Following a breathtaking, record-breaking weekend at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana earlier in May 2026, University of Johannesburg (UJ) track sensation Lythe Pillay has been officially nominated for the prestigious World Athletics Athlete of the Month award for May.

• Vote for Lythe Pillay here.

Voting closes on Sunday, 7 June 2026.

Pillay, the sole South African nominee on the elite nine-athlete shortlist, catapulted himself into the global spotlight after anchoring the South African men’s 4x400m relay team to a historic silver medal.

Together with Zakithi Nene, Leendert Koekemoer, and Mthi Mthimkhulu, Pillay clocked a blistering 2:55.07. This speed shattered the South African National Record and stands as the fifth-fastest time globally.

While the United States’ legendary 1993 world record narrowly remained intact, Pillay carved out his own slice of history. The UJ star dropped jaws by clocking a mind-boggling 42.66 seconds on his lap—unofficially recognised as the fastest 4x400m split in athletic history.

The men’s 4x400m final on 3 May in Botswana was not just a race; it was an unprecedented onslaught on the athletics record books. Delivering three of the fastest times ever witnessed in the discipline, the podium finishers pushed each other to the absolute limit:

• Gold: Botswana captured the crown on home soil with the third-fastest time in history.

• Silver: South Africa’s stellar quartet.

• Bronze: Australia pushed right to the line, securing the sixth-fastest time in history.

Elite International Competition

Securing the May accolade will be no easy feat. Pillay faces a formidable field of global icons, champions, and record-breakers, including:

• The Botswana Men’s 4x400m Team: Nominated collectively for their historic gold-medal triumph.

• The Australian Relay Squad: Recognised for an incredible clean sweep, qualifying all of their relay teams for the upcoming World Championships.

• Simon Ehammer (Switzerland): Nominated after soaring to a world decathlon long jump best of 8.51m.

• Alegna González (Mexico): Celebrated for a dominant streak of three distinct victories on the World Race Walking Tour.

• Team Jamaica: The mixed 4x100m squad, who shattered two world records during the World Relay Championships.

Joining the giants of 2026

The winner of the May award will join an illustrious list of athletes who have defined the sporting year so far. The 2026 monthly winners include:

• January – Sam Ruthe (NZ): Set a blistering new U18 mile world record of 3:48.88.

• February – Keely Hodgkinson (GBR): Smashed the 800m short track record in 1:54.87.

• March – Simon Ehammer (SUI): Set a stunning world record of 6,670 points in the Heptathlon.

• April – Sebastian Sawe (KEN): Shattered the mythical two-hour barrier at the London Marathon.

Follow UJ Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram for daily updates.

Public voting and expert panels will decide if Pillay’s historic 42.66-second lightning bolt is enough to secure him the ultimate May crown. For the UJ community and South African athletics fans, he is already a champion.

©Higher Education Media Services.

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The Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) continues to strengthen its position as a key platform for international cooperation in higher education, as member associations advance collective efforts to address shared global challenges and shape the future of universities.

This year, the global platform will turn its focus to Africa, with the Association of African Universities (AAU) set to host the next edition of GUAF in Accra, Ghana, in November 2026, under the theme: “Knowledge Without Borders: Collaboration in a Fragmented World.”

The theme reflects the urgency for stronger transnational collaboration in a world shaped by rapid technological advancement alongside growing geopolitical, economic, and social fragmentation. The Accra meeting serves as a critical moment for rethinking how universities work across borders to address shared challenges.

Established in 2021, GUAF brings together leading university associations from across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Arab region to foster dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and promote joint action on global issues. Through this platform, universities are increasingly recognised not only as centres of learning but as key actors in shaping resilient and inclusive societies.

The decision for AAU to host the 2026 forum follows the fourth GUAF meeting held in New Delhi in November 2025, where member associations reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration in an era defined by digital transformation, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and evolving expectations of higher education.

At the meeting, the hosting responsibility for the 2026 edition was formally handed over to the AAU, signalling Africa’s leadership in advancing the forum’s next phase.

As host, AAU will play a central role in shaping the focus and outcomes of the 2026 forum, while bringing African perspectives more prominently into global higher education discourse.

The fifth GUAF is expected to bring together global higher education leaders and key stakeholders to explore priorities shaping the future of the sector. These include strengthening equitable knowledge partnerships, expanding digital connectivity and open science, promoting academic mobility and talent circulation, and enhancing quality assurance and mutual recognition across borders.

The forum will also provide space to advance discussions on academic and knowledge diplomacy, as well as the evolving role of universities in fostering global cooperation and shared progress. As GUAF continues to grow, it is increasingly positioned as a vital mechanism for aligning global higher education efforts and amplifying the collective voice of university associations.

For AAU, hosting GUAF 2026 represents a strategic opportunity to deepen partnerships, showcase Africa’s higher education landscape, and contribute meaningfully to shaping a more inclusive and balanced global knowledge ecosystem.

The Accra meeting is expected to strengthen collaboration, advance shared priorities, and reinforce the role of universities as central actors in shaping a more connected and resilient global knowledge ecosystem.

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The Association of African Universities (AAU) has stepped into a new phase of international cooperation after participating in the 1st Brazil–Africa Rectors’ Forum in Brasília on Monday, 25 May 2026 — an event that also saw Brazil announce a $9.43 million USD (R$47.4 million) postgraduate scholarship programme for African students.

Represented by AAU Secretary-General Prof Olusola Oyewole and Mr Ransford Bekoe, the AAU joined more than 64 African rectors from over 30 countries and 70 Brazilian university leaders to strengthen partnerships in higher education, research and innovation.

Hosted by Brazil’s Ministry of Education, the forum focused on expanding collaboration in agriculture, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, mining, aerospace, and the human sciences — areas identified as critical to shared development.

Prof Oyewole delivered opening remarks emphasising the urgency of deepening Africa–Brazil cooperation in research, innovation and technological advancement. The AAU delegation also engaged with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who underscored Africa’s central role in global development.

In a major announcement, President Lula unveiled the Capes Move Africa programme, which will fund 2,600 scholarships for African master’s and doctoral students to study in Brazil for up to ten months. The initiative, developed by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), aims to boost academic mobility and joint research output.

“Strengthening undergraduate and graduate exchange programmes is essential to consolidating higher education as a pillar of the strategic partnership between Brazil and Africa,” President Lula said.

Brazil’s Minister of Education, Leonardo Barchini, described the forum as the beginning of “a new phase of cooperation, friendship and opportunity” between the two regions.

“Opening Brazil’s doors to African students deepens our historical ties, expands research networks, and strengthens scientific and productive cooperation,” he said.

Prof Oyewole welcomed the renewed momentum, noting Brazil’s longstanding support for African student training and joint research initiatives.

The AAU’s participation signals its continued commitment to expanding global opportunities for African universities and positioning the continent as a key partner in international higher education and innovation.

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The League of African Ambassadors has officially announced that its President, Ambassador Nwannebuike Eze Ominyi, will lead a high-powered delegation of top African diplomats to the prestigious MOSAIC FORUM 2026.

The forum is scheduled to take place in Cairo, Egypt, from 3rd June to 5th June 2026. The delegation’s participation shows the League’s ongoing commitment to fostering intra-African cooperation, strengthening regional partnerships, and advancing the continent’s strategic economic and geopolitical interests on global platforms.

