Table of contents for 2024-05-02 in Star

THE SOUTH African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) could be liable for nearly R9.4 million in damages to Massmart Holdings after its appeal against a Labour Court judgment was dismissed. This comes after Massmart sued Saccawu for damages of R9.38m as just and equitable compensation under Section 68(1)(b) of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) for losses the retail chain suffered after a strike turned violent. Massmart said it suffered millions of rand in damages as a result of unlawful conduct and offences during the course of an indefinite protected strike action called by Saccawu in November 2021 over wages and unilateral changes to working conditions by the retail group. The nationwide strike by Saccawu, which represents about 20 000 members at the retail giant, at times…

MANY ESTATE agents will be left unemployed and irreplaceable experience and knowledge will be lost, because of black empowerment rules being imposed on estate agents, Johan Roos, organiser of the Solidarity Communication and Marketing Network, said yesterday. The Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has announced the requirement of level 8 black economic empowerment (BEE) scores for businesses in the real estate sector to obtain or renew their fidelity fund certificates. This will require black ownership of more than 50% of most businesses. Without these certificates, real estate agents cannot legally do business. Solidarity has warned there will be large-scale job losses in the real estate sector if the implementation of strict racial rules as a condition for issuing fidelity fund certificates is not prevented. “We are utterly concerned about these…

The energy crisis and load shedding was the defining anthem for the past 30 years of South African democracy. On April 27, South Africa celebrates 30 years since the first democratic elections took place. The public mood is highly charged with disappointments over the government’s failures to set the economy on the road to success. Huge socio-economic problems exist and are getting deeper in South Africa mainly due to non-investment amid the ongoing power crisis In the past five years Eskom’s energy crisis has crippled industry and acted as a wrecking ball to economic growth, which has led to the country onboarding massive fiscal debt to keep its house functioning. Household wealth has dwindled and the poor poorer. As a result, South Africans have turned their democratic disappointment into rage…

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank walked away from her glittering career in 2014 to move in with her father, Stephen and become his live-in carer after he underwent a lung transplant – and she says the decision to put her family first was an easy one. She told The Independent newspaper: “[The decision was] not hard at all. In fact, it was a blessing and an honour to be able to do that. Not everyone can take the time off.” She initially planned to take a year off but ended up giving up work for three years, adding of the extension: “That was fine with me. I wanted to be there as long as my dad needed me.” Swank’s father continued to live with her up until he died in 2021.…

SA POST Office (Sapo) employees, with 4 889 facing the axe amid retrenchments, have been dealt a major blow after the Joint Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) announced in a statement on Tuesday that the TERS application was unsuccessful. Labour union Cosatu said yesterday it planned to engage the ministers for Communications and Labour and the Unemployment Insurance Fund to review the decision to not grant workers of the Sapo Temporary Employer, Employees Relief Scheme (TERS) funding. Cosatu acting spokesperson Matthew Parks said that Cosatu was deeply disappointed that the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) had turned down the proposed UIF TERS relief for the Sapo. “We cannot afford to see any worker lose their job,” he said. The BRPs said the ruling, issued to the BRPs by the…

Joburg City Power underground cables in the Braamfontein area caught fire yesterday due to suspected cable theft and vandalism, resulting in power outages in surrounding areas, including Parktown. The Johannesburg Emergency Management Services’ fire division also reported that parts of the M1 highway between Empire Road and the Crown Interchange had been closed to traffic to allow officials to do their work. It is understood the fire was reported in the early hours. Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said motorists were being urged to exercise caution in the area and that no injuries had been reported. He said the cause of the fire was subject to investigation and was unknown at this stage. Joburg City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said it was suspected the fire may be as a result…

THE INKATHA Freedom Party (IFP) has revealed its plans to reclaim KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) days before the much-anticipated May 29 elections. The party has also laid bare that while it will be contesting in all nine provinces, it aims to remove the governing ANC in Gauteng and nationally. Party president Velenkosini Hlabisa, who spoke to The Star before the start of his Mpumalanga campaign trail on Tuesday, said the ANC could not be trusted after its continued mismanagement of South Africa over the past three decades. He decried the state of poverty, crime and the collapse of infrastructure and service delivery in the Joburg and Durban metros, both of which have become dysfunctional. The party, which in recent months has been making serious inroads in retaining maximum support in its home…

