South Africa’s intensifying cycle of floods, wildfires and severe storms is forcing both government and business to rethink how the country prepares for climate-related disasters, with insurers increasingly positioning early warning systems as a frontline defence against mounting economic losses. On Thursday, Santam and the South African Weather Service (SAWS) announced a partnership aimed at strengthening the country’s weather forecasting and early warning capabilities through the installation of nine new automatic weather stations. The initiative comes as the country grapples with increasingly destructive weather events, including the devastating 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods, as well as more recent deadly flooding in Mthata in the Eastern Cape last year and in Limpopo and Mpumalanga earlier this year. By expanding SAWS’s observation network, the partnership seeks to close critical forecasting gaps in regions vulnerable to floods, storms and extreme rainfall, particularly along the eastern seaboard where repeated extreme weather has exposed structural weaknesses in monitoring capacity. Santam group chief executive Tavaziva Madzinga said the collaboration reflected growing recognition that climate-related disasters were no longer isolated events but an escalating economic and social risk. The SAWS was the only entity mandated to issue severe weather-related warnings over South Africa, he said.  “By strengthening its observation and forecasting capabilities, we are helping to ensure that early warnings are accessible, credible and localised, so that South Africans can act before weather hazards escalate into disasters.” Madzinga noted that early warning systems should be understood as economic infrastructure rather than optional public services, arguing that earlier alerts could significantly reduce both human and financial losses. “Simply put, early warning enables early action,” Madzinga said. “If people delay travel, secure property, move vehicles or protect agricultural assets based on credible early warnings, exposure is reduced and losses are minimised.” The partnership also highlights how climate change is reshaping the insurance industry. As weather disasters become more frequent and more costly, insurers face rising claims linked to flooding, fires and storm damage, while governments are left grappling with ballooning reconstruction costs. For South Africa, the pressure is particularly acute. Repeated flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and parts of Limpopo has exposed weaknesses in disaster preparedness systems, while fires and severe storms continue to threaten infrastructure, agriculture and households. SAWS acting chief executive Jonas Mphepya described the partnership as a practical example of how public-private collaboration could strengthen national resilience. “Our network boasts 276 automatic weather stations, 211 automatic rainfall stations, 26 lightning detection network sensors, 25 climate stations and 12 meteorological radar systems,” Mphepya said. “In a time of frequent and intensifying severe weather events, the importance of reinforcing our observational infrastructure, which is the bedrock of our weather and climate services, cannot be overemphasised.” Rudzani Malala, the SAWS head of disaster risk reduction, said South Africa’s early warning infrastructure was both technically critical and increasingly urgent.  “This observational infrastructure is the backbone of the weather and climate services that the SAWS renders day in and day out,” he said. The system underpinned the country’s ability to protect lives through timely alerts. “It is this infrastructure on which the country relies to ensure that every person in our communities is protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through lifesaving early warning systems by the end of 2027 in line with the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All initiative,” Malala said. The newly commissioned stations are operational and integrated into the SAWS network.  Four pilot stations were installed in Limpopo and Mpumalanga between 2021 and 2022, while five additional stations have recently been commissioned in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and Gauteng. The SAWS said the sites were selected based on areas with known observational gaps and heightened exposure to disruptive weather systems. An automatic weather station electronically records and transmits data on wind speed, rainfall, temperature, humidity and air pressure at intervals ranging from five minutes to hourly, feeding directly into forecasting systems used for severe weather warnings. Each station costs about R250 000 and forms part of the infrastructure underpinning the country’s broader disaster preparedness system. SAWS technical services manager Nomvuso Busizi said significant gaps remained in parts of the country that were highly vulnerable to extreme weather. She pointed to the recent flooding in Mthatha as an example of the consequences of insufficient coverage. “Through the Santam project, we managed to install one station there but during the installation we identified areas where there are gaps. We need one or two stations to fully cover that area.” The partnership also forms part of South Africa’s commitments under the UN’s Early Warnings for All initiative, led by the World Meteorological Organisation, which requires that “every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems” by 2027. According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, early warning systems are among the most cost-effective tools available for reducing disaster losses, yet remain underfunded globally despite rapidly escalating climate risks In October, South Africa became the first G20 country to launch its national Early Warnings for All roadmap, a framework designed to coordinate investments across the government and improve disaster preparedness from national to local level. But officials acknowledge the scale of the challenge.  “Here is the kicker,” Malala said. “South Africa needs R1 billion to fully implement the Early Warnings for All roadmap,” he said.  “Put differently, the country needs R1bn to ensure that its people are protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through lifesaving early warning systems by 2027.” The money went towards bolstering observational infrastructure including automatic weather stations, capacity building, public awareness and coordination of the roadmap rollout, he said.  While some might question affordability, he argued the economic logic was clear. “Some might say R1bn is too steep. The painful truth is that we stand to lose far more if we do not invest,” Malala said. “Already we lose billions every year rebuilding what is destroyed during severe weather events.” The government would not be able to fund the programme on its own, he said, calling for stronger private sector participation and praising Santam’s involvement as an example of effective public-private collaboration. Malala added that climate impacts extended far beyond infrastructure damage. “Severe weather affects human life, livelihoods, property, public health, economic stability, infrastructure, energy systems, food security and environmental systems.” 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) heads into its KwaZulu-Natal provincial congress this weekend with the party facing mounting pressure to consolidate its position before the upcoming local government elections. Delegates will elect a new provincial leadership team in a contest expected to shape the DA’s electoral strategy in a province where coalition politics, shifting voter loyalties and the rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) have dramatically altered the political landscape. Whoever emerges victorious will inherit the task of defending the DA’s recent gains while attempting to expand the party’s support beyond its traditional urban and suburban voter base. The DA has not had a black provincial leader in KwaZulu-Natal since 2015, when Zwakele Mncwango took the helm before later defecting to ActionSA. He had succeeded Sizwe Mchunu, who later joined the ANC. The front-runners for the provincial leadership are understood to be Sithembiso Ngema and Mzamo Billy. Ngema, who served as provincial deputy leader under outgoing leader Francois Rodgers, said the DA must deepen its presence in townships and rural communities if it wanted to grow meaningfully in the province. “For me, leadership is about growing the DA by growing our communities, especially townships and rural communities. That is where the heart of leadership lies,” Ngema said. Having joined the DA in 2006, Ngema said the party must position itself as a credible alternative to both the ANC and MK Party in communities where it had historically struggled to gain traction. Billy said the next provincial leader would need to navigate an increasingly competitive political environment shaped by coalition politics and voter volatility. “A strong DA starts with strong people. We must support our councillors and empower our activists — they are the backbone of our movement,” Billy said. “KwaZulu-Natal is entering a new political era defined by coalition government and increased competition. We must rise to the occasion.” Billy stressed the importance of preserving the government of national unity, in which the DA holds key cabinet positions, including finance and public works and infrastructure. “I commend the work being done by our DA MECs and fully support the continuation of this government,” he said. The DA heads into the congress buoyed by its growing foothold in parts of KwaZulu-Natal.  In the 2021 local government elections, the party secured control of uMngeni Local Municipality centred on Howick, a breakthrough widely credited to mayor Chris Pappas, whose administration has received national attention for improving governance and service delivery. Pappas was widely viewed as a potential contender for provincial leader but declined nomination. The DA has since signalled ambitions to expand its municipal footprint in the province, particularly in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Msunduzi Local Municipality. But the rise of the MK Party under former president Jacob Zuma has complicated the political terrain. Dean Macpherson, the DA provincial chairperson and a candidate for re-election to the position, remained confident the party would play a decisive role in coalition formations across the province after the local government elections.

Following the immense success of her 2010 hit 'Waka Waka (This Time For Africa),' which garnered over 4.5 billion views on YouTube, Shakira continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Kaizer Chiefs’ pursuit of CAF Confederation Cup qualification faces another major test against Sekhukhune United as the battle for a top-three finish intensifies late in the season.

