The IberCup South Africa 2024 grand finale, held on 16 December at the UJ Football Stadium in Auckland Park, showcased the finest youth football talent in an electrifying celebration of skill and sportsmanship.


IberCup International, the world's biggest youth football tournament, partnered with the Gauteng Provincial Government to host the first South African edition from 12 to 16 December 2024 in Johannesburg.

A special congratulations to the tournament champions: SuperSport United FC, Warriors FC, PSG - Paris Saint-Germain, Clapham High School, AmaTuks Ladies, and Highlands Park FC. Their teamwork, determination, and skill earned them prestigious titles in their respective categories.

One of the standout matches saw Clapham High School deliver a dominant performance against Español, clinching the 2024 IberCup Championship title with a commanding 3–0 victory.

The event was honoured by the presence of Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane. The City of Johannesburg played a pivotal role in supporting the tournament, underlining its commitment to youth development and sports excellence.

Parents also shared their pride and joy. Suna Nhlazatshe, whose child participated, remarked: "It is incredible to see our children perform at this level. The exposure they are getting is invaluable, and it is heartwarming to see their hard work pay off. Events like this not only build their skills but also their confidence."

The IberCup South Africa 2024 finale was far more than just a competition; it was a celebration of unity, talent, and the bright future of youth football. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and organisers for creating such a memorable event.

At first glance, “biodegradable” water bottles may seem like the obvious eco-friendly upgrade. But dig deeper, and the story shifts. In SA, where infrastructure and real-world conditions matter, the most sustainable choice for bottled water packaging is still the one many already trust: recyclable PET. While new materials claim green credentials, they often fail to deliver in practice, adding confusion, cost and contamination to an otherwise effective recycling system. For businesses committed to real environmental impact, understanding the difference between what sounds green and what works is critical.

In SA, PET plastic bottles have a well-established recycling value chain that delivers real environmental benefits. In 2023, the PET Recycling Company (Petco) achieved a 64% collection rate and a 60% recycling rate for PET beverage bottles, surpassing the governments 58% target.

This robust recycling effort translated into tangible gains. By replacing virgin plastic with recycled PET, Petcos initiatives saved an estimated 64 100 m³ of landfill space and cut about 314 500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions last year. Recycled PET (rPET) is in high demand for new bottles, textiles and packaging, giving used bottles a real economic value. Recyclers were able to purchase R309 million worth of post-consumer packaging from collectors in 2023, sustaining thousands of income opportunities for waste pickers and small businesses.

This thriving circular economy for PET exists because the material is 100% recyclable and is actively recovered at scale. Every PET bottle collected and recycled means less waste in landfills or the environment, and more raw material conserved for reuse.

The Hidden Pitfalls of “Biodegradable” Bottles
So-called “biodegradable” or “compostable” plastic water bottles are appearing as supposedly eco-friendly alternatives. The facts, however, show these alternatives are ill-suited to the SA context. Biodegradable and compostable bottles cannot be reused or conventionally recycled in SA; there are no dedicated facilities to process them and they only decompose under specific industrial composting conditions (sustained 60°C heat for 10 days), which are nothing like normal compost heaps or the natural environment. These materials simply do not degrade as advertised and will end up persisting in landfills.

Even when they do break down, the outcomes are not as “green” as imagined. Biodegradable plastics fragment into microplastics, not harmless soil nutrients. As they decompose they release carbon dioxide (CO₂), contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. What is the environmental gain of a bottle that simply turns into microplastic dust and CO₂? Choosing these materials can exacerbate the very problems they purport to solve.

Biodegradable bottles can also undermine the existing recycling system. If disposed of incorrectly, a compostable plastic bottle that gets mixed into the PET recycling stream can contaminate the entire batch, causing otherwise recyclable plastics to be sent to landfill – a single “eco-friendly” bottle tossed in the recycling bin can spoil hundreds of true PET recyclables. This represents a financial loss to recyclers and collectors who earn income from recovered materials.

Disrupting Recycling and Legal Compliance
South Africas packaging industry has built effective infrastructure around recycling. Besides Petco for PET bottles, there are organisations that cover all plastic packaging types to ensure collection and recycling under the countrys Extended Producer Responsibility laws. It is mandatory for producers of packaging to register with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and join an approved producer responsibility scheme.