As the country commemorated yet another Workers’ Day yesterday, the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) called on government and employers to reflect on the plight of the country’s working class. International Workers’ Day, known as Labour Day or May Day, is held on May 1 in over 80 countries to celebrate the contributions of workers, promote their rights, and commemorate the labour movement. Fedusa, which represent almost 600 000 workers in various sectors of the country’s labour force, in a statement said it has identified a range of issues affecting the working class and broader society as the country battles to grow its economy beyond one percent. These include migration and employment, increasing poverty levels, climate change and employment, the use of technology in the work place…

THE Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), a critically acclaimed event celebrating its 21st edition, is expected to boost the tourism, hospitality and associated industries. The popular event was shelved during the Covid-19 pandemic. The CTIJF is set to attract thousands this weekend with the theme ‘Reset, Connect and Revive Your Rhythm’. CTIJF spokesperson, Kaz Henderson, said they look forward to welcoming back festivalgoers to the much-loved and highly respected event. The event ignites consumer spending in hospitality, retail, cuisine, entertainment and other visitor attractions. “The event has historically generated around 3 000, or sometimes more, additional income opportunities for people who have been directly involved with the festival. While many are seasonal and part-time, others go on to find permanent employment. “Audiences can look forward to four stages and…

A Tshwane woman who purchased a property in Nellmapius, Pretoria, successfully evicted a woman who claimed to have bought the RDP house almost 15 years ago. Tebogo Liza Dlamini approached the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, after she was unable to move into her property after buying it on October 3, 2016. Dlamini bought the house from Oupa Mogale for R170 000 and had the house transferred into her name in 2019. Mogale works at the housing department. When she went to the house, she found JM Chuene, who told her that she also bought the house from Mogale, for R30 000, in August 2009. Dlamini went back to Mogale and he assured her he did not sell the house to Chuene and promised to evict her. However, he failed to.…

A SECURITY indaba hosted by the City of Tshwane on Tuesday will hopefully be a turning-point in the fight against widespread vandalism that continues to ruin municipal infrastructure. This was expressed by mayor Cilliers Brink during the summit, which attracted different stakeholders from the security industry who explored innovative ways of securing service infrastructure belonging to the municipality. Those in attendance included representatives from Vodacom, the CSIR, the SAPS and the Tshwane Metro Police Department cable theft unit, led by MMC for Community Safety Grandi Theunissen. Participants deliberated on vandalism of critical water and electricity infrastructure and key municipal assets. A primary objective of the indaba was to lobby for collaboration from the private security industry to safeguard City infrastructure. The gathering was hosted on the back of a recent…

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday bestowed national orders on nine esteemed South Africans in the music, arts, journalism and entertainment sectors. The National Orders Awards are the highest awards a country bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals. Ramaphosa bestowed national orders on filmmaker Angus Gibson, jazz musician Dr Madala Kunene, cultural activist Sophie Msoziswa Mahlangu, the inspiring mountain climber, Saray Nkusi Khumalo, African hip hop activist Emile Lester Jansen, during the 2024 National Orders Awards which took place at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Tshwane. Posthumously, Dr Madosini Latozi Mphahleni – for the preservation of indigenous music, Trevor Dundas Mweli Skota – for the promotion of black African knowledge through his trailblazing work, Nontando ‘Noni’ Helen Jabavu – for her contribution to the field of journalism…

Daring Africa 2024, Nissan’s overland adventure across eight countries with four Nissan Navara bakkies and an X-Trail SUV, has completed its Kenya leg, the expedition’s penultimate stop before transitioning to Egypt. “It has been an amazing journey so far,” said Nissan South Africa and Independent Markets Africa’s managing director, Maciej Klenkiewicz. The journey, which began in Rosslyn, Pretoria, has taken the team to Maputo in Mozambique, before heading up the coast and turning inland to get to Zimbabwe via the renowned Eastern Highlands. After a stop in Harare, the expedition went to Zambia around the Kariba Dam, heading east to Lake Malawi through the Luangwa Valley. From Malawi, Daring Africa 2024 traversed the northern part of Tanzania before entering Kenya. Heading straight to the Nairobi National Park, they were met…

