dominated sectors like mining and industrial technology, demonstrating how corporate power can serve as a platform for systemic change. Similarly, the LaunchLab, Stellenbosch University’s innovation incubator, under the dynamic leadership of Anita Nel, is actively nurturing startups, with a focus on tech, agri-innovation, and social impact ventures.
Their support of female entrepreneurs from ideation to investment readiness has made LaunchLab a catalytic force in bridging the gender gap within the startup ecosystem.
Higher education institutions are also key levers in this transformation. Visionary leaders like Professor Pamela Zibuyile Dube, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Technology (CUT), are steering universities toward inclusivity and innovation. Under such leadership, institutions become not just academic spaces, but launchpads for female talent in science, technology, and research. By aligning academic output with national digital goals and social equity, such leaders in higher education are helping to redefine what progress looks like as well as who gets to lead it.
Together, across sectors, these leaders are building an ecosystem of transformation.
Not all heroes wear capes!
BARATANG MIYA Chief Executive Officer of Girlhype
DR SIMAMKELE DLAKAVU Researcher and Lecturer of Gender Studies, Political Science and International Relations
NAADIYA MOOSAJEE Engineer Co-Founder and CIO at WomHub
MPUMI MADISA CEO of Bidvest Group and the first Black African woman to lead a JSE Top 40 company
Former CEO of African Bank
EMMA MPHAHLELE TechWomen alumna and UN Women-endorsed facilitator
NOLITHA FAKUDE Chairperson of Anglo American’s Management Board in South Africa
PROF PAMELA ZIBUYILE DUBE Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Technology (CUT)
African women are increasingly asserting their presence in business leadership, bridging historic divides and rewriting norms. The continent leads the world in female entrepreneurship - women comprise 58% of African entrepreneurs, and the IFC estimates female entrepreneurial activity at 24%. Representation at the highest levels remains limited, particularly in tech, where only 11.1% of African tech startups have women as CEOs.
However, systemic gaps persist. Women hold only 22% of board seats and just 7% of executive director roles in South African companies; only 10% of CEOs are women, and JSE-listed companies know only 2.2%. Additionally, the tech sector lags with just 11.1% female CEOs. Bridging these divides requires institutional support, mentorship networks, and structural reform.
Despite challenges, several exceptional women have emerged across sectors, each transforming their fields and inspiring the next generation.
Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa (South Africa)
At the helm of one of Africa’s largest media and technology investment groups, Ms Mahanyele-Dabengwa became CEO of Naspers South Africa in July 2019 and an Executive Director on the Naspers board from April 2025. Her earlier roles include CEO of Shanduka Group and cofounder of Sigma Capital. She also served in senior project finance roles at the Development Bank of Southern Africa and Fieldstone in New York. Recognised for her leadership, she earned multiple distinctions, including ForbesWoman Africa Businesswoman of the Year and inclusion in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list. Her leadership merges financial expertise with advocacy for youth, governance, and dignity—making her an icon for women in African boardrooms.
Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita (South Africa)
An engineer turned business strategist, Ms NyembeziHeita assumed the role of Chairperson for both Standard Bank Group and Standard Bank South Africa in June 2022. Her earlier executive career includes CEO positions at IchorCoal and ArcelorMittal South Africa and nonexecutive board leadership at Anglo American and JSE.
With a BSc (Hons), MSc in Electrical Engineering, and an MBA, she brings technical depth and governance excellence to Africa’s largest banking group. She exemplifies women’s rise in traditionally male-dominated sectors, demonstrating how technical and executive prowess can drive strategic transformation.
Kanayo Awani (Nigeria)
As Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank at Afreximbank from 2022, Ms Awani is instrumental in operationalising intra-African commerce under AfCFTA. Her leadership helped grow Afreximbank’s assets from US$1.4 billion to US$30 billion by 2022, while facilitating record-setting trade fairs and launching infrastructure like the Creative Africa Nexus and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System. She has been recognised with prestigious awards such as the AFIS Woman Leader Award and inclusion among Forbes Afrique’s 50 Most Influential African Women. Ms Awani successfully blends institutional expertise and foresight, driving financial inclusion and industrialisation across Africa.
Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh (Ghana)
Ms Kyerematen-Jimoh made history as IBM’s first female Country Director in Africa and the first African woman regional GM, overseeing IBM’s operations across North, East and West Africa from 2020 to 2021. With a BA in Marketing and French, and executive education at Harvard Business School, she also served on the Bank of Ghana’s governing board and founded Brainwave Tech Africa, a technology company promoting innovation on the continent. Her career bridges technology, education and entrepreneurship—demonstrating how African women are shaping the digital future of the continent.
Ibukun Awosika (Nigeria)
A business magnate, author, and motivational speaker, Ibukun Awosika made history as the first female Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria. Her leadership extends into board roles, including Binance’s Global Advisory Board. She continues to inspire through media presence and support for women entrepreneurs, symbolising the transformative rise of women in African finance.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
These women’s journeys are more than personal achievements; they signal critical shifts in the African business landscape. Despite entrepreneurship being female-led across the continent, their ascendancy to the top demonstrates rare yet vital breakthroughs in corporate leadership. Each woman brings her own blend of expertise:
Their visibility has societal impact: they offer powerful narratives that respect economic inequality and gender barriers, yet show what is possible.
While Africa is rich in female entrepreneurial activity, women-led leadership at corporates remains comparatively rare. Yet, figures like Phuti MahanyeleDabengwa, Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, Kanayo Awani, Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh, and Ibukun Awosika show what leadership looks like when women rise, and lead with competence, vision, and resilience.
PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWA (SOUTH AFRICA) Chief Executive Officer of Naspers South Africa
NONKULULEKO NYEMBEZI-HEITA (SOUTH AFRICA) Chairperson for both Standard Bank Group and Standard Bank South Africa
ANGELA KYEREMATENJIMOH (GHANA) Founder and CEO of BrainWave AfricaTech
AWANI (NIGERIA) Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank at Afreximbank
IBUKUN AWOSIKA (NIGERIA) Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
The first year of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) has laid the groundwork for a new era of collaborative governance, with 11 political parties working together in a historic post-election coalition. Despite initial uncertainty, the GNU has demonstrated a commitment to stability, with key budgetary processes and policy frameworks successfully passed.
Business confidence showed signs of recovery, bolstered by the GNU’s pro-market signals, including a renewed focus on energy reforms and infrastructure investment. The inclusion of experienced ministers from across party lines, such as Siviwe Gwarube in Basic Education and Barbara Creecy in Transport, has been widely welcomed, helping to restore trust in key institutions.
Though challenges remain, including the balancing of ideological differences, the GNU’s first year has been marked by a spirit of cooperation and resilience. It has also seen a focus on including women leaders in South Africa’s Cabinet.
Women currently hold around 40% of the executive seats (31 out of 77), down from the 50% gender-balanced cabinet first achieved in 2019. In ministerial-only positions, women account for 44% of the posts. Women’s representation in the National Assembly stood at 43% in 2024, down from 46% in 2020.
Hon. Barbara Creecy Minister of Transport
The Women’s Political Participation (WPP) Africa Barometer 2024 reports that women’s representation in African parliaments increased slightly to 26% in 2024, up from 25% in 2021.
That modest increase reflects slow progress—at the current pace, achieving gender parity (50%) across Africa is projected to take until 2100.
South Africa is among only six African nations that have reached or exceeded 40% women’s representation in their lower houses, placing it 22nd globally in the WPP ranking.
As of 2024, 41 of 54 African countries have implemented some form of quota system to boost women’s political participation. Among them, South Africa relies heavily on its voluntary party quota system (zebra lists) to maintain higher female representation.
With just five years left until 2030, most African countries appear unlikely to meet the 50% target set under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality). WPP data underlines persistent barriers - including patriarchal norms, institutional biases, and limited resources - that inhibit women’s
equal and effective participation in political decision-making.
Despite these challenges, gender diversity in government is widely recognised as critical to democratic legitimacy and social outcomes. Studies—even in non-African contexts—show links between women’s political leadership and health improvements.
For instance, research from Canada observed that as the share of women in provincial government rose from 4% to 25% between 1976 and 2009, mortality rates declined by nearly 40%, even after accounting for healthcare spending.
