News Bulletin of 11 June 2025, 6pm

The City of Johannesburg, through the Johannesburg Roads Agency, has started a R23 million project to convert open drainage channels to closed systems along Rio Grande Street in Braamfisherville, Ward 49.
The move aims to reduce risks posed by open channels, especially during floods, improving safety for children, pedestrians, and motorists. The new 500-meter enclosed stormwater system will use a mix of precast pipe and portal culverts to better manage water flow and enhance the area’s safety and appearance.
The project also supports the city’s stormwater master plan to expand drainage capacity and reduce flooding on roads and properties.
Local community members will benefit too, with 20 participants employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme and five small businesses appointed to the project. Ward 49 councillor Mthuthuzeli Bolani welcomed the development, noting the area’s history as a wetland prone to flooding.
The upgrade is expected to be complete by August 27.

Meta has launched teen accounts on Instagram in South Africa, offering built-in protections to help safeguard teenagers online. The move, unveiled on May 20 at Workshop 17 in Rosebank, and its aim is to support parents in ensuring a safer digital experience for their children. These accounts limit interactions and content visibility while allowing teens to connect with friends and explore their interests.
Meta’s safety policy manager for Africa, Middle East, and Turkey, Sylvia Musalagani, highlighted that the new accounts were designed to provide peace of mind for parents.

University of Pretoria senior lecturer Dr Bernard Coetzee has been named among The Explorers Club 50’s Class of 2025 — a global list of 50 people “changing the world, that the world needs to know about.”
The prestigious honour recognises his groundbreaking work in conservation ecology, from studying light pollution’s impact on mosquitoes to promoting human-elephant co-existence.
Dr Coetzee, who helps run UP’s Conservation Ecology Research Unit, says the award is a platform to connect with global changemakers and raise awareness of biodiversity loss.
He’s conducted fieldwork on every continent and believes humanity’s future is closely tied to the fate of the natural world.