The accelerated renewable energy transition and the rocketing demand for critical minerals have opened a booming economic avenue for Africa, throwing a major lifeline to countries often viewed as on the margins of global economic and political activity. But will the continent effectively take advantage of the critical minerals buzz, and maximise their production for local benefits, particularly within the context of Africa-China relations? Africa possesses significant reserves of the minerals, such as cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel and a range of rare earth metals, essential for batteries, solar panels and other green technologies that underpin the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Africa’s critical mineral production is poised for rapid growth, as the continent, which has historically dominated the supply of cobalt, is set to diversify into other minerals…

IT CONTINUES to be a mystery as to how Temba Bavuma finds himself the centre of attention, or rather that of negativity in South African cricket after the announcement of the Proteas’ provisional 2024 T20 World Cup squad. After all, the 33-year-old had voluntarily relinquished his T20 international captaincy almost a year-and-a-half ago, a feat that vividly displayed his character, respect for the badge, and the success of the Proteas T20 team. Yes, it was a decision that did not come as a surprise to many who follow the game closely and it came as a welcome decision seeing that the right-handed batter had been struggling in the format. However, it was never a decision that symbolised the end of his T20I chapter, and coach Rob Walter proved this by…

THE IRONY of Dingaan Thobela’s death just two days after the country celebrated 30 years of democracy would not be lost on the discerning fan of the former great boxer fondly referred to as “The Rose of Soweto”. Thobela, a three-time world champion in two weight divisions under three different sanctioning bodies, was found dead at home on April 29 after a reported illness. Some 34 years ago on April 27, Thobela became an “uncrowned” world champion when he beat then-WBO lightweight king Mauricio Aceves in what should have been a title fight, only for the Mexican’s camp to make it a non-title bout on the eve of the contest. Whenever he discussed his career, the man from Chiawelo in Soweto described that fight as the turning point of his…

MTN NIGERIA Communications’ first quarter trading results do not paint a rosy picture, with subscriber numbers impacted by tighter government data controls and a net loss was reported due to further foreign exchange related losses. The group, which holds parent MTN’s biggest number of subscribers by country, increased its subscriber tally by 1.3% to 77.7 million in the quarter to March 31, but the figure was down by 2 million over the fourth quarter of 2023, due to the NIN-SIM directive, the telecoms group’s directors said in a trading update on Tuesday. The NIN is a digital identity unique to the cellphone SIM holder. It is used to match the individual with his or her biometrics (fingerprint and facial) data. Active data users increased 8% to 44.5…

Concerns about climate change usually trigger utopian solutions in policy discussions in South Africa. The much-touted option is to shut down Eskom plants and replace them with solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Problem solved? That’s what some lobbyists think. But our energy future is not that simple. It is a well-known scientific fact that renewables don’t have the capacity to provide baseload or readily dispatchable power due to their inherent dependency on the vagaries of weather. They can be deployed only as supplementary to existing baseload power. This is why China, the US and some European countries are installing renewable capacity while doubling down on baseload sources to ensure energy security. It’s not an either/or. gas, a fossil fuel, is the favoured coal replacement in some economies that have…

SUZUKI Auto SA’s relationship with Tibane Mobile Transfer (TMT) has soured after the former enterprise development partner said the motor vehicle importer had reneged on its business arrangements without notice. TMS Group CEO David Sithole said in a letter that a good working relationship had been built between the two companies after TMT was introduced to Suzuki Auto SA by the Nelson Mandela Foundation around 2016, and TMT provided driver services to collect and return Suzuki cars that had been loaned out to the Nelson Mandela Foundation for their projects. This eventually led to TMT becoming Suzuki’s Enterprise Development for their BBBEE scorecard. Sithole said the Enterprise Development programme contract started in the 2022/2023 financial year, and was to run for three consecutive financial years, but renewed every year based…