South Africa’s women leaders
Ministers
• Basic Education: Siviwe Gwarube
• Defence and Military Veterans: Angie Motshekga
• Employment and Labour: Nomakhosazana Meth
• Human Settlements: Mmamoloko Kubayi
• Justice and Constitutional Development: Thembi Nkadimeng
• Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: Maropene Ramokgopa
• In the Presidency: Khumbudzo Ntshavheni
• Small Business Development: Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams
• Social Development: Sisisi Tolashe
• Tourism: Patricia de Lille
• Transport: Barbara Creecy
• Water and Sanitation: Pemmy Majodina
• Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Sindisiwe Chikunga
• Agriculture: Rosemary Nokuzola Capa
• Basic Education: Reginah Mhaule
• Electricity and Energy: Samantha Graham-Maré
• Employment and Labour: Phumzile Mgcina
• Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: Bernice Swarts
• Higher Education: Mimmy Gondwe
• Human Settlements: Tandi Mhambehlala
• International Relations and Cooperation: Tandi Moraka
• Mineral and Petroleum Resources: Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala
• Police: Polly Boshielo
• Public Service and Administration: Pinky Kekana
• Science, Technology and Innovation: Nomalungelo Gina
• Small Business Development: Jane Sithole
• Sport, Arts and Culture: Peace Mabe
• Tourism: Maggie Sotyu
• Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Mmapaseka Steve Letsike
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
From tea, to Adderley and into history
The Black Sash’s 70th anniversary
Seventy years ago six women sat down for tea to discuss a parliamentary bill which they opposed and formed what would become one of the country’s oldest and most respected civil society organisations. On May the 19th in 1955, Jean Sinclaiir, Ruth Foley, Elizabeth Mclaren, Tertia Pybus, Jean Bosazza and Helen Newton-Thompson established the Black Sash, a human rights organisation which now sits at the forefront of advocating social justice in South Africa and has become one of the groups which have formed part of the nation’s conscience.
What was then known as the Women’s Defence of the Constitution League was created to protest human rights violations through non-violent means. The black sashes they wore across their chests at demonstrations, a symbol of mourning the death of the Constitution, earned them the nickname from the press which they would later formally adopt. Their very first demonstration catapulted them and their mission into the public eye.
“They marched, they organised a convoy of cars from Johannesburg to Cape Town which culminated in a motorcade in Adderley Street as they headed towards Parliament, they collected thousands of signatures to
a petition, they held silent vigils, and women joined in the major cities and in small towns, proud to discover they had a voice which would be heard,” wrote Mary Burton, Patron of the Black Sash, in an essay for News24.
Social protection for all
The Black Sash’s work began with voting rights in the Cape but as apartheid evolved so did their work, including setting up advice offices for the public. In post-apartheid South Africa their focus has been on creating a “robust” social protection floor, a comprehensive social security system and ensuring access to justice for all who reside in South Africa. With South Africa’s Constitution very much alive, their work has been about ensuring the rights envisioned there are realised and protected.
Operating at the local, regional and national level, they describe their approach as evidence-based, using surveys (both digital and paper-based), focus groups and case studies, including valuable on-theground information gathered through its helpline, which offers free paralegal services via phonecalls (including a ‘please call me option’), SMS and WhatsApp
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
For almost the last two decades they’ve deployed a community-based monitoring (CBM) model which allows for collaboration between civil society and the state to improve service delivery. Their advocacy work involves raising awareness on a range of human rights issues. The social protection floor underpins much of this work, the idea being that we need to create and maintain guard rails against the myriad risks people are exposed to in the course of their lives.
These protections take into account the food poverty line – set by StatsSA on an annual basis – and can take the form of social assistance, care services, insurance, and social security. These fall under two categories: non-contributory instruments (such as old age and disability grants) and contributory instruments like UIF, minimum wage policies, startup incentives etc.
If one word were to sum up the goal of their postapartheid efforts it is ‘dignity’, which they hope a Universal Basic Income grant would provide to millions living in poverty.
“Over the years, Black Sash has created a space of dignity for those who were denied their rights to justice and equality. From the injustice of pass laws to forced removal to defending the right to social protection, our work has always been driven by the belief that every right must be protected,” said Thandiwe Zulu, the organisation’s regional manager in Gauteng at the celebrations on Constitution Hill, a fitting location in the 30th anniversary year of the Constitutional Court.
Why has the Black Sash survived so long? Mary Burton, who led the organisation in the 80s after joining in 1965 and served as a commissioner on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, articulated the reason why in her anniversary tribute:
“We are still working towards a just society and there are issues today that don’t need to be here tomorrow.
“What we do need is a body of citizens who will take up issues and campaign to build the just society we have the right to expect,” wrote Burton.
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
It’s been a year of breakthroughs, valiant victories and bold statements in South African women’s sport. Gerda Steyn has proven she’s the true queen of the road.
The Proteas left the West Indies with an ODI series win, Banyanya Banyanya lit up WAFCON with song and swagger, despite a disappointing exit. Dakota Ditcheva extended her perfect mixed-martial arts record under the lights in Cape Town.
Prudence Sekgodiso dominated at the World Indoor Championships, following in the steps of Caster Semenya who won a legal battle in Europe, instead of a race, which could reshape athletes’ rights. On TV, history has been
made with the launch of Africa’s first 24/7 women’s sports channel on DStv, the All Women’s Sport Network (AWSN), promising thousands of hours of coverage a year, just before the Women’s Rugby World Cup arrives. In other words: if 2024 and 2025 will be looked back on as the start of a turning point for women’s sport in South Africa, the Springbok Women are arriving at their Rugby World Cup with the wind at their backs.
The Bok Women claimed a spot in the tournament in England as African champions, winning the 2024
Rugby Africa Women’s Cup. They find themselves in Pool D against France, ranked 4th in the world, 7th ranked Italy and World Cup debutants Brazila draw which will demand a great deal of preparation and grit in equal measure.
France, whose warm-up games included a tough outing against the best in the world, England, will test the Springbok’s physicality and defensive systems. The goal is to beat Brazil, who have nothing to lose and will bring the fire and ambition of a debutant - which could be a recipe for disaster for veteran coach Swys de
Bruin’s side who left the last World Cup without a win. Italy are an even tougher prospect, one the Springboks will be familiar with after going down 23 - 19 last year at WXV2 in Cape Town and who will make the goal of making the playoffs a difficult one to reach.
“We know it’ll be tough,” said scrumhalf Tayla Kinsey, who featured at the last World Cup, speaking with the Daily Maverick, “but I think with the game plans we have now and the different variations, everyone knows what they have to do for that game, because it is the one we’re looking to target.”
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
The warm-up games against Canada, ranked second in the world, tested the systems put in place by de Bruin and his assistants, giving the Springboks a taste of what to expect. Canada were clinical and had an edge over a Springbok side that has been trying to find its rhythm while experimenting, including trying utility back Nadine Roos at scrumhalf.
The Black Ferns XV, the second team of New Zealand’s women’s rugby programme - arguably the best talent producing programme in the world - showed their class in defeating the Boks in the first game but the second game resurgence will leave captain Nolusindiso Booi’s charges with some confidence going into the pool games.
“We needed this performance, we now have the knowledge and the belief that we are on the right track and will go to the Rugby World Cup in a good mental and physical space,” said tighthead prop and devastating ball-carrier Babalwa Latsha, who was captain on the day.
Chasing more suns?
The progress in the South African women’s game is the culmination of four years of work. Besides the appointment of Swys de Bruin to guide the side, and develop coaches within the SA Rugby structures following the World Cup, there have been other passionate servants of the game who have laid a fantastic foundation.
Chief among them was Lynne Cantwell, a former Irish international and the architect of the revamped South African women’s programme. Cantwell, who has since left SA Rugby, scouted talent, built a provincial competition and now South African rugby is reaping the rewards, including a dominant Bulls Daisies side, the country’s only professional women’s outfit.
More than half of the squad heading to England have featured in at least one World Cup, led by veteran lock and captain Nolusindiso Booi, the nation’s most-capped international. She will be ably supported by Latsha, playmakers Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Nadine Roos,
Source: SuperSport | Daily Maverick | SA Rugby | World Rugby
BY SHUMIRAI CHIMOMBE
Timeline of some of SABC News milestones over the years.
17 July 1950
The first English and Afrikaans language radio bulletin goes live from Broadcast House on Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.
1 January 1962
Radio Bantu launches its first radio broadcasting service, in Sesotho and isiZulu, and as the FM network expanded, this was followed by stations in isiXhosa, Tswana and Sepedi.
22 August 1967
Radio Bantu Studios were officially opened by the chairman of the SABC board, Dr. Piet Meyer. He said that in the past, telephone lines were used for Radio Bantu programmes to reach black townships. This was an initiative to deliver SABC News bulletins in the vernacular languages to suit the diverse nation of South Africa..
5 January 5, 1976 - 1981
TV1 offers News bulletins split evenly between English and Afrikaans languages only.
1981
A second channel is launched. TV2 broadcasts News bulletins in South African vernacular languages.
1999
SABC News TV1 current affairs show, Face the Nation launches the 1999 democratic elections edition.
January 2004
SABC News launches its first isiZulu current affairs programme Asikhulume/Lets Talk
The bilingual (English and Zulu) talk show has a strong focus on current and pressing social, political, and cultural issues in South Africa, often initiated by viewers.
2007
SABC News launches its first Sotho language current affairs show, Leihlo La Sechaba (which means “Eye of the Nation”), a groundbreaking current affairs programme presented in Sotho languages.
April 2007
SABC News introduces the current affairs show, Yilungelo Lakho (which means “Your Right”), focusing on consumer rights awareness and education, aiming to protect South African consumers from exploitation and inform them about their legal recourse.
