News Bulletin of 11 June 2025, 3pm

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says preparing youth to lead, innovate and contribute meaningfully must be at the heart of education.
She was speaking on Monday at the launch of a national policy dialogue on entrepreneurship education, held at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg in partnership with the EU’s Education for Employability programme.
The minister called for an urgent shift from job-seeking to job creation, highlighting new reforms like the Three-Streams Curriculum and entrepreneurship education policy.
She stressed that without action, South Africa’s youth dividend could become a burden.
Officials and experts echoed the need for cross-sector support, practical learning, and a system that nurtures creativity and community-based innovation.

Harness maker Siya Mfanta has turned his first Comrades Marathon into a powerful act of compassion, raising over R100,000 for Cape Town’s working cart horses.
Mfanta finished the gruelling race in 7 hours, 28 minutes, beating his own goal and earning a silver medal.
Running in support of the Cart Horse Protection Association, his campaign drew widespread support online and in his community.
The association, which works to protect and care for working horses on the Cape Flats, says every hardworking horse owes him a huge thanks.
Mfanta says he ran with purpose, not just for the medal, but for the animals that inspired his journey.

China has launched a ten-year project to improve and protect freshwater ecosystems across the country. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment aims to build on recent successes in raising water quality in over two thousand rivers and lakes.
Freshwater has played a vital role in China’s history, from ancient irrigation systems to great engineering works like the Grand Canal. By 2024, more than ninety percent of the country’s surface waters met excellent quality standards.
The new plan focuses on restoring habitats, supporting wildlife, improving flood control, and preserving biodiversity in rivers and lakes. Officials say the goal is to keep rivers flowing healthily, manage pollution effectively, and provide safe and scenic water spaces for communities.
Significant progress is expected by 2030, including reversing declines in aquatic wildlife and strengthening key river ecosystems such as the Yellow River and the Yangtze.