Springboks flyhalf Manie Libbok opens up about his time in Japan with Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, learning from Quade Cooper, and driving Tony Brown's attacking blueprint against England.

ORLANDO Pirates on Wednesday announced with " sadness" the passing of former club coach Roy Barreto.

House music icon Monique Bingham is receiving a major award that celebrates her decades of soulful music enjoyed around the world. For thousands of South African house music fans, the unmistakable voice of Monique Bingham has provided the soundtrack to countless nights on the dance floor. Now, the internationally celebrated singer and songwriter is being recognised for the impact she has made on both the global music industry and South Africa’s vibrant house music culture. The house music icon will receive the International Recognition Award at the 2026 Basadi in Music Awards, an honour reserved for women whose talent, influence and artistic excellence have inspired audiences across generations. A voice that shaped soulful house music Born in New York, Monique Bingham began her musical journey as a singer and songwriter before becoming one of the defining voices in soulful and deep house music. Over almost three decades, she has built an international reputation through her powerful vocals, emotional songwriting and timeless recordings that continue to resonate with music lovers around the world. Her catalogue includes fan favourites such as Deep in the Bottom, Poor People, Come Through and Last Minute. Along the way, she has worked with some of the biggest producers in dance music, including Kerri Chandler, Dennis Ferrer and Quentin Harris. South Africa became her second home While Monique Bingham enjoys worldwide acclaim, South Africa has played a particularly special role in her career. Her collaborations with local artists introduced her music to even wider local audiences, while her regular performances helped establish her as one of the country’s favourite international house artists. For many fans, her soulful vocals have become synonymous with South Africa’s thriving house music scene, creating memories that stretch across festivals, clubs and intimate live performances. A career milestone filled with gratitude Reacting to the announcement, Bingham said receiving the International Recognition Award is an honour she will cherish for the rest of her life. “I never imagined my music would become part of the soundtrack of so many lives in South Africa. That love has been one of the greatest blessings of my career. “I thank the Basadi in Music Awards, every fan who has supported me, and everyone who continues to champion women in music. I look forward to celebrating with you on 8 August 2026 and performing alongside an incredible line-up. Thank you once again for this unforgettable honour,” she said. Bingham described South Africa as a country that has always embraced her music with extraordinary warmth, saying every performance reminds her that music has the power to bring communities and cultures together. She also reflected on building an independent career without the backing of a major record label, crediting loyal fans, collaborators and supporters for helping her create music that continues to connect with listeners around the world. A celebration awaits in Johannesburg According to Basadi in Music Awards founder Hloni Modise Matau, Bingham’s influence extends far beyond chart success, with her music becoming part of South Africa’s cultural story. Joburg Theatre chief executive Xoliswa Nduneni Ngema echoed those sentiments, describing the award as a fitting tribute to an artist whose music continues to unite people across borders. The 2026 Basadi in Music Awards will be held at the Joburg Theatre on 7 and 8 August, with Monique Bingham set to receive the International Recognition Award before treating audiences to a live performance that promises to be one of the standout moments of this year’s celebration.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has announced that it will discontinue physical disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles from January 2028, marking a significant shift in how players will access future titles. The announcement, made via the official PlayStation Blog on 1 July 2026, confirms that new games will be available exclusively through the PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only. Existing physical releases unaffected Importantly, the change will not impact any games that have already been released, or that release before January 2028, in disc format. Gamers who prefer physical copies still have roughly 18 months to build out their collections before the shift takes effect. Sid Shuman, Senior Director of Content Communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment, explained the reasoning behind the move in the blog post, noting that the decision reflects how the company wants to “align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today”. Why the change? According to the post, the move is driven by evolving consumer habits, with SIE stating that “the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs”. This mirrors a broader trend across the entertainment industry, where streaming and digital downloads have steadily overtaken physical media in film, music and now gaming. Sony has framed the transition as a “natural direction” for the company, one that will allow it to focus its resources on innovating how players access games, rather than maintaining physical manufacturing infrastructure for a shrinking segment of its audience. What this means for players Despite the shift away from discs, Sony has been at pains to reassure fans that choice will remain part of the experience. The company said it remains committed to giving players options as to where they purchase new titles, whether through retailers or the PlayStation Store, even as the how (digital versus physical) narrows to digital-only for new releases from 2028. The blog post also referenced a separate announcement regarding updates to the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita, published the same day, though full details on that update were not included in the disc production announcement itself. The bigger picture The move places Sony alongside a growing number of entertainment and tech companies phasing out physical media in favour of digital distribution. For collectors and players who value physical ownership, the news will likely reignite debates around digital rights, resale value and long-term game preservation, conversations that have been simmering for years as publishers lean further into digital-first strategies. Sony has not indicated whether existing consoles will retain disc drives beyond this transition, nor has it commented on how the change might affect future console hardware design.