10 October 2007
The first Tshivenda current affairs programme, Zwa Maramani is launched. The name roughly translates to a Tshivenda proverb “Someone shows up unexpectedly, without any bags, but they’ve got some news that might be worth hearing.” The show signifies SABC’s commitment to reaching Tshivenda-speaking communities with relevant and in-depth news.
The first dedicated Xitsonga current affairs programme Ngula Ya Vutivi, meaning “well or pot of knowledge” is also launched.
2008
The first Nguni language current affairs programme Cutting Edge airs. It is a prominent investigative current affairs programme, often exploring stories of injustice, corruption, and challenges faced by ordinary South Africans.
1 August 2013
SABC’s 24-hour television news channel goes live on DSTV channel 404. President Jacob Zuma is the first guest to be interviewed.
2013
The South African History Archive (SAHA) and SABC News collaborate to launch a groundbreaking interactive, multimedia website. This significant digital platform delves into the pivotal work of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission by making the extensive 87-part ‘Truth Commission Special Report television series accessible online. This initiative underscores national broadcaster’s commitment to preserving and disseminating crucial historical narratives.
12 April 2019
The SABC launches its News app to expand its content distribution platforms. The app is developed by the broadcaster’s news and technology divisions.
22 November 2022
The new streaming platform SABC-Plus is launched, offering the public broadcaster’s content in one app. The platform includes the SABC’s dedicated 24-hour news channel, SABC 1, SABC 2, and SABC 3, and 19 radio stations.
22 September 2023
SABC Lehae goes on air. The multi-lingual 24-hour news channel provides bulletins in various vernacular languages aiming to reflect South African demographics. This channel is available on digital platforms, SABC-Plus and DTT.
17 July 2025
SABC News 75th anniversary.
Source: SABC News
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) news service marked a historic milestone on 17 July when it celebrated 75 years of public service to the nation.
The first news bulletin aired on radio on 17 July 1950 from the Broadcast House on Commissioner Street in Johannesburg. This was after the National Party (NP) took power in 1948 and began implementing its racial segregation policy of apartheid. At the time the news service was perceived as a government mouthpiece and was frequently referred to as “his master’s voice” when the news was censored and re-broadcasts were ordered from the highest office in the land.
Through the years, the public broadcaster has captured some of the country’s defining moments of struggle, triumph, and transition into democracy. It continues to keep pace with the changing South African landscape and prides itself as a trusted voice in the lives of millions of South Africans.
In its media statement SABC News wrote that “this milestone is celebrated to honour a legacy built on resilience and a deep commitment to ethical journalistic practices. It is also more than a one-day commemoration, but a celebration of the vital role SABC
News has played in shaping South Africa’s narrative, from documenting the country’s complex past, to contributing to its democratic transformation. Through its compelling programming, SABC News service has been able to be the trusted authority, national storyteller and democratic champion.”
SABC Group CEO Nomsa Chabeli said that SABC News has been at the heart of our democracy informing, educating and empowering generations of South Africans. “SABC News has remained a trusted source of news, a mirror to society not only to our nation but for the world seeking to understand South Africa.”
The public broadcaster indicated that at a time when voices were silenced and languages suppressed, SABC’s commitment to indigenous languages was revolutionary. Broadcasting in isiXhosa, Sepedi, Tshivenda and more wasn’t just about accessibility. It was about affirmation.
“In a country shaped by its own many voices, the story of South Africa cannot be told in just one language. For 75 years, SABC News has done more than deliver headlines. It has spoken to the soul of the nation in the mother tongues of its people.”
Reflections from some of SABC News famous names
Sias De Kock - retired TV journalist - on freedom after a time when the news was censored and rebroadcasts were ordered from the highest office
Freedom in news broadcasting came at the time of transition to democracy. Because in 1993 things were developing already up to 1994. Then came FW de Klerk and we had so much freedom that we didn’t have before we didn’t know what to do with it. Because all of a sudden everything was free. You could go your own way and you could say what you wanted. Then came Nelson Mandela and so on.
Judy Sandison, SABC’s first woman regional editor in KZN on navigating her way in a male-dominated 1980s SABC newsroom
“You’ll never get anywhere in the SABC – you’re a woman, English-speaking and a feminist!” – one of my female colleagues told me in the early 1980s. It certainly fired my determination to prove her wrong.
I started transforming well before the national SABC vision for it… as a feminist and community activist, I believed that a professional, ethical newsroom in South Africa had to be diverse and gender-empowered to be a quality public broadcaster and serve society. When I was promoted to radio/ TV news Assignment Editor in 1989 I encouraged more women and isiZulu speakers to apply… then in 1991, as Regional Editor, I went out of my way to strengthen the news team by recruiting young talented Black, Indian and especially female reporters from print ( the Witness, Daily News and Echo, and from Capital Radio), which meant my newsroom in 1993 was the most transformed of any in any media in South Africa – in terms of race, gender and news management.
Mathatha Tsedu, former Deputy Head of News - on being a news reporter during turbulent times on the continent
“I came into the SABC from print and one of the things that I had to learn first was that audio and visuals are critical elements of any storytelling. I remember when Jonas Savimbi was killed (2002), we wanted to tell that story. But he had been ‘killed’ so many times by the Angolan government that if we were just going to say he had been killed without showing any visuals, it was not going to work. The only people who had the visuals
were the Portuguese broadcaster and CNN. So we had to go through all sorts of hoops to get to the Portuguese for visuals in order for the story to stand. That was a big lesson for me.”
Tim Modise - Veteran radio and TV broadcaster on a major highlight of his decades-long career
The highlight of my career was to participate in the discussions that led to the establishment of democratic South Africa in 1994. The period just before then we were talking to the different parties that were discussing the future of the country at the World Trade Center in Kempton Park. I managed to talk to almost each representative of the organisations that were there. I felt that it is important that we take their ideas and their positions to the broader audiences because there were no opportunities for them to inform the public that was going to take part in the elections on where they stood on a variety of issues. So to create a platform for them to account and explain themselves to the public at the time was a worthwhile thing for me to do.
Sherwin Bryce-Pease, international correspondent based in Manhattan since 2008 reflecting on his career highlights
The first story, the big story of the day, of that week, of that month, in fact, of the rest of that year was the election of Barack Obama, who would later become the first black president of the United States. I recall Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu speaking a day before his inauguration at the Episcopal Church in Washington DC saying in that high-pitched voice which you’d recognise, “This is your Mandela moment”, and it just resonated. I was at the inauguration in Washington DC with thousands upon thousands of people on the great mall outside the United States Capital. It was a hugely historic moment and such a privilege that it was my first story that I was able to be part of here in the United States
Sophie Mokoena, SABC News International Editor on some of her highlights covering stories for the past 30 years
One assignment I was given was to follow Madiba in retirement and try to collect all his archives and his stories. It was such a fulfilling moment because I would travel with him in a Falcon 500 which is the defense force plane. When he had a birthday in the Eastern Cape in Qunu he insisted that I go down. It was a memorable
birthday with those famous visuals when he was surrounded by Mam Graça and Mam Winnie. Another moment was when we won the World Cup bid in Zurich and he made the very profound and historic sound bite “now I can see my grave’, but he was able to live to see the 2010 World Cup.
Chriselda Lewis, senior reporter
It’s such an important moment to celebrate with the SABC having come so far and it’s really in moments like this when one once again recognises the importance of public broadcasting and how far the SABC has come in telling people’s stories for 75 years. That is an incredible milestone. It signifies the importance of public broadcasting. Our mandate is very different in terms of what we need to deliver to the public, in terms of informing, entertaining and educating. And that’s always at the back of your mind when you cover your stories every single day. What difference are you making to the
public? You’ve got to give the microphone to the people who we serve at the end of the day.
Patrick Makhathini, former senior archivist on preserving history and the books for future generations.
Archivists are the custodians of our customs, traditions, culture, language and history. They have to do that with great accuracy because these are the files that you refer to each time we have to tell the story. These are the files that our children must see who were not there when history unfolded. For example, our children must be able to see former president Nelson Mandela walking out of the Victor Verster Prison. When I joined the SABC news Archives I felt that I’m now contributing fully to the preservation of our history, traditions, customs and language. It was a wonderful experience and I hope that the younger generation that I left at the archives will continue the legacy. Things have changed a lot at the SABC but I’m happy that we were those pioneers who shaped television broadcasting.
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BY SHUMIRAI CHIMOMBE
Women empowerment working group panellists
The value of unpaid labour
27% - contribution to South Africa’s GDP by women’s care work
R749-billion - contribution in unpaid household production
73.8% - of the above amount is by women
This work fuels our society and economy, yet it’s still unpaid and undervalued
Source: G20 South Africa
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) hosted the 3rd Technical Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) from 1 to 4 July at Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Province.
With the theme “The Care Economy - Paid and Unpaid Care Work and Household Responsibilities”, the four-day meeting put the spotlight on the long standing disparities in the recognition and distribution of care work. The care economy is multi-faceted and includes unpaid domestic work and caregiving for children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. However, although this work is essential to running households and taking care of families, and plays a vital role in the economy, it still remains undervalued. Furthermore, it is disproportionately carried by women and girls.
