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| MINISTER NKOANA-MASHABANE CHAIRS 17TH MEETING OF SADC MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE OF THE ORGAN (MCO) |
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| The MCO was preceded by the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) and Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee (ISPDC) Senior Officials’ Meetings from 16 to 18 July 2015. |
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The Department of International Relations and Cooperation hosted the 17th Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) MCO on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation from 20 to 21 July 2015 in Pretoria.
South Africa is the current chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, in her capacity as the Chairperson of the MCO, chaired the meeting of ministers responsible for foreign affairs, defence, public and state security from all SADC member states.
Pertinent issues discussed were the political and security situation in the region, administrative arrangements for the SADC Electoral Advisory Council, the SADC Observer Mission in Lesotho, the SADC mediation structures and preparations for the hosting of Exercise AMANI AFRICA II, the field-training exercise for the African Standby Force.
The SADC MCO convenes at least one statutory meeting annually, to review the implementation of its previous decisions and consider the operationalisation of its various substructures. The MCO will report to the next SADC Summit, which will be held in Botswana in August 2015. |
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| DEPUTY MINISTER MFEKETO HONOURS NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY IN HONG KONG |
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| In November 2009, the United Nations General Assembly declared 18 July Nelson Mandela International Day in recognition of the former statesman’s contributions to the entire humanity. Every year, on this day, people around the world get together and spare 67 minutes to be of service to humanity. |
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The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nomaindiya Mfeketo, on 18 July 2015, delivered an address on the occasion of the Nelson Mandela International Day hosted by the South African Consulate in Hong Kong, China.
In honouring this day, Deputy Minister Mfeketo joined scores of volunteers from South Africa, the Diplomatic Community, business and other key stakeholders based in Hong Kong to spend 67 minutes of their time with staff and the elderly people of the Aberdeen Kai-Fong Welfare Association Fong Wong Wun Tei Neighbourhood Elderly Centre.
The centre advocates for the needy by providing appropriate welfare services and social facilities to the different age groups in areas such as community care, healthcare, shelter and other unique needs of the elderly community.
In her address, Deputy Minister Mfeketo enthused: “It is people such as the likes of Madiba who have taught us that unity must prevail among us as humanity. He always urged us to uphold the many values we must continue to internalise in our own lives. From him, we have learnt that you can be a leader and still respect others in actions and deeds, regardless of their status in life.
"As we celebrate this important day, we must also challenge ourselves, and deeply reflect on the values that Madiba instilled in all of us.” |
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| SOUTH AFRICA, NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES DISCUSS BEEFING UP TAX ENFORCEMENT |
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The forum debated issues linked to illicit financial flows, base erosion and profit- sharing, transfer pricing and
cross-border enforcement. |
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The South African Revenue Services (SARS) recently convened a forum of commissioners from bordering countries, including Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa to deliberate on core tax and customs issues.
According to SARS, the aim was to chart a road map going forward and maximise the respective participating countries’ statutory mandates of revenue collection.
Recently, the International Monetary Fund released a working paper, which said “the cost of multinational companies deliberately avoiding tax exceeds $200 billion per year”.
The Organisation for Economic Capacity and Development said developing countries lost three times more to tax havens than what was received in international aid per year.
Added to this, a report by the African Union on illicit financial flows said $60 billion was annually tapped from the continent.
It was against this backdrop of abusive tax practices that SARS convened the forum.
SARS Commissioner, Tom Moyane, called for collective cross-border strategies to respond to the challenges, which could lead to a continental discussion under the African Tax and Administration Forum.
Moyane, in his opening address at the forum, said exports out of developing countries were often under-invoiced so that income was accrued abroad, and imports into developing countries were often under-invoiced, so that the excess payment accumulated in foreign accounts.
The meeting culminated in a joint statement of in-principle agreements and actions. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| CHINA TO PLACE SA OFFICIALS ON SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME |
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| “South Africa's National School of Government will finalise details with counterparts in the Chinese Academy of Governance. Initiatives are already underway to identify relevant training programmes for public service managers,” said The Presidency recently. |
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China has agreed to the placement of South African government officials and business leaders on a training and skills development programme, said The Presidency.
