South African Airways (SAA) chief executive John Lamola will step down in April 2026, closing a chapter that has come to define the airline’s post-business rescue recovery. In an internal farewell note to staff seen by Business Explainer, Lamola reflected on a tenure that began during one of the most uncertain periods in the airline’s history. “Every journey, no matter how meaningful, must one day come to an end,” he wrote, confirming his departure after nearly five years with the group, including time as board chair before taking on the CEO role in 2022. He described the early days as a period…
Author: Staff Writer
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has approved a R50 million grant through its Green Fund to support the implementation of the Cape Water Outcomes-Based Bond, an innovative financing instrument led by Rand Merchant Bank (RMB). The transaction represents a pioneering approach to financing nature-based solutions, aimed at improving water security and restoring critical ecosystems in South Africa. By linking financial returns to the achievement of measurable environmental outcomes, the bond mobilises private sector capital to address the growing challenges of water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. The Cape Water Bond leverages an outcomes-based financing model, where institutional…
Enhanced border enforcement measures during the 2026 Easter period have led to a 24% decline in illegal crossings, according to the Border Management Authority (BMA). Presenting the operational report during a media briefing on Sunday in Pretoria, Commissioner Michael Masiapato said 4 763 travellers were intercepted while attempting to enter or exit South Africa illegally, down from 6 253 recorded during the 2025 Easter period. Of those intercepted, 3 170 were undocumented persons, 998 were classified as undesirables, and 595 were deemed inadmissible for reasons including fraudulent visas and invalid travel documents. Masiapato attributed the decline to strengthened enforcement strategies,…
The government has raised N$36 million from the disposal of 492 ageing vehicles through public auctions as it moves to phase out its outdated fleet. Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi revealed the figures in Parliament while outlining the ministry’s performance during the 2025/26 financial year. The government has raised N$36 million from the disposal of 492 ageing vehicles through public auctions as it moves to phase out its outdated fleet. Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi revealed the figures in Parliament while outlining the ministry’s performance during the 2025/26 financial year. This article was first published here in partnership…
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has issued a call for nominations of suitable people to be considered for appointment as members of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC). Suitably qualified nominated members will replace all current council members, whose terms have and will expire in 2026, in accordance with the Agricultural Produce Agents Act 12 of 1992. The Agricultural Produce Agents Council is mandated to regulate the occupations of fresh produce, export, and livestock agents. The Council also works to uphold the integrity, status, and professionalism of these sectors. READ – Steenhuisen Puts Fresh Faces on SA’s Agriculture Marketing Council Nominations…
The D-Prize Challenge has opened applications for its 2027 cycle, offering up to $20,000 in grant funding to social entrepreneurs who are ready to launch new organisations that distribute proven poverty solutions across the developing world. The competition, which runs on a rolling basis with three deadline tiers, is designed for ambitious individuals or teams who can imagine themselves as successful entrepreneurs and are prepared to transition into full-time founding roles. Unlike traditional startup competitions that reward novel inventions, D-Prize exclusively funds ventures that scale existing poverty interventions that have already been proven to work. The organisers made clear that…
Flutterwave Inc., Africa’s leading payments technology company, has announced that it has secured a Nigerian Micro Finance Banking license. This license enables the company to hold funds and deposits directly, strengthening its financial infrastructure across its largest market and enabling more efficient financial services and settlement flows for consumers, businesses and enterprises. Historically, global payment companies have operated via a “sponsorship” model, partnering with established commercial banks to access national clearing and settlement systems. While functional, this arrangement often limits a fintech’s pace of innovation and requires them to share a portion of the transaction value with the sponsoring institution. By…
Applications are now open for the 2026 Standard Chartered Foundation Women in Tech Accelerator, and women-led, tech-enabled startups across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan have a limited window to step forward. This is not a promise of someday. This is a call to action right now. The Standard Chartered Foundation, in partnership with Village Capital and local implementing partners in each market, is distributing over USD six hundred thousand in grant funding annually to founders who are building impact-creating, technology-driven businesses. If you are a woman leading a startup that solves real problems and you operate in Bahrain, Botswana,…
Namibia’s visa-on-arrival system has generated more than N$490 million for the state since its rollout, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said during the State of the Nation Address in Windhoek on Wednesday. The President said nearly 344,000 visas have been issued since the system became operational on 1 April 2025, reflecting strong uptake as Namibia positions itself as a more accessible destination for tourism and investment. “Since the visa-on-arrival system became operational on 1 April 2025, close to 344,000 visas were issued, generating over N$490 million for the state coffers,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She added that government is building on this momentum by…
Middle Eastern events have had a very significant impact on oil prices in the first quarter of the year. The almost total closure of the Strait of Hormuz has significantly disrupted energy flows to a degree that has never been seen before. 20 million barrels per day (mb/d) of oil is normally transported via the Strait but this has fallen to two to three mb/d – mostly Iranian oil going to China. Not being able to export oil, affected countries first filled up domestic storage, and once this was full they had no choice but to shut in production. At the…