Metaverse Network Media (2025)

18/07/2025

Business and Economics
Current Affairs

The Third Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) took
place on 17 and 18 July 2025 in Zimbali, Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to advance the theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” The National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank
are jointly responsible for overseeing the work of the G20 Finance Track under the co-chairship
of Minister Enoch Godongwana and Governor Lesetja Kganyago.
This was the final FMCBG meeting of the G20 Presidency on the vibrant continent of Africa,
concluding as the people of South Africa celebrated Nelson Mandela Day. The meeting
outcomes were agreed in a communiqué consented to by all members that centres on strategic
macroeconomic issues.
The meeting delivered productive and constructive discussions on Africa, the global economic
outlook and macroeconomic stability, the international financial architecture, sustainable
finance, global health, infrastructure, tax, financial sector issues and financial inclusion. Further
detail on the discussions is recorded below.
On the first day, Ministers and Governors recognised the challenges posed by conflicts,
geopolitical and trade tensions, disruptions to global supply chains, high debt levels, and
frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters, which impact economic growth, price
and financial stability. They agreed to bolster long-term growth potential by pursuing growthoriented macroeconomic policies, while building fiscal buffers, ensuring fiscal sustainability, encouraging public and private investments, undertaking productivity-enhancing reforms and
safeguarding central bank independence to maintain price stability. A renewed pledge was
made to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global
economy and to recognise the importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to advance
trade issues and the agreed-upon rules in the WTO as an integral part of the global trading
system.

16/07/2025

Photo: Gracing the centenary celebrations are (l-r): Former SASA Executive Director: Mr Trix Trikam; SASRI Director: Dr Shadrack Moephuli; former SASRI Director: Dr Carolyn Baker and SASA Executive Director: Mr Sifiso Mhlaba.

Current Affairs

SASRI reflects on centenary achievements

Driving innovation, world-leading research, setting new highlights, advocating industry-specific policies and legal frameworks, the South African Sugar Research Institute (SASRI), celebrated its centenary in grande style at its SASA headquarters in Mount Edgecombe, Durban, SA. Bolstered on its theme, A century of achievements, a future of possibilities, SASRI's 100 years certainly blossomed into the future of SA's top three agri-processing industries.

A century of scientific research that places SA and its sugarcane industry diversity as a premier centre. SASRI has set precedents and knowledge-based implementations that escalated from its SA Sugar Experiment Station days of research in pest and disease infestations to its multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary roles.
One of those critical roles is transitioning the sugar-based industry to a sugarcane-based multi-industry. Product diversification includes sustainably-resourced aviation fuel, bagasse in board manufacturing, alternative materials for biodegradable bottles, polylactic acid, biofuels for fuel blending.
SASRI, among only ten worldwide, also envelopes career paths unique to the sugarcane industry; wherein academic partnerships are increasing the science-based knowledge and data-sharing database for future trends and on-field research. Higher product yields, modern combative measures against pests, diseases, soil improvements are such benefits.
Diversification of sugarcane-based products form oart of the critically-important Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030.

15/07/2025

Travel and Tourism/Environment and Nature

Bursting blooms at Namaqualand

Bursting in blooming colours in Namaqua National Park, Northern Cape, SA, after it experienced good rainfall since March 2025, with consistent follow-up showers and cold weather interspersed with sunny spells. These ideal conditions have created a perfect environment for early germination, particularly among the daisy species. Warmer periods during late autumn and early winter have mimicked spring-like conditions, encouraging earlier-than-usual blooming.

At present, the flowers have started to bloom across the park even though it is patchy in certain areasthis only indicates that the season is still in its very early stages. The Skilpad area and its surroundings are just beginning to awaken, while sections of the 4x4 eco-route, including Wildeperdehoek and Kookfontein area, which are all situated inside the Park, are already bursting with vibrant colours.
If the favourable weather continues, visitors can expect a dramatic transformation in the coming weeks, with widespread blooming likely to follow soon.

Moreover, if the current pattern of cold weather and consistent follow-up soft rain showers continueand the warm, dry east winds remain absent, visitors can look forward to a prolonged and spectacular flower season that is indigenous to Namaqua National Park. Conditions are favourable for blooming to extend well into August and even through to September this year.

