News Bulletin of 20 March 2026, 1pm

South Africa shines as LIV Golf makes historic African debut
South Africa’s Southern Guards GC have made a strong start at the first ever LIV Golf Johannesburg 2026 held at Steyn City.
Backed by a lively home crowd, the all South African team surged to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round, delivering an impressive performance across the field.
Key players including Branden Grace, Dean Burmester, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel helped set the pace, with Schwartzel returning from injury to produce a standout round.
The event has drawn top international golfers and large crowds, creating a festival like atmosphere and showcasing South Africa’s ability to host world class sport.
Sandton and Gauteng
Plan to create five million jobs gains momentum
President Cyril Ramaphosa says job creation remains government’s top priority, with renewed focus on practical solutions to grow employment.
Speaking at News24’s On The Record Summit in Cape Town, he highlighted ongoing efforts to unlock opportunities through structural reforms and stronger collaboration with the private sector.
The summit, themed Five Million Jobs in Ten Years, is bringing together business leaders and policymakers to develop clear, implementable plans to boost hiring across key sectors.*
South Africa
Cape Town Jazz Festival set for major economic and cultural boost
It is all systems go for the 2026 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, which returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre next week, with about 20,000 people expected to attend.
The two-day event will feature international and local acts including Jacob Collier, the Yellowjackets, Scorpion Kings, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and Nduduzo Makhathini, reflecting a strong mix of global and African talent.
Organisers say the festival has been kept on track through sponsorship support and is expected to create thousands of temporary jobs in planning, production and security. They add that it continues to grow its pan-African identity while remaining accessible to wider audiences across Cape Town.
South Africa
Financial Indicators
Your financial indicators for this hour:

The Rand is trading at 16.77 to the US Dollar, 22.54 to the British Pound, and 19.42 to the Euro.

Gold is trading at 4,849.60 dollars a fine ounce, Brent Crude Oil is at 108.65 per barrel, and a Bitcoin will set you back 70,293.00.
Rare Roloway monkey birth boosts global conservation efforts
A rare Roloway monkey has been born at the Chester Zoo in Cheshire, United Kingdom, offering a boost to international conservation efforts for one of the world’s most endangered primates.
The baby, named Lagertha, was born to experienced mother Masaya, who recently recovered from complex foot surgery that included the removal of a toe after a serious abscess.
Zoo staff say the successful birth highlights the importance of coordinated breeding programmes, as only a small number of Roloway monkeys exist in captivity across Europe.
The species, originally from West Africa, is classified as critically endangered, with wild populations under severe pressure from habitat loss and hunting.
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