Capital & Regional, the UK focused real estate investment trust (Reit) that owns in-town community shopping centres, lifted its final dividend 7.3% to 2.95 pence (R0.70) per share in the period to December 31 as it continued to benefit from evolv- ing retail trends in the UK. The company, 70% owned by South Africa’s Growthpoint Properties, said it had lifted like-for-like net rental income by 5% in the year to December 31, while valuations increased 2.6%. “The structural changes in retail continue to evolve, with online pene- tration now maturing and a continued return to the store by consumers meaning physical retail has cemented its position as a vital part of the distribution framework. “This is especially evident in our core categories of value and non-discretionary merchandise. Retailers continue…

IT’S hard to say who is driving the new upsurge in country music’s popularity – South African-born masked singer Orville Peck, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter or Cape Town’s very own queen of country, Micaela Kleinsmith. Butterfly hitmaker Kleinsmith will be playing at the jazz fest’s free concert in Greenmarket Square tonight from 4pm. The first ever winner of the Nashville-located Apple TV+ reality competition series My Kind of Country, Kleinsmith shares that she nearly didn’t make it to the spotlight. “I missed the first email from the show,” she said. “Someone must have seen me online – I still don’t know which video – and then they emailed me again. I thought it was a scam initially.” After some internet sleuthing and verifying that actress Reese Witherspoon was indeed involved with…

RISE Mzansi picketed outside the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Tuesday and delivered a memorandum on the plight of young job seekers who face sextortion and bribery when trying to secure jobs. RISE Mzansi’s caucus said some job seekers fall victim to sextortion (sex-for-jobs) and bribery to get a job, particularly in the retail and mining industries. RISE Mzansi chose to picket at the JSE in Sandton because sextortion and bribery for jobs are practised within some JSE-listed companies. Job scarcity is common and those within big companies have subjected job seekers to bribery and sextortion to acquire employment, it said. “The perpetrators are shady characters, who wield power over vulnerable and desperate job seekers wanting the dignity of a job to better their lives and those of their families…

The Umkhonto WeSizwe Party (MKP) has assured its members and supporters that the party won’t be de-registered. The reassurances come amid the ongoing debate over whether the founder and now expelled member Jabulani Khumalo had a sole responsibility of de-registering the party. MK’s spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela told The Star yesterday that no one will be able to de-register the party other than its party leader president Jacob Zuma. Ndhlela said Zuma was the only person who can do that, adding that he wouldn’t as he and the leadership want to change lives of majority of South Africans. “President Zuma is the only person who can de-register the organisation. Khumalo had long been removed from the Electoral Commission’s website as the person that registered the organisation. So, there’s no way that…

The cohort of RISE Mzansi KwaZulu-Natal, with its provincial premier candidate Nonkululeko Hlongwane-Mhlongo, protested outside the Department of Employment and Labour calling for the abandonment of the over-35 ineligibility of employment threshold. The party’s KZN branch delivered a memorandum on Tuesday in Durban, demanding that people above the age of 35 secure jobs and abolish age disparities in the job market, noting that it is discriminatory as the Apex law constitutes all citizens of South Africa have a right to a job, despite their age difference. “We, at RISE Mzansi KwaZulu-Natal, believe that age limits on government programmes are discriminatory against South African citizens above the age of 35 who are looking for jobs, as well as those looking for further skills training,” said Hlongwane-Mhlongo. Although RISE Mzansi is stern…

As flu season approaches, the Department of Health is urging the public to get the flu vaccine to protect themselves and others from the potentially severe effects of the virus. Vaccination early on is advised to build sufficient immunity before the flu season peaks. The department is issuing a crucial advisory, urging the public to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their families from the anticipated surge in respiratory infections during this winter season. Department of Health spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is currently at its peak circulation in the country, while cases of influenza are beginning to rise although Covid-19 remains at low levels of circulation. “Influenza remains a significant concern, especially for vulnerable people. We urge individuals at high risk of severe influenza…