PET bottlers – like SANBWA members Aquabella, AquaMonte, aQuellé, Bené, Bonaqua, Designer Water, La Vie De Luc, Thirsti and Valpré – all comply by paying into Petcos programmes, taking responsibility for their bottles end-of-life and meeting government targets. They also design for recycling principals to ensure their packaging can be recycled. This framework is a key reason PET recycling rates are so high in South Africa.

By contrast, its unclear where compostable bottle producers fit into this system. There is currently no established collection or processing network for biodegradable plastics. Are “green” PLA bottlers financially contributing to local waste management as the law requires? If not, they are sidestepping the regulations designed to curb pollution. Even when well-intentioned companies do register, the lack of infrastructure means their bottles are ultimately treated as ordinary refuse, undermining the spirit of extended producer responsibility.

Theres also the matter of truth in labelling. The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has introduced a national standard that sets requirements for the marking and identification of degradable plastics. This standard is meant to ensure that any product marketed as “biodegradable” or “compostable” is properly tested and labelled with its disposal conditions.

Yet, no products in South Africa had been certified compliant by 2023. In practice, that means many “biodegradable” claims on packaging are unverified – a warning sign for potential greenwashing.

Regulators have cautioned against vague eco-claims: if a bottle isnt certified, consumers and retailers have no guarantee it will do what it promises. Such bottles should clearly display that they cannot be recycled and should only be composted in specialized facilities (if available). Not all current labels make this obvious, leading well-meaning buyers to mistakenly throw these bottles into recycling or general waste streams where they dont belong.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to brief the nation on national security matters on Sunday, the Presidency has announced.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Sunday, 13 July 2025, address the nation on developments arising from a public statement by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that details allegations against senior political and South African Police Service leadership,” the Presidency said on Thursday.

President Ramaphosa was attending a BRICS summit in Brazil on Sunday, 6 July 2025, when General Mkhwanazi outlined numerous allegations at a media briefing.

“The President undertook to attend to this development on his return from Brazil, in view of the implications for national security.

“President Ramaphosa has been seized with this matter in recent days and will, following various consultations, take the nation into his confidence at 19h00 on Sunday, 13 July 2025,” it said.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, will lead a high-level South African delegation on an extensive science, technology and innovation visit to the Republic of Tunisia and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria from 14 to 17 July 2025.

These visits are in response to invitations to Minister Nzimande by the Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Mondher Belaid and the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Bidari.

Through these visits, Minister Nzimande seeks to reinforce existing science, technology, and innovation bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and Algeria as part of a broader commitment to grow the size and intensity of intra-Africa STI cooperation for development.

Minister Nzimande's programme will include bilaterals with his Algerian and Tunisian counterparts and visits to key science institutions.

In Tunisia, the Minister will visit the Borja Cedria Technopark, the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum for arts and history and the City of Science Museum.

In Algeria, the Minister will visit, the Centre for the Development of Advanced Technologies, the Saad Dahlab University, and the Great Mosque of Algiers.

One of the highlights of Minister Nzimande’s visit to Algeria will include a guest lecture organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific cooperation on Pan-African cooperation.

Reflecting on the importance of these visits, Minister Nzimande stated that "Our visit to Algeria and Tunisia forms part of our long standing international relations strategy to strengthen meaningful science, technology and innovation cooperation with fellow African countries and to advance the objectives of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA).”

“Pan-African STI cooperation and development are of paramount importance given the current unstable geopolitical environment and the imperatives of securing the sustainable future of the continent. All our efforts are therefore aimed towards developing what we refer to as a sovereign science, technology, and innovation agenda for Africa,” added the Minister.

The two visits will conclude with the adoption by the DSTI and counterpart Ministries, of two new comprehensive Plans of Action, aimed at intensifying cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria, respectively.

This will be an immediate and concrete implementation of the ambitions for South Africa’s science diplomacy, which Minister Nzimande had outlined in his Budget Vote speech last week.

The Minister’s delegation includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department and the Entities of the Department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek)

ENQUIRIES: Veli Mbele (Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson to the Minister) 064 15 0644 or Veli.Mbele@dsti.gov.za

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION

Today, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, addressed a powerful gathering of women leaders at the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) Breakfast during the 2025 Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town.

The breakfast event, themed "Investing in a regional just energy transition: a focus on green hydrogen", brought together leading women representatives from government, academia, business and civil society to reflect on women's role in driving Africa's green hydrogen future.

