UNFPA Appoints Botlhale Boikanyo as Regional ICPD Youth Champion for East and Southern Africa

Johannesburg, August 2026 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) East and Southern Africa Regional Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Botlhale Boikanyo as its new Regional International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth Champion.

 

Botlhale Boikanyo is an award-winning South African poet, actress, speaker, and youth advocate whose journey from becoming the first poet and youngest winner of South Africa's Got Talent at the age of 11 has evolved into a powerful platform for youth empowerment and social change. As the founder of the Botlhale Boikanyo Foundation, she has dedicated her work to amplifying young voices, championing education and self-expression, and inspiring a new generation of African changemakers through the power of storytelling. Through her advocacy and leadership, she has inspired young people to use their voices and engage in shaping policies and solutions that affect their lives and futures.

 

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will work alongside UNFPA to amplify the voices of young people across East and Southern Africa and advocate for accelerated action towards achieving the commitments of the ICPD Programme of Action. She will support efforts to advance bodily autonomy, gender equality, access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, and meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes.

 

For UNFPA,  young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. Putting young people at front and centre of sustainable development is both urgent and non-negotiable. Their voices, experiences, and innovations are essential in building the Africa we want.

 

Speaking on her appointment, Botlhale Boikanyo said:

 

“My hope and dream is to live in a world where every young person, especially women and girls, has the freedom and opportunities to shape their own future and is included in the rooms where decisions about their lives are made. Being a UNFPA Champion is another step towards turning that vision into reality. It is an opportunity to amplify the voices of young people through storytelling across our region, and advocate for investments that uphold the rights, dignity, well-being and potential of every young person everywhere.”

 

The appointment comes at a critical moment for the region, where young people in Africa constitute a significant share of the global youth population of 1.9 billion and are leading transformative efforts in their communities. Yet many continue to face barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and opportunities to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect their lives. She believes that storytelling is a catalyst for social change and that young people must not only be heard, but meaningfully included in shaping the decisions that affect their lives and futures.

 

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will use her energetic presence and platform to engage with young people, policymakers, civil society, and development partners to advocate for investments and policies that uphold the rights, dignity, and potential of every young person.

 

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African Beauty International Organization: Bajabulile Thela Crowned!

 

"Your Miss African Beauty Universe, representing South Africa in Puerto Rico @missuniverse is 23 year old @bajabulisethela from Mpumalanga !" African Beauty International Organization's Instagram's post.

All she does is win!

Bajabulise Thela was crowned Miss Universe South Africa 2026. She will represent the country at the 75th Miss Universe competition scheduled to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, later this year in November.

The road to the 2026 crown concluded on July 18, 2026, at a grand pageant held in Menlyn. The event, organized by the African Beauty International (ABI) organization, narrowed a group of outstanding finalists down to the national titleholder.

Bajabulise Thela, hailing from Mpumalanga, is a model, qualified flight attendant, and marketing graduate who previously made history as the winner of the 2021 Miss Teen Universe title. She is also the founder of the Mambane Foundation, an organization focused on fighting malnutrition and hunger in her community.

The prominent South African model, philanthropist, and beauty queen. Hailing from KaNyamazane, Mpumalanga.

By Olagunju, Success Taiwo.

Unfortunate death of Roméo Katompa

Roméo Katompa Kaboya, widely known by his nickname "Bololo," was a professional cruiserweight boxer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who tragically died on July 17, 2026, after reportedly being burned alive during an attack in Johannesburg, South Africa. Local diaspora accounts and widespread social media updates indicate the killing is linked to a violent wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals. However, official entities like the South African Police Service (SAPS) have yet to release a formal statement confirming the exact details.

Profile Overview

• Full Name: Romeo Katompa Kaboya
• Nickname: "Bololo"
• Date of Death: July 17, 2026
• Place of Birth: Mbuji-Mayi, DRC
• Residence: Gauteng, South Africa
• Professional Record: 4 wins (4 KOs), 2 losses, 0 draws.

Boxing Career

Katompa fought out of South Africa as an orthodox cruiserweight, making his professional boxing debut in July 2018. He was heavily respected within regional boxing circles and was prominently known for serving as a high-profile sparring partner for Junior Makabu, the former WBC cruiserweight world champion. His final professional bout took place on November 8, 2025.

Personal Life and Outrage

Katompa had built his life in South Africa over several years, where he was married to a South African woman and had one child. His brutal killing has sparked immense grief and severe outrage among the Congolese diaspora and the broader African sports community, prompting widespread online calls for swift investigations and justice against the perpetrators of xenophobic violence.

By Olagunju Success Taiwo

7th batch: 305 distressed Nigerians evacuated from South Africa

On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, a batch of 305 Nigerian returnees arrived safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos from Johannesburg, South Africa. Operated by Air Peace, this flight officially concluded the Nigerian Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, bringing the total number of evacuated citizens to 1,490 across five coordinated phases.

The Air Peace flight departed OR Tambo International Airport at 6:30 AM South African time and landed in Lagos at 11:30 AM after a five-hour departure delay.

The aircraft carried 308 people in total, including the 305 evacuated citizens and three government officials overseeing the process.

The emergency evacuation was initiated under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's "Renewed Hope Agenda" in response to escalating xenophobic attacks, anti-immigration protests, and security threats against foreign nationals. Tensions spiked heavily ahead of a June departure deadline enforced by local anti-migrant vigilante groups.

Upon arrival, the returnees were met by a multi-agency government team, including the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) led by Chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Returnees underwent medical screening and documentation. They were provided with temporary stipends and food packs containing essentials like rice, beans, and oil.

Many of the returnees had to abandon homes, legal businesses, and investments to escape the violence. NiDCOM has urged Nigerian state governments to step up with long-term rehabilitation and reintegration structures.

The Nigerian government is actively gathering documented evidence of the property and assets left behind by its citizens to pursue formal compensation claims through diplomatic channels with South Africa.

By Olagunju Success Taiwo