SOUTH Africa’s agricultural sector ought to be celebrating its golden age but it cannot. Rampant corruption, incessant load shedding, rising crime and poor infrastructure are taking the glitter off bumper harvests. Rural towns are the hardest hit by these manmade disasters. Had it not been for these crises, South Africa’s agriculture would have had greater consecutive seasons since 2019/20 as the sector’s grossvalue added grew by 14,9 percent in 2020, then 8,8 percent in 2021 and modestly by 0,3 percent…

THE resumption of flights by Eswatini Air to South Africa is anticipated to boost trade between the two countries. The direct flight to Durban was opened early in May, with a maximum capacity of 50 passengers operated by an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft. It operates flights on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. There are plans to increase frequencies to seven times a week from this month, based on demand. The route is expected to facilitate trade between KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)province and Eswatini,…

GAUTENG, South Africa’s economic hub, has welcomed the commencement of flights into the country by Zambia Airways. The first flight touched down at the O.R Tambo International in Johannesburg on Thursday amid fanfare, as the aircraft was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute. It will service the Lusaka-Johannesburg route with flights running twicedaily. Gauteng Air Access, in collaboration with the Gauteng Tourism Authority(GTA), has been working closely with Zambia Airways to make this route areality. “Now, we’re ready to…

Zhang Jiliang and Wang Youliang, two villagers from Baoxing County, Ya’an City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, came close to wild giant pandas on 12 May while working in the virgin forest at an altitude of 2,700 metres above the sea level in Liangzigou, the source of the Qingyi River.  “The giant panda drank river water for three full minutes before walking towards the direction we were hiding,” Zhang said. In order not to affect the giant pandas, they took the…

REFUGEES in Tanzania will soon receive half the food ration they require, due to funding shortages afflicting the World Food Programme’s (WFP’s) response. More than 200 000 refugees in the East African country will be affected. WFP says it needs US$21 million to provide food assistance. In March, further reductions were made, dropping the ration from meeting 80 percent of the food needs to 65 percent. “A few contributions have arrived on time, and we are now forced to makethe…

UGANDA’S Anti-Homosexuality Act has sent shockwaves through the human rights fraternity and elicited outrage from the West, where same-sex liaisons are widely accepted. These liberties are frowned upon by most of the developing world, hencethere was outcry when President Yoweri Museveni signed into law theAnti-Homosexuality Bill on Monday. The European Union (EU) was among the first to raise concern at the lawthat introduces severe punishments, including the death penalty, towhich the EU’s High Representative to Uganda, Josep Borell said wasopposed…

CLIMATE change, leading to reduced water levels, illegal fishing and poor methods are putting under threat the lives and livelihoods of fishers dependant on the Lake Kariba. Artisinal fishermen in the Siavonga district, south of Zambia, lamented the setbacks amid poor fish harvests. “Our source of livelihood as artisanal fishermen is under threat due to the diminishing water levels in Lake Kariba,” said Edward Kombe of Matinangala area. He depends on fishing to provide for his wife and three children.…

JOHANNESBURG City Theatres has appointed Xoliswa Nduneni Ngema as Chief Executive Officer. The entity runs Joburg, Roodepoort and Soweto Theatres. Theatres are seen as key players in the entertainment sector around theCity of Johannesburg, maintaining the artistic pulse of the city rated as one of the most vibrant in the continent. Nduneni Ngema shared her enthusiasm with gratitude for the honour to bepart of the “world-class home of live entertainment and edutainment” inthe City of Johannesburg. She further highlighted that…

BECAUSE of its magnificence and its teeming wildlife as well as clear, mesmerising blue waters and cultural heritage, Kariba has vast potential to be a tourist hub in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc. Also boasting the largest man-made dam in the world, the northern Zimbabwean town has the capacity to match the more famous Victoria Falls if properly marketed. Thus, the Zimbabwean government is intensifying efforts to revive the city as a prime tourist destination. When tourism…

THE expansion and frequency of routes by international airlines into Zimbabwe is a boost to the country’s Open Skies policy. Nunurai Ndawana, Fastjet Zimbabwe spokesperson, said the new routes area testament to the airline’s commitment to the growth of tourism and the sustainability of air services in the markets. These planned additional routes to the airline’s domestic network will offer seamless connections for travelers from Harare and Victoria Falls to Zimbabwe’s top domestic tourism destinations of Kariba and Hwange, with…