Ingredients Curry paste: 5cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 4 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped 5 cloves garlic, sliced 6 red chillies, deseeded 3cm knob fresh turmeric, peeled and grated, or 1 tsp (5ml) ground turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin ½ cup desiccated coconut Glug vegetable oil Salt and milled pepper 1kg beef shin, cut into chunks 3 star anise 6 cardamom pods, bruised 4 cloves 1 stick cinnamon 400g coconut milk 1 tbs tamarind paste Juice (30–60ml) of 1–2 limes For serving: Steamed white rice Sliced red onion Shards of cucumber Fresh coriander Fresh coconut shavings Strips of red chilli Method Grind curry paste ingredients using a pestle and mortar until smooth, or purée in a blender with a splash of water.…

Chery used the Beijing Auto Show to whip the covers off its new Tiggo 9 PHEV flagship SUV. As its name implies the Tiggo 9 PHEV is a plug-in hybrid vehicle, pairing a 175kW 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine with a 165kW electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s no word yet on how far it’ll drive on electric power alone, but Chery claims an overall fuel consumption figure of 5.2 litres per 100km on the WLTC cycle and a total range of 1,400km when fully fuelled and charged. A smooth new bodyshell and 20-inch wheels give the newcomer a purposeful look while the large octagonal grille adds a sense of Chery familiarity. For the cabin, designers aimed to create a “warm and tech savvy” space. Highlights include a 15.6-inch HD screen…

Omoda and Jaecoo have certainly hit the ground running, having become the world’s fastest-growing automotive brand pairing in the space of just one year. Both are owned by Chinese auto giant Chery, with Omoda specialising in sporty crossover vehicles and Jaecoo focusing its attention on more upright SUVs. The latter is now entering the new energy vehicle market, with two new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models having made their debut at a special exhibition at the Beijing Auto Show attended by more than 2 000 international guests as well as celebrities and politicians. The Jaecoo J7 PHEV and the surprisingly potent J8 PHEV models are believed to be on the radar for South Africa, although timing and other details are not confirmed as yet. The petrol engine component in both…

CAMPAIGN group Fair Game and clubs across the UK are demanding an amendment to the Football Governance Bill to protect FA Cup replays after a decision to scrap them. More than 20 club bosses have sent a letter to the British government after the Football Association announced last month that replays would not feature from the first round onwards because of pressure on the calendar. Smaller clubs say replays are a vital source of income while traditionalists say that scrapping them diminishes the magic of the world’s oldest knockout competition. The English Football League, which runs the second, third and fourth tiers, said they had not agreed to the changes and that they had been agreed by the FA and Premier League. The FA said the new calendar was approved…

HARRY Kane says he there for the long haul at Bayern Munich as his hunt for the first major trophy of his career continues after scoring his eighth Champions League goal this season in their 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final tie. Vinicius jr scored in the 24th minute to give Real the lead in the first half but the hosts scored twice in four minutes early in the second half through a Leroy Sane strike and Kane penalty, before Vinicius’s spot kick held Bayern to a 2-2 draw on Tuesday. The English striker, who joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur for around £87 million in August last year, scored his 43rd goal in 43 games for the German side this season. Bayer Leverkusen halted…

THEY have “been there and done that” in their Springbok Sevens careers for close to a decade, but for Dylan Sage and Siviwe Soyizwapi, a return to the World Sevens circuit in Singapore this weekend is like a new beginning. The stalwarts are making a first appearance in the 2024 season and although the reasons for their delayed comeback are different, the desire is the same. Sage, who last played in Singapore in 2018, has decided to give his ambition for a second Olympic Games medal another chance. This is an interesting call as the Blitzboks have not yet qualified for the 2024 Paris event. That one-off opportunity will come in June, when the Olympic repêchage event will be played in Monaco. “Yes, it is still not guaranteed, and neither…

MTN’s MANAGEMENT believe they are well positioned to deliver on their growth ambitions over the medium- term despite the tough environment that includes the devaluation of the Naira against the dollar, which in 2023 was the strongest headwind that the business faced. This was according to the integrated annual report released on Tuesday, which showed that president and CEO Ralph Mupita’s executive pay fell by R5.1 million to R70.64m for the 2023 financial year, after the group’s earnings and profits dropped significantly due mainly to the massive devaluation of the Nigerian currency, and high inflation. In the 2021, he had received R84m. He said in the report that a peak in the inflation cycle in some of the group’s markets, such as South Africa, Ghana and Uganda had been…