WiGH is a global initiative committed to promoting gender diversity in the hydrogen economy. Through events like this, WiGH continues to provide strategic platforms for knowledge sharing, mentorship and collaboration among women advancing clean energy across Africa.

The event marked the launch of the Green Hydrogen Mentorship Platform, a collaborative initiative developed in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA).

It aims to connect experienced professionals and emerging talent to support inclusive growth within the green hydrogen sector and build a pipeline for inclusive talent. It has already garnered international interest since its announcement at the World Hydrogen Summit in Germany.

The platform was one of the deliverables of South Africa's Chairship of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy in 2023, represented by the DSTI.

In her address, Deputy Minister Gina emphasised the importance of inclusive participation and intentional investment in women across the energy value chain, stating that fundamental transformation depends on inclusive, deliberate implementation.

She singled out Ms Meta Mhlarhi and Ms Makole Mupita, female co-founders of Mahlako A Phahla Investments, whose company yesterday officially secured funding approval from Germany's KfW Development Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation for the Prieska Power Reserve project to produce green ammonia and hydrogen.

South Africa's progress in establishing a policy framework for the green hydrogen economy through instruments such as the Hydrogen Society Roadmap, the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy, and the Just Transition Framework was highlighted. However, the Deputy Minister noted that policies must translate into action that dismantles structural barriers facing women in the energy and the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sectors.

Ms Gina called on participants to commit to mentorship and collaboration, stressing that women's underrepresentation in STEM and energy leadership must not be repeated in the green hydrogen transition. Currently, women comprise only 23% of STEM professionals in South Africa, with fewer than 17% holding leadership roles.

The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Ms Mimmy Gondwe, said the platform was a strategic lever for change and meaningful inclusion, especially for African women and children who might not have direct access to knowledge and expertise in their local spaces.

The Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Ms Samantha Graham-Maré, said that South Africa must avoid the mistake of failing to adequately integrate gender and youth perspectives into the mainstream of green hydrogen.

Also attending the event were Ms Lerato Mataboge, the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the AU Commission, Ms Mpho Mookapele, the CEO of EWSETA, and Ms Bongiwe Moni, Director of External Capacity Building and Internships at the Human Sciences Research Council. Their presence underscored the depth of leadership and commitment to gender equity within the green hydrogen sector.

Issued by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

For more information, contact Veronica Mohapeloa at 083 400 5750.

Senior East-African government sources have told NSN that several South African soldiers, deployed by the ANC Government into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of an ill equipped and ill prepared force, surrendered to M23 rebels this past week. The soldiers are now being held as hostages by M23, according to these sources.

The soldiers are part of a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed to attack the M23 rebels specifically in the east of the DRC. This follows the withdrawal of an East African Regional Security Force that was led by Kenya that avoided a confrontation with M23.

President Ramaphosa undertook to replace the East African Community’s peacekeeping deployment in the eastern DRC with the deployment of 2,900 soldiers from the SANDF.

Although eastern DRC is ravaged by more than 90 different rebel groups, including the extremist Islamic State (ISIS), Ramaphosa tasked the SANDF deployment with a mission to destroy M23, the battle hardened Tutsi insurgent group that has long been a security buffer between Rwanda and the Forces Democratiques du Liberation du Congo (FDLR). The FDLR are the remnants of the genocidal Hutu army that fled into the eastern DRC in 2004 after the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda with some 2 million participants in the brutal genocide of Rwanda’s Tutsis. The FDLR’s mission as stated in its name- the “liberation of Rwanda”- is the overthrow and destruction of the Kagame Government in Kigali that saved Rwanda from the genocide and since have rebuilt a modern country from its ashes.

M23 was formed after the Rwandan genocide as a local defence force in the eastern DRC to protect the Tutsi communities in the DRC and Rwanda against ongoing attacks from the FDLR that has the continued genocide of the Tutsis as its sole political and military objective.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, conduct an oversight visit to Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) Facility, a one-stop-shop medical imaging facility dedicated to Cancer and TB drug development and imaging-based clinical research, housed at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria.

This is a world class facility that showcases a successful partnership between Department of Health, Department of Science and Innovation, and the University of Pretoria with significant support from the private sector.

President Ramaphosa will also visit cardias cathetherization laboratory, which is part of the radiology department. The visit will highlight South Africa’s commitment to scientific innovation, equitable access to healthcare, and integrated infrastructure investment.

President will be accompanied by Ministers and Deputy Ministers including Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi; Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.

