News Bulletin of 13 March 2026, 2pm

The Buy Local Summit and Expo will take place next week at the Sandton Convention Centre.
The two-day event, organised by Proudly South African, brings together government, business and manufacturers to promote greater use of locally produced goods and services.
Discussions will focus on strengthening domestic procurement in both the public and private sectors, while also encouraging consumers to support South African products.
The programme will include policy discussions, workshops for small businesses and exhibitions showcasing locally made goods.
Headline sponsor Standard Bank Group, through its Senior Manager for Enterprise & Supplier Development Programmes Nokhanyo Ntshingila, says the summit also highlights the importance of creating opportunities for local businesses

Angus McPherson has completed a historic 47 kilometre solo swim circumnavigating St Helena Island in the South Atlantic.
The marathon took just over 20 hours, with McPherson battling strong currents, shifting ocean conditions, and nearly a full day in open water.
He finished at Jamestown, where friends, locals, and his support crew greeted him after the grueling challenge.
The achievement is being submitted as a Guinness World Records attempt and is believed to be the first male solo circumnavigation of the island.

University of Pretoria Professor Vukosi Marivate has been named to the UN’s first Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.
He is one of 40 global experts chosen from over 2,600 applicants to guide AI’s future and highlight risks and opportunities.
Marivate directs the African Institute for Data Science and AI at UP and co-founded the African-focused startup Lelapa AI.
The panel will advise UN member states on AI governance, workforce development, and digital literacy, with its first report due in Geneva in July 2026.