Trump meets Zelenskyy in Washington this week following last week’s Alaska summit with Putin.
Monday 18 August
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launch a strategic partnership between the Border Management Authority, Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town at Cape Town International Airport.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi visits Randburg Magistrates Court as part of Access to Justice Week.
DA leader John Steenhuisen visits businesses in Welkom to promote the party’s economic reform plan, meeting employers at Alma Nursery, Fresh Bake and Sparta Beef.
The Congress of SA Students holds a media briefing calling for the removal of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube over delays in implementing the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
National Treasury will host the virtual launch of Money Smart Week South Africa 2025, a nationwide campaign aimed at promoting financial literacy and consumer awareness.
The Western Cape Mobility Department visits South African Breweries’ Maltings plant in Caledon, the largest on the continent, as part of Freight Focus Month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. The visit follows the Alaska summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which Trump pledged to work toward a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit New Delhi for high-level talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The visit is a step towards rapprochement between the two countries following years of tense relations.
Informal consultations will be held in the UN General Assembly on the upcoming high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Bafana Bafana take on Uganda in the African Nations Championship at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Tuesday 19 August
Stats SA will release the Land Transport Survey for June 2025, providing data on passenger and freight movement across the country’s road and rail networks.
The Portfolio Committee on Health holds public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. Participants include the SA Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Public Health Association of South Africa.
World Humanitarian Day is marked to honour aid workers operating on the frontlines of conflict and disaster.
South Africa face Australia in the first ODI at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns, as the Proteas begin their limited-overs tour down under.
Wednesday 20 August
President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead South Africa’s delegation to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Japan.
Municipal by-elections take place in King Sabata Dalindyebo and Matzikama in the Eastern Cape, and Knysna in the Western Cape.
Stats SA will publish Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for July 2025, offering insights into inflation trends and the cost of living across South Africa.
The US State Department begins a 12-month pilot requiring visitors from Malawi and Zambia to post refundable visa bonds of up to $15,000 for B-1 and B-2 visas. The scheme targets countries with high rates of visa overstays.
On this day in 1983, the United Democratic Front (UDF) was launched at Rocklands Community Centre in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town.
Thursday 21 August
Stats SA will release the Export and Import Unit Value Indices for June 2025, tracking average price changes in traded goods.
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation hosts the 2025 South African Women in Science Awards in Bloemfontein under the theme “Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science.”
The Portfolio Committee on Health holds public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. Participants include the National Council Against Smoking and the South African Tobacco-Free Youth Forum.
Global central bankers gather in Jackson Hole for the annual economic policy symposium, with markets watching US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s address for signals of a September rate cut.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow to discuss bilateral issues.
Friday 22 August
The UN observes the International Day of Commemoration for Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
The first two quarter-final matches of the African Nations Championship take place in Uganda.
Lady Gaga begins a six-show run at Madison Square Garden in New York as part of her Mayhem Ball Tour.
Saturday 23 August
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visits Japan for talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, focusing on bilateral ties, trilateral cooperation with the US, and North Korea.
Taiwan will hold a national referendum on whether to decommission the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant’s second reactor.
The UN observes the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
The Springboks host Australia at Cape Town Stadium in a Rugby Championship clash.
The second set of quarter-final matches for the African Nations Championship kicks off in Uganda.
Sunday 24 August
Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, marking 34 years since its 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
South Africa Women face Brazil Women in Northampton for their opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
The US Open tennis tournament begins in Flushing Meadows in New York. Defending champions are Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles and Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s singles.
Day one of Burning Man, the alternative-living cultural festival, will see over 70,000 ‘burners’ converge in Nevada’s Blue Rock Desert.
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