President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ, is attending the summit.

It is being held on Thursday, 17 August 2023, under the theme Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation of the SADC Region. It was preceded on Wednesday by the Troika Summit of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

“The Organ Troika Summit will discuss the political and security situation in the region with particular focus on the Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Mozambique (SADC Mission in Mozambique) and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“The Organ Troika Summit will also reflect on consolidation of democracy in SADC and deliberate on the socio-economic outlook for the community.

“Other activities of the summit include the announcement of the 2022 SADC Secondary School Essay Competition, the Media Awards and the presentation of the Medal of Honour to one of the SADC founders – the late and first President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency, Sir Seretse Khama,” The Presidency said on Tuesday, 15 August 2023.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor; the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise; and Minister in The Presidency responsible for State Security, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, is accompanying the President.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

An emotional and overwhelmed Joubert who hails from Tshwane said she was truly humbled and grateful to win the title and to be the first to wear the glittering new Mowana (“Tree of Life”) crown from Nungu Diamonds.

In her acceptance speech, Joubert, a firm favourite among the crowd watching the pageant, said she was incredibly honoured and humbled to be crowned Miss South Africa 2023.

“As I step into this new role, I am filled with a sense of responsibility to make a positive difference in the world around me. I believe that success is not just about personal accomplishments, but about the opportunities, we have to give back and uplift those around us. I will strive to be a source of inspiration and support for others, just as I have been supported on my journey now and before.

“This moment is the epitome of a full circle moment for me. A dream that started 11 years ago … I pledge to use this platform to advocate for the causes close to my heart and to be a source of inspiration for others. Entrepreneurship lies at the heart of innovation and economic growth. It is the driving force that propels nations forward, creating jobs, nurturing creativity and fostering a spirit of resilience,” Joubert said.

The new Miss South Africa received R1 million in cash in a prize and sponsorship package that includes the use of a serviced apartment at the lavish Brookfield at Royal in Kensington – developed by Tricolt – for the year of her reign.

She will also get to drive a Mercedes-Benz GLC as well as go on a trip to Paris sponsored by L’Oreal.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

It is South Africa’s third time hosting this important event as a country and South Africa is privileged to be the Chair of BRICS this year.

The theme is BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism. This theme reflects our vision of BRICS providing global leadership in addressing the needs and concerns of the majority of the world, namely beneficial economic growth, sustainable development and inclusion of the global South in multilateral systems.

This theme also reflects South Africa’s belief in the benefits a partnership with Africa can bring to BRICS, with our partners eager to explore opportunities to support, and benefit from, operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Since January 2023, we have held a large number of meetings across all three pillars of cooperation, namely:

• political and security
• economic and financial
• social and people-to-people cooperation.

Various ministerial meetings were held to precede BRICS across all provinces. The Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, hosted a Friends of BRICS National Security Advisors Meeting with her BRICS Security counterparts, in Sandton, on 24 July 2023.

The Friends of BRICS is a combination of countries, which have expressed an interest in joining BRICS, those who chair prominent institutions of the global South and those invited as per the Chair’s prerogative and henceforth invited as per the consensus reached between the host and fellow BRICS members. The Friends of BRICS countries which attended this meeting are Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Various other meetings took place headed by various ministers such as the BRICS Foreign Ministers, the BRICS Civil Forum, BRICS Ministers of Communication, the BRICS Youth Forum, the BRICS Urbanisation, BRICS Ministers of Health and BRICS Ministers of Science and Innovation.

Cabinet has encouraged BRICS meetings to be held in different towns and cities so that our guests have a wide range of experience of our beautiful country. It is also important that the tangible economic benefits of hosting our BRICS partners are experienced in a variety of communities.

All these activities build up to the XV BRICS Summit, which will provide an opportunity for BRICS leaders to reflect on all the elements of BRICS cooperation. The XV BRICS Summit will also provide an opportunity to amplify the voices of our friends in Africa and the global South with the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogues.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed South Africa’s readiness to host the XV BRICS Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg, and we are running a countdown to hype the upcoming activities of the summit. South Africa Chairs BRICS in a dynamic global environment where the eyes of the world are on South Africa.