According to the Human Sciences Research Centre (HSRC), the technical meeting attracted an impressive array of G20 member states, guest countries, international organisations, and civil society groups. Among the speakers were DWYPD Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, delegates from United Nations Women, International Labour Organisation (ILO), and World Health Organisation (WHO). Representatives of G20 engagement groups including Women 20 (W20) and Women Empower 20 also attended.
In her opening remarks on the third day of the meeting, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Letsike said that the event had been a powerful space of shared purpose. The delegates had engaged in thoughtful and sometimes difficult conversations, recognising that the path towards gender equality requires not only commitment, but concrete action and accountability.
The meeting had centred on three priorities of the working group.
• The care economy - focusing on both paid and unpaid care work. The working group acknowledged that caregiving, too often undervalued and invisible, is the backbone of societies and economies. Elevating the status of care work, ensuring decent wages and conditions for care workers, and addressing the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities go beyond being just gender issues. They are economic imperatives.
• Accelerating financial inclusion for women and girls. Access to financial services, digital tools, credit, and entrepreneurship opportunities are vital enablers for economic independence and long-term security. It is crucial to continue to break down the structural and social barriers that keep women from full participation in the financial system.
• Confronting the deeply troubling and pervasive realities of gender-based violence and femicide No society can claim to be just or equal while women continue to live in fear, or worse, lose their lives simply because they are women. The EWWG reaffirmed the urgent need for prevention, protection, and prosecution anchored in survivor-centered policies and a culture of zero tolerance.
“I am happy that we are beginning to see the tangibles that will emerge from the South African G20 Presidency. One of these is the action plan on financial inclusion which starts to define the key strategic focus, action areas, and initiatives that we could adopt as G20 members to drive financial inclusion. This will assist to ensure systemic reform, institutional accountability, and policy innovation grounded in lived realities and rigorous evidence.”
Deputy Minister Letsike added that the working group was putting forward strategies on addressing policy perspectives on the care economy and on dealing with GBV. These policy briefs would be presented as recommendations for the G20.
“These issues are not isolated as they are interconnected, and they demand a holistic and intersectional approach. The solutions we seek must be inclusive, grounded in evidence, and responsive to the diverse realities of women’s lives.Through collective commitment and action, G20 members can make significant strides in promoting gender equality and achieving sustainable development.”
The G20 finance meetings took place in July at the Capital Zimbali Resort in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal. The meetings, which were very well attended, started with the Finance and Central Bank Deputies convening from 14 to 15 July, followed by the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting from 17 to 18 July.
BY SHUMIRAI CHIMOMBE
The Finance Track brings together leaders, finance ministers and central bank heads to discuss global macroeconomic issues. It is co-hosted by South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, and the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago, together with their respective deputies.
National Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse and SA Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Rashad Cassim cohosted the fourth Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting.
In his opening remarks on 14 July, Mr Pieterse said that the meeting was happening at a moment of ongoing uncertainty in the global economy in which various challenges remain including uneven growth trajectories, elevated debt levels, persistent inflationary pressures, and tightening financial conditions.
“The multilateral system is being tested, and our collective ability to respond will shape the pace of our recovery, but also the prospects for inclusive and sustainable development. As the G20, we have the responsibility to demonstrate leadership, and our Presidency places a very strong emphasis on strengthening the role of the G20 in delivering concrete solutions, fostering a more stable and effective and resilient international financial architecture, enhancing debt sustainability, addressing liquidity challenges, as well as strengthening multilateral development banks, and ensuring financing for development.”
The discussions over the two days were structured in dedicated sessions:
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) gave an update on its monitoring and reporting framework which is a critical tool in the implementation of the G20 MDB (Multilateral Development Bank) roadmap. The G20 MDB Roadmap towards Better, Bigger, and More Effective MDBs outlines a comprehensive vision to reform the banks and enable them to better address regional and global challenges, create more jobs and opportunities, and support countries in their achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the goals of the Paris Agreement. The CEB’s framework is key
as it enables the banks to assess how they are working better as a system, enhancing their effectiveness and maximising developmental impact.
The World Bank facilitated a pandemic response exercise simulating a coordinated pandemic response financing scenario. This allowed the delegates to explore practical mechanisms for mobilising and deploying resources rapidly and effectively during a global health emergency.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank gave an update on the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR). The GSDR brings together debtor countries and bilateral and private creditors to build greater common understanding on debt sustainability and debt restructuring challenges, and ways to address them. It is co-chaired by the IMF, World Bank and G20 Presidency. Some of the milestones that were highlighted were the publication of the GSDR Playbook on Sovereign Debt Restructurings and the publication of the G20 Note: Steps of a Debt Restructuring under the Common Framework, which outlines processes and negotiation steps between a debtor country and its official creditors under the Common Framework.
Chairperson of the Africa Expert Panel, the former Minister of Finance for South Africa, Mr Trevor Manuel provided an overview of the work of the Panel which was established by South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 from the beginning of December, to raise initiatives to tackle the unsustainable debt crisis among many African countries. In his presentation, Mr Manuel aimed to ensure that African priorities align with the global economic reform efforts being discussed in the G20.
“Part of what needs to happen is that South countries in the G20 need to mobilise further support of these issues, and what the Africa Expert Panel is focused on is having an implementable programme,” he said to the media on the sidelines of the meeting. “And so we will develop norms and standards, and I think part of what we hope the African continent will pick up is the desire to hold the feet of the rich North to the fire. It’s not going to happen just because there is a change of appetite. There needs to be a lot of pressure and an understanding.”
At the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting which took place following the Deputies gathering, members of the G20 pledged to address the mounting debt pressures in low and middle-income economies amid the global financial turbulence.
This was the final FMCBG meeting of the G20 Presidency to be held in South Africa. The next meeting will convene in Washington D.C. on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in October.
The meeting concluded on 18 July with all members consenting to a communiqué that centred on strategic macroeconomic issues.
The news agency Reuters summarised the key points of the communiqué:
• Highlighted the uncertainty in the global economy caused by conflicts, trade tensions, supply chain disruptions, high debt levels, and frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters,
• Affirmed the commitment of central banks to ensure price stability, stating, “central bank independence is crucial to achieving this goal.”
• Stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation, recognising the role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in advancing trade issues and maintaining agreed-upon rules as part of the global trading system while acknowledging the WTO’s challenges, calling for “meaningful, necessary, and comprehensive reform.”
• Committed to addressing debt vulnerabilities in low- and middle-income countries, including a commitment to further strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Framework (CF) in a predictable, timely, orderly, and coordinated manner. “We endorse the G20 note on lessons learned from initial CF cases and the document outlining debt treatment steps.”
The full communiqué can be accessed on the G20 South Africa website media releases
The media release jointly issued by National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank which gave a comprehensive overview of the two-day meeting can be accessed on their websites.
29 July - 1 August
6-7 August 18-22 August
3rd Energy Transitions Working Group Meeting
P20: Meeting of Women Parliamentarians
Stay updated on G20 South Africa activities, events, videos during the year:
Website: https://g20.org/
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BY SHUMIRAI CHIMOMBE
Finance and Central Bank Deputies
Finance and Central Bank Deputies
Minister of Finance, Enoch
and the Governor of the South African Reserve
their respective deputies
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Progress on infrastructure, digital transformation, localisation and procurement reform
As South Africa navigates its post-2024 general election era, the public sector has made tangible strides in key priority areas: infrastructure development, digital transformation, localisation, and procurement reform. These efforts reflect a growing commitment to inclusive economic recovery, enhanced service delivery, and institutional integrity.
Among just some of the exciting projects showcasing progress is the Renewable Energy Independent Power
Infrastructure development
Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Since its inception, 123 projects delivering 6,200 MW of clean energy have been contracted, reinvigorating the green economy and attracting private investment pivotal to the energy transition. Another example includes the RFI launched by Transnet in early 2025, expected to translate into full RFPs by August, opening major freight infrastructure investments to private firms and rehabilitating key corridors between Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Richards Bay and Saldanha Bay.
At the 2025 Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium (SIDSSA), President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed infrastructure’s role as “the flywheel of economic progress,” signalling an intensified drive to implement Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) in energy, transport, and social sectors. These SIPs are designed to catalyse job creation, boost connectivity, and support long-term development objectives.
New infrastructure investments surged to R445-billion in 2024 - double the previous year - with over 78% of that spending coming from government and state-owned entities. Significant international financing has further amplified local momentum. In June 2025, the World Bank approved a $1.5-billion loan focused on revitalising rail, ports, and energy systems to remove economic bottlenecks. Complementing this, the African Development Bank committed $475-million to targeted upgrades in logistics and energy access.
Transnet and the Department of Transport also issued a Request for Information (RFI) to attract privatesector interest in modernising bulk mineral export routes. These investments are expected to increase freight volumes, reduce logistical costs, and spur industrial activity around port cities - laying a stronger foundation for future economic resilience.