This, among others, were the key outcomes of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to China from 13 to 17 July 2015.
According to The Presidency, the bilateral discussions with Vice President Li Yuanchao and Premier Li Kieqang reaffirmed the important strategic relationship between South Africa and China.
Among the key outcomes of the trip is that China will continue to work with South Africa in implementing the five-to-10 year strategic programme of cooperation signed during the South Africa State Visit to China in December 2014.
In addition, to reinforce the commitment made during President Jacob Zuma's State Visit to China, it was further agreed that six priority areas identified for 2015 would be implemented.
China will assist South Africa to advance its industrialisation process, develop its special economic zones as well as fast-track its infrastructure build programme.
China will also assist the country to develop its ocean economy, develop its human resources and access development finance.
In addition, South Africa and China will extend the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Public Enterprises and State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) on the management of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
This aims to enhance the capacity of the State to position SOEs to drive industrialisation and unlock private-sector investment between the two countries. This builds on the strong relationship that already exists between South African and Chinese SOEs.
Each of the companies the Deputy President met with expressed an interest in establishing or expanding existing operations in South Africa. Several undertook to provide training opportunities to young South Africans in China.
This included a firm offer from Huawei to support a five-year ICT training programme for 1 000 South African students aiming to pursue a career in technology and innovation.
The visit also provided an opportunity for the Deputy President and his delegation to examine how lessons from the Chinese model of SOEs could assist South Africa in promoting industrialisation and economic development.
The Deputy President visited the Chinese Academy of Governance, met with the Chairperson of SASAC and exchanged views about building the capacity of SOE managers and strengthening governance and accountability. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za
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| PARLIAMENT WELCOMES LAUNCH OF ADVISORY COUNCIL ON FOREIGN POLICY |
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| The Chairperson of the Committee, Siphosezwe Masango, who attended the launch in Pretoria, said the South African Council on International Relations (SACOIR) was a policy think-tank on foreign affairs whose input would be varied in approach and above board. |
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The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation welcomes the successful launch of the advisory council on South Africa’s foreign policy and international relations.
“This body is launched at a right time when South Africa is in need of increased interaction with the world and sustained foreign direct investments. The world as we know it is a contested terrain when it comes to such aspects as trade, business, stability and so on; this means the kind of foreign relations we prioritise as South Africa should seek to benefit our people,” Masango said.
“The work on foreign affairs cannot be relegated only to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, but should also include other arms of the State, as well as the public and ensure that South Africa’s foreign policy is regularly reviewed by all,” he said.
SACOIR will act as a consultative forum on South Africa’s foreign policy and also advise the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. The body is made up of experts in various fields like business, labour, civil society and academia.
Masango said this was a progressive step in the right direction for South Africa. |
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| WHO PROPOSES ROAD MAP TO DEAL WITH FUTURE HEALTH OUTBREAKS |
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| The meeting came a few months after the Ebola outbreak claimed thousands of lives in the Western African region and posed a health risk to countries globally. |
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a Central National Emergency Operations Centre to be established and to be on standby to deal with future disease outbreaks and related emergencies.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s regional director for Africa, said this when addressing a meeting of about 200 high-level experts from governments, development agencies, civil society and international organisations at the “Building Health Security Beyond Ebola” Conference at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town recently.
Moeti said it was important to stop outbreaks before they became catastrophic. She said the Ebola outbreak showed the need for countries to be prepared and have the capacity to rapidly respond to outbreaks and emergencies to maintain national and global health security.
“Transborder, transnational and intercontinental cooperation remains a high priority for the WHO considering the frequency and magnitude of health crises before us. To prepare and respond to these crises, we have no margin for error and timing is essential,” she said.
Moeti said as a minimum requirement, the WHO wanted to ensure that all countries on the African continent had several capacities in place to deal with future outbreaks.