Leading up to the summit, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the BRICS Business Council will be hosting a content-rich BRICS Business Programme from 19 to 23 August, which seeks to foster economic growth, promote collaboration, attract investment and showcase opportunities within South Africa, Africa and BRICS countries.

All the BRICS business councils are bringing large business delegations to South Africa. As an outcome of South Africa's Chairing of BRICS in 2013, the BRICS Business Council celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023 and we look forward to the celebrations as well as the outcomes of the review of the work of the council in its first 10 years.

The BRICS Summit programme

The first event on the BRICS Leaders' programme is the BRICS Business Forum Leaders Dialogue on the afternoon of Tuesday, 22 August. The leaders will get a report on the outcomes of the deliberations during the BRICS Business Forum and will deliver statements reflecting on BRICS economic relations.

Following the Business Forum, the leaders move to a quieter venue for the BRICS Leaders Retreat. This is a signature event of South Africa as BRICS Chair. Leaders meet in a comfortable setting in a private venue for an unscripted discussion of contemporary issues of importance. There is no set agenda and leaders can initiate a discussion on issues of choice such as BRICS membership expansion, reform of global governance, or use of local currencies.

On 23 August, the XV BRICS Summit continues with a closed plenary followed by an open plenary session.

The BRICS leaders will deliver national statements, which will be followed by reports by the President of the New Development Bank (NDB), the South African Chair of the BRICS Business Council (BBC) and the South African Chair of the BRICS Women's Business Alliance (WBA). The WBA will be the first in-person engagement with BRICS leaders as it was established in 2020 under the Chairship of Russia during the height of the pandemic. This alliance aims to empower and advance women entrepreneurs in BRICS to create a vibrant network in partnership with others that facilitates knowledge-sharing, skills development and business opportunities for women across diverse sectors and industries.

Their flagship meeting is the BRICS-Africa WBA Trade Conference to be held in Durban from 20 to 21 August, which brings together over 500 women-owned businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, from BRICS and Africa. The conference will include the first in-person joint meeting of BRICS WBA national chapters and develop recommendations to be presented to BRICS leaders at the summit.

Following the reports from the NDB, BBC and the BRICS WBA, the summit is expected to adopt the eGoli Declaration as the main outcome document of the 2023 BRICS Leaders’ Summit.

South Africa is also pleased to welcome the first meeting of ministers responsible for women affairs as an important step in mainstreaming women's issues across all areas of BRICS cooperation. This is also a concrete step forward in addressing the needs of vulnerable groups. As a partnership, BRICS operates on the principles of openness, solidarity, mutual respect and understanding as well as mutually beneficial cooperation that is seen to deliver tangible benefits.

The XV BRICS Summit is the venue and occasion for the voices of BRICS, Africa and the global South to converge and be heard. The summit is not the final event of South Africa as Chair of BRICS. We continue our programme of mutually beneficial cooperation until the end of 2023 with further meetings, including the Ministers for Disaster Management, Ministers of Tourism, possible Ministers of Transport Meeting, the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the Foreign Policy Dialogue, Young Diplomats and the first workshop on incident management later in the year. The BRICS Games will be held in October.

Government calls on South Africans to continue to extend the warmest of South African welcomes to the many official delegates, businesspeople, media and civil society who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the world for the summit.

The Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand will be a hive of activity when the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) and the South African BRICS Business Council (BBC) host the BRICS Trade Fair.

The fair will run from 19 to 23 August 2023, ahead of the highly anticipated XV BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit in Sandton.

The fair will be officially opened by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, together with his BRICS counterparts on 19 August.

The exhibition will serve as a platform for showcasing products and services from the BRICS countries, as well as business-to-business interaction aimed at increasing intra-BRICS trade and investment.

The fair and the BBC Programme will include a series of sectoral sessions that will include, among others:

• Energy Cooperation Forum
• Accelerating Infrastructure Development through Government Business/Private Partnerships
• Embracing the Digital Economy for Transformation and Advancement
• BRICS Dialogue on Airlift Strategy
• Importance of Skills for Emerging and Future Jobs
• DFI Funding Instruments
• BRICS Manufacturing Forum
• Oceans Economy High-Level Dialogue
• BRICS Dialogue on Airlift Strategy
• Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response Side Event
• Africa’s Economic Place in the BRICS Alliance, which will be hosted by the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency.