THE BLACK Business Council (BBC) has revived its call for the government to put the control of the African Bank in the hands of black people, particularly in memory of the late Dr Sam Motsuenyane, who led the establishment of the bank in 1974 and was its chairperson for 20 years. Motsuenyane, who has been hailed as the father of African Bank and a black business pioneer, passed away on Monday at the age of 97 after a long battle with illness. BBC president Elias Monage said on Tuesday that they cherished and adored the vision of the transformative agenda that Motsuenyane led during the early years of apartheid when he co-founded and led the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc). Speaking on the sidelines of the…

Motswana-South African musician Bokani Dyer is gearing up to rock the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) stage this weekend with his seven-piece crew. The pianist, composer and music producer’s performance will feature drums, bass, guitar and two artists on the trumpet as he and his band look forward to serenading “Festinos”. “It’s great that the festival is back and I’m really happy to be a part of this year's line-up,” he told Independent Media Lifestyle. “It’s a world-class festival in our country, so it’s always an honour to perform there.” Born in Gaborone, Botswana in 1986, Dyer was immersed in a vibrant artistic community from a young age and his journey began in a culturally diverse environment. He lists among his musical influences several South African artists, including his…

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa maintained his party’s bullish outlook when addressing Workers’ Day celebrations in Athlone Stadium, telling the gathering his party was the only “bull in this country”. Taking a veiled swipe at the DA, he said the ANC would teach a lesson to those who thought the Western Cape belonged to them. A stone’s throw away in Lentegeur, DA John Steenhuisen said because of the ANC’s legacy of destroying jobs, May 1 should be called “Workless Day”. Ramaphosa accused opposition parties of saying the ANC would obtain less than 50% of the vote. “They don’t know us. Many of them look down on us. We must go out in numbers to show them who the ANC is. In this country there is one bull and that bull is…

NON-COMMUNICABLE diseases have accounted for the largest percentage of deaths in the country since 2019, according to Statistics South Africa’s latest Mortality and Causes of Death report Even with significant strides made in improving health care, the 2020 Mortality and Causes of Death report, released on Tuesday, revealed that the deaths in the country stood at 489 744. This, the organisation said, had been the trend for the past 22 years, with non-communicable diseases accounting for the largest percentage of deaths, especially since 2019. During 2020, at least 9.3% of deaths were of persons aged between 65 and 69, with the lowest deaths recorded for ages 5 to 9, at only 0.5%. Between 1999 and 2020, there were more male deaths between the ages 0 and 65 up to 69,…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says there is nothing wrong with meeting US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety just weeks before the May 29 elections. The IEC’s top officials met Brigety in Pretoria this week, drawing criticism from some circles that the US was apparently influencing the outcome of the polls. The IEC says it has also met the European Union and Latin American ambassadors on the same basis to assure them that they were holding credible elections. Brigety is no stranger to controversy following damning allegations he had made against South Africa when he accused the country of secretly sponsoring arms to Russia on the Lady R vessel amid the war in Ukraine. The allegations were found to be false after President Cyril Ramaphosa instituted a…

The Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve in Ceres in the Western Cape have uncovered a remarkable find that has the potential to shed light on the late Stone Age history in the region. An ancient Khoekhoen pot, potentially 2 000-years-old was discovered. The reserve contacted Heritage Western Cape (HWC) after the find, and on studying the pot, HWC confirmed the discovery of the ceramic pot thought to be between 500 and 2 000-years-old. The pot has been well preserved. “The pot exhibits a classic stylistic affiliation with lugged pots and the body tapers towards the bottom, indicating that the pot was very likely a Khoekhoen lugged pot that had rope or string fed through the lugs to facilitate easy transportation,” said UCT archaeology professor, Dr Vuyiswa Lupuwana. The initial inspection indicated…