Accompanying the President to this prestigious forum is a distinguished delegation of prominent continental figures and seasoned diplomats. The official delegation includes Ambassador Mona Omar of Egypt, Ambassador Kufa Edward Chinoza of Zimbabwe, Ambassador General Tukur Buratai (Rtd) of Nigeria, Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntr-akwa of Ghana, Ambassador Carmen Jolene Smidt of South Africa, Ambassador John James Usanga of Nigeria, Ambassador Sylvester Mundanda of Zambia, Ambassador Jaqueline Zwambila of Zimbabwe, Ambassador Kasongo Musenga of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ambassador Ali Magashi of Nigeria, who is already in Cairo alongside Mr Mayor Iduma, representing the media.

Throughout the three-day forum, this high-level team is set to engage in a series of critical, impact-driven activities on the sidelines to deepen bilateral and multilateral ties with global and continental bodies.

Leading diplomats from the delegation will feature as key panellists, contributing Africa-centric perspectives to discussions on contemporary public affairs facing Africa, regional integration, economic resilience, and sustainable development.

Furthermore, the League is set to institutionalise strategic partnerships by signing landmark Memoranda of Understanding to boost collaboration and diplomatic synergy across the continent.

In addition to the main forum events, the itinerary features critical diplomatic engagements. The President and the accompanying delegates will hold a closed-door bilateral meeting with the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt to discuss shared regional priorities and diplomatic cooperation on contemporary public affairs facing Africa.

The delegation will also meet with the Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors accredited to Egypt, strengthening solidarity and alignment on the continent’s common positions within the diplomatic corps.

A robust schedule of sideline meetings has also been finalised with international investors, policy experts, and development partners to explore avenues for mutual growth.

The Mosaic Forum 2026 aims to foster a renewed commitment among African and Middle Eastern leaders, practitioners, and partners to navigate contemporary public affairs challenges by shifting from reactive management to proactive agency.

The goal is shaping Africa’s destiny through deeper policy dialogue, smarter strategic communications, and tangible collaborations that deliver prosperity and dignity for all peoples.

The League of African Ambassadors remains a premier diplomatic body dedicated to promoting unity, fostering robust socio-economic collaborations, and advocating for effective policy frameworks that support the sustainable advancement of the African continent and its global diaspora.

©Higher Education Media Services.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Directorate, in collaboration with RLabs, recently hosted a vibrant and impactful Africa Month Celebration.

This event brought together students, staff, community members, creatives, and innovators for a shared celebration of African identity, collaboration, and possibility.

It was a gathering rooted in diversity, unity, and belonging. The celebration served as a platform for cultural expression, dialogue, and social innovation, reflecting the collective spirit and dynamism of the African continent.

Brightness Mangolothi, Director: Centre for Diversity, Inclusion Social Cohesion at CPUT, said the event last Wednesday was a continuation of the Africa Month celebrations.

“We had the privilege of having the co-founder and Director of RLabs South Africa, Rene Parker, as the keynote speaker and Prof Marshall Sheldon (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships) doing the opening address.

“As I listened to both of them, I marvelled and wondered about the role of women in changing the African narrative. They are among the many who are shifting the needle, yet we rarely hear such good stories,” reflected Mangolothi afterwards.

She thanked Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Director (SIIP) Director Dr Divinia Jithoo Pillay for introducing her to this community and for the opportunity to co-facilitate the celebration.

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The R300m Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex, an integrated training, exercise, clinical practice, and research complex, was launched at Wits University on 30 May 2026.

The Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex will open to athletes, patients, and the public in September.

Located on the Wits Education Campus in Parktown, next to the Linder Auditorium, this Wits Centenary project is a flagship institute for training, exercise, teaching, research, and services in sports science and exercise medicine, in the heart of Johannesburg.

Professor Zeblon Vilakazi FRS, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, says: “Today we celebrate one of the largest family gifts to Wits University, which ignites a new era for our University’s sports culture. Thank you to the Zylstra family and the Skye Foundation for their generous and sustained support of their alma mater. This namesake – the Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex – is a fitting way to honour two remarkable Wits alumni.”

A world-class and inclusive facility

The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex envisages becoming a world-class and inclusive South African facility for the promotion of physical activity, excellence in sport, and training in disciplines related to sports science and exercise medicine.

Professor Georgia Torres, Chief Operating Officer of the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex and Head of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at Wits, says: “The beauty of this building is that it’s all under one roof. There is a proximity of place that allows for the formation of an interdisciplinary clinical team, which enables the process to impact human performance and health.”

What’s available?

The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex combines significant refurbishment of the existing building (formerly the Impilo Building) with architectural innovation to create a state-of-the-art facility.

The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex now houses enhanced and sophisticated sports and exercise grounds, facilities, and equipment, as well as consulting rooms, research laboratories, and operational headquarters. Key offerings of the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex are listed below.

The Go To-Centre of Excellence for cardio-metabolic exercise rehabilitation, focusing on chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.

Sports and exercise medicine and movement laboratories for sport performance, and biomechanical and clinical exercise testing and programming.

High Performance Sport gym and training facility for Wits’ national and international high-performance teams, and serving as a hub and host for inter-school, inter-university, and national sporting events and tournaments.

Physician, physiotherapist, biokineticist, exercise clinical physiologist, sport scientist, sport psychologist, dietician, and health coach consulting rooms.

Disability sport and therapeutics, which were assessed and developed in collaboration with Wits University’s Disability Rights unit.

Interdisciplinary AI-data integration powered by partner Technogym, which enables interdisciplinary programming and monitoring of athletes and patients.

Comprising a global network of academically excellent interest groups, Wits Sport and Health (WiSH) will drive research initiatives in the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex, which also houses the Wits Cricket Research Hub and Women’s Health Research Group.

WiSH Director Jon Patricios is Professor of Sport and Exercise Medicine at Wits and the originator of the concept of this integrated sports space. Patricios says:

“This one-of-a-kind Wits Zylstra Sports Complex ushers in an exciting future for Wits Sport and Health, servicing our greater Wits and Johannesburg community – and ultimately nationally and internationally – through dynamic teaching, research, high-performance training, and evidence-based clinical practice. The multidisciplinary concept and ambitious vision of WiSH aligned with the donors’ desire to create a world-class facility at Wits. The stars have aligned!”

Academic postgraduate degrees, including Master’s and PhDs in Biokinetics, Sports Science, Sports Medicine, Sports Physiotherapy, and (in 2028), the Sport and Exercise Medicine specialisation and Clinical Exercise Physiology.

Significant investment into sports scholarships and bursaries for Wits University student-athletes via Wits Sport, particularly in high-performance sports at Wits, which include rugby, soccer, basketball, netball, cricket, hockey, and rowing.

Director of Sport at Wits, Mandla Gagayi, says: “The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex is a game-changer for Wits Sport because it allows us to adapt to the new demands and challenges of sport that have come with new sciences and technologies.”

New Aquatics Centre, including a 50m, covered, heated training pool; hot and cold pools; steam and sauna rooms; and SA’s only flume pool. Also available are a resident swim coach and lifesaving coach, as well as a synchronised swimming school and a Paralympic swim school. Unique hydrotherapy is available for intensive training or rehabilitation.