Struggling to decide what to wear? Here’s what today’s weather has in store for South Africa’s nine provinces. Your daily weather, UVB forecast and temperature updates around South Africa. Weather conditions and UVB forecast Gauteng Temperature: Cold in the south, otherwise partly cloudy and cool with light isolated showers and rain in the extreme south. The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High DID YOU KNOW Where does Gauteng rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? Gauteng is the smallest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 18 178 square kilometres. Where does Gauteng rank in population among South Africa’s provinces? Gauteng is the biggest in terms of population, with an estimated 16 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of Gauteng? The administrative capital of the province is Johannesburg, which is situated at 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E. Mpumalanga Temperature: Cloudy with a chance of light rain and showers in the extreme south-west, otherwise partly cloudy and cool but cold in the extreme Highveld. It will be fine and warm in the Lowveld. DID YOU KNOW Where does Mpumalanga rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? Mpumalanga is the second smallest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 76 495 square kilometres. Where does Mpumalanga rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? Mpumalanga is the sixth most populous, with an estimated 4.7 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of Mpumalanga? The capital and largest city in the province is Mbombela (formerly known as Nelspruit), which is situated at 25°27′57″S 30°59′07″E. The daily weather forecast and temperature updates around South Africa. Limpopo Temperature: Fine and cool to warm. DID YOU KNOW Where does Limpopo rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? Limpopo is the fifth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 125 754 square kilometres. Where does Limpopo rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? Limpopo is the fifth most populous, with an estimated 5.9 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of Limpopo? The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, which is situated at 23°54′00″S 29°27′00″E. North West Temperature: Cool in the extreme east, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and cold with isolated morning showers and rain over the southern parts. DID YOU KNOW Where does the North West rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? The North West is the sixth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 104 882 square kilometres. Where does the North West rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? The North West is the seventh most populous, with an estimated 4.2 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of the North West? Its capital is Mahikeng (formerly known as Mafikeng), which is situated at 25°51′56″S 25°38′37″E. Free State Temperature: Cloudy in the west, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and cold to very cold with isolated showers and rain in the morning but scattered in the south. It will become fine in the afternoon. DID YOU KNOW Where does the Free State rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? The Free State is the third largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 129 825 square kilometres. Where does the Free State rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? The Free State is the second smallest in terms of population, with an estimated 2.9 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of the Free State? Formerly known as the Orange Free State, its capital and biggest city is Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital. It is situated at 29°07′S 26°13′E. Northern Cape Temperature: Cloudy with morning fog in the west, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and cold to very cold with isolated morning showers and rain in the extreme east. It will becoming fine in the west by the afternoon. Wind: The wind along the coast will be light to moderate northerly to north-westerly, becoming south-easterly from the evening. DID YOU KNOW Where does the Northern Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? The Northern Cape is the largest of South Africa’s nine provinces at 372 889 square kilometres. Where does the Northern Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? The Northern Cape is the smallest in terms of population, with an estimated 1.3 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of the Northern Cape? Its capital is Kimberley, which is situated at 28°44′18″S 24°45′50″E. Western Cape Temperature: Cloudy and cold with isolated showers and rain, except in the north-west. Partially clearance is expected from the afternoon in the north and north-eastern parts. Wind: The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly, but strong to gale southwesterly along the south coast in the morning. The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Very High DID YOU KNOW Where does the Western Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? The Western Cape is the fourth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 129 449 square kilometres. Where does the Western Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? The Western Cape is the third most populous, with an estimated 7.2 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of the Western Cape? The capital city is Cape Town, which is situated at 33°55′31″S 18°25′26″E. Eastern Cape The Western half: Light snow over the northern high ground, otherwise cloudy, windy and very cold with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the east. It will become fine in the evening, but partly cloudy along the coast. The Western half – wind: The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly, reaching gale force in places from the afternoon. The Eastern half: Very cold with snow over the northern high ground, otherwise cloudy, windy and cold to cool with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the west. It will become fine in the evening. The Eastern half-wind: The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly, reaching gale force in places from the afternoon. DID YOU KNOW Where does the Eastern Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? The Eastern Cape is the second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces at 168 966 square kilometres. Where does the Eastern Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? The Eastern Cape is the fourth biggest in terms of population, with an estimated 6.7 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of the Eastern Cape? Its capital is Bhisho, which is situated at 32°50′58″S 27°26′17″E. KwaZulu-Natal Temperature: Partly cloudy and cool with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east where it will be warm. Wind: The wind along the coast is moderate to fresh north-easterly north of Durban, but moderate to fresh south-westerly in the south and strong at times, spreading northwards. The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate DID YOU KNOW Where does KwaZulu-Natal rank in size among South Africa’s provinces? KwaZulu-Natal is the seventh largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 94 361 square kilometres. Where does KwaZulu-Natal rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces? KwaZulu-Natal is the second most populous, with an estimated 11.5 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020. What is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal? The capital city is Pietermaritzburg, which is situated at 29°37′S 30°23′E. WEATHER ALERTS IMPACT-BASED WARNINGS A. Yellow Level 1 Warning: Severe Thunderstorms with heavy downpours resulting in localised flooding of low-lying areas, roads and bridges as well as hail and damaging winds which will lead to damage to settlements and infrastructure over the central and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape, except in the extreme north-east. B. Yellow Level 2 Warning: Disruptive snow resulting in localised traffic disruption over the north-eastern parts of Eastern Cape (near the Lesotho border). C. Yellow Level 2 Warning: Disruptive winds and waves resulting in localised damage to informal settlements/structures, difficult driving conditions for high sided vehicles, localised difficulty in navigation of small vessels, disruption to ports/harbours and beach activities are expected between Cape Agulhas and Port Edward into Friday. FIRE DANGER WARNINGS NIL ADVISORIES Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected tomorrow over the Free State, southern parts of North West and most parts of the Northern Cape as well as in places over the Eastern Cape interior. Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service

