News Bulletin of 13 September 2026, 1pm

South Africa will host the global zoo and aquarium community when Cape Town welcomes the 82nd WAZA Annual Conference in October 2027. The conference will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from the 17th to the 21st of October. It will mark the first time in 28 years that the annual event returns to Africa. All of South Africa’s WAZA institutional members have also joined forces to host the conference through a unified national partnership. Cango Wildlife and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will serve as the primary hosts and lead coordinators. They will be joined by Two Oceans Aquarium as the official venue partner, together with uShaka Sea World, operated by the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), and the National Zoological Garden of South Africa, part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
Together, the five institutions represent expertise across terrestrial and aquatic conservation, animal welfare, biodiversity research, environmental education and public engagement.

The Khaya Lam Project has helped 24-thousand-500 South Africans secure title deeds for their homes, at a rate of around four-thousand a year. The project, started by the Free Market Foundation and backed by businessmen Christo Wiese and Johann Rupert. The project focuses on helping people living on municipal property become homeowners.It works with local authorities and legal experts to guide residents through the process of transferring ownership, which requires extensive work to meet legal and regulatory requirements. Having a title deed gives people formal proof of ownership and can help them build wealth, access credit and pass their property on to future generations.

Grade 10 learners from Michael Mount Waldorf spent a week putting compassion into action. This was during a community service camp at Genesis Hope in Port Shepstone last month. Pupils spent time caring for children awaiting adoption. They participated in after-school programmes, supported elderly people and visited safe play centres, providing support to children. Throughout Grade 10, learners were encouraged to give back through fundraising, school events and community initiatives.