Digital transformation
South Africa’s rise in the United Nations e-Government Development Index - from 65th in 2022 to 40th in 2024 - marks a turning point in state digitalisation. Public services are increasingly accessible online, with 134 of the 255 targeted services now live on the National e-Government Portal. This includes platforms for social grants, visa applications, and SARS tax submissions, all designed to reduce administrative burdens and ensure service equity.
The opening of Visa’s first African data centre in Johannesburg has enhanced digital infrastructure and improved local financial processing speeds. This not only reduces reliance on overseas data centres but also enhances cybersecurity and data sovereignty. Moreover, public cloud and mobile service expansion are helping bridge the digital divide in rural provinces.
Trust in digital governance is growing as the government streamlines IT procurement, negotiates favourable licensing terms, and implements data protection laws. A digitally transformed public service can reduce inefficiencies, eliminate ghost beneficiaries, and enhance transparency—ultimately making the government more responsive and accountable to citizens.
The public sector’s renewed focus on localisation is evident in the Inclusive Procurement Scheme 2025, which mandates that 40% of all government contracts be allocated to enterprises owned by women, youth, and persons with disabilities. This inclusive approach addresses historic inequalities and stimulates local economies by giving SMEs meaningful access to state contracts.
This localisation agenda is bolstered by the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act and BroadBased Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) guidelines, reinforcing supplier diversity and incentivising mentorship, training, and technology transfers. Localisation becomes an engine for entrepreneurship and long-term capability development by tying government contracts to social outcomes.
Moreover, designated sectors - such as steel, textiles, and rail rolling stock—have introduced more structured localisation thresholds. By enforcing local content requirements, government procurement simultaneously grows domestic manufacturing and reduces dependence on imported goods. This is particularly relevant in strategic sectors that align with the Presidential Industrial Policy and Master Plans, positioning public procurement as a lever for national reindustrialisation.
South Africa’s procurement system has historically faced criticism for inefficiencies, delays, and vulnerability to corruption. But significant reform is underway. The Central Supplier Database (CSD), launched in 2015, continues to serve as a unified platform for supplier vetting, helping to eliminate fraudulent vendors and streamline the bidding process. The database currently hosts over 1.2 million registered suppliers, and recent upgrades now enable real-time compliance verification and tender status tracking.
The Procurement Act 28 of 2024 introduces modern regulatory frameworks aimed at curbing maladministration and making tender processes more transparent and accountable. The Act mandates open contracting data standards (OCDS), stricter audit trails, and automatic blacklisting for firms that breach compliance. Importantly, the Act also supports early contractor engagement, encouraging competitive and timely project delivery.
In practice, this reform has already started to bear fruit. In Limpopo, pilot evaluations of digitised procurement systems show faster turnaround times, fewer irregularities, and higher local contractor participation. These efforts dovetail with National Treasury’s broader goal of enabling infrastructure-led growth through a procurement system that balances speed, oversight, and inclusion.
After one transformative year under the Government of National Unity, South Africa’s public sector demonstrates clear momentum across its strategic priorities. Infrastructure projects are progressing with multilateral and private-sector partnerships; digital services are expanding access while reinforcing institutional resilience; localisation initiatives are unlocking market entry for historically excluded groups; and procurement reform is enhancing transparency and delivery efficiency.
The strategic direction is clear and cross-sector collaboration, policy coherence, and increased investment in institutional capability will be essential to maintain this trajectory.
In the years ahead, South Africa’s ability to align public investments with national priorities will determine whether it can realise its full developmental potential. With foundations now firmly being laid, the outlook for a more inclusive, transparent, and capable state is increasingly positive.
Discover the latest trends, success stories, and thought leadership in our 23rd edition of Impumelelo Top Empowerment
We do not emphasise enough the critical role of exports in driving South Africa’s agricultural growth. If one looks at the past three decades, this sector has more than doubled in value and volume.
Indeed, the improvements in genetics and cultivars, amongst other interventions, are the primary catalyst that delivered this growth. But another critical catalyst is exports. This is a point I illustrated at length in my book, A Country of Two Agriculture.
We now export roughly half of what we produce in South Africa’s agriculture, which was nearly US$14.0-billion in 2024.
We are not even at capacity in terms of agricultural production, as we have roughly 2.5 million hectares of government-owned land that was previously
commercially farmed, but now sub-optimally utilised. We also have capacity in the former homelands to increase agricultural output.
When this land is finally released to deserving black farmers, with title deeds, paired with affordable finance, and partnerships from commodity associations, we will be able to drive the agricultural output to new heights. But we won’t be in a position to absorb that output in the domestic market.
We will need to look at export markets. These exports are also key in ensuring that the farming businesses remain financially viable and can sustain jobs, and provide economic value to various communities. And yes, we don’t just export without first taking care of the domestic food needs. The exports are primarily a surplus. (The poverty
issues we all are aware of in South Africa are mainly an income poverty issue, not necessarily an agricultural question).
It is this reality I have just explained above that has always compelled me to speak more about the need to expand our export diversification efforts.
I was encouraged on August 4, 2025, when I heard the key policy makers in the trade and international relations space pushing this message strongly.
In a joint media briefing by South Africa’s Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation and Trade, Industry and Competition, the intent to rigorously pursue export diversification was made clear, with the ministers stating that:
“We have been strengthening trade and investment partnerships with various trade partners. These efforts are bearing fruit, targeting markets across Africa, as well as in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.”
The Ministers further stated that:
“We are making significant inroads into new, high-growth markets across Asia and the Middle East, including the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. These efforts are not only opening doors to new opportunities but also reinforcing our commitment to retaining the vital markets we already have.”
With this clarity on the importance of export diversification, the South African agricultural community must rally behind this message. The first step must be to support
the government with insights that further help them in engaging with the new markets and their prioritisation. This may not be something that people have on their minds, especially in the fast-evolving world of global trade. Thus, supporting research efforts on trade to provide up-to-date key insights that guide us in decisionmaking is vital.
Another aspect we will have to assess is capacity readiness in the various government departments that are directly engaged in trade matters, specifically, the departments of International Relations and Cooperation and Trade, Industry and Competition.
This also means that South Africa will have to adjust its approach on trade matters and be more open to Free Trade Agreements, understanding that there are tradeoffs they bring. You cannot want to win in all industries. There will be tough choices of tradeoffs that the policy makers will have to make.
The countries we want to diversify to may also want to sell something from South Africa. This is particularly true today, where all countries are under pressure to expand their export markets given the disruption caused by the U.S. trade policy.
The government senior officials in the trade department will also need to align with this new approach, which may be a slight shift in orientation from the established way of approaching trade policy matters.
Ultimately, export diversification is key to the long-term growth of South Africa’s agriculture. We should keep this work going!
Wandile Sihlobo is the chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa. and the author of three books, “The Uncomfortable Truth About South Africa’s Agriculture (2025)”, “A Country of Two Agricultures: The Disparities, The Challenges, The Solutions (2023)” and “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity and Agriculture (2020)“.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
As South Africa enters the 2025 tax season, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has introduced significant enhancements to its Auto-Assessment service. Designed to make tax compliance seamless, these changes bring broader taxpayer inclusion, tighter data integration, and faster refund processing.
From 7 to 20 July 2025, SARS issued Auto-Assessments to eligible individuals, including certain provisional taxpayers who opt in and those who made retirement fund “two-pot” withdrawals, even if they otherwise wouldn’t have qualified. This year’s Auto-Assessment cohort is therefore larger and more inclusive. Taxpayers will receive their Auto-Assessment notifications via SMS or email, and can then review the assessment on eFiling, the SARS MobiApp, or through the Online Query System (SOQS) dashboard.
In 2025, 5.8 million taxpayers received AutoAssessments - up from 5 million in 2024 - with 99.6% accepting the assessment without changes. SARS has already disbursed over R10.6 billion in refunds within 72 hours of assessment completion.
For those who agree with their assessment, no return filing is required. If discrepancies exist, such as unreported rental income or medical deductions, taxpayers can manually file an ITR12 return before the deadline.
More than 10.2 million unique users have logged in since 4 July via SARS’s digital platforms: SOQS, WhatsApp (707,000 interactions), Lwazi Chat Bot (290,000), and other AI services (1.1 million).
SARS has strengthened security by enforcing twofactor authentication, requiring users to verify contact details before proceeding. Express access tabs on eFiling streamline key functions such as viewing assessments and updating banking details.
The non-provisional filing window opened on 21 July 2025 and closes 20 October 2025. Provisional taxpayers and trusts must file by 19 January 2026. Auto-assessed individuals who wish to amend their return must also file by 20 October.
These changes bring a number of benefits:
• Eased administrative burden: By automating the assessment process, SARS reduces the need for taxpayers to visit SARS branches, queue for support, or complete lengthy forms. Service centres can instead focus on complex cases and verification needs.
• Faster refunds, improved cash flow: Refunds exceeding R100 are paid within 72 hours, improving household financial resilience. Debts under R100 are rolled forward to the next tax year.
• Inclusivity and accuracy: Expanding the AutoAssessment pool to include eligible provisional taxpayers and retirement fund withdrawers ensures fairer and efficient tax treatment.