Duané Kitching, 24, a junior marketing practitioner at the University of Pretoria (UP) and a recent UP Master of Commerce in Marketing Management graduate, has scored her latest academic success. She did her research study examining the relationship between South African diners and restaurant group Nando’s – with a particular focus on the chain’s tongue-in-cheek, topical adverts related to load shedding. Her research examined how the ‘lovemarks’ marketing concept, which focuses on creating an emotional connection between a brand and its target market (or “getting your market to fall in love with your brand”), inspires consumers to generate word-of-mouth marketing for their favourite brands. She asked consumers about the hugely popular #NandosBrightSides campaign, which made light of load shedding by offering free side dishes – which varied in number according…

With a day to go to the 21st staging of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), organisers have shared some top tips for festinos and residents alike to enjoy the best of the jazz fest experience over the weekend. Over the past few weeks, the festival has announced some big hitters that are due to light up the four stages. The calibre of the line-up, and the fact that Africa’s Grandest Gathering is back after a few years, has seen festinos (fans) come out in their droves, consequently, the Mother City is expected to be busier than usual this weekend. FREE concert, Greenmarket Square, May 2, 4pm to 10pm: This is a family event – no alcohol, no smoking. Hydration points will be on the square – bring your…

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, who is presiding over the Senzo Meyiwa trial, is undoubtedly a competent judge and well respected. He is handling the case well. However, the judge has a negative habit of making throwaway statements from the Bench. His loaded statements possibly rile many people, especially those from black communities. Some weeks back, he unfairly excoriated black lawyers. To his credit, he subsequently backtracked and openly apologised in court after there was an outcry over his comments. But he did it again on Friday, April 26, when he commented on the behaviour of one of the lawyers, advocate Thulani Mngomezulu. It is not even prudent to go into the essence of the judge’s complaint, but he went off tangent when he showed his displeasure about what Mngomezulu had allegedly…

The Kia Picanto has always been a popular and much-loved small hatchback in South Africa – the South-Korean automaker has enjoyed sales of more than 100 000 locally since its introduction in 2004 – and it’s now in its third generation and second facelift in the current lifecycle. Measuring 1 495mm in height, 3 595mm in length, and 1 595mm in width, the Picanto’s dimensions remain unchanged. I’m roughly 1.7m tall, and in the driver’s seat, or behind my own driving position, I found the space on offer to be decent enough. Boot space at 255 litres, however, is tiny and may pose a problem to buyers who often find themselves needing to load more than a handful of items. Several changes have been made…

Arguably even more striking than the C5, the new Omoda 7 is expected to reach South Africa during the course of 2025, and it’s likely to be called the C7. Revealed to the world in Chery’s home town of Wuhu on Sunday, the Omoda 7 slots between the aforementioned C5 and upcoming C9. It’s similar in size to Toyota’s Rav4, but has a sleeker and more low-slung design language which the carmaker refers to as “Stylish 360”. Inside the Omoda 7 is packed with luxury and tech and there’s a 15.6-inch (39.6cm) sliding central touch screen that can shift over to the front passenger’s side of the dashboard. Other cabin highlights include a 12+2 speaker immersive sound system that promises concert hall sound quality and there’s an innovative voice control…

REAL Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was disappointed with his players’ attitude, calling them “soft” for defending too deep in their 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday. Ancelotti was critical of his team’s commitment after Vinicius jr’s first-half goal gave them the lead as Bayern struck twice in four minutes early in the second half to turn the game around before Vinicius equalised from the penalty spot. “The result is good but on a level of play we could have done better. Bayern showed their best version and we didn’t. We have to improve for next week,” an introspective Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+. “In the first half we defended but with little intensity, in the second half when they took the lead we…

RED Bull confirmed yesterday that celebrated chief technical officer Adrian Newey will leave the Formula One team early next year after 19 years. It was widely reported last week that the 65-year-old, regarded as the greatest designer in the sport’s history, would quit after a controversy involving allegations about team principal Christian Horner. The British-based Red Bull team have won six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles, split between Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, with Newey- designed cars to date. They are on course to do the double again this year, with Dutch driver Verstappen the dominant force in the sport. Ferrari, soon to be joined by Lewis Hamilton, appear to be in pole position to sign up Newey. The British designer, a chief architect of Red Bull’s dominance, is…