The fair will be a platform to showcase proudly South African products and services from companies and institutions from South Africa and the rest of Africa, as well as Brazil, Russia, India and China.

These companies and institutions are from sectors such as agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, automotives, pharmaceuticals, energy and energy infrastructure

South Africa, as Chair of BRICS, will host the XV BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August 2023, under the theme, BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism.

The summit will be preceded by the inward buying and investment missions from Brazil, Russia, India and China, which will take place in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal from 13 to 23 August 2023, and the BRICS Business Forum at the Sandton Convention Centre on 22 August 2023.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

She said joint ventures, investment partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives could bring a transformative impact.

“As a BRICS nation, we must continue to support and invest in the township economy. By doing so, we can rewrite the narrative of our township and create a brighter and more inclusive future for all.

“Let us seize this moment to foster innovation, promote entrepreneurship and build a thriving township economy that stands as a beacon of hope both in South Africa and across the globe in particular BRICS countries,” Minister Ramokgopa said.

The inaugural dialogue was hosted by the Township Economic Commission of South Africa with the support of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s BRICS Directorate.

The dialogue was convened exactly a week before the commencement of the much-anticipated XV BRICS Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Minister Ramokgopa emphasised the critical importance of implementing policies that promote and empower small enterprises to fully unlock the capabilities of the township economy.

She highlighted that currently, the Department of Small Business Development and the National Planning Commission were collaborating with The Presidency’s Red Tape Team to develop a targeted agenda for regulatory small, micro and medium enterprises reform in South Africa aimed at improving the business-enabling environment.

“We are excited that this time around, we are involving the township economy in this particular summit, all this that we are doing here are going to culminate in what will be discussed in the summit,” she said.

To ensure the sustained growth of the township economy, Minister Ramokgopa said a multi-pronged approach was essential. Firstly, she highlighted that education and skills development must be prioritised.

“Providing quality education and training equips township residents with the knowledge and skills necessary to build, expand and explore new economic sectors. By investing in a skilled workforce, we are in a better position to attract more investors to stimulate economic development,” the Minister said.

Secondly, she said partnerships between government, the private sector and civil society were critical.

She highlighted that through effective and targeted social compacts, government had the potential to remedy some of the challenges experienced by township entrepreneurs.

“Government policies should be tailored to encourage investment, while private-sector entities can offer mentorship, funding and market access. Thirdly, we must leverage on our country’s enabling legislation to capacitate, support and accelerate township economies,” she said.

Minister Ramokgopa emphasised that townships remained the gateway to the economic participation of millions of our people, adding that government must be deliberate about taking BRICS to townships and townships to BRICS.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

For South African residents, the volume of arrivals increased by 265 364 in June 2022 to 316 628 in June 2023 (19.3%). Departures increased by 330 327 in June 2022 to 384 972 in June 2023 (16.5%). Transits increased from 305 in June 2022 to 389 in June 2023 (27.5%).

For foreign travellers, arrivals increased from 581 375 in June 2022 to 851 647 in June 2023 (46.5%). Departures increased by 44.3% from 503 997 in June 2022 to 727 207 in June 2023 (44.3%). Transits increased from 24 624 in June 2022 to 30 730 in June 2023 (24.8%).

At a media briefing on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting on 8 August 2023, Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said Cabinet also welcomed Stats SA’s report of a drop in consumer inflation from 6.3% in May to 5.4% in June 2023, which is the largest decline since May 2020.

“This drop shows the resilience of our economy, which has been further buoyed by the South Africa Reserve Bank’s decision to leave the repo rate unchanged at 8.25%," she said.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

The two-day meeting was led by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, and China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao.

Issues discussed included investments on both ends, market access in the two countries, cooperation on new energy projects and cooperation in multilateral platforms.

The first day was a closed meeting between senior government officials from both South Africa and China.

On the second day, both ministers made remarks and held a signing ceremony of purchasing agreements.

The signing ceremony was preceded by business-to-business and matchmaking between Chinese buyers and South African exporters.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

Minister Didiza has welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration of the 13th Meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Ministers of Agriculture after the meeting.

The declaration outlines areas of collaboration, cooperation and agreement on various interventions among BRICS member countries on agriculture.

