Many people, in China and abroad, have asked a similar question of the Communist Party of China: how does a party of more than 100 million members, leading a nation of over 1.4 billion people, remain energetic and renewed rather than settling into complacency?

The Springboks are keeping their focus firmly on Los Pumas in Buenos Aires as Rassie Erasmus prepares his squad for their upcoming showdown with the All Blacks.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has unveiled his ambitious vision to transform the province into a hub of innovation and opportunity for young people, saying the next generation should not only inherit the economy but actively shape it. Launching the Gauteng Human Resource Development Council (GHRDC) on Tuesday, Lesufi outlined a vision for the initiative, painting a picture of high-speed rail links, technology-driven classrooms and township-born talent leading South Africa’s economic growth. GHRDC is a multi-stakeholder advisory body aimed at tackling youth unemployment, poverty and skills shortages by aligning education and workforce training with the province’s economic needs. [WATCH]: Premier Panyaza @Lesufi delivers the keynote address at the launch of the Gauteng Human Resource Development Council (GHRDC), outlining a bold vision for a future-ready Gauteng driven by skills, innovation and technology.From AI-powered healthcare and smart classrooms… pic.twitter.com/2goq5sibG0— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) July 28, 2026 Skilled workforce needed to fight unemployment Lesufi, delivering the keynote address, said job creation without a skilled workforce would not resolve South Africa’s unemployment crisis. “If you can’t get the skills right, we’ll not get the country right. If you can’t get the skills right, we’ll not get the economy right. “You might have ambitions to eliminate unemployment, but when jobs are created and the skills are not there, unemployment will be permanent.” Lesufi’s vision for Gauteng’s future The premier, who will also chair the council, said he envisions a future in which young people are equipped with the skills to drive innovation and lead Gauteng’s transformation through technology, infrastructure, and other future-focused industries. “I dream about a hospital in Gauteng where we utilise artificial intelligence to execute systems, taking advantage of artificial intelligence, the precision is spot on and the queue of those that are waiting for surgeries is eliminated,” he said. “I dream about the speed train that moves from here to Limpopo in 67 minutes, and that train is driven by a young lady from Mamelodi or Thembisa. I dream about the school where every learner has a tablet, the teacher has a laptop and a classroom has a smart board. “I think about the satellite-based CCTV that can capture the essence of our province, so that every crime that is committed can be captured and every criminal can be faced.” Launch of schools of specialisation He also touched on the 34 schools of specialisation in the province, stating they are an investment that must not be undermined. Gauteng’s schools of specialisation aim to bridge the gap between basic education and the modern economy by providing high-level, practical skills in fields like engineering, ICT and the arts. They align student training with regional industrial needs to combat youth unemployment. “We have entered the stage where the name of a school, if it ends with a high school or Hoërskool or lower primary school you know, we’re in the past, but if a school says a school of specialisation in aviation, school of specialisation in maritime studies, school of specialisation in business development, schools of specialisation in engineering, you must know that’s the future and that school is nowhere else, it is in Gauteng.”

An exciting climax to the 2025/26 racing season has lacked just one thing: any sort of close battle for national championship titles. That meant no bookmakers dared to frame betting markets for the likes of top jockey, trainer and owner. The season officially ends on Friday 31 July and the only race that came anywhere close to a photo-finish was for South Africa’s top breeder. But, with three meetings still to go – at Scottsville on Wednesday, the Vaal on Thursday and Fairview on Friday – even that has clearly been settled. Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein successfully defended the champion breeder title – crowning the achievement at Greyville at the weekend as Holding Thumbs galloped steadfastly to victory in the marathon World Pool Gold Cup and Mocha Blend beat her filly peers in the Bet With The World Gold Bracelet. The two stud farms in league saw mother and daughter combo of Mary Slack and Jessica Jell total stake earnings of R34.3-million to edge out Varsfontein Stud on R31.9-million. The studs’ third title in the last six seasons rewards their investment in imported stallions such as Fire Away, Flower Alley, Danon Platina and Ideal World and their confidence in local bloodlines with the likes of Hawaam and Buffalo Bill Cody. Drakenstein Stud, Maine Chance Farms and Ridgemont Highlands finished third, fourth and fifth on the breeders’ log. Champion jockey, determined by the highest number of winners ridden, is often the most closely contested gong. This term, however, Craig Zackey had it sewn up weeks ago. Having given cheek to Gavin Lerena and Richard Fourie in 2024/25, 31-year-old Zackey started the new term on the front foot and finished it full of running. On Wednesday morning he had 280 wins chalked up – 55 more than Fourie in second place. Zackey, who has aspirations to ride in Hong Kong someday, had set himself a target of 275 for the season. Former champion Keagan de Melo, who returned to SA after an indifferent spell in Hong Kong, was third among the local riders, on 155 wins, with Muzi Yeni in fourth, Calvin Habib in fifth, Callan Murray in sixth, Serino Moodley in seventh, Sean Veale in eighth, Lerena in ninth and Rachel Venniker in 10th. The champion apprentice is Blaine Marx-Jacobson, some 10-plus wins ahead of Mxolisi Mbuto and Damyan Pillay. Hefty domination of most of the biggest races in the land saw Cape Town’s Justin Snaith secure his fourth consecutive trainer championship, collecting a cool R39.5-million in prize money for his owners – with a 1,2 in the R10-million Hollywoodbets Durban July helping that stat along somewhat. That total is R21.7-million more than runner-up Sean Tarry, whose Highveld colleague Tony Peter managed third place with the country’s top winners-to-runners rate of 17.6%. Mike & Mathew de Kock, Alan Greeff, James Crawford and Candice Bass followed. The Hollywood Syndicate cantered to a second champion owner title in a row, amassing more than R22-million in stakes from its hundreds of horses campaigning around the country from a myriad of yards. KwaZulu-Natal owner Nick Jonsson landed a popular 1,2 in Sunday’s Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup – with Eight On Eighteen and See It Again – which saw him edge Cape-based Sabine Plattner out of second place on the owner table. The champion stallion is once again record-breaking Vercingetorix, who stands at Maine Chance Farms in Western Cape. His offspring returned more than R40-million to their owners. Next was former champion Gimmethegreenlight, Querari, Master Of My Fate and Rafeef. Encouraging for local breeders is the fact that local thoroughbred stallions are continuing to perform well, with six of the top 10 sires being born in SA. The horse that won the most money over the season was, unsurprisingly, Hollywoodbets Durban July victor Note To Self. Next were Met champ See It Again, Summer Cup champ Mocha Blend and four-time winner and July runner-up Wish List.

