Yesterday marked Parliament's deadline for submissions to the Constitutional Review process, and the South Africans for Constitutional Reform (SACR) says it is made one of the largest independent civil society submissions in the country. The organisation says its nationwide public participation campaign attracted more than one hundred and thirty-five thousand inputs from South Africans across all nine provinces.

Guest: Princess Mthombeni - founder of South Africans for Constitutional Reform  

 

Built in Mzansi: How Dr Lungile Sithole has been part of the initiative Stem Ment Her, an academic mentorship programme, that provides female Grade 11 learners with one year of expert academic mentorship. Its goal is to encourage and empower young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Guest: Dr Lungile Sitole - Senior lecturer in the Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences and Biochemist at the University of Cape Town 

Africa in Focus with Boikhutso Mfusi - Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa

1.    China -Namibia

Namibia's President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, met with the leadership of Guangdong province yesterday, marking the first official meeting of her trip to China.

The delegation met Guangdong province party secretary Huang Kunming, who also sits on the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee.

"[Huang] expressed confidence that the visit would elevate China-Namibia cooperation to new heights, further deepen bilateral relations and strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries," the Office of the Presidency says on social media in a post on Monday.

"[The president said] she had deliberately chosen Guangzhou as her point of entry into China because of its significant economic profile and expressed confidence that the visit would create valuable opportunities for the Namibian delegation and accompanying business community," the Presidency says.

.2. Malawi- Lilongwe

Malawian Govt Defends University Fee Doubles as Students Fear Being Priced Out

Malawi's five public universities have doubled their tuition fees after the government approved a 100 per cent increase as an emergency measure to address a deepening financial crisis in the higher education sector.

The Secretary for Education, Dr Ken Ndala, confirmed that the universities had submitted formal requests to the Ministry of Education, citing inadequate funding and mounting operational challenges.

Three options were put forward: full economic-cost recovery fees, a 60 per cent cost-recovery model, or an immediate 100 per cent increase in current fees.

The fee hike has sparked concern among students and parents already struggling with the rising cost of living and will increase pressure on the government's student loans programme to expand its reach and speed up the release of funds.

1. United Nations -Geneva 

UN Secretary-General calls for regulation of Artificial Intelligence. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the creation of a global system to govern artificial intelligence, warning that the technology is advancing faster than the world can manage.

Speaking at the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Guterres said AI must be developed in the service of humanity and not allowed to shape humanity's future without clear rules and accountability.

He warned that AI is transforming economies, workplaces, elections, and global security at a pace that governments and institutions are struggling to keep pace with. Guterres said stronger international cooperation is urgently needed to ensure the technology is safe, fair and respects human rights.

 

Reality Check with Abongile Xhantini - Ableism: The Invisible Story South Africa Is Still Living. What if the greatest barrier to our future is not difference, but our discomfort with it? 

Guest: Abongile Xhantini - Founder of Veritas Inclusion Advisory

The Global Briefing: The Philippines has entered a defining political moment as Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial gets underway.

After separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump is heading to the NATO summit with renewed efforts to push for a breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Bangladesh's newly elected Prime Minister has chosen China and Malaysia for his first overseas visits since taking office, signalling where his government sees its biggest economic and strategic opportunities.

Guest: Dr Garth Benneyworth - Senior Lecturer at Sol Plaatje University.

 

 

Built in Mzansi: How JSE has built an accelerator programme that has helped small businesses become investment-ready, embrace new technologies and scale their businesses into engines of inclusive economic growth.

Guest: Vuyo Lee - Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange 

 

The realities and hardships surrounding repatriations in South Africa: the process of repatriation is often far more complex than many realise, involving legal procedures, human rights considerations, diplomatic cooperation and significant logistical challenges

Guest: Jo Vearey, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the African Centre for Migration & Society at Wits University

Guest: Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga, Human Rights Activist and African Refugee and Migrants Aid Director

About 2,500 migrants were processed and repatriated over the weekend, as hundreds more continue to stream through the Beitbridge Border Post in Musina, Limpopo. There was also chaos at Epping Repatriation Centre in Cape Town where hundreds of migrants are said to have spent nights outside while women and babies slept inside the Home Affairs offices.

Guest: Thulani Mavuso - Spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs 

 

1. Chery completes takeover of Nissan’s Pretoria plant
2. Moody’s flags downgrade risk for South32
3. Market update

 

Today marks exactly a year since KZN Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press briefing where he revealed explosive information of the involvement of high profile politicians and senior police leadership in corruption. How has this changed the Police department?

Guest: Jabu Mabena - Deputy spokesperson for the South African Police Union