• Data-driven and secure: SARS leverages machine learning and AI to flag fraudulent or suspicious returns, ensuring high accuracy in automated assessments. Two-factor authentication and system enhancements also safeguard taxpayer data.
• Efficient exception management: Taxpayers disagreeing with their Auto-Assessment can easily amend returns via eFiling or MobiApp. SARS retains the original assessment data but allows line-item corrections, improving responsiveness and transparency.
These enhancements to SARS’s systems reflect broader public-sector priorities: digital inclusion, operational efficiency, and data-driven service delivery. By delivering a world-class filing seasonone that reduces burden, speeds up refunds, and improves accuracy - SARS sets a benchmark for smart government services.
The extended eligibility and proactive measures also align with South Africa’s developmental goals to make public services inclusive, transparent, and responsive. As taxpayer interactions shift overwhelmingly online,
Source: SARS
SARS’s operational model exemplifies how AI-powered tools can free up human resources, reduce physical bureaucracy, and enhance trust in state institutions.
By expanding the Auto-Assessment system, accelerating digital adoption, and reinforcing security measures, SARS continues its transformation into a modern, data-led revenue service. For public-sector leaders, these changes illustrate how streamlined digital services can enhance efficiency, boost taxpayer confidence, and support national goals for inclusive and ethical state delivery.
To ensure a smooth experience with SARS’ enhanced Auto-Assessment process for the 2025 tax season, taxpayers are encouraged to take proactive steps. First, it is essential to check and update your personal details— especially contact and banking information —on the eFiling platform. Keeping this information current is critical to avoid payment delays or communication issues.
Taxpayers should then monitor their assessment status using SARS’ digital platforms, including the SOQS dashboard, WhatsApp service, or the SARS MobiApp, to determine whether they have been selected for Auto-Assessment. These tools offer convenient, real-time status checks without requiring in-person visits or lengthy phone calls.
If you agree with the outcome of your AutoAssessment, no action is required. However, if you believe the assessment is incorrect, you must file or amend your return via eFiling or the MobiApp before 20 October 2025.
Lastly, to avoid any last-minute complications, ensure your eFiling login credentials are accurate. If you’ve forgotten your username or password, SARS offers several recovery options, including SMS, WhatsApp, and additional support channels. These steps will help ensure your compliance and avoid unnecessary penalties or delays.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
In a significant stride toward nurturing young innovators, Isuzu Motors South Africa has inaugurated a state-of-theart AI, Coding and Robotics Centre at Astra Primary School in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. This initiative signals a powerful fusion of industry, education, and social investment designed to align with the region’s future-focused development goals.
Launched in partnership with Sifiso EdTech, a division of the Sifiso Learning Group founded by Sizwe Nxasana and Dr Judy Dlamini, the centre transforms classroom learning with immersive technology. With an investment exceeding R1.2 million, the facility boasts robotics kits, laptops, tablets, advanced coding software, and a fully customised computer lab to introduce learners to future-facing technologies.
Holistic educator and learner support
Recognising that success begins with teachers, the centre includes five-day training workshops, structured lesson plans, assessment tools, and 12 months of educator support. The centre also serves as a community hub, hosting robotics competitions and coding exhibitions that foster pupil engagement and pride.
This centre embodies Isuzu’s corporate social responsibility strategy, which positions education as a critical societal pillar.
STEM education in South Africa is increasingly recognised as a critical driver of economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness. However, access to quality STEM education remains uneven and often limited by structural inequalities.
According to the Department of Basic Education, fewer than 30% of Grade 12 learners choose pure mathematics, a key gateway subject for STEM careers.
In 2023, only 48.6% of learners passed mathematics with 40% or more, a decline from previous years, while science performance also remained modest. Moreover, the National Advisory Council on Innovation reports that South Africa continues to lag behind many developing nations in producing science and engineering graduates, raising concerns about future talent pipeline.
Despite these challenges, there is growing emphasis on boosting STEM uptake at both school and tertiary levels. Programmes like the Department of Science and Innovation’s Youth into Science Strategy and initiatives such as Isuzu’s new AI and Robotics Centre in the Eastern Cape aim to inspire students, particularly in under-resourced communities, to pursue STEM careers.
The Human Sciences Research Council underscores that students from rural and township schools often lack access to laboratories, qualified teachers, and digital learning tools—further reinforcing the importance of public-private partnerships in bridging these gaps.
The need for strong STEM education is underscored by South Africa’s broader goals - ranging from job creation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution to enhancing infrastructure, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.
A catalyst for technology
This project reflects a deeper ambition: closing South Africa’s skills gap through early STEM education. By situating this centre in Gqeberha, a historically under-resourced area, the initiative aligns with national equity priorities and the Department of Basic Education’s Coding and Robotics CAPS curriculum.
“We want to see learners as creators, not just consumers of technology,” said Celestin Ndhlovu, Vice President of Corporate Services at Isuzu Motors SA.
Isuzu Motors South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan’s Isuzu Motors Ltd., has steadily entrenched itself in South Africa’s automotive sector. Isuzu employs staff focused on assembling commercial trucks and pickups at its Gqeberha manufacturing site. The facility spans over 16,602 m² and has an annual production capacity of around 5,000 commercial trucks and 23,000 bakkies. Isuzu’s economic impact extends beyond manufacturing. Through its Isuzu Foundation,
the company invests in community development and youth empowerment. Recent initiatives include a R278,250 donation to support child-focused organisations through the Ironman4theKidz fundraiser, and educational investments exceeding R1.2 million in primary school infrastructure and literacy programmes.
In the long term, the Isuzu centre promises to catalyse digital literacy, reduce education inequality, and bolster the Eastern Cape’s social and economic fabric. As students move through high school, they may bring STEM capabilities into regional industries, from port logistics to vehicle manufacturing, aligning local talent to emerging opportunities.
Through investment in infrastructure, teacher development, and community engagement, the project offers students, educators, and the broader public sector a template for building a future-ready learning ecosystem.
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
All grown up
Baby Boks, Pieter Coetzé, and the pursuit of glory
For the first time in over a decade the Junior Springboks sit at the apex of the age-group game after defeating archrivals New Zealand in a replay of the 2012 final when young Pieter-Steph du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, and Handre Pollard (then only 18-years old and in his matric year) announced their arrival on the global stage.
Under the guidance of head coach Kevin Foote and his assistants - Melusi Mthethwa, Lumumba Currie, and newly-appointed Bulls Director of Rugby, Johann Ackerman - the Baby Boks put on a show for the ages in Italy. In the opening match they decimated the same Australian U20 side that had embarrassed them in the Rugby Championship held earlier this year in Cape Town.
Kevin Foote’s young men were scoring blockbuster tries for fun, eventually putting up a statement making 73 points - a feat they repeated in the third match against Scotland. Neither of the opposing sides put up much of a fight, recording consolation points of 17 and 14 points respectively.
The second match against a better prepared side, England - one of the northern hemisphere’s many talent factories - proved a challenge but the Baby Boks’ class and ‘big-match-temperment’ kicked in to see them fend off the 2024 winners who were hoping to have a shot at going back-to-back.
Against Argentina the future stars were up against a different test after Los Pumas had made a name for themselves in the tournament with their astute tactical kicking game. A herculean showing from the forward pack and dazzling speed and skills from the backline sealed Los Pumas fate and cemented the Junior Springboks as the tournament’s most in-form team and favourites to beat a Junior All Blacks side that had dispatched with the ever-competitive Les Bleus of France.
Speaking at the post-match conference, Foote highlighted how the team had shown their tenacity and great attitude in the defensive effort that helped them win the title.
“We sort of staged our run into this World Cup with certain aspects that we were working hard in our game and our defense obviously in the [Rugby] Championship was not where we needed it to be.”
But while defence certainly wins championships, this year’s talented cohort will be remembered for what they did with the ball, rather than without.
BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
Here are five standout performers to keep an eye on in coming years:
One of the stars of the show was certainly scrumhalf Hashim Pead, whose penchant for scoring and assisting tries is comparable only to the living legend that is Antoine du Pont and could end up being the most promising player of this incredibly talented bunch. He’s at the right place at the right time, makes the right decisions and does it all with a coolness that makes his blistering speed seem almost like a contradiction
With the senior Springbok Men’s resident ‘iceman’ Handre Pollard in the second half of his career, the next cool-as-ice-flyhalf has already arrived on the scene. Vusi Moyo, who played alongside hooker Esethu Mnebelele at KES, looks like he has all the traits to one day pull the strings for the Boks: a smooth pass, educated boot, calm demeanour, and willingness to deal with contact which will warm the heart of any coach
Hlekani’s bulldozing runs went viral on social media with many discovering why he’s described as a baby rhino. He demolished defence and if he get his work rate up he could be the stuff of nightmares for opposing teams for many years to come. His undeniable physical gifts and high ceiling ultimately earned him an invitation to train with the senior men’s side in the lead up to the Rugby Championship games against Australia, alongside teammates Hashim Pead and winger Cheswill Jooste
Formidable former KES 1st XV captain Esethu Mnebelele showed he’s as fast as he is strong and his efforts earned him a spot in the Bulls’ senior Currie Cup side, in just his first year out of school. He’s a menace in the tight exchanges, and has all the physical attributes to succeed at the highest level
Riley Norton led the team with aplomb. The all-around athlete, who represented South Africa at the u19 Cricket World Cup last year before captaining the SA Schools rugby side, was strong in defence and willing in attack. He will certainly get better as he grows into his 1.97m frame and prove that he chose the right sport to play professionally after showing great promise alongside Proteas bolters Kwena Mphaka and Lhuandre Pretorius at the Cricket World Cup last year
When Roland Schoeman won three medals at the World Aquatics Championships in 2005, the country’s new swimming sensation, Pieter Coetzé was still too young to even wear armbands. Now, two decades later it seems he has taken over the reins from South Africa’s greatest ever Olympian, Tatjana Smith.