These include reducing the impact of climate change on agriculture and food production; ensuring access to food for the most vulnerable; agriculture trade and investment; enhancing agricultural technology cooperation and innovation; and strengthening exchange of agricultural information.

“On climate change, the BRICS ministers of agriculture called for the provision of means of implementation for developing countries to enable them to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on food security by enhancing the adaptive capacity and resilience of people, food and agriculture production systems.

“They further resolved to advocate for joined efforts among BRICS member countries to address climate-change impacts on agriculture. The ministers also support the adoption of agricultural best practices that align with internationally agreed goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” the DALRRD said on Monday, 14 August 2023.

The ministers noted that the challenges to achieve food security and nutrition were multisectoral and multidimensional. They emphasised the need for a collaborative approach among the BRICS countries in ensuring access to food for all.

In addition, they acknowledged the significance of food and nutrition security programmes, including food-safety nets to reduce hunger and malnutrition among women, youth, children, older people and persons with disabilities.

The declaration was signed last week at the conclusion of a four-day gathering of the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture in Mookgopong in Limpopo, South Africa.

Delegates from BRICS deliberated on various challenges under the theme, Strengthening Collaboration Towards Sustainable Agricultural Production and Increasing Productivity.

On agriculture and rural development, the ministers committed to accelerate existing national agriculture and rural development programmes and initiatives, with a focus on revitalising rural economies and attracting public and private investment, while fostering skills development.

“The ministers also support the reform of the global agricultural trade system through measures that support developing economies.

“Furthermore, the ministers encouraged policies enhancing open, free and fair agricultural trade, and encouraged the removal of unjustified trade restrictions,” the department said.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

The African Union (AU) heads of state established the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) under the Africa CDC, launched in 2021 and its Framework for Action in 2022.

The PAVM aims to steer a bold goal that will enable the African vaccine-manufacturing industry to develop, produce and sustainably increase supply which is currently sitting at less than 1%.

It is also looking to prop up the national regulatory authorities (NRAs) to ensure safe and quality vaccines.

The Africa CDC is working with four other NRAs to boost their capacities to achieve the ambitious goal of manufacturing 60% of vaccine needs on the continent by 2040.

“This donation is a proverbial breath of fresh air for SAHPRA and more importantly, the African continent. This stellar initiative will provide much-needed impetus for SAHPRA to take bold steps to capacitate the authority and the continent in paving the way for renewed vigour and innovation on the continent,” said Semete-Makokotlela.

Meanwhile, Kaseya said Africa CDC’s mission of safeguarding Africa’s health from disease threats such as pandemics would require viable and sustainable manufacturing of health products and technologies on the continent.

“To achieve this noble mission, NRAs are our key partners. Today’s ceremony marks an important step in our commitment to support African manufacturing to ensure safe and effective vaccines are produced on the continent,” he said.

The Africa CDC worked with the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) to set priorities such as regulatory process harmonisation, engaging with and strengthening NRAs directly, supporting and strengthening the Regional Centres of Regulatory Excellence platform to facilitate vaccine regulatory oversight, as manufacturing of health products expands in Africa.

Africa CDC is a continental autonomous public health agency of the AU.

It supports member states in their efforts to strengthen health systems and improve surveillance, emergency response, prevention and control of diseases.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

Patel also leads from the front, having held many leadership roles on the Student Representative Council.

This is not the first time Patel has been selected for important things either. Last year, she was chosen for the Jubilee Bursary from the Society of South African Geographers.

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

If that was not already enough of a tall order of goodness, Sethole also leads the Exclusively Inclusive Foundation, which is all about supporting parents who have dyslexia and ADHD.

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

Behind the scenes, Angel Studios, the production house, has launched a unique and heartwarming “Pay it Forward” initiative. This initiative is not only about getting people to cinemas to experience the film but also about igniting a global awareness movement. South Africa has now joined the fold, benefitting from a portion of the donations generated in America. Caviezel, with heartfelt intent, emphasises the call to action in the film’s trailer and closing moments, aiming to amplify the voices of trafficked children and share their stories.

Caviezel shares, “Our goal is to inspire two million people to attend the film’s opening weekend to represent the two million trafficked children around the world.”

