News Bulletin of 23 September 2025, 6pm

Transnet Port Terminals has announced operational changes to reduce congestion and improve efficiency at South African ports.
The measures include new infrastructure, updated equipment, and employee incentives.
Shifts have been extended from eight to twelve hours, with additional staff employed. Workers are offered tiered incentives based on productivity targets, with some teams handling up to 2,000 containers per shift.
At Richards Bay, modern machinery is being introduced to speed up cargo handling, potentially doubling loading rates.
Officials say the reforms aim to improve vessel turnaround times and overall port efficiency, while some industry representatives note that challenges remain on the landside for road transporters.

The Western Cape Infrastructure Department has identified over 1,800 hectares of land to help ease the province’s housing shortage.
This includes more than 300 hectares of provincial land and over 1,500 hectares belonging to national government.
From the provincial land, nearly 17,500 housing opportunities are planned in areas such as Blue Downs, Belhar, Sea Point, and Cape Town’s CBD.
The province is now waiting on national government to release its share so that projects in towns like Caledon, Grabouw, and Vredenburg can move forward.

Tshwane will host the 2025 Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) from 30 October to 1 November, bringing together global and African music industry leaders.
For the first time, Africa’s leading music trade event takes place in South Africa’s capital, featuring discussions, live performances, and networking with over 1 000 delegates from more than 45 countries, including Grammy-winning producers, label executives, and emerging African talent.
The event will showcase more than 80 African musicians, including Focalistic, Zoë Modiga, Claudio Rabe, and artists from Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, and Nigeria.
Key themes include access to finance, developing festivals, strengthening artist protection, and exploring innovations like artificial intelligence.
ACCES 2025 aims to place African voices at the heart of the global music conversation while creating new opportunities for collaboration, trade, and investment across the continent.