Radiology and X-ray facilities, including a DEXA machine (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry), which is a specialised medical scanner to measure bone density and body composition. DEXA is the gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk.

World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) facility.

Professor Shabir Madhi, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits, says: “The generous donation from the Zylstra family and the Skye Foundation – which has enabled the establishment of this state-of-the-art sports complex – builds on Wits’ strong legacy of leading in the field of sports science and exercise medicine. The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex will also strengthen training of future professionals, on and in these fields, and serve as a training resource for use by national and international teams.”

Access and costs

Monthly membership packages provide access to all equipment, facilities, and services at the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex.

These packages are being tailored for Wits staff, students, and alumni; secondary schools; and national teams.

Discussions are underway with medical aid providers to enable them to refer their members to the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex, particularly those in need of physical exercise rehabilitation.

Technogym’s ACTIVATE is the operational and commercial arm of the Wits Zylstra Sports Complex. The gyms will operate on a unique model of AI-driven member journeys and integrated equipment that enables individualised programming, taking the guesswork out of gym training.

Brian and Dorothy Zylstra and The Skye Foundation

The Wits Zylstra Sports Complex is the legacy of Wits alumni Brian and Dorothy Zylstra. The VIP sneak-preview tribute launch marks the culmination and final tranche of significant and generous financial disbursements by the Zylstra family’s Skye Foundation.

Philip Zylstra, Chair of the Skye Foundation, Wits alumnus, and eldest son of Brian and Dorothy, says:

“We feel that the Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex will be a landmark building and a resource not only for Wits, but for the schools and sporting organisations from South Africa and abroad that will use it. It will be a fitting testament to my parents, Brian and Dorothy, and a sign of gratitude for the role the University played in many of our lives.”

© Higher Education Media Services.

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms industries and drives global innovation, a University of Cape Town (UCT) researcher, Grant Oosterwyk, warns that the growing demand for AI-driven data centres is creating significant environmental, social and political challenges that often go unnoticed amid the promise of technological progress.

Oosterwyk is a senior lecturer and PhD candidate in Information Systems at UCT, where his research focuses on the societal and organisational impacts of emerging technologies. He recently co-authored a paper with international collaborators examining how the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is generating significant sociotechnical tensions that extend far beyond technological innovation.

Drawing on six expert interviews and an extensive media-based analysis, the research identified five major tensions linked to the growth of AI data centres: the energy paradox, water strain, hyperscaler dominance, sovereignty erosion and urban displacement. While AI technologies continue to drive efficiency, automation and innovation, Oosterwyk argues that the infrastructure supporting these advances comes with substantial trade-offs that policymakers, governments and industry leaders can no longer ignore.

“AI is often framed through a techno-optimistic lens that focuses primarily on innovation and economic growth,” he said. “Our findings show that the rapid growth of AI data centres also creates significant environmental, social and political tensions that require much more critical and integrated attention.”

Energy and water pressures intensify

One of the central findings of the study is what Oosterwyk and his colleagues describe as the “energy paradox”. AI systems require enormous computational power, driving rising electricity consumption in data centres at a time when many countries are already struggling with energy insecurity and climate-related pressures.

The study also points to increasing water strain caused by AI infrastructure. Data centres rely heavily on water-cooling systems to prevent servers from overheating, placing additional pressure on already strained water resources in many regions. According to Oosterwyk, these environmental pressures raise important questions about the sustainability of large-scale AI deployment.

“The expansion of AI infrastructure is not occurring in isolation. It intersects directly with broader concerns around energy access, climate resilience and environmental sustainability,” he said.

Concerns over corporate concentration and sovereignty

The study further highlights growing concerns over the dominance of major global technology firms, often referred to as “hyperscalers”, in shaping the future of AI infrastructure. “The concentration of AI infrastructure within a small number of multinational corporations risks reinforcing global inequalities and limiting the ability of smaller nations and local governments to exercise control over their own digital futures,” noted Oosterwyk.

The concept of “sovereignty erosion” emerged as another major tension identified in the research. Oosterwyk said the dependence on foreign-owned AI infrastructure may weaken national autonomy over data governance, digital regulation and technological development.

“Our findings suggest that AI infrastructure is increasingly becoming a geopolitical issue. Countries are grappling not only with technological adoption, but also with questions of ownership, control and long-term digital sovereignty,” he said.

Urban displacement and unequal impacts

The research also identified urban displacement as a growing concern associated with large-scale data centre development. Expanding infrastructure projects can reshape urban spaces, alter land-use patterns and place pressure on surrounding communities. Oosterwyk said the impacts of AI infrastructure are unevenly distributed, with certain communities bearing greater environmental and social costs while receiving limited direct benefits from technological advances. “These tensions demonstrate the need for a more inclusive and socially responsive approach to AI governance and infrastructure planning,” he said.

Call for integrative policy frameworks

According to Oosterwyk, addressing the challenges associated with AI-driven data centre demand will require a more balanced, interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond purely technological or market-driven perspectives. “We call for integrative frameworks that can simultaneously support innovation while prioritising sustainability, equity and societal well-being,” he said.

He added: “Balancing AI’s transformative potential with environmental sustainability and social responsibility will be one of the defining policy challenges of the coming years. Governments, industry leaders and researchers will need to work together to ensure that AI infrastructure development is both resilient and equitable.” The findings, said Oosterwyk, provide an important foundation for future policy discussions around AI governance, infrastructure planning and sustainability strategies globally.

“Our study contributes to growing international debates about the hidden resource demands associated with AI systems, particularly as governments and corporations continue investing heavily in AI technologies and digital infrastructure.”

© Higher Education Media Services.

The University of Fort Hare has formally charged its vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, with gross misconduct, insubordination and bringing the institution into disrepute, setting the stage for a high-stakes disciplinary hearing at one of the country’s most politically fraught universities.

According to the notice and charge sheet sent to him on 15 May, Buhlungu is accused of unlawfully appointing two Executive Directors, without the mandatory consultation with the Senate and the Institutional Forum and without securing approval from the Council.

The University alleges that the appointments breached Section 19.1 of its Statute and constituted a usurpation of Council authority.

Buhlungu was placed on precautionary suspension on 30 March.

According to the notice, the charges stem from an investigation conducted by Morar Incorporated Auditors, which the University commissioned to review the appointment process. The auditors reportedly found procedural irregularities that now form the backbone of the case against the vice-chancellor.

The Morar Incorporated forensic report, however, found no evidence of fraud, corruption or intentional misconduct. Instead, it identified procedural irregularities arising from outdated recruitment policies, misalignment between policy and university statutes, leadership instability in Human Resources, urgency to stabilise executive functions, and administrative oversight. While the appointments process was deemed rigorous and fair, the failure to obtain mandatory governance approval constituted a serious procedural lapse. The report recommended urgent policy alignment and strengthened governance controls to prevent recurrence.

Buhlungu is further accused of damaging the University’s reputation through public comments made during a media interview, which Council claims undermined its integrity.

He is also charged with failing to respond to a written request from the Council Chairperson seeking clarification on those remarks, despite being given a deadline.

