According to Juliet Mashabela, South Africa has improved its position by climbing 10 places in global competitiveness rankings, indicating that the country is outperforming many of its emerging market peers.

South Africa has improved its position by 10 places in the World Competitiveness Ranking, with the highest score being for prices, ranked seventh. This improvement reflects the South African Reserve Bank's efforts to achieve a 3% inflation target, according to The South African Biz.

South Africa has qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup 2026 after defeating South Korea 1-0, with Thapelo Maseko scoring the decisive goal in the second half. This victory allowed South Africa to secure second place in Group A with four points, joining another African country in the Round of 32, according to Daily Post (NG).

The University of Johannesburg has been recognized as the top university in South Africa and Africa for its sustainability impact, achieving a global ranking of 39th in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings.

According to Soko Directory, South Africa continues to play a significant role in Africa's wealth landscape, but its dominance is gradually decreasing. The report highlights that East and West Africa are emerging as key contributors to the continent's next wealth boom.

On June 18, 15 AI-focused startups from various African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Angola, graduated from the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme, which is a three-month hybrid initiative.