Details of the visit are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Time: 10h00

Venue: Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Corner Steve Biko Road and Malan Street, Pretoria

Due to space limitations, the visit will be restricted to the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS), which will disseminate the materials to all media post the visit

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

With the use of sophisticated drones, the Border Management Authority (BMA) in collaboration with the SAPS and SANDF, successfully intercepted more than 1,000 undocumented migrants attempting to enter South Africa illegally and confiscated illicit goods over the Easter period, BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato told Eyewitness News after the long weekend.

“Without drones, this work becomes very expensive and ineffective. We would be patrolling blindly, not knowing if we would encounter people,” Masiapato said during a media briefing at Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe and the busiest the busiest border crossing into South Africa.

The BMA, a single integrated authority mandated to secure and manage South African borders, officially deployed the drones during the busy Easter period after a successful pilot project over the 2024/2025 festive season. The pilot project resulted in a 215% increase in the successful prevention of illegal border crossings during the period.

The drone roll-out as part of the Easter Operational Programme, was done in collaboration with the DHA. The department, in its capacity as the custodian of South African citizens’ identities, plays a crucial role in the BMA’s operations, especially in areas like immigration and border security.

Dr Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs, said at the launch of the BMA’s Easter Operational Plan earlier in April 2025 the new devices is concrete proof of the fruits that follow when DHA commits itself to using technology in smarter and more effective ways.

He said the cutting-edge new drone and body worn camera technology, which feeds to the BMA Operational Centre, is a revolutionary development in border control, helping to prevent illegal crossings and corruption.

According to the Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa (SIHMA) the South Africa-Zimbabwe corridor is one of Africa’s busiest. The most common route from Zimbabwe to South Africa leads from Zimbabwe’s southern Matabeleland region through Beitbridge.

SIHMA says smugglers often exploit migrants, charging exorbitant fees ranging from $100 to $300 for an illegal crossing, often with no guarantee of the migrants’ safety.

‘Eyes in the Sky’

The Minister described the drones as among the most advanced in the country, calling them the BMA’s “eyes in the sky” for day and night surveillance.

The drones can launch in 15 seconds, reach a speed of 43 km/h, has thermal visual detection, long range zoom capabilities enabling the drone to see almost 2 km into the distance, are capable of operating under all weather conditions, and the advanced camera can detect and record movement. It also boasts autonomous pathfinding, meaning it can navigate its own environment despite obstacles. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used to programme the devices to, for instance, look for a certain kind of vehicle or group of people.

“We can now do surveillance we were not able to do before, even if we had more human resources. This is how digital technology helps us tackle our challenges,” Schreiber said.

Unwavering commitment to digital transformation

This is yet another step in the DHA’s digital transformation journey.

In the past few months, the department upgraded its digital verification system which it believes will dramatically reduce waiting times whenever a client needs to verify their identity with the department to obtain a social grant or open a bank account.

The DHA also launched of a dedicated eRecruitment platform and instituted a new rule to deliver the outcomes of visa waiver applications digitally via email to applicants.

As South Africa celebrates Youth Month 2025 under the theme "Skills for the changing world: Empowering youth for meaningful economic participation", the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) is proud to highlight the achievements of young South African talent on the international stage.

The South African team from the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) has won an impressive second place finish at the online component of the International Student Cluster Competition, held in Hamburg, Germany, from 10 to 12 June 2025.

The CHPC is a pillar of the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System, supported by the DSTI. The team's outstanding achievement reaffirms South Africa's growing presence in the field of high-performance computing and demonstrates how investing in youth skills development can yield world-class results.

The team – comprising six students and one reserve from leading South African universities – beat 21 other university teams from across the globe, showing remarkable skill, resilience and teamwork throughout the competition.

The members are:

Kapil Ramlall – Electrical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand
Thina Calana – Computer Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
Lisa Pitsi – Computer Science, University of the Western Cape
Tebogo Diraditsile – Computer Engineering, CPUT
Allen Van Dieman – Computer Engineering, CPUT
Abdullah Jaffer – Computer Engineering, CPUT
Anna Lukose (reserve member) – Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cape Town
Guided by their mentors and equipped with a 3-node high-performance computing cluster sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, the team demonstrated excellence in performance, energy efficiency and technical presentation.

The CHPC has a proud history of producing top-tier student teams that have consistently ranked among the best in the world. This year's result continues that legacy, proving once again that South African youth are not only ready for the challenges of the future, but are already shaping it.