The disciplinary notice outlines a full set of rights afforded to the vice-chancellor, including the right to representation, to challenge evidence, to cross-examine witnesses and to call his own witnesses. Should he be found guilty, he will be allowed to submit mitigating arguments before sanctions are considered.

The University has indicated that postponements will not be granted without compelling justification and that the hearing will proceed in his absence if he fails to attend.

Council has appointed Sandton law firm Ningiza Horner Attorneys to represent Fort Hare.

The date and venue of the hearing are expected to be confirmed shortly.

© Higher Education Media Services.

On behalf of the Gauteng Province of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), we are deeply honoured to pen this tribute in marking the retirement of Justice Zukisa L.L. Tshiqi, a jurist of exceptional distinction, unwavering integrity, and profound constitutional commitment.

Today, we join the judiciary, the legal profession, and the people of South Africa in paying tribute to a remarkable legal practitioner, a respected judge, and a lifelong servant of justice whose contribution to South African jurisprudence and the transformation of the legal profession will endure for generations.

Justice Tshiqi’s retirement marks the conclusion of a distinguished judicial career characterised by an unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, equality, dignity, and meaningful access to justice.

Before her elevation to the Bench in 2005, Justice Tshiqi dedicated her professional life to the advancement of labour rights, social justice, and the protection of vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Her work as a legal practitioner, mediator, arbitrator, lecturer, and litigation officer within the Black Lawyers Association reflected her lifelong commitment to empowering black legal practitioners, particularly women within the profession.

Justice Tshiqi belongs to a pioneering generation of black female legal practitioners who broke barriers during a period when the legal profession remained deeply exclusionary.

She co-founded and led successful legal practices, including Matolo-Dlepu Tshiqi Attorneys and Tshiqi-Zebediela Incorporated, demonstrating excellence in legal practice and leadership at a time when opportunities for black women attorneys were severely limited.

Her contribution to the development and advancement of the Legal Practice Act remains one of the enduring pillars of her legacy. Through her participation in legal reform initiatives and professional structures, she contributed meaningfully toward the transformation of the legal profession and the creation of a more inclusive regulatory framework for legal practitioners in South Africa.

Throughout her tenure in the High Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and ultimately the Constitutional Court, Justice Tshiqi delivered jurisprudence that significantly contributed to the development of South African constitutional democracy. Her judgments consistently reflected a deep appreciation for constitutional values and the lived realities of ordinary South Africans.

Among the many important judgments associated with her judicial career are matters concerning municipal governance, prescription of rights, immigration law, equality jurisprudence, parental rights, and workplace equality.

In eThekwini Municipality v Mounthaven (Pty) Ltd 2018 (1) SA 384 (SCA), Justice Tshiqi delivered an important judgment clarifying the legal distinction between real rights and personal rights in relation to reversionary clauses and prescription.

The judgment affirmed the principle that certain rights to reclaim property constitute personal rights subject to prescription under the Prescription Act. This decision had significant implications for municipal governance and property law across South Africa.

Similarly, in Rafoneke v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Others, the Constitutional Court was called upon to consider the constitutionality of provisions of the Legal Practice Act relating to the admission and enrolment of foreign nationals as legal practitioners.

The matter engaged complex constitutional questions concerning equality, citizenship, and access to the legal profession. Justice Tshiqi’s contribution to the Court’s jurisprudence in this regard reflects her enduring commitment to constitutional interpretation and judicial rigor.

In Van Wyk and Others v Minister of Employment and Labour and Others 2025 ZACC 20, the Constitutional Court advanced equality and dignity within the workplace through the recognition and expansion of parental rights.

The judgment reaffirmed the constitutional imperative of substantive equality and represented an important development in family and labour law jurisprudence.

These judgments, among many others, continue to shape South African law and strengthen constitutional protections for ordinary citizens.

The Gauteng BLA further recognises Justice Tshiqi’s steadfast advocacy for women within the legal profession and her dedication to mentoring younger practitioners. Her leadership, resilience, and commitment to ethical jurisprudence have inspired generations of black lawyers, particularly young women who continue to look to her as a symbol of excellence, courage, and perseverance within the profession.

Justice Tshiqi consistently used her platform to advocate for transformation within the legal profession, meaningful access to justice, and the preservation of judicial independence. She remained committed to ensuring that the legal profession reflects the constitutional values of equality, dignity, and inclusivity.

One of the qualities most admired about Justice Tshiqi is her humanity. Despite the many challenges faced by black women within the legal profession, she remained steadfast, principled, and compassionate. She carried herself with dignity, humility, and grace, while never compromising on the values of justice and the rule of law.

The Black Lawyers Association remains profoundly grateful for her continued support and guidance to younger practitioners. Her contributions to the Godfrey Pitje Memorial Lecture and other professional development initiatives have inspired many young lawyers to pursue excellence and remain committed to the transformation agenda envisioned by the founders of the BLA.

As Justice Tshiqi enters the next chapter of her life, we express our sincere hope that her retirement from active judicial service will not mark the end of her contribution to the legal profession.

South Africa continues to require principled voices, constitutional guardians, and mentors who can guide future generations in protecting the rule of law and strengthening our democracy.

At a time when constitutional democracies around the world continue to face unprecedented challenges, the legacy of principled jurists such as Justice Tshiqi becomes even more important. Her career serves as a reminder that the judiciary must remain independent, courageous, and committed to justice without fear or favour.

On behalf of the Gauteng Black Lawyers Association and the broader legal fraternity, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Justice Zukisa L.L. Tshiqi for her immense contribution to the judiciary, the legal profession, and the people of South Africa.

We wish her good health, fulfilment and continued success in the next chapter of her journey.

We salute you, Justice Tshiqi.

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TUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Tinyiko Maluleke’s book, Faces and Phases of Resilience: A Memoir of a Special Kind, has been longlisted in the non-fiction category of the Sunday Times Literary Awards 2026.

In captivating prose, Maluleke’s book chronicles his eventful childhood and boyhood in Soweto and the Limpopo villages of Valdezia, Basani and Nkowankowa. The book also covers his tertiary education years in Pietermaritzburg, as well as his time as a student in North America and as a visiting scholar in Europe and on the African continent.

Taking his cue from one of the doyens of African literature, Maluleke suggests that rather than confining ourselves to “the narrowest of navel-gazing biographies … it may be prudent to return to Es’kia Mphahlele and learn how to locate our tiny little stories within the jungle of humanity, and within the long durée of the tyranny of place and the tyranny of time”.

Accordingly, in Faces and Phases of Resilience, Maluleke’s own personal story is bathed in a sea of critical reflections about his peers, compatriots and unsung heroes – from his amazing grandmother to the equally magnificent grandmothers of the likes of Tshilidzi Marwala, Siya Kolisi, Vusi Mahlasela, and Mosa Moshabela, and other phenomenal women and great men.

The result is a book that can be characterised as a national memoir, brimming with fascinating human stories, inclusive of Maluleke’s own – stories that traverse the length and breadth of the country, from the Levubu River in Limpopo to the River Gqarrha in Eastern Cape.

Recalling the most enduring memory of his own mother, a memory rooted in the day of her funeral, which he attended as a three-year-old, Maluleke’s memoir does not shy away from tackling the South African story of bigotry, structural violence and premature death.

