An Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man to pursue her sporting dreams won an Asian Games silver medal on Tuesday, hoping it inspires other women in a country where Taliban authorities have sharply curtailed their freedoms.

As South Africa remembers the struggles against apartheid, it is crucial to disentangle the complexities of its leaders. Thabo Mbeki’s legacy as a revolutionary thinker — a title he has cultivated with finesse — must be examined through a lens of accountability.

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has approved a proposal to allow private companies to manufacture its foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine at scale, as the government moves to address production constraints amid the outbreak. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp announced on Tuesday that the ARC and its board had unanimously agreed to the proposal on Monday. The decision will allow qualifying local and international companies to use the ARC’s intellectual property (IP) under conditional licensing agreements to increase vaccine availability. Private sector to help address vaccine shortages The ARC vaccine is an effective defence against domestic FMD strains and requires only one administration annually. However, the council’s current manufacturing constraints have prevented it from producing the vaccine at scale. The department said allowing private companies to manufacture the vaccine under licensing agreements would help overcome these constraints and icrease its availability. Following the board meeting, Aucamp said the partnership marked a significant development in efforts to protect South Africa’s livestock sector. “Partnering with the private sector to manufacture the ARC vaccine marks a decisive breakthrough in safeguarding South Africa’s livestock sector, strengthening national biosecurity, and securing food supply chains,” he said. Aucamp said he had listened to concerns raised by farmers and other stakeholders, who wanted swift action to address the outbreak. “I’ve listened to the concerns of farmers and other stakeholders in the sector, and I appreciate that they want swift action to deal with this Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak,” he said. He added that the decision would, for the first time, allow private companies to use the ARC’s intellectual property to increase vaccine availability. ARC to retain and expand production capacity Despite bringing in third-party assistance, the ARC will continue working to rebuild and expand its own FMD vaccine manufacturing capacity. The department said any income the council receives through the licensing agreements would be ring-fenced and used exclusively to increase its own vaccine production capacity. Aucamp acknowledged that implementing the decision would take time but said all parties had committed to moving forward without delay. “Although the implementation of this decision will not happen overnight, it is a huge step forward in combating this FMD outbreak, and I am proud to confirm that all parties involved have committed to do whatever they can to ensure that this decision is implemented without delay,” he said. The department did not specify when private companies would begin manufacturing the vaccine or how much additional production capacity the agreements would deliver. More vaccine-matching assessments planned In a further development, the ARC will submit representative FMD field-circulating virus isolates from South Africa to the Pirbright Institute in the United Kingdom in October. The submission follows a request from Aucamp and will form part of a second round of vaccine-matching assessments. According to the department, the exercise aims to provide an additional scientific assessment of how suitable available local and imported vaccines are against FMD viruses currently circulating in South Africa. The Department of Agriculture said it would continue working with commodity organisations, provincial veterinary services, the ARC, organised agriculture and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s FMD control programme.

Cold plunges and breathwork might make you feel better. That’s what the label says, too. But when anxiety, trauma or mental health problems start overwhelming everyday life, alternative wellness treatments have their limits. This is when, said practitioners from both sides of the fence, wellness therapies should complement professional mental health treatment rather than trying to replace it with promises that cannot be kept. It may also be irresponsible to do so. Former international rugby player Rhys Thomas’ own recovery from a severe mental health and substance use crisis began with professional treatment. His rugby career ended following a heart attack at 29 and years of anxiety, alcohol abuse, and destructive behaviour that followed. In 2019, after crashing his car while under the influence, Thomas entered a multidisciplinary programme at Netcare Akeso Stepping Stones’ Dual Diagnosis Unit for professional care. But that’s not to say that other aspects of wellness treatment don’t have their place. “We are all different and unique, and it’s important to be aware that there are many, many different types of therapies, including in the fields of psychology and somatic therapies, as well as supportive skills and techniques that can be helpful depending on where you are,” he said. Supportive therapy efficacy depends on who you are Thomas added that the sheer number of options can make navigating mental health support confusing. “It can be helpful to share exactly what you are going through with a mental health professional, because with so many options available, you can get lost in the reeds.” Talk therapy was significant in his recovery. “In my experience, this was transformative. It gave me insight into why I behave the way I do. What in my childhood environment has led me to see the world through this lens? When you understand why you think and behave the way you do, it opens your eyes.” Anne Mari Viviers of Heavenly Healing in Benoni said alternative practices can support emotional wellbeing and help people manage stress, but practitioners need to recognise when somebody sitting in front of them needs something they cannot provide. “Wellness and mental health treatment should work alongside each other. They are not in competition,” she said. Severe anxiety, ongoing depression, suicidal thoughts, extreme emotional distress or an inability to cope with everyday life, she said, signal the need for professional mental health support. The caveat comes when support is sold as treatment and a cure-all for mental health. Viviers said personal experience or completing a course in a healing modality does not qualify a practitioner to treat every condition, and healers should never encourage somebody to stop medication or avoid professional care. “There is a big difference between supporting somebody’s wellbeing and claiming that you can treat a serious mental health condition,” she said. “Being a healer doesn’t mean you have all the answers.” Healers don’t have all the answers Breathwork, meditation and other practices can sometimes surface difficult emotions, memories or physical sensations and leave an already vulnerable person more distressed. Viviers warned against interpreting every intense reaction as evidence of trauma being released. “Just because somebody has a powerful emotional experience doesn’t automatically mean that healing has taken place,” she said. “We should never encourage a person to push through distress just because we believe something is being released.” To supplement his own healing process, Thomas later explored breathwork and cold-water immersion and said that value can be found across a broad spectrum of activities and therapies. He also cited yoga, EMDR and something much simpler, like spending time with other people. EMDR is Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. (A form of psychotherapy used particularly in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related symptoms). “There are also other ways of finding connection with a group, such as sports clubs or through hobbies or shared interests, that can offer some form of mental wellbeing support simply through providing a sense of community and a place to feel seen and heard,” he said. “When we disconnect from ourselves, in our darkest hours we have a tendency to isolate. Once we find a space to feel connected, we realise we are all going through struggles in some form, and we find we aren’t so alone,” he said.