Capitec has rapidly expanded its Smart ID application service, adding 48 new branches in just 10 days and bringing the total number of locations offering the service to 207 nationwide. The expansion means existing South African ID holders can now apply for their Smart ID cards at more than 200 Capitec branches through the bank’s partnership with the Department of Home Affairs. Passport applications are also expected to be added to the service in the coming weeks. Capitec adds 48 branches in 10 days The pace of Capitec’s rollout has accelerated significantly, with the bank having reached 200 branches just 141 days after launching its service. According to reports, in the latest rollout, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape have received the largest number of new branches, with 11 new locations added in each province. KwaZulu-Natal – 11 new branches Bergville Mall Durban Pavillion Durban Southway Mall Empangeni Maxwell Esikhawini Plaza Nongoma Mall Pietermaritzburg Church 187 Richards Bay Boardwalk Richards Bay Junction 14 Shongweni Westown Square Umlazi KwaMnyandu 309   Western Cape – 11 new branches Atlantis City Mall LS38 Bredasdorp The Pavilion Ceres Voortrekker 8 Ceres Vos Durbanville Gugulethu Square Shop 33 Kraaifontein Bloch Centre Montague Gardens Rondebosch Somerset Mall Tokai Centre Free State – 7 new branches Bethlehem Dihlabeng Mall Ficksburg Kroonstad Cross Theunissen Piet Retief Viljoenskroon Virginia Welkom Mahala Shopping Centre Mpumalanga – 6 new branches Acornboek Mall 65A Barberton Stimela Crossing Hazyview Junction Komatipoort Piet Retief Mall at Mfula Secunda Watterson Limpopo – 5 new branches Dennilton Moutse Mall Magnet Heights Mutale Tshilamba Polokwane Biccard Polokwane the Greenery Northern Cape – 2 new branches Barkly West Kuruman Segonyana Mall Gauteng – 1 new branch Vereeniging Bedworth Park North West – 1 new branch Northam Plaza Eastern Cape – 4 new branches Ngqamakhwe East London Beacon Bay King Williams Town Stone Towers Port St Johns

The City of Cape Town has dismissed reports that popular Fish Hoek sand sculptor Lanele Xaba was arrested by Law Enforcement officers while creating one of his artworks on Fish Hoek Beach earlier this month. The clarification comes after media reports claimed Xaba had been arrested after being approached by City officials while sculpting on the beach. ‘Refused requests to move’ According to the City, Law Enforcement officers were called to Fish Hoek Beach on 17 July after the beach manager requested assistance. City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said work was taking place on the beach at the time and Xaba had refused requests to move. “The beach manager also informed officers that there had been ad hoc complaints from members of the public that his sculpting causes sand to blow in the wind, creating a nuisance to others,” Smith said. Law Enforcement officers spoke to Xaba and a member of the public who was supporting him before asking both men to accompany them to the beach manager’s office to discuss the matter. Nothing to do with permits Smith stressed that the incident had nothing to do with permits. “The City would like to emphasise that this was not a permit issue. Officers did, however, explain to Mr Xaba and the member of the public how permits work,” he said. According to the City, Xaba does not require a permit if he is busking. However, a permit is required if his sand sculptures are intended to remain on display for an extended period. Smith said no fines were issued and Xaba was not arrested by Law Enforcement officers during the incident. “The Law Enforcement officers did not issue any fines on the day, nor did they arrest Mr Xaba,” he said. Earlier arrest The City added that it had since established Xaba was taken into custody by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 26 June in connection with an unrelated matter and on a warrant of arrest. Smith said SAPS would be best placed to comment on the circumstances surrounding that arrest. The City’s statement seeks to dispel misinformation circulating online, maintaining that the interaction between Law Enforcement officers and Xaba on 17 July ended without any arrest or enforcement action.

Government, Eskom and Standard Bank on what scaling AI across industries actually requires.

Gartner’s South African forecast, shared with TechCentral, outpaces the global rate, with data centre spending nearly doubling.