The Department of Health’s Director-General, Malebona Matsoso, said the aim of the meeting was to establish a partnership between African countries and the rest of the world to deal with health-risk emergencies in the future. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES AMONG BEST IN AFRICA, BRICS |
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| The results have come just before the Times Higher Education (THE) African Universities Summit, which will be held in Johannesburg on 30 and 31 July. The summit will look at topics, including higher education funding on the continent and preventing brain drain. |
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The latest results released by two international university ranking bodies show that South African universities are among the best in the BRICS group and in Africa.
In the THE's World University Rankings, South Africa dominates an initial "snapshot" list of African universities. According to University World News, THE is working on a future Africa league table from its global rankings but will use "bespoke metrics" to be thrashed out at the summit.
Overall, South African institutions make up more than half the list with eight universities featured. The University of Cape Town (UCT) and University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) are placed first and second respectively in a top-15 table based on research influence. Morocco has two universities on the list while Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Uganda and Kenya have one each.
THE rankings editor, Phil Baty, said: "This is an experimental and preliminary ranking based solely on research, and only on one aspect of research – how many times research papers are cited by other academics."
"When we develop a full Africa University Ranking, we expect to add many more indicators, examining things like a university's economic contribution, its civic engagement and, of course, its teaching."
In THE's BRICS ranking, UCT is fourth overall followed by Wits (14), Stellenbosch University (17), University of KwaZulu-Natal (47) and University of Pretoria (77).
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University Rankings was released on 8 July. It placed eight of South Africa's universities in the top 100 universities in BRICS with the highest placed institutions being UCT (14) Wits (28), Stellenbosch (34) and Pretoria (49).
Rhodes University is second among BRICS institutions under the international students category, behind People's Friendship University of Russia, while the University of Johannesburg is considered the best-performing South African institution in the faculty/student ratio category.
– Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| THE DTI SETS ASIDE R80 MILLION FOR INDUSTRIAL PARKS |
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| Speaking at the Industrial Parks Revitalisation Workshop recently, the dti Director-General Lionel October, said that industrial parks represented an opportunity for stimulating local economic development. He said that they further offered an opportunity for the influx of foreign investment and employment creation. |
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The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) has set aside R80 million for the refurbishment and resuscitation of the country’s industrial parks.
“Industrial parks are one of the most important factors supporting positive economic development. There is a need to stimulate industrial growth within the regions, including the current operating areas of the industrial parks, some of which operate close to townships, distressed mining towns and labour-sending areas,” said October.
The workshop was aimed at developing a collaborative approach with stakeholders towards the enhancement of industrialisation in the lagging regions of South Africa.
October added that the notion of communities accessing jobs in the industrial parks and small budding enterprises being developed bode well for the country’s industrialisation efforts aimed at boosting manufacturing and creating jobs.
“It is clear that industrial development in distressed towns and regions will result in more employment opportunities for immediate communities. This will strengthen their economic well-being and attract both domestic and foreign investments,” he said. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION REAFFIRM SHARED COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE |
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The partners confirmed that environment and climate change remained a priority area for bilateral cooperation, as outlined in the South Africa-European Union (EU)Strategic Partnership of 2007 and agreed to enhance their dialogue in these areas, notably covering the Green and Ocean Economy
in the context of the SA-EU Forum on Environment and Sustainable Development. |
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The South African Government and the European Commission recently discussed the pressing issue of climate change and stressed the importance of intensifying urgent actions to address the challenge at international, regional, national and grassroots levels.
Edna Molewa, South African Minister of Environmental Affairs, and Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President of the European Commission for the Energy Union, met to discuss cooperation on climate change.
The Vice-President and the Minister's delegation also visited the Khangezile School in Springs near Johannesburg to see first hand a practical example of South Africa-EU cooperation with regard to the application of green technologies in community centres.