Despite a disappointing fifth place finish in Paris last year, the tall 21-year old Pretoria-born swimmer has repeated the dominance he’s shown at the local and continental level in recent years.
After blowing the competition out of the water at the national championships in Gqeberha earlier this year, with five wins in the same five events he won in 2024, Coetzé took his affinity for the podium to the world stage, bringing home three of the country’s four medals at the World Aquatic Championships.
He broke the African record in all three of the breastroke finals he took part in, clinching one gold in the 100m and silver in the 50m and 200m respectively. This was after he’d set the World University Games, setting the African record which he would break again just weeks later. With the African records seemingly easy work for him, Coetzé will likely set his sights on Italian Thomas Ceccon’s 100m breaststroke world record - putting in the work to close that 0.25 second gap.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
With economic pressures mounting and the 2025 Budget reshaping household finances, creating and maintaining a smart budget is essential.
From rising inflation and VAT changes to wage stagnation, many South African households find their incomes increasingly stretched. Yet, budgeting is not about restriction: it’s about empowerment, planning, and building stability for the future.
Budget 2025 brought modest tax relief but also heightened costs in essentials. Consumers face a tightening squeeze as rising living expenses and potential future VAT increases require careful financial planning. This makes strategic household budgeting more critical than ever.
Here are practical, structured tips to help households redesign their financial plans:
• Start with a clear financial assessment
Before drafting any plan, take stock of your income streams, monthly essentials, debts, savings, and discretionary spending. Pull recent bank statements or use a budgeting tool to categorise expenses. This upfront clarity is the foundation of all smart budgeting. Rather than indiscriminate cuts, prioritise deep savings where possible without losing security. For example, reviewing insurance policies, such as bundling or adjusting excess, could lower premiums without sacrificing coverage. Avoid cutting essentials that pose risk, such as health insurance. Also consider meal planning, bulk shopping, and cancelling underutilised subscriptions. Review your budget monthly, track performance, and tweak allocations.
• Allocate your money wisely
Once you have this foundation, set SMART ( Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) financial goals. For instance, look to “save R3,000 by December 2025” or “pay off R10,000 credit card debt in six months”. SMART goals give focus and keep progress measurable. A tried-and-true budgeting structure, the 50/30/20 rule allocates 50% of net income to needs (housing, food, transport), 30% to wants (lifestyle, entertainment), and 20% to savings and debt repayment. South African versions may tweak these percentages slightly based on cost-of-living pressures.
• Track every rand you spend
Aim for a zero-based budget. Zero-based budgeting allocates every rand of net income to a specific purpose - expenses, savings, or debtso that your budget ends with zero remaining. This forces intentional spending and eliminates waste. At the month’s end, recalculate and adjust. Use budgeting apps or spreadsheets to monitor daily and monthly spending. As raw numbers surface, unnecessary expenses often appear— small, recurring costs like subscriptions or impulse purchases that eat into savings. Tracking provides powerful insight. Setting up debit orders can also ensure you stay on top of your allocations. Consider setting up a debit order into a separate savings or goals account immediately after payday. Auto-saving ensures consistency and reduces reliance on willpower.
• Adjust your budget in line with the 2025 Budget
Budget 2025 introduced a phased VAT increase to 16% and maintained tax brackets, effectively increasing tax drag on low- to middle-income earners. Social grants increased, but household costs continue rising, especially for groceries and utilities. Households should prepare for higher essential spending and allocate savings buffers accordingly. Review your budget as national cost structures shift. Lower food prices in zero-rated categories help, but everyday essentials still rise. Adjust savings and discretionary categories to account for VAT impact on groceries and transport. If you’re unsure, consider consulting a trusted financial advisor, especially when planning large financial decisions or revising tax-efficient strategies. Advisors can help align investment, debt management, and savings plans with long-term objectives.
• Mindset matters
Understanding your money mindset can help you to make empowered financial decisions. Emotional drivers - such as impulsive spending or fear-based saving - can derail plans. Adopt a long-term perspective, focus on progress over perfection, and celebrate small wins along the way. Involve your entire household in the budget. Budgeting works best when everyone involved understands and participates. Share goals, track spending together, review progress, and set reward milestones. Collective commitment enhances accountability and unity.
Budgeting isn’t about austerity—it’s about empowerment. South Africans face rising costs and fiscal pressure, but households can build financial fitness and security by reassessing budgets and setting financial goals. A healthy household budget helps take control on the micro-level, reducing stress and creating the space to save and plan for meaningful life milestones.
Understanding Budget 2025: What Has Changed?
The 2025 National Budget, presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, reflects the government’s commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline while supporting economic resilience. With South Africa’s economy still under pressure from high unemployment, rising inflation, and global volatility, Budget 2025 prioritises stabilising public debt, boosting infrastructure, and improving service delivery - while also acknowledging the financial strain felt by households.
One of the most notable changes in Budget 2025 is the adjustment to personal income tax brackets, ensuring they keep pace with inflation. This provides some relief to middle-income earners, effectively preventing bracket creep and slightly improving disposable income. Although the tax-free threshold remains unchanged, taxpayers earning under R95 750 annually are still not liable for personal income tax. While no major new taxes were introduced, sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco products have gone up again, reinforcing the government’s dual goal of generating revenue and discouraging unhealthy consumption habits.
For consumers and households, these adjustments make it more important than ever to have a clear, adaptable household budget - one that factors in price increases, interest rate shifts, and potential changes in employment or income stability.
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Despite growing awareness and technical countermeasures, South Africa has witnessed an unrelenting rise in spam calls, including telemarketing, phishing, and robocall scams. However, recent amendments to the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act have given individuals meaningful legal protection against these intrusions.
As the digital economy grows, so too does the volume of personal data circulating in commercial and quasi-commercial ecosystems. Recognising this growing threat to personal privacy, South Africa has moved to reinforce the rights of its citizens through legislation that demands accountability and transparency from those who handle or distribute personal information.
A new definition of electronic communication Historically, direct marketing calls skirted legal liability because telephone calls were not formally defined as “electronic communications”. This loophole has now been closed. In April, the Information Regulator issued a Guidance Note clarifying that voice calls, including automated and robocalls, are indeed “electronic communication” for the purposes of Section 69 of the POPIA. This means unsolicited calls now require explicit consent by law.
Under the revised act, anyone receiving a direct marketing phone call from a non-customer must have
previously provided explicit, informed opt-in consent. If no consent exists, marketers may make only one request for consent - and only if the consumer has not already refused. For existing customers, calls are permitted only for marketing similar products or services. Importantly, every call must clearly identify the sender and provide an easy means to opt out. Organisations are required to honour opt-out requests promptly and free of charge.
Crucially, consent records must be kept and proof provided on demand. Companies must notify individuals if they intend to use their data for marketing and allow correction, deletion, or objection within 30 days.
Consumers now have clear rights under POPIA:
• Opt in, not opt out: Marketers must obtain explicit consent before contacting non-customers.
• Transparency and identification: Every call must clearly state who is calling, with immediate opt-out instructions.
• Opt-out enforcement: Consumers can refuse or revoke consent at any time—that refusal must be honoured instantly at no cost.
• Full access to consent records: Individuals can request proof of how and when consent was provided, and companies must comply.
• Complaints process: Any person, even acting on behalf of someone else, may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
New opt-out registry in the pipeline
Complementing the statutory consent framework, the government is working to launch a national Opt-Out Registry in the 2025/26 financial year. Once active, consumers can register
their phone numbers to prevent any unsolicited marketing calls from both marketing firms and data brokers. Businesses will be legally obliged to “cleanse” their marketing databases for registry numbers before launching campaigns.
This registry will replace or deepen the existing voluntary DoNot-Contact list run by the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA), which only covers its own member companies.
Under the strengthened POPIA regime, failures to comply with consent rules can result in hefty penalties, such as administrative fines up to R10 million, or imprisonment for serious offences. The Information Regulator now has broadened enforcement capabilities, including accepting complaints from any member of the public (not just data subjects themselves).
Spam callers risk prosecution if they continue contacting consumers after an opt-out request. Consent must be reinstated explicitly, and failure to comply is criminal.
