Experts

Bushmeat poaching: When the wildlife disappears, tourists will follow

South Africa’s wildlife is one of its greatest tourism assets. Every year, visitors travel from across the world to experience animals roaming freely in the country’s national parks, nature reserves and private conservation areas. Yet hidden within these landscapes is a largely unseen threat: bushmeat poaching using wire snares, packs of dogs and other unlawful methods.

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July inflation figures offer welcome relief for consumers and business

The better-than-expected July figure for the consumer price index (CPI) is good news on the inflation front for business and consumers and helps to stabilise medium-term expectations.

In commenting on the CPI figures for July, Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says the consensus view among analysts has been that, although the global energy crisis would mean a temporary surge in headline inflation earlier in 2026, the effects would gradually dissipate later in the year.

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Cape Town’s tourism boom brings rewards – and a warning

Cape Town’s tourism sector is enjoying record visitor numbers and revenue, but its growing dependence on international travellers could leave the city vulnerable if domestic tourism continues to decline.

The Cape Town Tourism 2025 Economic Value of Tourism report found that tourists contributed R24.5 billion to the city’s economy during the year, with international visitors accounting for R19 billion of this expenditure.

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The collective power of women who lead from within

National Women’s Day commemorates the 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956, giving us the powerful words: “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” – “You strike a woman, you strike a rock.” But I sometimes wonder whether we remember only the determination of those women, or whether we acknowledge the more uncomfortable part of our history: they were not asking to be recognised. They were demanding that a system change.

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Prof. Mmusinyane’s customary law insights shape landmark surrogacy judgment

The Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) continues to make a significant contribution to the development of South African jurisprudence, with Prof. Boitumelo “Tumi” Mmusinyane playing a pivotal role in a landmark High Court judgment that considered whether a surrogacy agreement is compatible with customary law.

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