Minister Molewa conveyed the South African Government’s appreciation to the EU for its ongoing support to a number of environmental projects in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa and – commenting on the Khangezile School initiative – commended in particular its strong focus on enhancing public awareness of the climate change challenge and on the important role of women and youth. |
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| STARBUCKS IS COMING TO SOUTH AFRICA |
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| Even though Starbucks doesn't yet have locations in sub-Saharan Africa, the company is betting people may be familiar with the name through TV, movies and media. |
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Starbucks is jumping into the surging coffee market in South Africa, where the number of cafes has expanded rapidly in recent years.
The company says the first store will open in Johannesburg by mid-2016 through a deal with Taste Holdings, a licensor of global brands in the region.
The company's coffee, which includes sourcing from nine African countries, was available through a food-service deal during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The chain's green-and-white siren logo could be a familiar draw for people visiting Johannesburg from other parts of the world.
Kris Engskov, who heads Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Starbucks, said South Africa was an "aspirational country" with a growing economy and that there was now a "much larger group of people that can access our brand".
Starbucks, which has 22 000 locations globally, said the coffee served in the Johannesburg store would be similar to the coffee Starbucks served elsewhere in the world, but that it would create "special reserves" for the location. – Source: www.news24.co.za |
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| SA RECRUITMENT START-UP WINS SPOT TO GENEVA CONTEST |
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| The company operates as a business-to-business application that connects job seekers with positions at firms. |
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A local recruitment start-up has won a place to pitch its business against competitors and win a potential US$500,000.00 (R6,2 million) in equity.
Giraffe, which runs a company recruitment outfit in Johannesburg, beat out 11 other start-ups in the Seedstars World Competition to find a hit firm for emerging markets.
"We really love what we're doing and hope we can help a lot of people and we're happy to get that validation from Seedstars World," said Shafin Anwarsha, co-founder of Giraffe.
"Employers can simply submit their requirements and Giraffe will automatically identify the most suitable candidates from our database of thousands of ID-verified, screened candidate CVs," the start-up says on its website.
Judges felt that the start-up combined the aspects ideal for effective scalability in emerging markets that could also add value to established business practices.
Seedstars had two rounds in South Africa – Cape Town and Johannesburg – and the organisation will be heading to Lagos on 31 July for a final round in Nigeria before the Geneva finals.
In South Africa, Causal Nexus and NicheStreem rounded out the top three start-ups. – Source: www.news24.co.za |
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| FRENCH HONOUR FOR AHMED KATHRADA |
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| The French Legion of Honour celebrates the accomplishments of distinguished individuals, irrespective of sex, social background and nationality. |
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Struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada has received a top French honour, a medal of the Knighthood of the Legion of Honour.
French Ambassador to South Africa, Elisabeth Barbier, gave Kathrada the signet of Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion during Bastille Day celebrations at the Embassy on 14 July.
"Mr Kathrada, your lifelong struggle for justice and freedom commands respect and admiration," Ambassador Barbier said. "Your example demonstrates that freedom, equality and fraternity are not just words devoid of signification. They are an ideal able to inspire the life and dedication of great, exceptional men."
The national order of the Legion of Honour was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It's the highest decoration in France and is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross).
It was first awarded on 14 July 1804.
Nelson Mandela, Kathrada's close friend for over six decades, received the Grand Croix de la Legion d'Honneur in 1994 from former President François Mitterrand.
Two other prominent South Africans who have been awarded this honour are Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late Nadine Gordimer.
– Source: French Embassy |
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| SANBI CLIMATE SCIENTIST WINS PLACE IN PRESTIGIOUS GLOBAL WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA |
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| Homeward Bound has grown in momentum and voice as a global initiative to empower women in global change science to take up places at the leadership table. |
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SANBI’s lead scientist on climate change and bioadaptation, Dr Phoebe Barnard, has been selected as one of only 42 women globally to be part of an extraordinary leadership expedition to Antarctica, the Homeward Bound initiative (http://homewardboundprojects.com.au/). The Homeward Bound expedition will depart from Hobart, Tasmania, in January 2017.
Homeward Bound arose as a concept in the mind of Australian leadership strategist Fabian Dattner, who asked herself a simple question: "What if balancing the gender voice at the leadership table was one of the most effective ways to influence environmental sustainability and reduce human impact on the global environment?"