Faces and Phases of Resilience is one of 22 longlisted books in the non-fiction category of the Sunday Times Literary Awards 2026. Other great non-fiction books in the longlist include, among others, Antje Krog’s Blood’s Inner Rhyme: An Autobiographical Novel, Yunus Carrim’s Attacking the Heart of Apartheid: The ANC’s MK Special Operations Unit, and Tanya Zack’s The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City.

The shortlist will be announced in the next few months, with the awards announcement ceremony slated for the latter part of the year.

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Eswatini is a country standing at a crossroads — and increasingly, at the edge of a cliff. The latest World Bank data paints a stark picture: one in three citizens is unemployed and nearly half the population lives in poverty, surviving on less than $3 (about R50) a day.

Youth unemployment hovers near catastrophic levels and the economy, though showing flickers of growth, remains too small, too fragile and too undiversified to absorb the thousands of young people entering the labour market each year.

Against this bleak backdrop, under the absolute leadership of King Mswati III since 1986, eSwatini government officials have signed a $300 million (12 billion Emalangeni) financing agreement with Taiwan for the construction of the Phuzumoya Strategic Oil Reserve — a project pitched as a cornerstone of national energy security.

The deal, formalised in Taipei, commits eSwatini to a 36-month build of an 80 million litre fuel reserve, split evenly between petrol and diesel. It is the largest infrastructure financing agreement eSwatini has entered in years.

But the question that hangs over the announcement is unavoidable: Can a country battling deepening poverty and chronic unemployment afford such a project, and can it afford not to?

The project has become further mired in controversy amid allegations about the beneficiaries of the agreement. According to allegations circulating among activists and political insiders, the project could financially benefit members of the royal family and politically connected figures. The government denies the claims.

After a controversial visit to eSwatini by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te earlier this month, the Taiwanese agreed to increase the transfer of interests to the nation.

Ambassador Liang Hong-sheng was reportedly instructed to inform the royal family that once the storage facility was built, the income would belong to the king and royal family.

Members of the royal family, including the king and Natural Resources Minister Prince William Dlamini, will allegedly receive a pro rata share of the $300m investment.

Liang will also allegedly receive $2.5m, to be administered by a Taiwanese businessman in eSwatini, with other officials and “green interest” groups set to benefit.

The king’s spokesperson, Percy Simelane, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying a feasibility study was conducted before the Phuzumoya Oil Reserve project received the green light.

“It had to be built only in the best interest of the country and anyone who thinks it’s a ploy to put money in the king’s pocket should consider seeing their doctor immediately.

“We understand we are living in a day where people are proud of what they should be ashamed of but lying unnecessarily appears satanic from where we stand,” Simelane said.

“It reminds us of the wickedness around the claim that Iraq had amassed weapons of mass destruction at the turn of the century. Over 20 years later, the United Nations has found nothing,” he added.

Lucky Lukhele, the spokesperson for the Swaziland Solidarity Network, said it was aware of the deal and others benefiting the king, the royal family and his ministers.

“Poverty, healthcare, education and life in eSwatini is a battle for the poor, while the king and his people prosper,” he said.

A nation under strain

The World Bank’s latest indicators show a country in distress. Unemployment sits at 34.2%, one of the highest rates in Southern Africa. For young people, the picture is even more dire: more than half are locked out of the labour market, with little prospect of entry.

Poverty remains high. The most recent poverty headcount — although dated — shows 44.5% of the population living below the $3/day line and analysts warn that the figure has probably worsened after years of drought, rising food prices and sluggish economic performance.

GDP per capita stands at $3 909 and while the economy grew by 3% in 2024, it is nowhere near enough to shift the structural foundations of poverty.

Lukhele said most were surviving on a “dollar a day”. The country’s demographic profile adds pressure: a population of 1.24 million, growing at 1% annually, with a youth bulge that the economy cannot absorb. Net migration remains negative, with thousands leaving each year in search of work in South Africa.

The numbers are not abstract. They translate into households skipping meals, young graduates sitting idle and rural communities trapped in cycles of deprivation. They also translate into political risks, a reality the government is acutely aware of.

Poverty and unemployment have no nationality, Simelane pointed out. “Every country has its share of the two, irrespective of geographical location. First-world countries have their own poor and unemployed people.

“Europe alone has over 45 million unemployed people who should be working. There are beggars in New York, Paris and London. We, therefore, have no reason to think our own unemployed and poor people should be a poverty point of reference.

“Our experience is that the accusations of extreme poverty in eSwatini come from cheap politics. In this country, farming, fuel, staple food, bread and healthcare are all subsidised by the government. The elderly (over 60 years) do not pay medical bills in public hospitals.”

It was against this backdrop that eSwatini’s minister of natural resources and energy travelled to Taiwan to sign the financing agreement for the Phuzumoya Strategic Oil Reserve, originally struck in 2023 and agreed late last year.

The reserve will store 80 million litres of fuel, enough to cover roughly 60 days of national consumption. Government officials argue that the project is essential to shield the country from global supply shocks, price volatility and geopolitical disruptions — all of which have intensified since the Russia-Ukraine war and instability in the Middle East.

Taiwanese contractors have confirmed a 36-month construction timeline, with the project expected to create up to 800 jobs during the build phase. The financing structure, while not fully disclosed, is understood to involve concessional terms through Taiwan’s Export–Import Bank.

For eSwatini, the project is more than an engineering undertaking. It is a diplomatic signal — a reaffirmation of its long-standing alliance with Taiwan at a time when Beijing continues to aggressively court African states.

It is also a political signal: a demonstration that the government is pursuing “big solutions” to national vulnerabilities.

But critics argue that the timing is questionable and concerns around the beneficiaries dominate. With poverty deepening and unemployment entrenched, they ask whether the billions committed to the oil reserve could have been better spent on job-creating sectors, social protection or agricultural resilience.

A fragile economy betting on stability

Eswatini’s economic fragility is not new. The country remains heavily dependent on Southern African Customs Union revenues, which fluctuate with South Africa’s economic performance. Public debt, at 35.7% of GDP, is manageable but rising. Inflation is relatively low at 2.6% but food inflation bites hardest for the poor.

The government’s argument is that without energy security, no economic recovery is possible. Fuel shortages, which eSwatini has experienced before, can cripple transport, manufacturing, agriculture and essential services. A strategic reserve, they say, is not a luxury but a necessity.

Economists are divided. Some agree that the reserve is a long-term stabiliser that could prevent catastrophic disruptions. Others warn that infrastructure alone cannot fix structural unemployment or lift households out of poverty.

Communities waiting for relief

In rural areas, where poverty is most concentrated, the oil reserve announcement has landed with mixed reactions. Some welcome the promise of jobs during construction.

Others see it as another example of the government investing in concrete while communities struggle with food insecurity, limited access to electricity and inadequate sanitation.

The World Bank data shows that 61% of the population has access to safely managed sanitation and 86.4% to electricity — improvements but unevenly distributed.

Internet access has risen to 63% but digital inclusion has not translated into digital employment. For many households, the crisis is immediate: rising food prices, erratic rainfall and limited income opportunities. The oil reserve, they say, does not change their daily reality.

