News Bulletin of 18 June 2025, 7am

A new mobile app called Bazinga Biz is set to help young South Africans learn business skills in a fun and interactive way. The app was launched by the Empire Partner Foundation and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority to fight youth unemployment and support future entrepreneurs. Bazinga Biz is a game-like learning platform that teaches business through quests, simulations, and challenges—no classrooms or textbooks needed. The app allows young people to learn anytime, anywhere, using just their phones. CEO of the Empire Partner Foundation Joanna Govender says Bazinga Biz is a powerful digital tool designed to uplift entrepreneurs. With many young people struggling to find jobs, the app offers a free and practical way to gain real-world business knowledge.

The Department of Basic Education has officially launched the 2025 Road to Literacy campaign. This is one of South Africa’s largest mobile library drives. Minister Siviwe Gwarube says eight out of ten children can’t read for meaning by age ten and this must change. AVBOB and Oxford University Press SA have donated mobile trolley libraries worth R57,000 each to 1,000 schools. Over 500,000 books will be distributed nationwide, with a strong focus on early literacy in all 11 official languages. CEO of the AVBOB Group Carl van der Riet: SOUND

South African geologist Dr Tebogo Makhubela has been named a National Geographic Explorer and awarded the 2025 Wayfinder Award. This is an honour reserved for global pioneers in exploration and discovery. With a PhD in geology and over a decade of work at the Cradle of Humankind, Dr Makhubela has helped uncover secrets buried for millions of years. As field director for National Geographic’s Rising Star programme, he played a role in the discovery of Homo naledi, an extinct human ancestor. These humans may have intentionally buried their dead—a finding that challenges long-held beliefs about early human behaviour. The award celebrates his contributions to science and places African research firmly on the global map.