Angel Studios has established a pay-it-forward programme, enabling those who might not otherwise have the chance to see the film to claim their tickets. The response has been incredible, surpassing the initial goal to an astounding fourteen and a half million tickets and counting.

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

Davis also posted pictures of her birthday cakes, which she received at The One & Only resort in Cape Town. Davis' birthday was on 11 August.

In 2021, production for The Woman King (2022) started in South Africa, a film that Davis also produced. She also worked alongside South-African actors Thuso Mbedu and Masali Baduza during the film’s production.

The film helped create more interest in South Africa as a place for film-location shooting. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and Netflix's One Piece have also helped create interest, according to Variety.

Speaking on her physical transformation for The Woman King and her time in South Africa, Davis said to Entertainment Tonight:

"Well, I felt it was worth it when I got on to the soil In South Africa in that red dirt …Then, when you see your dream and you see all your hard work come to fruition, and then to present it to the world."

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

Although the only South African that features, she joins Nutty O and Winky D, Rema and Skip Marley, Tiwa Savage, by Afro B, Teni and Oxlade, Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Ayra Starr and Patoranking on the album.

Other artists who have covered the Marley's Redemption Song include Stevie Wonder, Joe Strummer of The Clash, Bono of U2, John Legend and Wyclef Jean.

Redemption Song is the final track on his 12th album, Uprising, released in 1980.

"The song was written during a time when Marley was grappling with his morality due to a cancer diagnosis. The heartfelt solo acoustic recording features Marley's vocals and acoustic guitar, delivering powerful penmanship derived from a speech by the Pan-Africanist orator Marcus Garvey titled The Work That Has Been Done," a press statement read.

Faku's record label, Vth Season's Raphael Benza sang her praises for her rendition of the song.

"Every now and then, a song drops that encapsulates the signs of the time. Redemption Song by Bob Marley can't be more timely than now," he said.

"Ami Faku was selected by the Marley family and shines on this timeless song. It's almost spiritual and pre-ordained that Ami Faku's voice lies beside Bob Marley's iconic voice."

– Source: www.news24.com

She added:

"This is the first season a black and African has graced this legendary stage. The reception since the show aired a few hours ago has been overwhelming. This is a historic moment: for me, for China, for South Africa, for the world. And it's one I'm so honoured to be a part of."

Sing! China takes the format of The Voice, where judges do not initially see the singer's faces when they sing. Modiba thanked all the people who supported her:

"Thank you to my team here in China of over 20 people who work so hard to make sure I succeed. Thank you for helping me iron out my Mandarin chops and giving me so much courage! ... Thank you to my team in SA for holding me down and supporting me."

Modiba learned Mandarin at a Chinese school in Pretoria and studied the language in China on a scholarship, according to IOL.

The singer released her breakout single last year, titled It Was a Vibe, which was co-written and produced by JR Bogopa.

‒ Source: www.news24.com

RCFA SA is the association for boxing, judo, wrestling and karate. They have several clubs throughout South Africa, which is where the young kickboxers have all come from to compete at the WKO World Championships.

The most exciting of all is that each of the kickboxers have earned a spot at the Unified World Championships, which will take place in October 2023.

“We took gold in 14 categories, and silver and bronze in various other kickboxing categories.

Our small team of 25 fighters, ended fifth on the world list out of 52 nations that took part. All these fighters were invited to the Unified World Championships in Italy, in end October 2023.” – Sensei Annelie Du Preez

Listed below are all the incredible winners and world title holders.

Driaan Bosman – two gold, four silver
Camielle Goldstone – two gold, three silver, one bronze
Chloe Assad – three gold, one silver
Brett Heslop – one gold, two silver, one bronze
Isak Beytell – two gold
Karin Coetzee – one gold, one silver, one bronze
PJ Meissenheimer – one gold, three bronze
Anje du Plessis – one gold, one silver
Hardus du Plessis – one gold
Keagan Smith – one silver, four bronze
Christo Ankersmith – two silver, one bronze
Duvan Vermaak – one silver, one bronze
Enrico Reitz – one silver, one bronze
Salacia du Preez – one silver, one bronze
Kalee Gouws – one silver
Lodewyk Steenkamp – one silver
Chandre Venter – one silver
Suzaan Burger – one bronze
Yannica du Preez – one bronze
Annika v/d Merwe – fourth place.

