News Bulletin of 1 August 2026, 11am

Midrand Striders to host Chamberlain Country Classic
Midrand Striders is gearing up to host the Chamberlain Country Classic on the 30th of August

The race will feature 5, 10 and 21-kilometre distances, attracting runners from across Gauteng for a morning of competitive racing and community spirit.

The club, which was formed in 1980, has built a strong reputation within the local running community by promoting fitness and an active lifestyle while providing opportunities for runners of all abilities to participate in organised road running events.

Chairperson Tsenoli Tiheli says the club looks forward to welcoming the running community to one of its most anticipated flagship races.
Sandton and Gauteng
Sarah Barratt crowned Safari Guide of the Year
Sarah Barratt of Thornybush Game Lodge has been crowned Safari Guide of the Year, becoming the second woman to win the prestigious title in the competition's 15-year history.

The annual contest pairs Southern Africa's top field guides to compete in a week of safari challenges designed to test their knowledge, guiding skills and professionalism.

Barratt, who combines 15 years of bush experience with a background in anthropology, claimed top honours after winning the Guided Game Drive and Industry Ambassador and Professionalism categories.

The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa says the competition not only celebrates excellence in guiding but also inspires the next generation of trackers and rangers, to achieve excellence.
South Africa
VUT celebrates 60 years of excellence
The Vaal University of Technology commemorated its 60th Diamond Jubilee on Thursday, celebrating six decades of academic excellence, innovation and institutional impact.

The Diamond Jubilee marks an important milestone in the University's history, celebrating the institution's transformation from its establishment in 1966 into one of South Africa's leading Universities of Technology.

Celebrations commenced with the official opening of newly revamped academic laboratories, highlighting VUT's investment in modern teaching, learning and research infrastructure.
South Africa
Financial Indicators
Chinese delivery rider wins top literary prize
A food delivery rider in China has won one of the country's highest literary honours for a poetry collection inspired by life on the road.

Fifty-six-year-old Wang Jibing received the Lu Xun Literary Prize for Low Flight, a collection exploring the experiences of food delivery riders and gig economy workers across China.

Wang, who began working as a delivery rider in 2019, writes poems on his phone while waiting at traffic lights.

Wang is part of a growing group of blue-collar workers who are being celebrated for their literary works, which offer a glimpse into the pressures that they face in China's massive gig economy.

The Lu Xun prize is one of China’s highest literary honours and is awarded every four years by the China Writers’ Association.
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