Inhoudsopgave van 2021-11-17 - Star

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za NASPERS, a global internet and entertainment group and technology investor, said yesterday that it had invested $5.2 billion (R79.3bn) in new acquisitions to expand its ecosystems, mainly in food delivery to position the business for continued long-term growth, and flagged lower headline earnings a share for the half-year ended September 2021. Prosus and parent Naspers told investors that earnings in the six months ended September would dim as the Chinese crackdown weighed heavily on Tencent. Naspers said headline earnings were expected to decrease in the current period by as much as 12 percent, mainly due to the increase in net finance costs “and the decrease in the contribution of fair value gains by our associates”. Tencent in tandem with the Chinese gaming industry has been…

Sebastien Alexanderson THIS YEAR, Black Friday will fall on November 26. As has been the trend for the last few years, many retailers have already started offering discounts on goods since the beginning of the month. Last year, many South Africans took to social media to lament their dissatisfaction with what many termed “Black Friday scams”. In some instances, prices were inflated prior to the date and then lowered again for Black Friday, with no real savings benefit to consumers. Some media outlets have already started price-comparison checks for this year’s Black Friday and are finding this same scenario to be playing out once again, with several brands and retailers guilty of this artificial inflation. However, there remains no doubt that South Africans will still take part in Black…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE woman accusing Rivers of Living Waters Church leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo of repeatedly raping her in 1980, when she was 7, has conceded under cross-examination that she made a mistake – it was in 1981. This followed gruelling questioning from advocate Piet Pistorius yesterday afternoon, about the “alleged sexual wrongdoings”, as he termed the rape and sexual assault charges Zondo is facing. This week, Zondo pleaded not guilty to 10 charges in the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, the bulk of which are rape. Pistorius said his defence would emerge during the cross-examination of witnesses. The first alleged victim to take the stand, who claimed she was raped 40 years ago, was repeatedly asked whether the statement she had made to the police last year,…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za A NEW electronic ticketing system for Putco was launched and went live on Monday in Eldorado Park, Gauteng. The country’s largest commuter bus operator will be partnering with Blue Label Distribution company, Ticketpro. Putco said in a statement that the new Smart Tap system features a near-field communications-enabled smart card. Commuters will be able to buy their Putco Smart Tap cards and electronic tickets from Blu Approved/Blue Label Distribution and Ticketpro retail outlets in Eldorado Park. “When a commuter buys a ticket, it will be loaded on to their smart card and a receipt will be issued as proof of purchase. This offers consumers a safer, more modern and convenient alternative to paper tickets,” said the statement. Business development and marketing executive at Putco, Matlakala Motloung, said…

CHULUMANCO MAHAMBA chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THE FAMILY of the “Amagluglug” baby, who was delivered at a Sasol garage, have praised the love and ubuntu of South Africans as Sasol executives showered them with gifts. Yesterday, Sasol officials presented gifts and donations to Phumi Mahlambi, the mother of newborn baby boy Lwandle, who was aptly nicknamed “Amagluglug” after being born premature at 34-weeks at Sasol Swartgoud garage in Mondeor on November 2. This comes after The Star published an article last week about Mahlambi’s miracle baby, who was born with assistance from Sasol Swartgoud franchise owner, Letitia Visser and ADT Fidelity personnel. The new mother told The Star she was at her boyfriend’s house on that day when she experienced labour pains. She added that the pain had started the previous night, but…

Gontse Riet gontse.riet@inl.co.za TWO of South Africa’s finest young scientists – Kutlwano Tshatiwa, a Grade 11 Gabonewe High School learner from the North West and Shadia Akter from New Orleans Secondary School in Paarl – are finalists at this year’s Buca International Music Science Engineering Energy Fair (Imsef), where they are showcasing their scientific expertise virtually from November 15 to 19. Eskom Expo executive director Parthy Chetty said they looked for innovative ideas, creative use of resources, as well as well-planned and executed research. “These learners have done exceptionally well with their projects, especially during lockdown, when they did not always have access to their teachers. They highlight the role the youth play in the 4th industrial revolution by taking on complex projects using coding they had to learn on…

