News Bulletin of 5 September 2025, 6pm

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, has called on young entrepreneurs to dream big and drive South Africa’s role in the global innovation race.
Speaking at the University of Johannesburg-BRICS Summer School Innovation Challenge, she urged students to turn prototypes into businesses that tackle local and global challenges.
The Department has launched new funds to support commercialisation, while UJ highlighted projects from AI-powered sign language translation to blockchain solutions for rural healthcare.
Gina said such initiatives will position South Africa as a key contributor in the digital economy

The Vaal University of Technology, in partnership with Standard Bank, has launched a Green Hydrogen and Alternative Energy Hub at its Science and Technology Park in Sebokeng.
The centre will focus on producing hydrogen from waste and renewable systems, equipping students with skills and research opportunities while driving innovation in South Africa’s green economy.
It also aims to cut carbon emissions, boost local industries and create jobs in communities burdened by pollution and unemployment.
Standard Bank has committed funding as part of its wider investment in sustainable projects, reinforcing support for a just energy transition.

Italian-born photographer Federico Veronesi has spent years in Kenya photographing the continent’s rare super tusker elephants, known for tusks weighing over 100 pounds.
Fewer than 30 of these giants remain, mostly in southern Kenya.
Veronesi’s new book Walk the Earth showcases these majestic animals, including Balguda, considered the greatest tusker alive today.
The book highlights elephants’ lives across Africa, their social behaviour, and the threats they face from habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.
Veronesi hopes his photography fosters connection and raises awareness to protect these iconic giants.