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

Shortly thereafter, 16-year-old Jessica Thompson’s butterfly finesse added another gold to the tally and after that, it was all systems go for podium placements.

In total, Team SA won seven gold medals, six silver and seven bronze.

All the athletes outdid themselves, but a special shout-out must go to Alicia Khunou, who was the first to earn double gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games for her shot-put superpowers and breaking a Youth Games record.

Meanwhile in medals of the heart, Charne Swart won the Fair Play Award for an act of kindness she showed to a competitor at the FISU World University Games.

‒ Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

The showpiece event starts in Budapest on 19 August.

The 31-year-old, who's fought a near five-year battle to recover from a knee ligament sustained back in 2017 in an infamous celebrity touch rugby game, boasts two impressive Diamond League victories from last month.

He scorched to an excellent victory in the men's 400m in Silesia, clocking a fine time of 44.08sec, before following that up with a triumph in London, where he was slower at 44.36sec.

A near month's recuperation back in his United States base should do him well.

Meanwhile, Akani Simbine will lead the local charge in the men's 100m.

The 29-year-old notably galloped to a win in Silesia, crossing the finish line in 9.97sec and has the added incentive of finally breaking his medal drought at the World Champs.

Joining them on the track and field is veteran hurdler Antonio Alkana, former World Championships finalist with the discus Victor Hogan and previous Diamond League meeting winners Zakithi Nene (400m) and Luxolo Adams (200m).

Simbine will captain the 4x100m relay team too.

In all fairness, the women's group isn't saddled with particularly high expectations owing to a lack of experience, but the hurdler duo of Zeney van der Walt and Marione Fourie should be competitive.

The latter raised eyebrows last month when she broke the national 110m hurdles record with a time of 12.55sec.

"Our team is out and it's time to go and showcase what they have fought so much for," said James Moloi, Atheltics South Africa's president.

"These are the warriors we are sending to battle and to hold the flag high. We believe in them and we encourage them to do the same. As they go along with the battle, they must also enjoy themselves in the process, but this is no holiday."

‒ Source: www.news24.com

"These matches are in support of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos as he continues his preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations in the beginning of next year, and the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November this year," Monyepao said in a statement.

The South African senior national team has been drawn in Group C for the World Cup qualifiers, which begin in November this year and conclude in 2025, alongside Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Benin, Rwanda and Lesotho.

Bafana were last crowned African champions in 1996 under late coach Clive Barker and were runners-up in 1998 with coach Jomo Sono.

As far as the World Cup is concerned, with the exception of qualifying as hosts in 2010, Bafana last competed in a World Cup in 2002. They narrowly missed out on qualification for the global showpiece in Qatar in 2022.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

‒ Source: www.news24.com

The event was graced by several South African artists, along with Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Zizi Kodwa.

The Boks will start their stay in the United Kingdom (UK) with warm-up games against Wales (19 August) and New Zealand (25 August), before staying in Corsica for a week before their opening World Cup game against Scotland in Marseille on 10 September.

Amid much fanfare, the Springboks departed for their World Cup defence on Saturday after a rousing and entertaining send-off at the OR Tambo International Airport.

The event, hosted a on mild Saturday afternoon in front of green-clad fans, was graced by artists like PJ Powers (who delightfully belted out a rendition of the 1995 Rugby World Cup theme song, World in Union), Loyiso, Lloyd Cele and Robbie Wessels, with UFC fighter Dricus du Plessis also making an appearance.

Springbok coach, Jacques Nienaber, said it was a privilege for them to be the defending Rugby World Cup champions, even though they'd be pressured by the expectation to return with the title.

"The main difference between the 2019 RWC and this one, is that there is a little more expectation on us now," Nienaber said.

"As a team, we've built more squad depth over the last few years, but the expectations are not a burden, it's a privilege.

"In the last few weeks, we've attended a few functions and we’ve heard all the messages from our partners, dignitaries and the public, so we realise how much support we have. We understand the expectations and we embrace it."

Other artists who were at the well-attended event included Mgarimbe of Sister Bettina fame, Early B, Mariechan, Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels, and Bernice West.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said they had the right blend of youth and experience for their title defence.

"That said, we know what to expect this time and we have a lot more experience as a group," Kolisi added.

‒ Source: www.news24.com