Sandton and Gauteng

The City of Johannesburg's Department of Economic Development hosted the landmark Creative Cnergy Investment Summit.

The Summit served as a platform for talent development, knowledge-sharing, and the unlocking of new investment opportunities in the creative sector.

The event served as a space for knowledge-sharing, where young people and other stakeholders can exchange ideas, build network and explore new opportunities.

MAN Truck & Bus South Africa has unveiled the country's first locally manufactured eBus, as part of the company's drive toward zero-emission vehicles.

The automotive group unveiled the locally assembled electric bus, on Tuesday at its Pinetown plant in KwaZulu-Natal.

The facility is the first in the African automotive industry to achieve the milestone.

G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have gathered for a two-day meeting, in
the United States, to discuss financial stability, and policies aimed at fostering economic growth.
The meeting is part of the Finance Track under South Africa’s G20 presidency.

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has emphasized the importance of the G20 as a platform for economic cooperation.

The Black Business Council indaba in the Built Environment, was held at the Gallagher Convention Centre and brought together key stakeholders across public and private sectors to discuss transformation within South Africa’s built environment.

This year’s indaba placed strong emphasis on critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, water, roads, and bridges.

The meeting provided a collaborative space for policymakers, to propose actionable strategies for inclusive growth.

The Northen Cape province is set to play a key role in South Africa’s groundbreaking National Astro-Tourism Strategy.

The province stands to benefit from a R352 million investment, which government intends to allocate to the project, to enhance scientific tourism and infrastructure in the province.

The Northern Cape’s clear night skies, low light pollution, and remote locations, make it an ideal site for astronomy research and stargazing tourism.

The Astro-tourism industry has assisted in strengthening local economies in the province.

YouTube celebrated its 20th anniversary yesterday by sharing a handful of eye-catching stats about the platform.
The video giant says it has had more than 20 trillion videos uploaded on the platform in its two-decade run.

YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim uploaded the platform’s first ever 19 seconds long video 20 years ago, marking the birth of the internet’s largest video site.

The Tshwane and Johannesburg metros remain on high alert following a yellow level 3 warning for severe thunderstorms over parts of Gauteng.

About a 60%-80% chance of rain is expected in Tshwane, and in Johannesburg, with severe thunderstorms expected to persist until Friday.
Emergency service departments in the province, say the will continue to monitor weather reports.
Residents are cautioned not to drive through flooded roads and low-lying bridges.

MAN Truck & Bus South Africa, has become the first automotive company in the Southern African Development Community region, to locally manufacture electric buses, following a R48 million investment in green technology.

The company unveiled its first locally assembled electric bus, on Tuesday at its Pinetown plant in KwaZulu-Natal.
The facility is the first in the African automotive industry to achieve the milestone.

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has emphasized the importance of the G20 as a platform for economic cooperation.

Kganyago delivered the keynote address at the Brookings Institute discussion on strengthening global economic cooperation.

G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have gathered for the two-day meeting,
which aims to discuss financial stability, and policies aimed at fostering economic growth.

Openserve, has announced its hosting of the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association Annual Conference. The conference began yesterday and will end on Friday at the Sandton Convention Centre. The Annual Conference is the premier information and communications technology event in the Southern African Development Community region. It will feature panel discussions on some of the most pressing issues and opportunities, that are shaping the region’s digital future. OpenServe CEO Selby Khuzwayo: SOUND

A housing startup is tackling South Africa’s housing crisis one backyard at a time.
Bitprop builds and manages micro-apartments at no upfront cost to homeowners in underserved townships. In Cape Town, 70-year-old Nonkosi Klaas, once dependent on a modest pension, now earns above the national median income by renting out six backyard units. Klaas is one of 100 homeowners in Cape Town partnering with Bitprop, which was founded in 2019 by Swedish entrepreneur Carl Fredrik Sammeli. The initiative is helping to grow affordable housing while turning ordinary residents into successful landlords.

Hasher Family Wines has been awarded "Winery of the Year" at the prestigious 2025 London Wine Competition. The winning wine Ernest Pinot Noir is a proud achievement for South Africas winemaking on a global stage. The London Wine Competition has established itself as one of the world's most respected wine competitions. What makes this achievement particularly special is that wines aren't judged solely on taste – they're evaluated holistically based on quality, value, and packaging. SOUND

The VAT rate will remain at 15% from 1 May 2025, reversing the planned increase announced in March. This decision follows consultations and could lead to a 75 billion rand revenue shortfall. To address this, the Finance Minister will withdraw current budget bills and propose revised spending plans. New versions of the bills are expected in the coming weeks.

Director of Ferndale-based psychosocial and mental health non-profit organisation, Phola, has won three Women Changing the World Awards at a ceremony in London. Ncube-Mlilo, a world-renowned narrative therapist and psychosocial specialist, secured the People’s Choice Award for Non-Profit and Social Enterprise, as well as the Women in Therapy and Counselling Services Award.She also received the Golden Heart Award, recognizing women who serve the world with love and care. The People’s Choice Award was determined by public voting, while the other two were selected by the Women Changing the World judges.