From a highly competitive field of women globally, Phoebe was selected for a berth on the scientific research vessel leaving Hobart to participate as a senior mentor as well as participant in a highly rigorous and targeted leadership training programme, led by Fabian, one of Australia’s leadership experts, as well as Harvard leadership coach, South African-born Susan David, and supported by a range of leadership and content experts, including Dr Jane Goodall, actress Meryl Streep, and filmmaker Franny Armstrong, from around the world via live-stream and pre-recorded talks.
Phoebe commented: “This will be one of the greatest thrills of my life, to work with a really extraordinary team of women, young and old, famous and unsung, late and early careers, each with our own powerful stories and journeys. I look forward to bringing these stories and messages back to SANBI to help empower young women and men to take their own seats at the leadership table. But it’s a scary task too, as I’ll need to raise $15 000 of the roughly $42 000 cost of the trip myself. I’ll be crowdfunding and seeking corporate sponsorship to engage in this expedition in order to bring these leadership lessons back to South Africa, and I hope to co-lead a similar expedition here.”
Phoebe is also honorary research associate of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at University of Cape Town’s FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and currently honorary president of BirdLife South Africa. She has published over 100 scientific and science-policy articles, books and book chapters on biodiversity, climate change, ornithology, evolutionary ecology and sustainability, and works increasingly on the use of media and storytelling to help transform society and the global economy to sustainable pathways, “where people and the planet actually matter.”
– Source: www.sanbi.org.za |
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| AFRICA'S FIRST DRONE LICENCE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN PILOT |
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| "The licence was issued on 10 July to Nicole Swart," said spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu. "It makes her the first person to receive such a licence in South Africa, the continent and most parts of the world." |
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A female pilot had been awarded the first drone licence on the continent, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said recently.
Swart, 23, holds the highest pilot's licence, namely the airline transport pilot's licence. When not flying remotely piloted aircraft or a traditional manned aircraft, she works as a testing standards officer in aviation personnel standards at the SACAA.
"It was important for me to get a remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) pilot's licence, as I believe technology is advancing rapidly and in the near future this mode of transport will be as common and necessary as cellular phones are in this era," Swart said.
"I therefore wanted to ensure that when that time comes, I am already a step ahead."
Many countries are still formulating regulations for the administration of drones, or RPAS in aviation jargon. They are controlled either from the ground or by another aircraft.
SACAA is processing about 10 drone pilot licences and 15 operator ones, following regulations for drones that came into effect at the beginning of the month.
Swart can use her licence to fly a drone for corporate, commercial, or leisure purposes.
Drones can be used to fight crime by providing aerial surveillance, assist conservation efforts and can be used in scientific research. – Source: News24Wire |
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| FILM FESTIVAL FOR SOUTH AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL STORIES |
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| “The 36th Durban International Film Festival (Diff) is a 10-day celebration of world-class cinema which screens new feature, documentary and short films from around the globe with a special focus on African film," says festival organisers. |
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The Diff is taking place from 16 to 26 July. Hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre for Creative Arts, the event is attracting film-lovers and industry representatives from across Africa and abroad.
The opening film, Ayanda, set a feel-good, “coming of age” theme for the first night at this year's festival.
The documentary Coming of Age follows teenagers over two years as they grow up deep in the southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Other African documentaries include Beats of the Antonov, which portrays the musical lives of a war-torn community in Sudan, Sembene!, which documents the life and career of African master Ousmane Sembene, and Paths to Freedom, which explores the genesis of Namibia's armed struggle against South Africa.
South African documentaries include Blood Lions, which follows a South African conservationist and an American hunter on their journey through the lion hunting industry, Glory Game – The Joost van der Westhuizen Story, which chronicles the famous rugby player's battle with Motor Neuron Disease, and The Shore Break, which documents the attempts by a foreign mining company to mine titanium in the Eastern Cape.