JLR South Africa has completed its rollout of special edition Range Rovers named after specific areas of London by pricing the Westminster version of the full-size Range Rover. London’s political heartland Named after the area housing Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, the Range Rover Westminster mainly receives unique exterior and interior furnishings, without any mechanical or dynamic changes having taken place. Westminster comes standard with Windsor black leather and a panoramic sunroof. Picture: JLR South Africa Externally, the Westminster gains 22-inch diamond-turned alloy wheels, Westminster branded logos on the front side vents and four colour options; Ostuni White, Santorini Black, Charente Grey and Constellation Blue. Part of the unique additions are the Westminster Edition branded illuminated treadplates. Picture: JLR South Africa Inside, the interior gains a black birch wood veneer with 10 inline layers supposed to pay reference to the British prime minister’s 10 Downing Street residence, black Windsor leather and the Meridian 3D surround-sound system. Illuminated Westminster Edition treadplates round the interior off. Hybrid only Up front, JLR has opted for a single powertrain, the P460e which combines the 3.0-litre Ingenium straight-six turbocharged petrol engine with a 38.2-kWh battery pack. Powering a single electric motor, the setup develops a combined 460 pferdestarkes (PS) or 338kW/660Nm, resulting in a top speed of 225km and 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds. The all-electric range is 117km, with the benchmark sprint time falling to 5.5 seconds in conjunction with the standard Dynamic launch control. Sending the powertrain’s amount of twist to all four wheels falls to the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox. Price Slotting in as a step-up from the standard P460e it is based on, the Westminster’s price tag includes a five-year/100 000km maintenance plan and an eight-year/100 000km battery warranty. Range Rover P460e SE – R3 291 700 Range Rover P460e Westminster – R3 424 100 Range Rover P460e Autobiography – R3 992 100 Range Rover D350 HSE – R3 504 200 Range Rover D350 Autobiography – R4 024 400 Range Rover D350 L Autobiography – R4 123 000 Range Rover D350 L Autobiography 7-seat – R4 168 300 Range Rover P530 HSE – R3 900 000 Range Rover P530 Autobiography – R4 444 400 Range Rover P530 L Autobiography – R4 548 100 Range Rover P530 L Autobiography 7-seat – R4 595 200 Range Rover P615 SV – R5 073 000 Range Rover P615 L SV – R5 599 800 Range Rover P615 SV Black – R5 376 900 Range Rover P615 L SV Black – R5 835 500 Range Rover P615 SV Ultra – R5 729 100 Range Rover P615 L SV Ultra – R6 180 500

Police in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, are monitoring protests at the University of Venda (Univen) after student demonstrations over governance issues turned violent, with three arrested for public violence and traffic offences. Univen students started striking on Sunday night, 3 May, calling for immediate attention to address issues with academic support, governance and service delivery. Univen students protest over governance issues Academic access is being affected by alleged unfair policies and administrative failures, according to the Student Representative Council (SRC). Videos of the protest on social media show students demonstrating on campus, running from and clashing with law enforcement, police Nyala vehicles patrolling the campus, and tyres burning. There is also a video of a student using a dustbin to avoid being hit by rubber bullets. CHAOS ERUPTS AS STUDENTS PROTEST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VENDATensions flared at the University of Venda as students staged a protest, causing major disruptions on campus. pic.twitter.com/nYKXvp40H2— Crime_spotterSA (@Crime_SpotterSA) May 7, 2026 The police said students allegedly blocked roads leading into Univen premises and vandalised some road signs. The university suspended classes on Tuesday as a result of the protests. On the same day, students delivered a memorandum of demands to the university’s management. Classes suspended, staff worked from home On Wednesday and Thursday, staff members who felt threatened or unsafe were also encouraged to work on Thursday and Friday as management monitored developments. “The safety and well-being of all staff and students remain our highest priority. We urge everyone to exercise caution and remain vigilant during the period,” Univen said in a statement. Public order policing (POP) members were deployed to monitor the situation and maintain public order. “The university further notes that the police, acting through their own processes and initiatives, entered the campus and effected the arrest of two students. The reasons for these arrests are yet to be established,” the university said on Wednesday. Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed on Friday that three students, aged between 18 and 26, were arrested on charges relating to public violence and contravention of the Road Traffic Act. Three students arrested The students were initially expected to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Friday. However, for safety reasons, the matter has been transferred to the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court, where the students are now expected to appear. “At this stage, no state vehicles have been damaged during the protest action. Police investigations are continuing,” Ledwaba said. Univen also announced on Friday that, following engagements with student leadership, the students decided to temporarily suspend the protest. The institution said normal university operations and academic activities will resume on Monday. “The university management welcomes this positive step and remains committed to fostering constructive engagement, mutual respect, and a conducive environment for teaching, learning, research, and student life,” Univen said. Protests suspended “We further commend all members of the university community for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during this period of campus unrest.” Staff members and students are encouraged to return to campus on Monday and continue with academic and professional responsibilities as scheduled.

