Child Protection Deadline: South Africa’s education departments have seven months to vet about 309,000 public school staff against the National Child Protection Register after a court-backed settlement, with the 31 March 2027 deadline looming. Regional Jobs Push: SADC is urged to fast-track a regional development fund to finance industrialisation, with ministers warning unemployment is above 30% in several member states. Urban Leadership & Services: EFF’s Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng outlines a fresh Johannesburg mayoral bid focused on rights-based healthcare and youth-friendly services. Youth Employment Shift: A new outlook says Africa’s services sector will overtake agriculture as the biggest employer of young people by 2033, as retail, transport, logistics and hospitality expand. SADC Chair Focus: South Africa takes over the SADC Council of Ministers chairship, prioritising industrialisation, critical minerals value-addition and stronger intra-SADC trade. Trade & Customs Reform: Egypt issues 17 new customs guides to simplify procedures, cut clearance uncertainty and support investment. Skills for Growth (Uganda): Uganda’s mining ambitions face a skills crunch, while a forensic sciences university campus in Jinja targets regional training in cyber security and forensics. Migration Pressure (Ceuta): Hundreds of migrants protest in Spain’s Ceuta enclave demanding asylum rather than deportation to Morocco. Fraud Alert (FlySafair): South Africa’s FlySafair denies a viral “beautiful girls” recruitment flyer and warns of scams asking applicants for money. Defence Manufacturing (Nigeria): DICON-D7G plans local production of armoured vehicles and anti-drone platforms, aiming to create jobs and reduce reliance on imports.