There are also a variety of themes. Diff Beat celebrates musicals, Just One Earth presents titles on environmental sustainability, and a selection of surf films are shown during the Wavescape Surf Film Festival. – Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| SA ARTWORK A HIT IN THE US |
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| Santa Fe is known to host international art markets and this year, Art Santa Fe celebrated its 15th successful fair, offering an all-encompassing experience that included a high-class mix of excellent contemporary galleries from all over the globe, cutting edge art installations, and emerging artists and dealers. |
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South African crafts have been a hit at Art Santa Fe in New Mexico, in the United States, says the Department of Small Business Development.
Kenneth Robert Nkosi, one of the South African crafters, earned R75 000 by selling three of his artworks within the first 15 minutes of the market opening. “The art market here is huge and is indeed a life-changing experience,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi’s work is made of various collages using different fabrics to create a different form of art. This form of art intrigues most international buyers as they have never seen such a technique in a uniquely South African style. He makes portraits using pieces of material from Seshoeshoe to nylon.
Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe, who led the delegation to the art market, said that South African artwork continued to be popular.
“The buyers here have no time to complain about the price, for as long they like the product, they buy without hesitation. The artwork from South Africa is new and fresh to their eyes, it is just fascinating and that’s why they can’t stop talking about South Africa,” said the Deputy Minister.
Pauline Mazibuko, a collagist, said that South African products were loved abroad.
“What we do here in three days is far better than what we can achieve in more than a month back home, sometimes even more than half a year. It is just incredible, they love our products. Thanks to the South African Government for supporting us,” she said.
Mazibuko primarily uses magazines and other paper materials to tell South African stories. Small fine pieces of magazines and newspaper cuttings are used to create new forms of artwork depicting ordinary people in their daily lives. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| TABLE MOUNTAIN MAKES MOST BEAUTIFUL LIST |
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| At an elevation of 1 084m above sea level, it offers unparalleled views of the Mother City and can be summited either by cable car or via a variety of footpaths varying in degrees of difficulty. |
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Arguably South Africa's most recognisable attraction and also one of the New7Wonders of Nature, Table Mountain has another accolade to boast about after being named among the most beautiful mountains in the world by Telegraph Travel.
The United Kingdom-based travel site listed the Cape Town landmark among 17 other majestic peaks around the globe, saying that while it was an obvious choice it couldn't be ignored. – Source: www.news24.com |
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| TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM MAKES TRIPADVISOR TOP 25 |
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| The attraction has just under 2 000 reviews from visitors and a rating of 4 1/2, with most people highlighting its kid-friendliness. |
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The Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town has been named among the top attractions in the world, according to TripAdvisor.
Forming part of TripAdvisor's Traveler Choice Awards 2015, Two Oceans Aquarium was named among the Top 25 Aquariums in the World, taking the 16th position.
While this is a drop from the 10th position it held last year, it has managed to maintain its status as being the only aquarium in the southern hemisphere to feature.
"This has to be the best attraction for kids, especially when the weather is bad and you don't know what to do with them," reads one of the featured comments.
The Top 25 list is topped by Oceanario de Lisboa in Portugal, with Georgia Aquarium in the United States (US) in the second position and Monterey Bay also in the US coming in third. – Source: www.news24.com |
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| TWO SA CITIES LISTED AS THE WORLD'S MOST YOUTHFUL |
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| The index, running for the second year, tracks the perceptions of youth on 20 attributes – ranging from creativity, employment, safety and entrepreneurship, among others. |
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Johannesburg has been ranked as the most youthful city in Africa by the 2015 YouthfulCities Index, which considers factors like creativity, employment, safety and entrepreneurship. Jozi also places 34th on the overall global list of the most youthful cities in the world.
Durban, too, makes the most youthful list, placing 47th on The World's 55 Most Youthful Cities. It is also the third most youthful city in Africa, after Casablanca, which places 44th on the overall global list.
What makes Johannesburg in particular such a popular global destination for youth according to YouthfulCities, is cheap and easy public transport and commuting in the city, the accessibility of health services and clinics, as well as the diversity of young people in the city.