SA Rugby and the CANAL+ Group, MultiChoice Group’s parent company, have concluded the renewal of their multi-year domestic broadcast rights agreement. The renewal of the agreement will see SuperSport continue to be the only official broadcast rights holder for all SARU’s domestic competitions and Springbok women’s and junior age-group matches in Sub-Saharan Africa. First of its kind This announcement is the first of its kind with a major local sports federation since CANAL+ joined forces with the MultiChoice Group in September last year, reaffirming CANAL+’s long-term commitment to local sport. SuperSport has been a proud SA Rugby broadcast partner for more than 30 years. SARU President, Mark Alexander, said: “We are very happy to have concluded our first agreement with the MultiChoice Group and CANAL+ Group after a thorough and extensive series of engagements. “They have demonstrated a shared understanding of the importance of rugby to the South African public and we trust this is the first of many such agreements.” ‘Delighted’ CANAL+ Africa CEO, David Mignot, was delighted with the continuation of the domestic rights agreement, which will make all domestic rugby matches available exclusively on SuperSport. In South Africa, the SuperSport channels are supplied by Canal+ Africa to MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd, which provides the DStv offering to subscribers. “As promised, we are doubling down on our investment in local content, including the sports content that matters the most to people on the continent. In the South African market, rugby has grown into becoming a part of the national psyche – as evidenced by the national euphoria that erupted each time the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup,” said Mignot. Long-standing and trusted partner SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer, added: “Broadcasting rights are fundamental to the health and sustainability of sport in South Africa and rugby is no different. SuperSport has been a long-standing and trusted partner to South African rugby, and we are delighted to continue our partnership. “The world of rugby and broadcasting has changed significantly since we signed our first agreement in the 1990s but it is a testimony to our mutual interests that the partnership continues to endure.” The agreement spells more bad news for those hoping to watch the Springboks on SABC.

In a characteristic KAP sani2c sprint finish at Mackenzie Club, four teams battled all the way to the line in the men’s race, but it was Felix Stehli and Marc Pritzen (Team Honeycomb 226ers) who took the win in 02:43:27. Stage 1 of sani2c tested rider endurance across 89km and 1 027m of climbing. Stehli crossed the line first with Travis Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) on his wheel, and a final push from Marc Pritzen saw the decision go in Team Honeycomb 226ers’ favour against Stedman’s team-mate Jaedon Terlouw. Dropped a chain Arno du Toit (Insect Science Safari Essence) and Marco Joubert (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1) crossed the line next, ahead of their respective team-mates, and it was Wessel Botha who finished just ahead of Tristan Nortje to give Insect Science Safari Essence third place for the stage (02:43:29). Keagan Bontekoning and Johan van Zyl (InsectScience) followed just under two minutes later (02:45:11). Marco Joubert had crashed and dropped a chain a few kilometres from the finish, which meant he and Tristan Nortje had to work hard to rejoin the lead group for the final sprint. The Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1 retains their GC lead, but with less than a minute between the top fourteams in the general classification. Racing was fast Nortje says the racing was incredibly fast, in part due to changes on the first 25km of the route route that excluded some of the usual singletrack sections: “We got away a few times, but it was just a little bit too fast to make it stick. “The climbs are too short and there were quite a few sections taken out, so getting away was really difficult. “I think we’re still in the lead, so that’s the only thing that matters.” Felix Stehli was pleased with his team performance after a disappointing Prologue result. “I already felt better today than yesterday. The altitude hit me quite hard, so we just managed our effort. “There are still two days to go.” Marc Pritzen says: “I’ve got the experience here, I know this route, so I just needed to guide Felix to make sure he’s in position and ready for what’s to come.” Stehli laughs: “It’s like having Google Maps with me, I had the best guidance from Marc. I knew if it was going to be a sprint, I had a good chance, because if it comes down to the end of the stage, I knew I could get one or two percent more out of myself. I also had to suffer during the stage, so I’m very happy to finish it off.” Lot of speed Jaedon Terlouw said of the last dice: “Up on the district road near the top, Marc and Felix came through from the back with quite a lot of speed. “Luckily I noticed they were coming from far back, so we were able to get up to speed and minimise that move. “Then we came into the last 180-degree corner and it was super chaotic. Travis and I both took the wider line and it paid off quite well. “The only issue was that we ended up sprinting on the grass. There was one singletrack line to the finish and unfortunately we weren’t on it, so we just got pipped by Marc on the finish line. Well done to them.” He says it was not easy to split the group, and the top five teams regrouped after any attempts to break away on the hard climbs. “Winning is what we come here