Beloved shows including The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, Teen Titans Go! and Batwheels debut in isiZulu, supported by new local voices and multilingual greetings across the channels. Warner Bros. Discovery is strengthening its connection with South African families by introducing isiZulu dubbing for fan favourite Cartoon Network and Cartoonito shows, a major step in making its kids’ content more accessible and culturally relevant for the local market. Building on the brands’ existing local productions and on-ground marketing initiatives, the rollout also includes new local channel voice overs and multilingual Cartoonito on air greetings. Together, these elements celebrate cultural inclusivity, support local talent, and respond to the growing demand for authentic local voices in kids’ entertainment, making Cartoon Network and Cartoonito’s content more accessible and relevant than ever before. These initiatives build on the strong connection Warner Bros. Discovery Kids already enjoys with South African audiences. Cartoon Network has once again been voted the #1 Coolest Kids’ Channel in the Sunday Times GenNext Youth Survey, while Cartoonito ranks as the #1 channel in the DStv Family package. During DStv’s 30th Anniversary Open Window promotion in November, Cartoonito also soared to the #1 kids’ channel across the platform. Cartoon Network remains one of the strongest and most popular kids’ channels on pay TV, available from the DStv Access package upwards¹. With beloved shows such as Teen Titans Go!, Regular Show, Mr Bean and Zig & Sharko, the brands continue to deliver the content kids love — now with an even stronger local touch. Cynthia Gonçalves Afonso, Warner Bros. Discovery Senior Manager, Programming and Presentation, Kids Channels, explains, “By introducing local languages into our kids’ channels, we’re not only making our content more accessible, but also ensuring it stays relevant to the everyday lives of South African …
How a Cape Town Company Is Creating Sustainable Carbon-Negative Building Systems
CNN’s Innovate series tells the stories behind business ideas, technological developments, and entrepreneurial breakthroughs reshaping our world. Noncrete is a Cape Town-based company pioneering safer, stronger, and more sustainable carbon-negative building systems. Founders Stephen Lamb and Andrew Lord are at the forefront of decarbonising construction through biomass technology. Lord talks about their idea, “It becomes possible to set up factories for manufacture of building materials that are environmentally friendly, lead to rehabilitation of natural ecosystems, and reduce carbon footprint.” Their core mission is to combat climate change, address the housing crisis, and reduce unemployment by developing robust, low-carbon building systems that actively sequester carbon within the built environment. Lord tells CNN, “I think when looking at solutions, it comes back to this notion of the circular economy. So, the cornerstone of that is the rehabilitation of the environment and flowing from that is the employment provided by the establishment of brick making factories. So, then that leads, to an upgrading of areas, and then ultimately all of that, these materials are infinitely recyclable so that it just becomes this endless loop.” Noncrete’s innovative yet simple formula starts with invasive plants and trees that need removal. They chip these into a biomass base and add considerably less cement and water to create a lighter, locally sourced building block. Lamb explains, “It's fire-resistant in terms of comparison with conventional bricks. It's as strong. And it consists mainly of massive invasive species, which has been advantageous for a number of reasons.” The founders hope their first prototype, a children’s daycare centre, can become a model for community housing around the world. They believe that the true test of its scalability will be that it can be done by anyone, anywhere. Maureen Visagie, deputy chairperson at the Elandskloof Community …
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Barney Dances Back Onto Screens in Brand New Barney’s World Premiering on Cartoonito Africa on 14 October
Mattel’s beloved purple dinosaur Barney returns to our screens in an all-new animated series, Barney's World, starting 14 October on Cartoonito Africa! [Johannesburg, SA]It’s time to dust off your dancing shoes and get ready for some dinosaur-sized fun because everyone’s favourite purple dinosaur, Barney, is back! After 14 years, the lovable dino returns to the screen in the all-new animated series Barney’s World, premiering Monday, 14 October 2024, on Cartoonito Africa. In this exciting new series co-produced by Mattel Television and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, Barney and his friends embark on colourful, music-filled adventures that teach kids timeless lessons about friendship, kindness, and self-love. Set in magical and fun locations—from a splash pad and enchanted forest to a desert pirate island—Barney’s World is sure to spark imaginations across Africa. And guess who’s back? Joining Barney are the dynamic duo of Baby Bop and Billy, plus three new kid besties: Mel, Vivie, and David! Together, they dive into silly, imaginative play while learning that everyone is special in their own way. Packed with 25 new songs, 52 episodes, and endless adventures, Barney’s World is the perfect way to introduce a new generation to the purple dinosaur's charm. Meet the Dino Crew Barney (voiced by Jonathon Langdon from Trap, ZOMBIES) – Always ready for fun, Barney uses his big purple magic to turn everyday moments into grand adventures. He’s a great listener who helps kids explore their big emotions—whether they’re feeling happy, sad, or anything in between! Baby Bop (voiced by Bryn McAuley from Hotel Transylvania: The Series) – A performer at heart, Baby Bop knows all about feelings and is a true advocate for expressing them, no matter how big or small. Billy (voiced by Jonathon Tan from My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale, Let’s Go, Bananas!) – This high-energy dino loves a good challenge and always brings the noise (and action) to the group! Mel (voiced …
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GE Vernova and PROTEC: Celebrate Inaugural Next Engineers: Engineering Academy class
37 learners graduate from program designed to inspire the next generation of engineers Johannesburg, South Africa - Next Engineers, a global college-and career-readiness programme working to increase the diversity of young people in engineering, celebrated the graduation of its first-ever Engineering Academy learners in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, September 27. The graduation ceremony marked the programme’s contribution towards bridging the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills gap in the country through exposing learners to hands-on engineering experiences and career pathways. The 37 learners from 15 high schools across Johannesburg who completed the programme, many of whom plan to study towards an engineering-related qualification at university or technical higher learning institutions, were joined by their families at University of Witwatersrand, Sturrock Park Sports Hall, to celebrate their achievements. Launched in 2022, PROTEC, University of Witwatersrand, and Kutitiva Foundation are the educational partners for the local Next Engineers programme, and local GE Vernova engineers and employees actively engage with Academy participants through hands-on, skill-based volunteering. “We are proud to see our first cohort of learners graduating and wish them all a successful learning trajectory in the next stage of their education journey,” said Matsi Eseu, South Africa HR Director for GE Vernova. “At GE Vernova, we believe education is a significant driver of economic inclusion and it’s inspiring to see the positive impact the Next Engineers programme is having, not just in empowering tomorrow’s engineers who will solve society’s most pressing challenges but also in increasing the diversity of young people, particularly females, in the engineering sector. We extend our gratitude to all those involved in the Engineering Academy.” Learners who complete the Engineering Academy program and enroll in a qualified engineering or …