The World's Top 10 Most Youthful Cities are 1. New York, 2.
London, 3. Berlin, 4. San Francisco, 5. Paris, 6. Toronto, 7. Chicago, 8. Los Angeles, 9. Mexico City and 10. Amsterdam.
Each city was ranked by a score consisting of 1 630 points. 2015's winning city, New York, scored 1024.12, while Johannesburg scored 708.91 and Durban 635.32.
– Source:Traveller24 |
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| GLITZ AND GLAM AT THE 2015 MAMAS |
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| The awards ceremony was held at the Durban International Convention Centre and was hosted by US comedian Anthony Anderson. |
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It was all glitz and glam as Africa's top music stars were honoured at the 2015 MTV Africa Music Awards in Durban on Saturday, 18 July.
The annual music extravaganza gave the rest of the world a glimpse of Africa's finest talents, and artists from across the continent put on incredible performances.
Some of the winners included:
- Best Female: Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
- Best Male: Davido (Nigeria)
- Best Group: P-Square (Nigeria)
- Best Hip Hop: Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
- Best Collaboration: AKA, Burna Boy, Da LES & JR: "All Eyes On Me" (SA/Nigeria)
- Song of the Year: Mavins: "Dorobucci" (Nigeria).
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| SA JUNIORS SHINE IN COLUMBIA |
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| Bowing out with five medals – two gold, two silver and one bronze – it was one of the country’s best performances at the championships since its inception in 1999. |
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South African javelin thrower Paul Botha launched a personal best throw of 78.49m to win the country's second gold at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Colombia on Sunday, 19 July.
"I am very happy, I did better than yesterday and it was my goal to come and win with a personal best throw," Botha said.
A gutsy anchor run by Kyle Appel in the 4x400 m medley relay pushed South Africa’s medal tally to five in the final event of the day.
Appel produced an inspiring run less than two hours after he won the silver medal in the boys' 200 m in a new national record time.
The South African quartet of Appel, Taylon Bieldt, Renate van Tonder and Andre Marich opted for a boy-girl-girl-boy combination.
Earlier, Appel won the silver medal in a time of 20.57 seconds to break Gift Leotlela's South African youth record by 0.06.
"I am really happy and second place is good enough for me," Appel said after his 200-m run.
Nicola de Bruyn posted a new personal best time of 23.38 to win the bronze medal in the girls' 200 m final. – Source: www.news24.com |
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| ASA SELECTS STRONG TEAM FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS |
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| This is one of the strongest teams in recent years with 13 of the athletes boasting national records in their respective events. |
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Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced a 29-strong squad for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing next month.
It is the sprint department where the records have been tumbling at regular intervals.
Recently, women's 100-m exponent Carina Horn became the latest athlete to etch her name into the record books when she equalled Evette de Klerk’s national mark of 11.06 seconds.
South Africa will be taking a strong sprinting contingent to the world championships.
Wayde van Niekerk, who recently became the first African to break through the 44-second barrier in the 400 m, will be leading the charge.
The South African one-lap record holder's 43.96 posted in France earlier in July is the third-fastest in the 400 m this year.
He will be joined by Olympic finalist and men's 200 m record holder, Anaso Jobodwana, whose personal best time of 20.04 set in May is the eighth-fastest in the world so far in 2015.
Joint-national record holders in the 100 m, Henricho Bruintjies and Akani Simbine, will be running in the short sprint, while the former will take on the 100 200 m double.
There is still time for athletes to qualify as all valid performances up to 31 July will be considered for inclusion into the team. |
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| MTN-QHUBEKA'S CUMMINGS WINS TDF STAGE 14 |
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| Qhubeka became the first-ever African team to take part in the tour this year and Briton Cummings gave them a historic victory on the 178,5km 14th stage from Rodez to Mende – and that on the international day to honour Mandela. |
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| Stephen Cummings celebrated Nelson Mandela Day in style for his South African team MTN-Qhubeka by taking a historic first Tour de France stage victory on Saturday, 18 July. |
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