Globally, agriculture faces mounting pressures. These are driven by climate change, land degradation, labour shortages, supply chain disruptions and the demand for food from a growing population. At the same time, productivity is uneven. For example, maize yields in the US often exceed 10 tons per hectare. These high yields are driven by mechanisation, improved…
From AI-powered transit systems to digital twins and flood-proof parks, cities are embracing technology at an unprecedented scale. But as innovation accelerates, experts warn that inclusion, trust and security will determine who truly benefits. At a sprawling urban expo in Baku, visitors paused before giant digital screens flickering with flood simulations, subway control systems and…
When Nelson Mandela stood before parliament in February 1996, he made a commitment that should have been one of the defining economic reforms of the democratic era. “For us, it is not a matter of whether, but of when, these controls will be phased out,” he said of exchange controls, echoing a similar pledge made…
MTN South Africa’s Zoltan Miklos MTN South Africa and US-based Pivotal Commware have completed joint field trials showing how 5G millimetre-wave (mmWave) repeater technology can significantly expand broadband reach for fixed-wireless access customers. The trials, initiated in 2024, tested Pivotal’s “Pivot” 5G repeaters at three locations in Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng and Seshego in Limpopo. The…
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) was introduced in 2000 as the cornerstone of US development-oriented trade policy towards sub-Saharan Africa. It was designed to grant eligible countries duty-free access to the US market. In February 2026, President Donald Trump signed a one-year extension after the programme lapsed in September 2025. Yet the programme’s…
President Trump pressed the Iranian government to reach a deal on its nuclear program during his State of the Union address Tuesday, as he weighs possible military action against the country. “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of…
Cabinet has approved the appointment of Magatho Mello as MD of the State IT Agency (Sita) – the first time in more than two years that the organisation has a leader not in the role on an acting basis. “The position has remained vacant since 2023 and has been filled in an acting capacity until…
Nairobi — A new study conducted across three African countries has found that an injectable HIV treatment–Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine (CAB LA + RPV LA), administered every two months–is safe, well tolerated, and preferred by most patients. The Month-12 results, drawn from study sites in Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa, offer renewed hope for improved treatment adherence, fewer…
As the sun set on the Amazon, the promise of a “people’s Cop” faded with it. The latest UN climate summit – known as Cop30, hosted in the Brazilian city of Belém – came with the usual geopolitics and the added excitement of a flood and a fire. The summit saw Indigenous protests on an…
The work of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors this year will leave a lasting legacy for Africa’s economies. South Africa must ensure it makes the most of hosting this forum and championing the continent’s development agenda. Africa’s role in world affairs has come into sharp focus during a year marked by fundamental…