for. Hopefully we can do that tomorrow,” says Terlouw. Arno du Toit echoed Terlouw’s sentiments about the challenge of trying to split the group. He says the trails were perfect and the racing was nice and fast. “It was muddy here and there, but nothing too bad. Mostly compact and grippy. Where it was wet, it was just a little bit of sliding, which keeps it fun and interesting.” Women’s Race Samantha Sanders and Vera Looser (Efficient Infiniti Insure) delivered a controlled effort to secure the stage win in 03:16:36, nearly 10 minutes ahead of second and third place, which was decided by a sprint between Safari Essence Titan Racing and Fortress Toyota. Danielle du Toit and Roxanne Kemp of team Safari Essence Titan Racing took second place (03:25:06). Cherise Willeit crossed the line first but Ila Stow could not push past the Safari Essence Titan Racing team and Fortress Toyota’s time for the stage was 03:25:09 Looser says: “We knew they would just sit on our wheel, so making it hard and trying to get away would at least make them work a little. But we decided to work the whole day. We kept it safe, but also pushed hard on the climbs.” Before they hit the first major climb of the day (View Climb at around the 30km mark), the Efficient Infiniti Insure pair took a small gap, and as Sanders says: “I think we just opened it up from there.” Danielle du Toit had a good day on the bike: “About 10 minutes in, the legs started clicking and it felt good. We were third and then fourth at stages, and then we managed to get a bit of a gap on Cycle Nation Enza Construction.” Feeling positive The Cycle Nation Enza Construction team of Frances Swanepoel and Rachel Seaman were just under a minute behind third place, finishing fourth in 03:26:02, and are feeling very positive. Seaman says the next two days will suit them a lot better: “I don’t want to blame the altitude too much, but I was struggling a little, especially yesterday. Today I already felt better.” Swanepoel says: “We dropped off on the district road in the beginning, probably around 25 kilometres in. Then we started catching Danielle and Roxy and eventually caught them between Water Point 1 and Water Point 2, but they got away from us again. We just tried to limit our losses and get to the finish. We made up time again on the dirt roads, which suits our roadie legs quite well, so we are not too far behind.” Ila Stow says she just didn’t quite have the legs to match the tactics today: “I think from the middle section onwards I started struggling a bit. In the beginning we had quite a good rhythm going. Cherise was an absolute powerhouse for me and just kept motivating me. “Then Danielle and Roxanne caught us on ‘Confusing Climb’ (at around 58km), and I managed to stick with them. The last part became a bit tactical and we tried to go for the sprint. Cherise has so much road racing experience and it’s such a privilege riding with her because she paces things so well and knows exactly what to do tactically. I could see what was happening, but by the final corner I was completely tapped out. I tried my best, so well done to Danielle and Roxy.” Tenacity She acknowledges the opposing team’s tenacity: “They also never gave up. They fought all the way to the finish. I’m really interested to see what the GC gap is now between second and third because it must only be a few seconds. It’s really close. That’s the exciting part of racing and exactly what we’ll see over the next two days.” The general classification gap between second and third is a mere five seconds, with less than a minute to fourth place, suggesting a very competitive race to come between these three women’s teams. Friday’s Queen Stage to Jolivet Farm covers 96km, featuring 1 896m of climbing and 2 336m of descending. Riders will take on the Umkomaas Drop, a spectacular descent into the Umkomaas Valley. After criss-crossing the Umkomaas River over a host of bridges, the Unitrans Iconic Climb out of the Valley pushes riders to the limit. Stage 1 Result MenFelix Stehli, Marc Pritzen (Team Honeycomb 226ers) – 02:43:27Travis Stedman, Jaedon Terlouw (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) – 02:43:27Arno du Toit, Wessel Botha (InsectScience Safari Essence) – 02:43:29Marco Joubert, Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1) – 02:43:29Keagan Bontekoning, Johan van Zyl (InsectScience) – 02:45:11 WomenSamantha Sanders, Vera Looser (Efficient Infiniti Insure) – 03:16:36Danielle du Toit, Roxanne Kemp (Safari Essence Titan Racing) – 03:25:06Cherise Willeit, Ila Stow (Fortress Toyota) – 03:25:09Frances Swanepoel, Rachel Seaman (Cycle Nation Enza Construction) – 03:26:02Erin Shillaw, Lianke Fourie (Old Mutual Womans Team) – 03:43:05 General Classification Results MenMarco Joubert, Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1) – 03:25:45Jaedon Terlouw, Travis Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) – 03:26:04Wessel Botha, Arno du Toit (InsectScience Safari Essence) – 03:26:16Marc Pritzen, Felix Stehli (Team Honeycomb 226ers) – 03:26:35Keagan Bontekoning, Johan van Zyl (InsectScience) – 03:27:47 WomenSamantha Sanders, Vera Looser (Efficient Infiniti Insure) – 04:09:04Cherise Willeit, Ila Stow (Fortress Toyota) – 04:20:33Danielle du Toit, Roxanne Kemp (Safari Essence Titan Racing) – 04:20:38Frances Swanepoel, Rachel Seaman (Cycle Nation Enza Construction) – 04:23:36Erin Shillaw, Lianke Fourie (Old Mutual Womans Team) – 04:43:04

The economics of desktop computing have, for the first time in the PC’s long history, been broken by the data centre.

Airtel Africa has delayed its mobile money initial public offering to late 2026, citing war-driven margin pressures.