Here is what the weather has in store for KZN, Free State and North West on Thursday 2 July. KWAZULU-NATAL Expect partly cloudy and cool conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers across most of the province, while the north-eastern areas will be warmer. Along the coast, moderate to fresh north-easterly winds will blow north of Durban, while moderate to fresh south-westerly winds in the south will become strong at times and spread northwards. The UVB sunburn index is moderate. DURBAN Expect partly cloudy conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers. Moderate to fresh south-westerly winds will strengthen during the afternoon. Temperatures will range from a minimum of 18°C to a maximum of 22°C, with a moderate UVB sunburn index. FREE STATE Expect cloudy skies in the western parts, while the rest of the province will be partly cloudy, windy and cold to very cold. Isolated morning showers and rain are expected across most areas, becoming scattered in the south, before conditions clear during the afternoon. BLOEMFONTEIN Expect partly cloudy and windy conditions, with scattered morning showers and rain. Temperatures will range from a minimum of 3°C to a maximum of 10°C. NORTH WEST Expect cool conditions in the far eastern parts, while the rest of the province will be partly cloudy, windy and cold. Isolated morning showers and rain are expected over the southern parts. MAHIKENG Expect partly cloudy conditions in the morning, with skies clearing during the afternoon. Temperatures will range from a minimum of 9°C to a maximum of 15°C. Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service.

Permits are secured but the project has yet to break ground, with finer details of the plan still undisclosed.

Palo Alto CIO Meerah Rajavel tells TechCentral why going slow on AI is no longer an option for security teams.