Despite these robust laws, spam calls remain widespread. As recently as July, TechCentral reported pervasive telemarketing intrusions across South Africa, with operators claiming they cannot block calls at the network level without breaching interception laws under RICA. This leaves consumers largely responsible for filtering calls through apps like Truecaller, Samsung Smart Call or Apple’s upcoming call-screening features.
When spam continues, consumers are encouraged to file reports with the telecom provider, the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA), or the National Consumer Commission. The complaint process now extends beyond marketing-specific laws to data protection enforcement.
The strengthened provisions under Section 69 of the Protection of Personal Information Act offer South Africans robust legal recourse against unsolicited calls and messages. Consumers now have the power to withhold consent, request deletion of their data, and lodge formal complaints—all backed by statutory penalties for noncompliance.
Yet, the lingering spam epidemic illustrates that legislation alone is insufficient. Effective enforcement, increased resources for the Information Regulator, public education, and coordination with telecom operators are essential to make meaningful progress.
BY SUE RAMAUTHAR
In today’s fiercely competitive talent landscape, a fundamental truth is emerging for companies: a great company culture is no longer just a desirable add-on; it’s a critical strategic imperative. At the heart of this evolving culture lies employee wellness.
Forward-thinking organisations are now integrating comprehensive wellness programmes into their core culture, recognising that prioritising their people’s wellbeing –understanding their multifaceted roles and building resilience strategies that focus on mind, body, and soul – is the secret to attracting, engaging, and retaining the very best talent. For years, wellness initiatives often felt like afterthoughts – perhaps a token fruit basket or an occasional yoga class. While any effort is better than none, the modern approach to workplace wellness is far more holistic and deeply ingrained. It encompasses physical, mental, emotional, social, and even financial wellbeing. Companies are now beginning to understand that when their people are truly well, they perform better, are happier, and are more likely to stay.
Battle for the best talent: Wellness as your winning card
The job market is a battleground, and skilled professionals have more choices than ever. So, what truly makes your company stand out? More often, it’s not just the salary or the standard benefits package. Top talent actively seeks workplaces that genuinely care about their employees.
Consider a robust wellness programme as a powerful magnet for job seekers. Surveys consistently show that potential hires highly value health and wellness benefits. Companies renowned for prioritising employee wellbeing simply feel more wholesome. This translates into more interest in your roles, a larger pool of qualified candidates, and quicker hires.
Furthermore, investing in wellness creates a more enticing employer brand. It communicates to the world that you are a supportive, caring, and
progressive place to work. This positive perception not only draws in new recruits but also transforms your current employees into your most enthusiastic advocates, spreading the word about the positive experience of working for you.
Beyond attracting new talent, wellness programmes are proving to be an absolute game-changer or retaining your existing team and enhancing productivity. High employee turnover is a significant challenge – it’s expensive, disruptive, and drains energy and the bottom line.
When your team feels genuinely supported in their wellbeing, their job satisfaction soars, sparking significantly higher levels of engagement. This leads to a more committed and invested workforce, and happy, engaged employees are far less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Research indicates that employees who feel cared for are significantly more likely to remain with their current employer.
It’s clear that healthy employees simply take fewer sick days. Comprehensive wellness programmes, by emphasising preventative care and stress reduction, decrease absenteeism. They also combat “presenteeism” – the state where employees are physically present but mentally disengaged due to stress, burnout, or persistent health issues. A healthier team means more focused, energised, and productive individuals.
Wellness initiatives also cultivate an excellent work environment, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Think group fitness challenges, mental health workshops, or team activities centred around wellbeing. These can significantly strengthen bonds among colleagues and boost overall morale. When people feel valued and supported, they are happier, more motivated, and contribute positively to the entire company’s atmosphere.
And this holistic commitment isn’t exclusive to the corporate world; its profound impact resonates across various vital sectors, including healthcare. In our physiotherapy practice, for instance, we’ve witnessed firsthand how investing in a patient’s holistic wellness journey revolutionises outcomes, creating deeper buy-in and accountability. Just as a corporate gym perk alone won’t suffice, a narrow focus on a patient’s immediate injury, without considering their broader lifestyle, stress levels, sleep patterns, or emotional wellbeing, can limit their recovery.
By empowering patients with a comprehensive understanding of their health – offering resources on exercise, stress management, discussing sleep hygiene, or connecting them to other wellness professionals – we help them become active participants, not just passive recipients, in their healing.
This shared ownership is what truly drives adherence to treatment plans and builds long-term resilience, transforming individuals who are not just recovering from an injury but are better equipped to maintain their health and prevent future issues. This approach fosters loyalty that mirrors employee retention; when patients feel truly seen and supported in their entire wellness journey, they become powerful advocates for our practice.
For wellness to truly function as a culture strategy, it cannot be a mere collection of segmented programmes. It must be deeply embedded into the very fabric of the organisation, championed from the top down.
In a world where securing the right talent is paramount, prioritising employee wellness is no longer merely an option; it’s a smart, strategic imperative. It is the new culture strategy that will not only attract the brightest minds but also ensure they remain healthy, happy, and fully contributing to your organisation’s long-term success.
Sue Ramauthar is a corporate wellness practitioner and physiotherapist at SuedeWellness
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
09 AUG
National Women’s Day marks a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history - the 1956 march of 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in protest against apartheid pass laws. This annual commemoration is more than just a tribute to those courageous women; it’s a reminder of the continuing fight for gender equality and social justice. Today, Women’s Day is both a celebration of the progress achieved and a call to action for closing the remaining gaps. South Africa has made notable strides, including legislative reforms and improved representation in government and business. Yet challenges remain: gender-based violence, economic inequality, and systemic exclusion continue to impact millions of women. This year’s theme - centred on empowerment, equity, and dignity - urges stakeholders across the public and private sectors to invest in long-term, structural solutions. Public service has a critical role to play, from creating safe workplaces to ensuring inclusive policy-making.
12 AUG
International Youth Day spotlights the vital contributions and challenges of young people worldwide. This observance calls on governments and leaders to ensure meaningful youth engagement in decision-making and policy design. In 2025, the theme encourages youth empowerment for a sustainable future, recognising young leaders as current changemakers - not just tomorrow’s generation. Youth bring fresh ideas in climate action, service delivery innovation, community development, and digital transformation. By embracing youth voices, public services become more inclusive, adaptive, and forward-looking. International Youth Day is therefore a moment for public-sector leaders to doubledown on inclusive governance— recognising youth as partners in shaping national priorities, service innovation, and sustainable progress.
19 AUG
World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day honours humanitarian workers and advocates for civilian protection and effective aid delivery. It commemorates the 2003 Baghdad UN headquarters bombing, which claimed the lives of aid personnel. This day highlights the dedication of those who deliver lifesaving assistance in violent conflict and climate-affected zones. Increasingly, humanitarian funding is under strain, putting millions at risk. Emerging technologies provide powerful tools: the humanitarian sector is embracing artificial intelligence for crisis communication, early warning, and personalised education for displaced populations. This day is an opportunity to reinforce frameworks protecting humanitarian workers, strengthen partnerships with NGOs and UN agencies, and integrate crisis resilience into national planning.
Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism 21 AUG
Established in 2017, this day serves as a vital reminder that many victims feel forgotten once the immediate aftermath fades, impacting their long-term wellbeing. Effective remembrance strengthens community resilience and reaffirms human rights, inclusivity, and justice commitments. By spotlighting victims’ stories and needs, public sector leaders help prevent marginalisation and reaffirm public trust. This observance encourages public-sector institutions to review and enhance support systems: from trauma-informed policing and counselling services to victimcentred legislative frameworks. It underscores the importance of collaborative partnerships - within government, civil society, and international bodies- to deliver sustainable care.
Slave Trade Remembrance Day 23 AUG
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition pays tribute to the millions of lives lost, uprooted, and transformed by the transatlantic slave trade. Commemorated annually on 23 August, the date marks the 1791 uprising in SaintDomingue (now Haiti), which catalysed the abolition of slavery across the Americas. This day is not only about remembering the horrors of slavery but also about recognising its enduring legacy -racism, inequality, and systemic injustice. In South Africa, with its own history of colonial exploitation and apartheid, this day resonates deeply. It is a moment to honour the resilience and resistance of those who fought for their freedom and to draw attention to the work still required to heal historical wounds.
27 AUG
World Lake Day
The first annual World Lake Day will be celebrated on 27 August, established by the UN to raise awareness of lake ecosystems— critical sources of freshwater, biodiversity, and local livelihoods. Lakes and reservoirs hold over 90% of the world’s surface freshwater. However, pollution, untreated wastewater, agricultural runoff, evaporation from rising temperatures, and eutrophication threaten these ecosystems globally. World Lake Day invites public-sector leaders to mobilise communitydriven monitoring and conservation partnerships with universities, NGOs, and local communities. Educating citizens about lakes’ ecological, social, and economic roles fosters stewardship and resilience. This day serves as invitation to commit to sustainable lake management, integrate lake conservation into climate strategies, and empower multi-sector collaboration, ensuring lakes remain healthy sources of life and prosperity for future generations.
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