14/07/2025

Business and Economics

G20 Finance Track opener

Dr Duncan Pieterse, Director-General of National Treasury in South Africa, on the opening of the G20 Finance Track in Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
"We are meeting at a moment of ongoing uncertainty in the global economy. While there are signs of resilience in some areas, various challenges remain: uneven growth trajectories,
elevated debt levels, persistent inflationary pressures, and the complex implications of tightening financial conditions. At the same time, various long-term transitions including digitalisation, climate finance, and demographic shifts are reshaping the foundations of our economies.
The multilateral system is being tested, and our collective ability to respond, will shape the pace
of our recovery, but also the prospects for inclusive and sustainable development. As the G20, we have the responsibility to demonstrate leadership, and our Presidency places a very strong emphasis on strengthening the role of the G20 in delivering concrete solutions, fostering a more stable and effective and resilient international financial architecture, enhancing debt sustainability, addressing liquidity challenges, as well as strengthening multilateral development banks, and ensuring financing for development. In line with our commitment to deepen policy dialogue at the Deputies level, we have structured dedicated sessions to address some of the most pressing issues on our agenda. These discussions are instrumental in shaping the outcomes of the Finance Track".

12/07/2025

Opinion: The Green Economy (continued)
We are now adopting a more assertive, coordinated enforcement approach. Municipalities that ignore compliance orders will face criminal prosecution. New legislation the forthcoming Administrative Penalties Bill will make it faster and easier to impose fines. Our Environmental Management Inspectors have already built an impressive track record: 1,902 criminal dockets submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority over five years. And recent landmark convictions involving pangolin trafficking, abalone smuggling, and illegal landfill operations show that the courts are starting to reflect the seriousness of these crimes.

But we must go further. Environmental crime is not “soft” crime. It destroys ecosystems, weakens public health, and steals from future generations.

Learning from Crisis: The UPL Chemical Spill

Nowhere is this more apparent than in KwaZulu-Natal, where the UPL chemical spill became one of South Africa’s most complex environmental disasters. When I got involved in late 2024, I found paralysis: red tape, overlapping mandates, and delay. We intervened decisively issuing licences, mandating rehabilitation, and restoring coordination. Yet the real lesson is this: our legal framework is not designed for emergency response. It stifles quick action and punishes initiative. We must reform this system, or we will remain vulnerable to future crises.

Aquaculture, Wildlife, and the Path Forward

There are also areas of hope and growth. Aquaculture offers untapped potential for jobs, food security, and rural development. We are advancing legislation and coordinating inter-governmentally to make this sector thrive.
We are also confronting complex dilemmas like human-wildlife conflict. As elephants increasingly encroach on human settlements due to shrinking ranges and changing climates we must act. Later this year, we will convene a national Elephant Indaba, bringing together all stakeholders to forge a sustainable path forward. This is not a rural issue alone it is about how we balance conservation with community safety, and how we honour both nature and people in a changing world.

12/07/2025

OPINION: Building a Green Economy That Works for All, The Time for Environmental Justice is Now

By Narend Singh

South Africa stands at a pivotal moment. Our environmental landscape is under pressure from climate shocks, urban expansion, biodiversity loss, and persistent pollution. But amidst the challenges, there is momentum, determination, and a vision we are turning into action. Over the past year, under the Government of National Unity, our environmental agenda has shifted gears. No longer can we afford half-measures. Climate resilience, inclusive growth, and ecological justice must go hand in hand.

Green Jobs, Real Change

At the heart of our efforts lies a fundamental belief: environmental action must create real economic opportunity. In the past year alone, our Environmental Programmes delivered over 70,000 work opportunities under the Expanded Public Works Programme translating to over 32,000 full-time equivalents. These aren’t just statistics. These are livelihoods restored, families supported, and communities empowered. We’ve cleared nearly 500,000 hectares of invasive alien plants boosting biodiversity and water security. We’ve rehabilitated wetlands, contained wildfires, and injected life into local ecosystems.

This year, we’re scaling up even further: nearly R3 billion will be invested to create another 70,000 jobs across programmes like Working for Water, Working for the Coast, and Working on Fire. Most notably, we are investing in youth: 4,000 graduates are being trained and deployed across provinces, and over 400 are being placed in municipalities. This is not just environmental policy it is economic reform with a green conscience.

Enforcement: Enough is Enough

But creating jobs is only one side of the coin. On the other side lies enforcement. For too long, some municipalities have flagrantly ignored environmental laws. Untreated sewage flows into rivers. Estuaries are choked with waste. Coastal waters are degraded. And when we intervene often with legal notices we are met with indifference. That era is over.
(continued...)
Narend Singh is the Deputy Minister of DFFE

12/07/2025

OPINION: Riding the Sardine Wave Towards Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods
By Narend Singh

Every winter, nature puts on a show so spectacular that it captures the imagination of scientists, fishermen, and tourists alike. The Sardine Run along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, a phenomenon, often referred to as the “Greatest Shoal on Earth,” is more than a natural marvel; it is a poignant reminder of the vital link between our oceans, our people, and our economy.

