Author: Ewang Johnson

By Vumiso Nyamazana – Regional Head: Corporate Property Finance, Absa CIBAnnah Watkinson – Head of Global Finance: Coastal Regions, Absa CIBAlmost five decades after Sun City set the benchmark for leisure destinations in South Africa, the spotlight has shifted to KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast. The announcement of a new Club Med resort, developed by the Collins Residential Consortium, has stirred considerable attention partly because of its scale and partly because of what it represents. With a projected construction cost of nearly R2 billion, it will be the most expensive destination-scale tourism venture in the country’s history – a marker that tells…

While his election is a major diplomatic victory for Egypt, the future Director-General will have to find a new place for the UN agency in a changing world. In November 2025, Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz will succeed Audrey Azoulay as head of UNESCO for a four-year term. The Egyptian candidate was preferred to his Congolese rival Édouard Matoko – an insider who entered the race late – by the Executive Board of the UN organisation, which is responsible for preserving world heritage. This proposal will be put to a vote by all UNESCO Member States on 6 November at…

This week, we welcome Oumou Sangaré, one of Mali’s greatest divas. Currently on an international tour and preparing for her next album, she takes us on a lively walk through the Château Rouge district in northern Paris, known as “Little Africa”, where she’s welcomed with open arms by many of her fans. Next, Camille Berthollet, the young violin and cello virtuoso, introduces her new solo album “Legends”, a heartfelt tribute to Celtic music that transcends time and borders. Source link

A unique depiction of military lifeNow Boots shines a spotlight on the courage and resilience of service members, who sublimated an integral part of their identity in order to serve. Created by Andy Parker, whose previous credits include Netflix’s adaptation of Armistead Maupin’s LGBT literary classic Tales of the City, Boots is faithful to the spirit of Cope White’s book, which is candid, comedic and bigger on positivity than pity. Miles Heizer stars as Cameron, a closeted gay teenager who enlists in a Marine Corps boot camp in a desperate effort to belong – much as Cope White did. “I…

Ruta Sechaba Foundation learners seek end to GBV and poverty, and a move to green energyWhat does the future look like 25 years from now? Well, for a cohort of young girls there is an overwhelming belief that by 2050, leadership in society will be overwhelmingly female.And the key priority areas for these future leaders include addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and rampant crime, gender inequality, and rooting out corruption and ensuring greater accountability.These are some of the key findings of a survey conducted with 200 young female learners supported by the Ruta Sechaba Foundation (RSF).The Ruta Sechaba Foundation is a…

The UN faces paralysis and a crisis of legitimacy as global power shifts accelerate, raising urgent questions about reform, alternatives, and Africa’s role. The United Nations, the last anchor of the post-1945 world order, faces an existential crisis. Paralysis over Gaza and Ukraine, the weaponisation of sanctions against Iran, the collapse of the so-called Western ‘rules-based order’ and the increasingly untenable democracy deficit at the heart of the Security Council, pose hard questions about whether the UN has crossed the point of no return. Meanwhile, alternative models are emerging, most notably China’s Global Governance Initiative, built on “sovereign equality”, “international…

The 1967 film “Les demoiselles de Rochefort” by Jacques Demy starred a young Catherine Deneuve and her real-life sister Françoise Dorleac as twins living in the French seaside town of Rochefort, where they sang and danced their way through a series of pastel settings in search of true love. Almost 60 years later, the movie has come to life in a show at the Lido theatre on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. We speak to Juliette Tacchino and Marine Chagnon, the two French actresses who play the twins Delphine and Solange. Source link

Alamy(Credit: Alamy)Blackhouse thatched cottage in the Hebrides, ScotlandMany thatched cottages in the Hebrides are simple, single-storey structures called blackhouses or taigh-dubh (their name in Gaelic). The term blackhouse probably derives from the fact that these cottages originally had no windows. This type of cottage has 3ft-to-6ft (1m-to-2m) stone walls to help it withstand severe Atlantic storms. Wood here is in short supply and only used for roof timbers. The buildings’ rooves normally have a turf base covered with thatch. These layers are traditionally stripped off in June and used as manure to cover local crops.Peter Landers Photography(Credit: Peter Landers Photography)Thatched…

By DALU AJENEAfrica’s economic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by shifting demographic needs, demand for commodities include rare minerals, technological and digital transformation, trade and regional integration and strategic partnerships. As the continent navigates the complexities of global economic trends, it is poised to capitalise on emerging opportunities and cement its position as a key player in the global economy. Africa’s economic growth is projected to reach 4.4% by 2026, driven by a combination of factors such as fiscal consolidation, rising domestic demand, and growth in resilient sectors including financial services, digital, telecom and tourism. Its long-term projection can…

French pay-TV giant Canal+ has assumed control of South Africa’s MultiChoice Group, cementing a landmark transaction that creates one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies. The move follows the finalisation of Canal+’s mandatory offer to acquire all outstanding shares in MultiChoice at R125 per share, a deal valued at billions of rand and described as the largest ever undertaken by the Paris-based broadcaster. The acquisition marks a transformative moment for Africa’s broadcasting industry. Canal+ now directly holds 46 per cent of MultiChoice shares, with acceptances for a further 2.2 per cent already tendered before the deal became unconditional…