An aircraft crash has been reported near Morningstar Airfield on the N7 in Cape Town, with emergency services currently on scene. This is a developing story. Details remain limited at this stage, and this article will be updated as confirmed information becomes available. WHAT’S BEEN CONFIRMED SO FAR According to WC Live Traffic & Safety Alerts, the incident was reported near the Morningstar Airfield landmark on the N7. Emergency services are already responding. No further detail has been confirmed at this time. This includes the number of people involved, the extent of any injuries, and the cause of the incident. WHY WE’RE HOLDING BACK ON FURTHER DETAIL Given how recent this incident is, we’re deliberately not speculating on casualties, cause, or circumstances. We’re waiting on official sources to confirm further details, including the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), SAPS, or local emergency services. Several commenters on the original Facebook post have suggested a positive outcome. One wrote that three people were on board, and all three were okay, describing only minor scratches. These claims, however, remain unverified public comments rather than official confirmation. They should be treated with appropriate caution until SACAA, SAPS, or emergency services confirm the details themselves. We’ll update this article as soon as verified information is available. Light aircraft incidents aren’t unheard of in South Africa. Earlier this month, a light aircraft crash in Midrand narrowly missed a pedestrian. It’s a reminder of how quickly these situations can unfold. It’s also a reminder of why swift, accurate emergency response matters so much when they do. If you’re in the area, please avoid the vicinity of Morningstar Airfield on the N7 to allow emergency services room to work. Do you have information about this incident? Let us know in the comments below…

South Africa’s September school holidays are just around the corner, giving families a 12-day window to recharge before the final academic push of the year. Term 3 ends on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, with Heritage Day falling the very next day, and Term 4 only starting again on Tuesday, 6 October. WHY THIS BREAK IS WORTH PLANNING PROPERLY Heritage Day landing right at the start of the break effectively turns it into a natural long weekend before the rest of the holiday even begins. It’s genuinely one of the best times of year to travel domestically. Summer heat hasn’t arrived yet. Prices sit well below December’s peak-season rates. The crushing crowds of the festive season are still months away. That said, the September school holidays aren’t exactly a secret. The Garden Route in particular gets genuinely busy during these two weeks.  Wilderness, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay all see a sharp swell in South African families all at once. Accommodation can disappear fast. Beach parking becomes a real negotiation. The quiet that blankets the route in July and August vanishes almost overnight once term ends. WHAT THE WEATHER AND VIBE ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW September genuinely sits at a hinge point in South Africa’s calendar. Mornings and evenings stay crisp. They give way to warm, dry afternoons, the kind of day where you’ll likely shed a jacket as it goes on. Coastal humidity feels far more manageable than the thick summer air still to come. The Highveld often carries a dusty, golden light thanks to low rainfall this time of year. MAKING THE MOST OF HERITAGE DAY ITSELF Since Heritage Day falls right as the break begins, it’s worth building it into your plans properly rather than treating it as a throwaway day. A traditional Heritage Day braai remains the classic go-to, 24 September is also known as National Braai Day. Most major cities run cultural festivals and events specifically celebrating South Africa’s diversity around this time. I always think this break is a genuinely underrated window for South African travel. Shoulder-season pricing, decent weather, and just enough structure from Heritage Day to build a proper short trip around, it’s worth taking advantage of if you can. Do you have plans already, or are you still deciding where to go? Let us know in the comments below…

South Africa cannot bank the unbanked until it solves identity, Nedbank’s outgoing COO has said.

For South African security operations centres facing a skills shortage, capacity now comes from workflow.