Hasher Family Wines has been awarded "Winery of the Year" at the prestigious 2025 London Wine Competition. The winning wine Ernest Pinot Noir is a proud achievement for South Africas winemaking on a global stage. The London Wine Competition has established itself as one of the world's most respected wine competitions. What makes this achievement particularly special is that wines aren't judged solely on taste – they're evaluated holistically based on quality, value, and packaging, reflecting the real-world factors that wine lovers consider when choosing their next bottle. SOUND

Openserve, has announced its hosting of the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association Annual Conference. The conference began yesterday and will end on Friday at the Sandton Convention Centre. The Annual Conference is the premier information and communications technology event in the Southern African Development Community region. It will feature panel discussions on some of the most pressing issues and opportunities, that are shaping the region’s digital future. OpenServe CEO Selby Khuzwayo: SOUND

Although economists in the country expected inflation to slowly start increasing, in March it decreased slightly. Headline consumer inflation decreased for the first time in five months, edging lower to 2.7% in March from 3.2% in February. This was due to lower fuel prices and softer inflation for education. Statistics SA says data shows that the fuel index softened by 0.4% from February, taking the annual rate from -3.6% to -8.8%. A litre of 95-octane petrol (inland) cost R22.34 in March, down from R24.45 a year before. The average price for diesel decreased to R22.80 from R24.85 over the same period.

Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s American Music Awards nominations with a total of 10, including artist of the year, album of the year (GNX) and song of the year (“Not Like Us”). He has three of the five nominees for favorite hip-hop song: “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin, “Not Like Us,” and “Luther” with SZA. Lamar, who already has three AMA's, could tie with Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston for the most awards in a single year, should he win in all eight categories.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi will this afternoon lead the official switch-on of a new electricity transformer in Ivory Park.

The activation will take place in the John Dube Section, one of the areas hardest hit by power disruptions.

This initiative is part of the provincial government’s Transformer Replacement Program.

The program forms a central component of Gauteng’s broader Energy Response Plan.

It aims to restore and strengthen the electrical infrastructure in communities.

The newly installed transformer is expected to improve electricity supply and reduce outages in the area.

Day two of the Lesotho and South Africa Bi-National Commission is currently under way in Maseru.
The high-level meetings aim to strengthen bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.
South Africa’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, is expected to play a key role in today’s agenda.
She will officially sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources.
The agreement focuses on advancing cooperation in water security and cross-border supply.
It also paves the way for deeper collaboration in the energy sector.
The signing signals a renewed commitment to shared resources and sustainable development.

Openserve is hosting a major telecoms conference starting today in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The event is called the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association Annual Conference.

The conference is underway at the Sandton Convention Centre.

This event is one of the biggest ICT events in the Southern African region.

Leaders in technology and communication are meeting to talk about the future of the internet and digital tools.

There will be panel talks and smaller sessions on important issues in the industry.
The focus is on how countries can grow stronger together through better digital connections.

SATA Secretary General Jacob Muwadafa says this meeting is important for Africa’s digital progress.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation hosted its inaugural legacy fundraising breakfast ealier this month, at the Baluchi Restaurant in Sandton.

The gathering brought together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to discuss the future of South Africa, focusing on leadership and social cohesion.

The foundation’s fundraising breakfast series will continue throughout the year, providing a platform for high-level dialogue, while mobilizing resources for programmes focused on youth leadership, public accountability and civic education.

The Southern Africa Telecommunications Association will today hold a conference to unite telecom leaders in discussing digital transformation.

The Annual Conference is the premier information and communications technology event in the Southern African Development Community region.

World Book and Copyright Day is a global observance that celebrates the transformative power of books and reading.

Held every year on the 23rd of April, the day serves as a reminder of how books connect generations, and preserve cultural heritage, while fostering understanding across borders.

Established by UNESCO in 1995, the day honours
literary giants including William Shakespeare and serves as a fitting tribute to authors whose words have shaped the world.

Openserve, has announced its hosting of the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association Annual Conference from today at the Sandton Convention Centre.

The Annual Conference is the premier information and communications technology event in the Southern African Development Community region and will feature panel discussions and breakout sessions focused on some of the most pressing issues and opportunities,
that are shaping the region’s digital future.

The City of Ekurhuleni is encouraging residents who are unable to afford basic municipal services such as water, refuse removal and electricity, to register for its Indigent Relief Programme.

Households that have a combined monthly income of less than two minimum wages, as outlined by the domestic worker wage threshold, are eligible to apply.

Residents must be officially registered with the city as indigent, in order to benefit from the programme.
Applications can be submitted at the nearest city’s customer care center.

Nigeria and South Africa have entered into a strategic agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation in the mining sector.

The Nigerian government says boosting the sector will encourage efforts to diversify its economy beyond the oil market.

Nigeria’s Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, says the partnership also includes the sharing of data and geological mappings.

Ncazeko Ncube-Milo has earned two prestigious gold medals for her groundbreaking work in mental health advocacy, at the Women Changing the World Awards in London.

The Diepsloot-based psychologist and narrative therapist was recognised for her commitment in uplifting marginalised communities through her non-profit organization PHOLA.

The global awards programme recognizes the work of incredible women, who are making a positive difference in the world, across a wide range of industries including business, health, education, innovation, and technology.

The Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has praised law enforcement officials for implementing effective road safety measures during the Easter weekend.

The Minister highlighted the rare achievement of the N1 route in Limpopo, which has not recorded any fatal crashes during the Easter holidays.
Clip 1 - Barbara Creecy

Pan-African tech firm Cassava Technologies has announced plans to build the continent’s first ‘AI factory’ in South Africa.

The move will see artificial intelligence software being deployed at the company’s data centres in South Africa from June 2025.

The firm, which was founded by Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyawa, says its accelerated computing platforms will play a crucial role in Africa’s AI ecosystem.