The Northern Cape is a vast, open land of breathtaking landscapes and ancient history. Kimberley, the old diamond-mining town, is the provincial capital, and a good place to start your adventure through this surprising, beautiful part of the world.
• Khoisan couple home at last
South African universities have teamed up with their Dutch counterparts to develop a course aimed at improving PhD supervision. Better and more doctoral supervisors, it is believed, will increase the number of PhD students.
• Cross-continental collaboration
Animal lovers can participate in the Amarula Elephant Research Programme through a new Facebook app that allows them to track their favourite jumbo, learn more about its habits, and help to raise awareness about elephant conservation.
• Addo’s elephant fence comes down
South Africa is the second country in the world to introduce Mama, a mobile information service that improves the health care knowledge of pregnant women and new mothers.
• Taking the risk out of giving birth
The small village famous as the birth place of Nelson Mandela will soon have a school of science and technology. It is envisaged that the school will help improve South Africa’s education standing, and open the doors to more career options for poor rural youth.
• Maths, science teaching gets boost
The future lies in Internet Protocol Television, but bandwidth in South Africa is lacking, which has prompted the UN’s International Telecommunications Union to work with the country on alternatives.
• More broadband for South Africa
The Indiafrica Festival 2013, which takes place in Johannesburg between 13 and 24 May, marks the culmination of the second edition of Indiafrica: A shared future, an initiative that targets young entrepreneurs and artists from both countries.
• India and SA growing together
Yet another magnificent blue diamond – the rarest of all diamonds – has been unearthed at Petra Diamonds in Cullinan. It is here that the Great Star of Africa, among other flawless gems, was discovered.
• Record price for SA diamond
