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FIND names Dr Ntombenhle Mhlongo-Sigwebela as Regional Director, South Africa

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3 years ago

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Sigwebela

Dr Sigwebela has served on advisory committees for organizations including the World Health Organization and the South African National Department of Health

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 14, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Dr Ntombi Sigwebela joined the organization on 1 June 2023. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, she will lead FIND (https://www.FINDdx.org/) operations across the region

FIND announced today that Dr Ntombenhle Mhlongo-Sigwebela, known as “Ntombi”, has joined the organization to lead FIND operations across the Southern Africa region.

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr Sigwebela is a South African medical doctor with over 20 years of experience in the field of infectious diseases of public health importance, including tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. She began her career as a clinical investigator in multi-country clinical trials for HIV drugs and HIV service delivery demonstration projects that informed the roll out of antiretroviral drugs in South Africa. She then moved into various leadership roles including Chief of Party at Right to Care, and Regional Director of Aquity Innovations, University Research Company (URC).

Ntombi has a wealth of expertise in operations management, resource mobilization and health programme management, working across the Southern Africa region and globally

A passionate advocate for the health and well-being of people living with TB, HIV and other diseases of public health concern, Dr Sigwebela has served on advisory committees for organizations including the World Health Organization and the South African National Department of Health. She has contributed to the development of various TB-related guidelines in various Southern African countries, as well as the South Africa TB National Strategic Plan (2007–2011), and the South Africa HIV/TB National Strategic Plan (2012–2016).

Dr Sigwebela is also a frequent speaker at conferences and events on topics related to TB, HIV, and other infectious diseases.

FIND opened a regional office in South Africa in 2014, to work with partners towards advancing diagnostic access and improving health outcomes in the region. Strategic priorities include aiding achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) aligned with the goals of South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI), reducing the country’s quadruple disease burden, and strengthening health systems. FIND is committed to enhancing the quality of primary healthcare services across the region, in recognition of the importance of patient-centred testing and care in achieving UHC.

Dr Sanjay Sarin, FIND Vice President, Access, said: “Ntombi has a wealth of expertise in operations management, resource mobilization and health programme management, working across the Southern Africa region and globally. We are excited to welcome her to our team – working hand-in-hand with countries, her leadership will help us tailor our approaches to their specific needs in diagnostic testing, to ensure that our programmatic activities can have sustainable impact.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of FIND.

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Learning curves: Addressing the skills shortage in African mining

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10 hours ago

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March 23, 2026

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mining

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 23, 2026/APO Group/ –The African mining industry is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements, increasing sustainability demands, and rising global demand for critical minerals. However, a widening skills gap continues to pose a significant challenge to the sector’s growth and long-term competitiveness.

 

To address this pressing issue, an upcoming webinar hosted by Vuka group’s Mining Review Africa will bring together industry experts to explore practical solutions for building a skilled and future-ready mining workforce across the continent.

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap. It will also consider how digitalisation and automation are reshaping workforce requirements, and what this means for the next generation of mining professionals.

Participants can expect insights on:

  • Key causes of the mining skills shortage across Africa
  • Strengthening collaboration between industry, universities, and TVET institutions
  • The impact of digitalisation and automation on workforce requirements
  • Strategies for developing the next generation of mining professionals
  • Practical solutions for upskilling and workforce development
  • How regional collaboration can develop a skilled workforce
  • Preventing the brain drain in African mining as skilled workers seek greener pastures

 

Event details:
Date: 7 May 2026
Time: 14:00 (SAST)

To register for the webinar, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4brnadB

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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Mining Review Africa Introduces French and Portuguese Website Translation

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10 hours ago

on

March 23, 2026

By

vukagroup

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 20, 2026/APO Group/ –VUKA Group’s (https://WeAreVUKA.com/) Mining Review Africa has introduced French and Portuguese translations on its website, responding to growing demand from readers across the continent.

 

This allows users to access content in multiple languages, improving accessibility for audiences in regions where English is not widely used.

We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth

The move follows insights gathered by VUKA Group during its flagship mining events held across Africa, including DRC Mining Week, Angola International Mining Conference and Nigeria Mining Week The organisers noted a clear need for more inclusive communication, particularly in countries where French and Portuguese are dominant languages in business and industry engagement.

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights.

“This development is part of our ongoing commitment to making mining content more accessible across Africa,” Mining Review Africa’s Editor-In-Chief, Gerard Peter said. “We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth.”

The translation feature is now live and available to all users on the Mining Review Africa website.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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Qianhai Launches OPC Mavericks Program to Empower Global AI Solopreneurs

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10 hours ago

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March 23, 2026

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QianHai

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – On March 18, Qianhai, a flagship hub for institutional opening-up, high-end services and technological innovation in southern China, officially opened the application portal for the Qianhai OPC (One-Person Company) International Community and launched its global OPC Mavericks Program. Adhering to the philosophy of “All Innovation, Zero Distraction”, the initiative aims to build the world’s leading ecosystem for AI-driven one-person companies.

Widely recognized as a pioneering zone for China’s institutional opening-up and a key innovation node in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Qianhai leads the country in piloting cross-border cooperation, regulatory innovation and business-friendly reforms. It has grown into a highland for advanced services, tech research and development, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, connecting global talents, capital and technologies with the massive market of the Greater Bay Area.

The OPC Mavericks Program targets six elite groups: academic pioneers, tech veterans, global AI competition winners, elite prodigies, influential open-source contributors, and outstanding graduates in AI and computer science. Eligible projects should leverage generative AI, large language models, AI agents and automation to build sustainable closed-loop businesses.

As the world’s first vertical accelerator dedicated to OPCs, the community provides a tailor-made AI launchpad with the SENSE ecosystem and the “Eight Zeros” guarantee to remove startup barriers: supported office space up to 200㎡ for two years, talent housing up to 50㎡ per person, annual free computing power up to 50P, free LLM trials, Greater Bay Area market access, collateral-free loans, high-risk-tolerance seed funding, annual talent rewards up to 600,000 RMB, and one-stop services for visas, finance, IP, taxation and global internet access.

To help global innovators experience opportunities in the region, Qianhai offers the Shenzhen-Hong Kong 72-Hour Experience Pass, which was officially launched in 2025. This pass provides streamlined entry arrangements, guided visits to tech platforms, enterprises and research institutions in both cities, and on-site insights into the OPC entrepreneurship environment. It serves as a key channel for global talents to fully explore cooperation and development prospects in the Greater Bay Area.

The program supports AI solopreneurs to turn ideas into scalable businesses. Qualified applicants can submit core founder resumes and project pitch decks to inqianhai@qhidg.com to join the program and embrace new opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.

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