News Bulletin of 11 March 2026, 5pm

Gauteng campaign promotes healthier living in Pretoria communities
The Gauteng Department of Health has intensified efforts to promote healthier lifestyles across parts of Pretoria through its #AsibeHealthyGP campaign.
The initiative focuses on prevention and early detection of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, with outreach teams visiting communities including Mamelodi and Winterveldt.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says the campaign promotes healthier diets, increased physical activity and routine health screenings.
Officials say nearly half of South African adults are living with excess weight, increasing the risk of chronic diseases.
The department says more than 8-point-7 million adults in Gauteng were screened for hypertension over the past year, with thousands starting treatment after elevated readings were detected.

Conservation teams in South Africa have planted nearly 1,000 cycad seeds to protect some of the world’s oldest plants, called “living fossils” for surviving over 300 million years.
The Wild Cycad Conservancy and Hope for Wildlife Helicopter Services focused on the highly threatened Encephalartos cupidus and Encephalartos inopinus, which face severe poaching pressure.
Seeds were planted in remote, helicopter-accessible areas to keep them safe.
The goal is to restore wild populations and secure the survival of cycads, which South Africa has lost faster in the last 20 years than in the previous 200.

Community members in Eldorado Park joined a walkathon organised by Empire Bus and the City of Johannesburg to raise awareness about illegal dumping and promote recycling.
Stakeholders from Pick it Up, Purpose Recycling, and local groups engaged residents on protecting the environment.
Karen Stevens from Empire Bus said the campaign, part of the Breed Better Cities initiative, encourages the community to recycle and create jobs through local recycling initiatives.
Youth group Sikhulisa Intsha Yethu highlighted how recycling benefits both the environment and young people.