News Bulletin of 8 March 2026, 12pm

Lead singer Steve Ashley continues to perform with The Staccatos internationally. According to the band’s manager, Ebeth Ashley, The Staccatos have been part of the South African music scene for 65 years, leaving a lasting mark on the industry while continuing to captivate audiences locally and abroad.The group currently consists of founder Brian Le Gassick and Steve (77). Ebeth highlighted that The Staccatos were the best-selling external show on the Barnyard Theatre circuit in 2019 and sold out all their shows in 2023, 2024, and 2025, with hopes to achieve the same in 2026.

Untapped AI has launched new artificial intelligence systems trained to understand South African languages and accents, helping businesses communicate more effectively with local customers. The platform has been developed using regional speech patterns and is being rolled out to companies looking for alternatives to overseas AI tools. These tools often struggle with local language use. Founder Lloyd Mathew says the goal is to improve customer response rates by making digital interactions more relatable and accurate.

The 8th annual Joburg Film Festival concludes today, showcasing over 60 curated films, including fiction, non-fiction, and short films, as well as nine works by creative students. The festival highlights a unique blend of African storytelling and cutting-edge global cinema. Screenings are taking place across multiple Johannesburg venues, including The Bioscope, Theatre on the Square, The Forge, Artistry, and Nu Metro Hyde Park.