News Bulletin of 2 September 2025, 4pm

The Eskom Development Foundation renewed its partnership with Vaal University of Technology with a R2.7 million donation.

The funding will support 1040 learners through the Girls in STEMI Programme and winter school initiative.

The programmes aim to open pathways into technical careers for young women and all learners, fostering growth in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation.

The partnership helps build a diverse talent pipeline and creates opportunities for the next generation of innovators.

Legendary South African actor, director, and playwright John Kani has been added to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting body.
The 82-year-old, born in Gqeberha, is known for roles including T’Chaka in Black Panther and Rafiki in The Lion King.
Kani says joining the Oscars voting body is both an honour and a privilege, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career.
The addition recognises his impact on film and theatre and allows him to contribute to selecting future Academy Award winners.

Poland is creating the world’s first goat-inspired forestry robot to assist foresters in managing the nation’s forests.
The “robogoat” is designed to navigate steep and uneven terrain while performing tasks such as tree inventories, land surveys, species counting, tick collection, and archaeological surveying.
Developed at the University of Life Sciences in Poznan with international collaborators, the robot aims to address a growing shortage of forestry specialists across Europe.
Researchers hope the first prototype will be ready by 2026, with a fully operational model expected before 2030.
The robogoat is seen as a high-tech solution to make forest management safer, more efficient, and capable of reaching areas difficult for humans to access.