Latest News & Developments
population growth
Joburg residents call for urgent action on ageing sewer infrastructure
Residents of Windsor West and East in Joburg face a sewage crisis due to ageing infrastructure and urbanisation, prompting local councillors and Johannesburg Water to confront mounting environmental and health challenges.
Conservation success for Cape Mountain Zebras, but threats persist
While Cape mountain zebras have made a remarkable comeback from near extinction, plainsand Grévy’s zebras continue to face habitat loss, poaching, and climate change-drivendroughts.
This country is testing a four-day work week to allow citizens to reproduce and avoid the nation's extinction
People are reportedly so overworked that they don't have time to reproduce, making this country have one of the lowest birth rates in the world.
Bosa slams indefinite water cuts in Johannesburg as ‘Water-Shedding gift from GNU’
‘If load shedding was the gift from the previous administration, water shedding is the gift from this administration,’ said Bosa deputy president Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster.
Austerity: A club to bludgeon the poor
If the ANC blindly continues with austerity it will be removed from power. We do not have a left party and will not have one for as long as the SACP and Cosatu remain tied to the ANC and Numsa and Abahlali baseMjondolo do not work towards building an inclusive mass-based left project.
KwaZulu-Natal to see a 55% boost in water supply through the uMkhomazi Water Project by 2030
Amid ongoing water shortages in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo recently attended a business dinner at the Mkhambathini Local Municipality in Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, to announce the advancement of the significant uMkhomazi Water Project.
Over 30 countries seek BRICS membership, signalling a shift towards a multi-polar world, says Putin
Over 30 nations express a desire to join BRICS, as Putin emphasises the group's role in shaping a multi-polar global landscape.
DA welcomes portfolio committee's demand for answers from Rand Water amid Gauteng's water crisis
Gauteng Province is experiencing a peak in water scarcity due to significant declines in water storage levels, largely attributed to excessive withdrawals by municipalities.
Helicopters, chainsaws, and hope - Inside the fight to save Hluhluwe-iMfolozi's rhinos
Conservationists in KwaZulu-Natal have turned to mass dehorning as an urgent measure to protect rhinos from poachers.
Bat population declines linked to increased infant mortality in the US, study finds
A groundbreaking study links reduced bat populations to higher infant mortality rates.
Android dominates iPhone, but Africa’s internet connectivity holds the key to progress
In the smartphone market, Android phones are significantly more popular in Africa than iPhones due to their lower cost and broader range of options. This is reflected in Android's 85. 6% global market share in 2023, compared to Apple's 13. 3%.
The gap between commitments and action – PCC report
South Africa’s climate crisis intensifies as a new report reveals a gap between the country’s climate commitments and actual progress, emphasising urgent need for effective policies and investments.
Joburg mayor says R200 prepaid electricity surcharge here to stay
The Mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, has announced a new electricity surcharge for residents using pre-paid electricity.
Researchers trace butterflies’ 4,200 km transatlantic journey
Painted Lady butterflies' remarkable transatlantic journey revealed through innovative research techniques, highlighting potential impacts of global change on insect migration.
Unpacking new biodiversity strategy: Optimism meets scepticism
South Africa’s biodiversity strategy promises to safeguard nature and uplift communities, but experts warn it could falter due to a lack of detailed planning and community engagement.
Dr Surve Calls on SA’s Youth: Lead the Way to Innovation and Change
OPINION: The world needs fresh perspectives now more than ever. Let us listen to our youth, empower them, and follow their lead towards a brighter, more equitable future, writes Dr Iqbal Survé.
SCA dismisses Shell’s appeal, but extends lifeline for Wild Coast exploration
The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed Shell's appeal on Wild Coast oil exploration rights, but allowed a renewal application process, raising concerns over community consultation and environmental rights.
What questions you can expect to answer for the Cape Town Household Survey
The City of Cape Town is in the process of conducting a large-scale socio-economic household survey across the metro from February to May 2024. These are the questions you can expect to answer.
China faces population decline for second consecutive year
China grapples with a shrinking population as deaths surge and births decline for the seventh straight year.
Young people under 30 account for 78% of potential new voters, IEC data shows
The first voter registration weekend saw over 560,000 new voter registrations, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces leading.
Census can’t hide failures of a capitalist system
OPINION: The census findings indicate that the population increased from 51. 7 million in 2011 to more than 62m last year; a growth rate of 1. 8%. Most demographers would agree that this is a good growth rate for a young, healthy and thriving society. The spoilsports are the economists who point out that the economic growth rate hovers around 1%, that is, below the population growth rate, writes Trevor Ngwane.
South Africans have been counted, now they eagerly wait for results
The first Census post the Apartheid era was conducted in 1996. The second followed in 2001 with the third one conducted in 2011.
eSwatini king ‘not invited’ to BRICS Summit
Although eSwatini is not a member of BRICS, as one of the immediate neighbours, one would have expected the king to attend.
World Population Day - Focus on women’s rights
Human rights advocates called a sharp focus on unleashing the power of gender equality.
The calibre of a workforce prevails over its size
Projections that India will surpass China as the world’s most populous country should not be seen as an indicator of future productivity and economic growth, says the writer.