As the silvery shoals travel up our coastline, they not only draw dolphins, sharks, seabirds and game fish in their wake but they also bring hope. Hope for the small-scale fishers who rely on these seasonal migrations for their livelihoods, and for coastal communities whose economies are interwoven with the rhythms of the sea.

It is in this spirit that our department has launched the Fishing for Freedom Campaign a bold initiative aimed at empowering coastal communities, enhancing food security, and restoring dignity to small-scale fishers through responsible, community-based marine resource management. This campaign affirms our belief that ocean conservation and sustainable development must go hand in hand.

In this regard, I am especially proud to highlight the upcoming Coastal Flavours Seafood Festival, which will be held on the 26th of July at St Michaels Beach in Port Shepstone. This vibrant celebration will showcase not only the culinary richness of our marine resources, but also the cultural diversity of our coastal communities. The festival is designed to give small-scale fishers and local seafood entrepreneurs a platform to tell their stories, sell their products, and connect directly with consumers and investors. It is a microcosm of our larger vision: oceans that feed us, sustain us, and unite us.

But empowerment requires more than celebration it requires infrastructure, opportunity, and innovation. That’s why our department is also proud to support the planned Fishing Harbour development on the South Coast. This harbour will be a game changer. It will provide a secure landing site, cold storage, processing facilities, and access to markets.

(Narend Singh is the Deputy Minister of DFFE)

11/07/2025

Business and Economics

VW, Volvo, Hino product recalls

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has received recall notifications from Volkswagen of South Africa (VWSA), Volvo Cars South Africa (Volvo South Africa), and Toyota South Africa Motors (PTY) Ltd (Toyota South Africa).

RECALL OF VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TSI AND GTI

VWSA is recalling a total of 159 Golf 8 R2.0 TSI 7 speed DSG 235 KW and Golf 8 GTI 2.0 TSI 7 speed DSG 180 KW vehicles sold between 16 April 2025 and 30 June 2025. These vehicles are being recalled due to a defect in the front passenger seat belt. According to VWSA, there is a possibility that the seat belt on the front passenger side is not properly attached to the lower anchoring point because of a fault in the sewing process. If the lower anchoring point of the belt system is not securely attached, the protective function of the seat belt is significantly reduced. In the event of an accident, this could result in serious or fatal injuries to the occupant in the front passenger seat.

RECALL OF VOLVO XC90 PLUG-IN HYBRID

Volvo South Africa has also notified the NCC about the recall of the twenty-six (26) XC90 plug-in hybrid vehicles model year 2025 – 2026. The vehicle's braking functionality may be temporarily disabled while using 'B' mode (in plug-in hybrid cars) or One Pedal Drive (in pure electric cars), after coasting downhill for a period. This could lead to a collision with potentially serious safety consequences for occupants of the vehicle and others.

RECALL FOR HINO 500 SERIES SKD AND HINO 500 CBU SERIES

Toyota South Africa informed the NCC that they are recalling a total of six thousand, six hundred sixty-two (6662) Hino 500 SKD series and seventy-seven (77) Hino 500 CBU series. The vehicles were made available from 11 May 2017 to 14 December 2023, and from 31 May 2018 to 25 December 2024, respectively.

According to the supplier, an incorrect cage bolt spanner was supplied in the Hino 500 SKD vehicles, while the Hino 500 CBU came without the cage bolt spanner.

11/07/2025

Sports: Cricket

Betway SA20 fixtures released

Betway SA20 Season 4 Fixtures have been released and the explosive cricket format will be in its bigger-and-better summer thriller.
MI Cape Town to host the opening match against DSG at Newlands on Boxing Day - 26 December 2025.

There will double-header action on New Year's Eve on the coast - SEC vs PR and MI CT vs PC. Wanderers will host the New Year's Day vibes when JSK hosts DSG

Boland Park to host "Tweede Nuwe Jaar" celebrations with Cape Derby between PR and MICT

The Final will be on 25 January. Playoffs and Final venues will be announced later.