A government under pressure

The government faces a difficult balancing act. It must demonstrate fiscal discipline to international lenders, maintain diplomatic alliances and respond to domestic pressures for jobs and relief.

The oil reserve project allows it to claim progress on energy security — a tangible, measurable achievement.

But the deeper crisis, the one reflected in the World Bank’s stark numbers, requires more than infrastructure. It requires structural reforms, investment in labour-absorbing sectors and a social protection system capable of cushioning the most vulnerable.

But many, like Lukhele, insist the king and all his men have forgotten the poor, while enriching themselves.

Higher Education Media Services. – ednews.africa

This was published in the Mail & Guardian

The University of KwaZulu-Natal has appointed Professor Nompumelelo Zondi as the Mazisi Kunene Research Chair in the School of Arts - marking an important moment for the College of Humanities and for African-centered scholarship more broadly.

In 2026, the University marks 20 years since the passing of Professor Mazisi Kunene, South Africa’s Poet Laureate and one of the most influential scholars of isiZulu literature and African intellectual traditions. The Chair honours his legacy while advancing new research rooted in language, cultural memory, and community engagement.

For Professor Zondi, the appointment carries both institutional and personal meaning.

“Being appointed as the Mazisi Kunene Research Chair in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal is a profound honour and a tremendous responsibility,” she said. “Particularly as we mark 20 years since Mazisi Kunene’s passing.”

A long-standing UKZN alumna, Professor Zondi completed all her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Institution before building a distinguished academic career.

Professor Kunene’s contribution to African literature and language scholarship remains central to the Research Chair’s vision.

A poet, scholar, and intellectual whose work foregrounded African historical memory and oral traditions, Kunene helped shape global understanding of the depth and sophistication of African language scholarship. After years in exile during apartheid, he later returned to teach at the University of Natal, now UKZN, strengthening the Institution’s role in advancing African literary studies.

The Mazisi Kunene Research Chair builds on that legacy by supporting research in African languages, indigenous knowledge systems, literature, and interdisciplinary humanities scholarship. It also reflects an ongoing partnership between the College of Humanities and the Mazisi Kunene Foundation aimed at preserving his archive and expanding access to his work.

Professor Zondi said Kunene’s intellectual vision will remain a guiding influence.

“His intellectual and creative work was marked by a profound commitment to social justice, a celebration of African culture, and a fusion of traditional and modern artistic forms,” she said.

She identified storytelling, cultural identity, language innovation, and social engagement as key elements shaping her priorities in the role.

“I aim to draw inspiration from these aspects of his work to drive research and creative outputs that explore and amplify marginalised voices and stories.”

“By building on Mazisi Kunene’s legacy, I aim to drive impactful research, creative output, and community engagement that elevates the School of Arts and the College of Humanities.”

A central focus of Professor Zondi’s academic work has been the relationship between African languages, literature, and gender. She intends to extend this work through the Chair.

“I will be exploring new avenues of research that highlight the intersection between African languages, literature, and gender, with a focus on how these intersections shape our understanding of identity, culture, and power,” she said.

She also emphasised the importance of strengthening the place of indigenous languages within Higher Education.

She noted that UKZN’s decision to make isiZulu language study compulsory for undergraduate students reflects the University’s commitment to advancing indigenous knowledge systems and linguistic diversity in South Africa.

Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa, Head and Dean of the School of Arts at UKZN, welcomed the appointment of Zondi, saying that it was a defining step in advancing African languages and intellectual traditions within Higher Education.

“The establishment of the Mazisi Kunene Chair is both symbolic and strategic,” Hlongwa said. “It affirms our Institutional commitment to centering African intellectual traditions within the academy.”

She said the move strengthens the University’s role as a leader in the development of African scholarship while honouring the legacy of Mazisi Kunene, whose work remains foundational in African literature.

A key focus of the Chair will be advancing isiZulu as a language of scholarship. Hlongwa said this includes producing high-level academic work in isiZulu, supervising postgraduate students, and developing a curriculum that reflects indigenous knowledge systems.

The initiative is also expected to drive interdisciplinary collaboration.

The establishment of the Mazisi Kunene Academic Chair has also been welcomed by the Mazisi Kunene Foundation (MKF).

Chairman of the MKF, Mr Andries Botha, said the development marks the culmination of a partnership with UKZN that has been “long in the making”. For the foundation, the Chair represents a “long-standing goal” to safeguard and advance the late poet’s intellectual legacy.

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Retired nurse Queen Namane stood at the heart of this year’s International Nurses Day celebration in Mamelodi, reminding the community that the country’s health system is built on the shoulders of nurses whose service spans decades.

Speaking at Stanza Bopape Community Hall, Namane said the event was dedicated to honouring both current and retired nurses for their “years of dedicated service, passion and care” to local communities.

Namane emphasised that today’s nurses continue to uphold the values of Florence Nightingale and other nursing stalwarts through mentorship, compassion and professional excellence. She highlighted the importance of investing in initiatives that inspire young people to pursue nursing, saying such efforts “help build the academic future of our children” and strengthen the profession for generations to come.

She also wished the organising team continued “prosperity, growth and success” in its mission to empower communities and improve the nation’s future .

A celebration of visible — and invisible — labour

The ceremony, hosted by the Vhathu Phanda Community Forum, brought together current and retired nurses, as well as community health workers (CHWs), to recognise their often‑unseen labour in homes, clinics and hospitals across Mamelodi.

Forum chairperson Thabo Moshabelo said the awards were a reminder that the work of nurses is “visible and valued” by the community and health‑care partners alike. He noted that nursing remains “high‑stress, low‑resource work,” and that public recognition helps reduce burnout and reinforces professional pride.

Moshabelo also praised retired nurses who continue to serve through forums such as the Mamelodi Retired Nurses Forum, saying that their partnerships with local organisations restore hope and trust in the health system for many families.

Community health workers are hailed as the system’s backbone

Community health worker Puseletso Modiba honoured both nurses and CHWs for their frontline work, describing them as “the backbone of the health system”. She highlighted the daily realities of CHWs who walk through communities in harsh weather, reaching frail patients, elderly residents, relapsed patients and newborns who have not returned to clinics since birth.

Honouring a lifetime of service

The event also paid tribute to retired nurses for their lifelong commitment and continued voluntary service. “We see your past service, we value your present role, and your contribution still matters,” Moshabelo told them.

For Queen Namane, the day was not only a celebration of the past but a call to action for the future — a reminder that the legacy of nursing is carried forward when communities recognise, support and invest in those who care for them.

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The Order of Ikhamanga recognises South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.

The Presidency said on Tuesday it decided to honour Jeremiah Kippie Morolong Moeketsi posthumously with the honour of Ikhamanga in Gold for his contribution to the musical field, especially jazz. “He was one of the most influential saxophonists shaping South Africa’s modern jazz style. He was a genius ahead of his time taking South Africa to the world with his bewitched saxophone”.

On Professor Khabi Mngoma, the Presidency said it was honouring him with Ikhamanga in Gold, for his contribution to music as a scholar, well-known for being one of the remarkable activists who played an incredible role in the music industry.

“He ensured that the footprint of music and music education was extended through the promotion of music clinics”.

While Todd Thozama Matshikiza got his Ikhamanga in Gold for his contribution to the liberation of South Africa by using the might of his pen as a journalist and as a creative jazz pianist and composer.

