News Bulletin of 20 March 2026, 7am

Headline 1
Nelson Mandela Foundation Hosts Reading Event on Human Rights Day
Story 1
The Nelson Mandela Foundation will host a Making Reading Fun event on Human Rights Day, March 21, in Houghton, Johannesburg.
The event forms part of Human Rights Month and will bring families together to promote reading among children.
The foundation will also honour Aunty Mathabo for her four years of reading to children and helping build a community around books.
Guest authors, including Sihle-Isipho Nontshokweni-Bikitsha and Gomolemo Moagi, will present their work, with some books available for sale.
Story 1 category
Headline 2
Six SA community gardens boost food security with Shoprite support
Story 2
Six South African community food gardens are improving food security and building skills in their communities, thanks to support from Shoprite’s Act For Change Food Garden Competition.
A food garden in Limpopo took first place, supplying fresh vegetables to 50 people each month and training women and youth in small-scale farming.
Other winning gardens in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng grow food, run farmers’ markets, and teach agricultural skills to children and local communities.
The six gardens will share R1 million in support, including tools, infrastructure, and training, to expand production, strengthen local food systems, and create long-term opportunities for participants.
Story 2 category
Headline 3
V&A Waterfront Donates to Support Early Childhood Literacy in Cape Town
Story 3
The Santa Shoebox Project CEO, Deb Zelezniak, has welcomed funds donated by the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town to support literacy initiatives in under-resourced early childhood development centres.
Part of the 200-thousand-rand donation was raised through the V&A Waterfront’s December 2025 festive gift-wrapping initiative.
Zelezniak says the contribution will be used to build ten reading corners in early childhood development centres across Cape Town and surrounding areas:
*sound*
Story 3 category
Financial Indicators headline
Financial Indicators
Financial indicators
Your financial indicators for this hour:

The Rand is trading at 16.74 to the US Dollar, 0.00 to the British Pound, and 0.00 to the Euro.

Gold is trading at 4,849.60 dollars a fine ounce, Brent Crude Oil is at Error per barrel, and a Bitcoin will set you back 70,744.00.
Teaser / Tailpiece headline
Akunna Cook launches $50m fund to support African filmmakers
Teaser / Tailpiece story
Executive producer, Akunna Cook, has launched the $50 million Next Narrative Africa Fund to support African filmmakers.
Cook is the founder and CEO of Next Narrative Africa, a media production company telling African stories for global impact.
Over 2,000 submissions came in from 80 countries, and six to ten projects will be selected for the funding.
Along with the funding creatives will receive mentorship, business support, and pathways to global audiences.
Split analysis
Local: 77 words (31%), National: 171 words (69%), International: 0 words (0%)