Environment South Africa’s Agulhas long-billed lark: adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds By Robert Leslie Thomson, University of Cape Town The Agulhas long-billed lark (Certhilauda brevirostris) is only found in South Africa. It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers that is critically endangered by agricultural expansion. The University of Cape Town’s FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology recently published the first study into the nesting practices of […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 10
insert_link Africa Fintech and energy illuminate DR Congo’s nascent startup ecosystem By Conrad Onyango, via bird story agency The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one of the world’s most resource-rich countries, is carving out a new prosperity niche as it emerges on the global tech scene. Known for its green metals, cobalt and copper, and the world's second-largest rainforest, the newest member of the East African Community is having a moment in the startup ecosystem. In 2023 the country raised […] todayJanuary 23, 2024 18
insert_link Africa The Brave Warriors look to rebound against Mali after 4-0 loss to Bafana Bafana Following a 4-0 defeat by South Africa’s Bafana Bafana last night, Namibia’s Brave Warriors will face Mali on Wednesday at the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. One Africa Television sports journalist, Terence Mukasa, reports. todayJanuary 22, 2024 30
insert_link Environment Why are floods in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal so devastating? Urban planning expert explains By Hope Magidimisha-Chipungu, University of KwaZulu-Natal The devastation caused by the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa demonstrates again that the country is not moving fast enough to adopt appropriate urban planning. It should be integrating risk assessment and management in the design and development of cities. This is becoming more urgent as the frequency of floods increases. Most South African cities were built a long time ago, before […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 12
insert_link Lifestyle South Africa’s ageing population comes with new challenges. How best to adapt to them By Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney Young people – under the age of 15 – currently make up 29% of South Africa’s population. But this will soon change: the aged portion of the population is forecast to rise from 2030, bringing many challenges. Lauren Johnston, an economics and political economy expert, recently published a paper on the subject. We asked her to put the developments into perspective. What is […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 14
insert_link South Africa Workers take newly merged Heineken-Distell to the CCMA About 50 workers, mostly forklift drivers, are taking Heineken Beverages to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks By Liezl Human via GroundUp About 50 workers at Heineken Beverages, which recently merged with one of South Africa’s largest alcohol producers, Distell, have lodged a dispute with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to get the company to employ them on a permanent basis. The workers, mostly […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 3
insert_link South Africa Al Jama-ah in South Africa Claims Victory as U.S. and Israel Backtrack on Accusations Against Hamas Al Jama-ah in South Africa has claimed victory for South Africa as the United States and Israel backtracked on certain accusations against Hamas. The party says it notes growing international support for South Africa’s move to take Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for alleged genocide of Palestinians. Party leader Ganief Hendricks urges the continuation of the solidarity campaign in support of Palestine. He says in […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 4
insert_link Namibia Namibia’s CPI comes in at 5.3% The Namibia Statistics Agency’s latest Consumer Price Index shows that Namibia’s annual inflation stood at 5.3 percent during December 2023. NSA Communication specialist, Mirja Shihepo helps make sense of things. Meanwhile, during the month of November 2023, Namibia’s trade balance stood at a deficit of N$4.0 billion an improvement when compared to N$4.5 billion when compared to N$2.8 billion recorded in October 2023. The country’s trade composition by partner […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 36
insert_link Science & Technology South African researchers are tracing the vibrational language of elephants – using fossils By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Researchers in South Africa have unearthed groundbreaking evidence that sheds light on the ancient communication methods of elephants. A research team led by Charles Helm of the African Centre for Coastal Palaescience at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa published the report on ScienceDirect, a scientific research journal, in September 2023. The team discovered 35 fossilized elephant track sites, some of which are the […] todayJanuary 18, 2024 30