11/07/2025

Current Affairs

DPWI Minister hands over support centres

Minister Dean Macpherson of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI)handed over two state-owned properties in Malmesbury to the Western Cape Government to be used for support services for individuals recovering from substance
use disorders (SUDs). Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Jaco Londt, welcomed the handover, noting that the property will be used as a step-down facility by an NGO to address the
growing need for SUD support in the region, and praised the collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to help vulnerable residents find healing.

As part of the build-up activities to the DPWI's Budget Vote on Wednesday afternoon, the Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, earlier in the
morning, handed over two properties to be used for support services for those battling with
substance use disorders (SUDs) to the Western Cape Member of the Executive Council
(MEC) for Social Development, Jaco Londt. This forms part of the Minister’s commitment to
ensure that no state-owned property lies idle in communities, but is rather utilised for the public
good.
Minister Macpherson said that since taking office, 17 properties have now been handed over
to be used as shelters for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) victims, including victims of drug and
substance abuse, in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape. By contrast, from 2019 to 2025, the Department had only handed over two properties to be used as GBV shelters.

11/07/2025

Environment and Nature

Reports state that one in four freshwater species threatened with extinction

● Over 3200 fish species have been recorded in Africa
● In 2024 alone, 28 new freshwater fish species were described in Africa
● Africa has the world's highest per capita catch of freshwater fish: 2.56 kg per person per year, 28% higher than Asia.
● Uganda and Tanzania are the 6th and 7th largest inland fish producers globally, respectively, primarily due to Lake Victoria.

WWF today released a new report in the lead-up to a major United Nations wetlands conference in Zimbabwe, where countries will set the course
for safeguarding and restoring vital freshwater ecosystems. The report, titled Africa’s
Forgotten Fishes, reveals that 26% of Africa’s assessed freshwater fish species are
threatened with extinction, with the true number likely much higher due to large data
gaps.

“Africa is a global hotspot of freshwater fish diversity, home to over 3,200 species,
which is more than a quarter of the world's total freshwater fish, but it’s also a hotspot of
risk,” said Eric Oyare, WWF Africa Freshwater Lead. “When these fish disappear, we
lose much more than species: we lose food security, livelihoods, ecosystem balance,
and resilience to floods and droughts. These declines are a red flag for the broader
health of Africa’s freshwater ecosystems, which are the very life support systems for
people and nature.”

Often overlooked in global conservation conversations, Africa’s freshwater fishes are
ecologically remarkable. The new report highlights extraordinary species such as the
African lungfish, which breathes air and can survive years buried in mud during droughts; a blind cichlid from the Congo Basin adapted to life in underground aquatic caves; the ancient bichirs, often referred to as “living fossils” for their lineage that predates the dinosaurs; and the formidable African tigerfish, a fast-swimming predator
renowned for its powerful jaws and hunting skills.
Freshwater fishes play a vital role in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems, acting as predators, herbivores, and nutrient recyclers.

07/07/2025

Medical and Health

Family Medicine Specialist given a Second Chance at Life

Last year, Professor Andrew Ross, UKZN’s family medicine specialist received devastating news that he was diagnosed with aggressive Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a serious condition that affects the bone marrow and blood cells. At the time, he was given 3 months to live. Now, a year later and thanks to a stem cell donor, Ross is thriving and, on his way, to making a full recovery.

In August 2024, the College of Health Sciences (CHS) partnered with DKMS to recruit 1000 stem cell donors. Many UKZN staff and students attended the launch of the campaign at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine campus and provided saliva swabs for testing. The process then unfolded and blood tests were conducted on those who tested positive as a possible stem cell donor. After analysing the bloods, anyone then identified as a matching donor, would be contacted by DKMS Africa’s medical team. Stem cell donations are a non-invasive procedure involving drawing blood from one arm and the blood is returned through the other arm.

Soon after the launch, DKMS were able to match a suitable stem cell donor (based in the United Kingdom) with Ross in August 2024. An emotional Ross remarked, “I was blessed to receive a stem cell transplant on 11 December 2024 and am now 202 days post-transplant. There were a few challenges along the way – some bleeding from around the pica line as my platelets were not functional, sepsis when my white cell count was 0 – but on the whole, things went really well.”

“I am forever grateful to God for this life-saving gift, giving me a second chance of life. I could not have managed this journey without my wife who was my 24 hour a day caregiver for 4 months and our sons and daughter-in-law who were able to be in Pretoria with us”, said Ross.

Against all odds, Ross overcame his health challenges and made a triumphant return to work on the 1st July 2025 and will continue to be involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, research supervision, student exams and marking examinations.

Caption: From left Mike, Andrew, Glenys, Kait and Jonty Ross

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