“He composed the music and some of the lyrics of the jazz musical King Kong which portrayed the life and times of heavyweight boxer Ezekiel Dlamini, popularly known as ‘King Kong’”.

National Orders are the highest awards that our country, through the President, bestows on our citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed towards the advancement of democracy and who have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans.

The National Orders also recognise the contributions made by individuals who contributed and continue to contribute to the building of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa as envisaged in our Constitution.

President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa bestowed the Order of Ikhamanga, the Order of the Baobab, the Order of Mapungubwe, and the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo on Tuesday at a ceremony held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.

A jubilant Dr Mothobi Mutloatse, founder of Skotaville Publishers, co-founder of the literary magazine Staff-rider and now the Chairperson of the Mutloatse Arts Heritage Trust said when confirmation of the three nominees were made: “Three out of three nominations is splendid news isn’t it, folks? Blow ‘n grow”.

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Dr Naledi Pandor, Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation Board, has called on South African citizens and communities to develop a groundswell of civic action and hold government accountable on issues requiring urgent attention.

Dr Pandor made the remarks during a Critical Conversation hosted by Regent Business School in Cape Town on 8 May 2026, under the theme: Ethical Choices in Fragile Times: South Africa’s Role in Shaping Global Diplomacy, Development, and the Rising Global South

The event brought together business leaders, academics, diplomats, alumni and students for a discussion on ethics, values, diplomacy and South Africa’s foreign policy posture at a time of shifting global alliances, weakened multilateralism and rising contestation between powerful states.

Dr Pandor’s address focused on the relationship between ethical choices and responsible leadership, and on the role that values play in shaping future behaviour, public institutions and society.

She argued that global uncertainty cannot be separated from local responsibility, and that communities should not remain passive in the face of social, political and developmental challenges.

Reflecting on how international events are frequently interpreted through narrow national lenses driven by interests of dominance and control, Dr Pandor located South Africa’s role within this changing environment and emphasised the importance of principled diplomacy alongside the growing significance of the Global South as a force in world affairs.

The discussion also examined how ethical leadership, active citizenship and value-based decision-making can contribute to a more accountable society. Audience questions reflected concern about global conflict, inequality and the erosion of trust in public institutions, as well as the need for South Africa to respond to international pressures without losing sight of domestic development priorities.

Reflecting on the depth and relevance of the discussion, Professor Ahmed Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer of Regent Business School, said: “The significance of this conversation lay in its seriousness and urgency.

It connected global instability with the ethical choices that leaders, institutions, and communities must confront every day. These are not abstract debates; they shape the moral direction of societies, the quality of our leadership and the responsibilities we carry in shaping a more just and accountable future.”

Dr Shahiem Patel, Academic Dean of Regent Business School, added: “Dr Pandor’s address reminded us that education must do more than prepare graduates for employment. It must prepare people to think ethically, act responsibly, and contribute meaningfully to society, particularly in fragile and uncertain times.”

The event formed part of Regent Business School’s Critical Conversations series, through which the institution creates space for informed public discussion on national and global issues with direct relevance to leadership, policy, education, diplomacy and society.

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The African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) launched its Silver Jubilee celebrations on 14 May 2026, with a Gala Dinner in Johannesburg. It will be followed by a business breakfast with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in Cape Town on 21 May 2026, marking the start of a year-long continent-wide commemoration of Africa’s foremost development agency.

The celebration comes after 25 years since, former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, and his peers; President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, launched NEPAD as Africa’s answer to its own development challenge.

What is today known as AUDA-NEPAD emerged from Africa’s determination to shape its own development trajectory at the turn of the century. The Millennium Africa Recovery Plan and the Omega Plan, two ambitious African visions for renewal and transformation, were brought together to form the New African Initiative, which evolved into the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2001. With the establishment of the African Union in 2002, from Organisation of African Unity (OAU), African leaders positioned NEPAD at the centre of the continent’s development agenda and created the NEPAD Secretariat to drive implementation and continental coordination.

As Africa’s ambitions grew more demanding, the African Union in 2010 established the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, strengthening the institution’s operational capacity and embedding it more firmly within the AU system. In July 2018, the AU Assembly went further, transforming the NEPAD Agency into the African Union Development Agency, AUDA-NEPAD: the continent’s first dedicated development agency, built to turn Agenda 2063 from a continental vision into measurable reality.

Speaking at the launch, AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Nardos Bekele-Thomas said: “We gather to honour a choice made in 2001, a deliberate, political and intellectual choice by a generation of African leaders who believed that Africa could no longer be spoken for, planned for, or developed from the outside.”

Over the past 25 years, AUDA-NEPAD has overseen the transformation of NEPAD into AUDA-NEPAD, decisively strengthening its mandate as the technical arm of the African Union and sharpening its role in implementing Agenda 2063. The agency facilitated the establishment of Africa’s home-grown governance accountability framework, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), now embraced by 44 Member States as a model of African-led democratic self-assessment.

It also established the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) to unlock transformative cross-border connectivity in energy, transport, water, and ICT, providing the continental blueprint for closing Africa’s infrastructure deficit. Through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the agency has driven agriculture-led growth, food security, and rural livelihoods transformation for millions of Africans, making CAADP a cornerstone of the continent’s sustainable development architecture.

AUDA-NEPAD’s Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) has promoted demand-driven skills development and vocational training, empowering African youth, improving employability, and aligning human capital investment with labour market realities. The agency also provided technical expertise to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), boosting intra-African trade, deepening industrialisation, and advancing Africa’s economic self-sufficiency.

Through the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), AUDA-NEPAD has mobilised innovative financing solutions, including blended finance and public-private partnerships, to close Africa’s infrastructure gap and attract long-term development capital. The agency has further strengthened strategic collaboration with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) across the continent, ensuring alignment of continental priorities with regional and national development agendas for coherent, integrated delivery.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 91(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,1996, removed Nokuzola Gladys (Sisisi) Tolashe from the position of Minister of Social Development, the Presidency said in a statement.

In the interim, Ramaphosa has appointed Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga as the acting minister in the portfolio pending a full-time appointment in due course.

Calls for Tolashe to vacate her position have been growing following media reports she has been involved in graft and corruption when cars donated to the ANC Women’s League were allegedly gifted to her children.

It also alleged she unlawfully deducted monies from a Social Development Employee which found its way into one of her daughter’s accounts.

Irregularities were also flagged by The Public Service Commission (PSC) which on Wednesday found that some appointments in Social Development “violated multiple values and principles of the public administration”.

IOL reports that Ramaphosa fired Tolashe after being pressured by the DA and ActionSA and that has led to the cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, although the president didn’t state reasons in his statement.

Tolashe was appointed as South Africa's Minister of Social Development on 3 July 2024, from her previous role as Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. Tolashe.

She also serves as the President of the ANC Women's League

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Kigali, Rwanda — International Finance Corporation (IFC) managing director Makhtar Diop has delivered a strong call to action for African leaders and investors, urging a shift from ambition to execution to unlock the continent’s vast economic potential.

Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Diop told a high-level audience of African presidents, ministers and business leaders that the continent stands at a defining moment amid global economic uncertainty. While geopolitical conflicts and financial pressures are impacting developing economies, he said Africa’s demographic strength and resource base position it as a central driver of future global growth.

