Africa’s gambling boom is draining the lifeblood from household budgets, diverting money meant for groceries, family moments, and basic bills into the relentless churn of betting apps. Now, the continent’s top business leaders are sounding the alarm: this unchecked trend is inflicting real harm on families and threatening the fabric of everyday life. By Themba Khumalo Africa is no longer simply wrestling with a gambling habit; it is standing barefoot in the centre of a slow-moving inferno, a financial wildfire that creeps through homes, devouring salaries, scorching grocery money, and hollowing out families with every tap of a smartphone. The…
Author: nkosinathi
South African athletics is in crisis. Explosive allegations of financial abuse, internal warfare and governance failure have left Athletics South Africa under pressure from Parliament, government and World Athletics. Meanwhile, athletes remain unpaid, and one of the country’s most iconic marathons faces an uncertain future. SA Telegraph Reporters There was a time when Athletics South Africa stood as one of the country’s proudest sporting institutions — a body that carried the dreams of Olympic sprinters, township runners, school athletes and marathon hopefuls onto the world stage. Today, it is an organisation consumed by allegations of financial abuse, boardroom warfare, institutional…
While politicians trade blame and rewrite history, ordinary people navigate the rubble of broken systems and empty outrage. South Africa’s migration pressures are woven into the failures of leadership across the continent. As those in charge look away, the wounds of denial and neglect continue to deepen, crossing every border. By Themba Khumalo There is an especially nauseating arrogance that creeps into political discourse when outrage becomes theatre and memory becomes currency. The latest performance from sections of the Nigerian senate belongs firmly in that category: loud, sanctimonious, selective and dripping with moral vanity. South Africa has many crises. It…
Researchers at the University of Cape Town have developed a pioneering artificial intelligence language model trained on all 11 of South Africa’s official written languages. The breakthrough aims to bridge a longstanding digital divide, improving access to AI technologies for millions previously overlooked by mainstream language tools. By Mari van der Merwe. A team at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) language model trained specifically on South Africa’s 11 official written languages – helping close a gap that has left millions underserved by mainstream AI tools. The research, which will be presented at the Language…
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition in which the brain develops differently. Those affected may communicate, interact and perceive the world in distinct ways. Presenting a broad range of abilities and challenges, it calls for greater public understanding, inclusion and tailored support to ensure individuals can thrive in everyday life. By Kagiso Keipopele & Bakang Ditibane When Boitshwarelo Moholo from Atamelang, Dellerayville in the North West, first learned that her son Kamogelo, who was three years old at the time, had autism, her world shifted instantly. Moholo says her son, Kamogelo, has always been hyperactive. By the time he was…
Amputee football, a seven-a-side game played on crutches with one-armed goalkeepers, is steadily growing in Rwanda. Over the past decade, it has offered players more than sport: a route to rehabilitation, renewed confidence and community, as many embrace a game they once believed impossible to play for themselves and others. By Evelyne Musambi, Ignatius Ssuuna The players struck their crutches against each other as they chased a soccer ball, as well as a larger dream of competing at the global level. Children shrieked in joy as they watched a goalie dive to block an attempt with her remaining hand. Amputee…
Lead-acid batteries remain prevalent in low-income markets due to their affordability compared with lithium-ion alternatives. However, safe recycling demands infrastructure that is often absent. As a result, informal recyclers resort to crude methods, releasing hazardous lead particles into the air, soil and water, posing environmental and public health risks. By Allan Olingo Years after a lead acid battery recycling plant shut down in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa, residents of Owino Uhuru say they are still suffering from lead poisoning, a growing public health risk as Africa’s clean energy boom drives a surge in battery use. Faith Muthama, 40, a…
To label all the country’s frustrations with migrants, legal or otherwise, as xenophobic is to oversimplify a complex reality. Xenophobia and prejudice undeniably exist and must be confronted, but not every grievance is born of hate. Many arise from exhaustion, as public systems are worn down and social order begins to fray. By Themba Khumalo There is a particular kind of silence that settles over a country before it begins to speak in anger. It is not the silence of peace, but of things endured for too long—frustrations swallowed, explained away, or dismissed as misunderstanding. In South Africa, that silence…
The growing trend of buying cheap sex pills from street vendors and spaza shops is raising alarm among health professionals, who warn of severe risks such as dangerously low blood pressure and lasting tissue damage. Driven by societal pressures, men often overlook the dangers for a promise of improved performance, unaware of the physical and psychological costs involved in using these enhancers. By Sandile Mbili What started as a quick fix to improve his sexual performance turned into a medical emergency for Sizwe Mthembu (42) in November 2025. After taking two sex enhancer pills he bought for R15 from a…
Doctor Khumalo’s football artistry made him a household name—now his legacy is sealed with an honorary doctorate. From heart-stopping goals to inspiring the next generation, his journey is a testament to passion and excellence. By Jabu Kumalo The ball wizardry from the educated feet of legendary former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder, Theophilus Doctor Khumalo, culminated in a crowning achievement: being honoured with a doctorate by the Tshwane University of Technology on Thursday, 30 April 2026 The tactical genius was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Science: Kinesiology and Coaching Science, recognising his outstanding contribution to soccer in…