“Emerging markets are no longer the margin of the global system — they are its engine,” Diop said, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa’s youthful population will make up a third of the global workforce within a generation.

However, he cautioned that realising this potential depends on building resilient macroeconomic foundations and mobilising private sector investment at scale. Central to this is job creation, with Diop emphasising that nine out of ten jobs in developing economies are generated by the private sector.

Diop outlined five key sectors as critical to driving large-scale employment: energy and infrastructure, agriculture, transport corridors, healthcare and skills development, and value-added manufacturing linked to critical minerals and technology. He highlighted initiatives such as “Mission 300”, aimed at expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030, and “AgriConnect”, designed to strengthen agricultural value chains.

A major theme of his address was Africa’s need to transition from exporting raw materials to building industrial capacity. “Africa cannot continue shipping raw materials only to repurchase them as finished goods,” he said, calling for greater investment in local manufacturing and the strategic use of artificial intelligence tailored to African contexts — what he termed “Small AI”.

The IFC is repositioning itself to support this transformation, Diop said, shifting toward a model that catalyses and distributes investment rather than acting solely as a direct financier. He pointed to programmes such as the Local Champions Initiative, which seeks to scale African businesses into regional powerhouses. In the past year alone, IFC committed $14.2 billion across Africa, leveraging a further $6.2 billion from co-investors.

Diop also warned of systemic challenges facing small and medium enterprises, including limited access to capital, regulatory constraints and succession risks in family-owned businesses.

Closing his address, he issued a direct challenge to the continent’s leaders and investors: move beyond commitments to concrete action. “The time for deliberation is behind us. The time for action is now,” he said.

His message was clear — Africa has the talent, capital and opportunity to lead, but only decisive execution will turn promise into performance.

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It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of our beloved sister and media industry giant, Maria McCloy (50), said family in a statement.

Maria sadly passed away on Tuesday evening, 12 May 2026, at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg following heart failure.

Maria — a vibrant and creative soul who embraced life wholeheartedly as a DJ, publicist and fashion designer — was loved by her family, friends, colleagues and the community at large. Her kindness, warmth, generosity and unwavering love for those around her touched many lives and will never be forgotten. She had a special way of bringing people together, and her presence brought comfort, laughter and love to all who knew her.

She leaves behind her mother and two beloved sisters, Thandiwe and Natasha, along with countless family members and friends who are devastated by this loss.

During this incredibly difficult and shocking time, the family humbly asks for privacy as they grieve and come to terms with their loss and kindly ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The family also extends their heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love, messages of support and condolences received since the news broke.

Details regarding her memorial and funeral service will be communicated in due course.

With love and gratitude,
The McCloy Family

Steel is rising. Clean rooms are being mapped. A multi‑vaccine manufacturing facility is moving from blueprint to reality.

The project is called Madiba. Led by the Institut Pasteur de Dakar and financed by the World Bank Group and other development finance institutions, it is built for scale. At full capacity, Madiba is expected to produce up to 300 million vaccine doses each year. That figure is more than a statistic. It is a signal that a continent long dependent on imported protection is beginning to build its own.

Africa’s health vulnerability is structural and it becomes most visible when global markets tighten and supply chains fracture. Today, between 80 and 99 percent of vaccines used across Africa are imported. Only six percent of medical supplies and 10 percent of pharmaceuticals are produced locally.

When that dependence collides with disruption, the consequences are not abstract. Parents struggle to find routine immunizations for their children. Clinics ration supplies. Health workers are asked to protect communities without the tools they need like firefighters sent toward a blaze with empty hoses.

Expanding local production, then, is about health resilience. But it is also about building the systems that make resilience durable: regulators that can certify quality, procurement systems that create credible demand, logistics networks that deliver reliably, and manufacturing platforms that can compete.

And it is critically about jobs.

Over the next quarter century, Sub‑Saharan Africa’s working‑age population will grow by more than 600 million people. By 2050, the region will need to create roughly 25 million jobs each year. No serious strategy for Africa’s future can ignore that arithmetic.

Health manufacturing can be part of the answer. It can help meet the jobs challenge while advancing the African Union’s ambition to ensure 60 percent of the vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics used in Africa are made in Africa by 2040. The opportunity is real—but the pathway is not automatic.

Today, Africa has roughly 700 medical product manufacturers. Many are constrained by limited scale, narrow product portfolios, weak regulatory capacity, and uneven quality control. Too often, firms are asked to compete while carrying weights that other markets removed long ago.

That is why the World Bank Group is prioritizing pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing across key markets, including Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, and Moroccounder the AIM2030 initiative announced in Nairobi this week.

Working with partners, the approach is straightforward.

First, build the infrastructure serious manufacturing requires power, water, transport, industrial platforms, and technical capacity.

Second, advance policies, reforms, and funding programs that reward quality and scale rather than improvisation.

Third, use those foundations to mobilize private capital because manufacturing is not a pilot project. It is an industry. And industries scale when investors have the confidence to stay.

This is where IFC, The World Bank Group ’s private‑sector arm, plays a direct role working with companies and investors to finance projects, structure transactions, and mobilize capital at scale. If Africa is to participate in the global health economy not as a passenger, but as a co‑author, it must build platforms that allow firms to compete, comply, and grow.

Ethiopia and South Africa show what this looks like in practice.

In Ethiopia, pharmaceutical manufacturing is being anchored around Kilinto, a 270‑hectare pharmaceutical park outside Addis Ababa designed for large‑scale production. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, dependence proved costly: insulin prices rose by 130 percent, and more than half of primary health facilities reported vaccine stockouts.

Since then, regulatory reform and private investment have begun to reshape the sector. Industrial parks like Kilinto now account for as many as one in seven new formal private‑sector jobs, many filled by young women entering the workforce for the first time. At this pace, Ethiopia could add over 50,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing jobs by 2030, while growing exports to $900 million by 2028, up from $760 million in 2023.

In South Africa, the investment case is moving further up the value chain. Biovac, the country’s leading vaccine manufacturer, is expanding beyond fill‑and‑finish into deeper production capability, including work on South Africa’s first domestically developed oral cholera vaccine. IFC’s financing and project support for a new multi‑vaccine facility in Cape Town should enable an additional 250 million doses per year.

Aspen Pharmacare shows what sustained backing can achieve. IFC‑led DFI financing packages—€600 million in 2021 and a further €500 million in 2024—are supporting expanded vaccine production, sterile injectables, and critical medicines, including insulin and pediatric vaccines.

These are not isolated successes. They are signals of what becomes possible when countries move from dependence to capability when they stop importing only the end product and start building the means of production.

The lesson is clear: systems scale, not slogans. Pharmaceutical manufacturing grows when capital, regulation, procurement, infrastructure, skills, and market size move together—as a coordinated whole.

Manufacturing is not just an engineering challenge. It is a trust challenge: trust in standards, regulation, procurement, payment, and governance and confidence that the rules will hold.

Get that right, and Africa will increasingly produce the health products it needs, improve them, and export them too. The result will be stronger health security, a more competitive industrial base, and thousands of skilled jobs in a sector with every reason to grow.

Ethiopis Tafara, Vice President for Africa, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group

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