Herman Gibbs herman.gibbs@africannewsagency.com AFTER many years of playing the game at all levels, the experience and coaching pedigree of Olympian Lenise Marais will stand the South African team in good stead at the upcoming Junior Hockey Women’s World Cup in Potchefstroom, starting on December 5. National women’s hockey stalwart Marais, who campaigned at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, has been entrusted with the job of mentoring the SA team. She has managed to whip the squad into shape despite serious challenges posed by the pandemic over the past year. The Junior Hockey Women’s World Cup in Potchefstroom will mark the first time a hockey World Cup is played on African soil. Apart from the World Cup preparations, Marais oversees the progress of the girls’ youth team so that they…

Herman Gibbs Comment SOUTH African football has just emerged from a rebuilding phase under wily tactician Hugo Broos smelling like roses. However, there are still parts of Mzansi where the air is thick with acrid smoke, as fans are still fuming from the stinging defeat in Ghana. Apart from the contentious penalty, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana were eventually undone by the criteria of World Cup qualifying. Both Ghana and South Africa ended with 13 points at the top of Group G, and both had a goal difference of four. It was the fact that Ghana had scored seven goals, as opposed to Bafana’s six, that was the deciding factor. It became clear from his comments both before and after the Ghana clash that Broos was not entirely au fait with…

Dylan Naidoo is driven by one very clear goal when it comes to this year’s Joburg Open at Randpark Golf Club, and that’s to play well as a “thank you” to an event he feels has given him incredible support in his golf career. Naidoo heads back to South Africa this summer more excited than ever to tee it up in the three tournaments co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Sunshine Tour, starting with the Joburg Open from November 25-28. The young Johannesburg professional now has playing privileges on three tours including the Sunshine Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and MacKenzie Tour. It’s been a year of incredible growth for the former GolfRSA elite national squad member, and he says he cannot wait to test out the international experience he has…

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za SOUTH African Special Risks Insurance Association (Sasria) estimates that damage in July’s looting and mayhem, the most expensive riots in the world, they said, cost more than R50 billion, for which the agency has received claims of up to R32bn, which it intends to fully settle by March 2022. Managing director Cedric Masondo and Fareedah Benjamin, the executive for operations, said yesterday total claims for the looting and mayhem, confined to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng provinces amounted to R32bn, R10bn more had been paid out by other insurance companies while the estimate for uninsured losses added another R10bn. “This was one of the most expensive riots in the whole world, surpassing Chile and US riots, the R32bn is not the final number, but the total…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za TRANSACTION Capital delivered a robust 27 percent increase in headline earnings in the year to September 30 after trading at its WeBuyCars and Transaction Capital Risk Services (TCRS) surpassed pre-Covid 2019 levels, chief executive David Hurwitz said yesterday. Core headline earnings from continuing operations were up 264 percent to R1.01 billion when compared with 2020. Dividend payments resumed supported by the strong financial performance and healthy balance sheet. During 2021, Transaction Capital increased its shareholding in WeBuyCars to 74.2 percent in August. Hurwitz said the results were driven by organic growth from existing divisions, SA Taxi and TCRS, and high earnings growth from the newly acquired division, WeBuyCars. Dividend payments resumed, supported by the strong financial performance and healthy balance sheet. Hurwitz said SA…

THE SITUATION for South African consumers struggling with debt was deteriorating, according to this year’s third quarter DebtBusters’ Debt Index. This was while the country might, for the moment, be over the worst of the pandemic, but like the lingering long Covid, consumers were still feeling the effects of consecutive lockdowns. Add to this was a diminished ability to borrow, which meant that getting any relief from the symptoms of straitened finances was harder. DebtBusters head Benay Sager said this week that with no meaningful increase in real income, consumers continued to turn to unsecured credit to supplement their pay cheques. “It’s a trend that we’ve seen intensify over the past few years,” Sager said. He said the good news was that more people were proactively seeking help for their…

Ti-han Chang and Henry Dicks | The Conversation We are constantly being bombarded with dire warnings about the environmental and climate emergency. Act now, we are told, or face an unprecedented global catastrophe. But while the solutions proposed – solar panels, heat pumps, eating less meat – are no doubt necessary, they are for the most part unimaginative, uninspiring and isolated from a wider system of beliefs whereby they might acquire genuine meaning. The following books offer an alternative perspective. In contrast to the simplistic idea that all we need to do is implement a set of technological and lifestyle changes, they offer a new way of understanding and relating to nature. Biomimicry by Janine Benyus (1997) Few would deny that technology will play a major role in achieving…

A family member said they did not know the food would make people sick Itumeleng Mafisa A WEST Rand family are living in fear from the anger of their community after three people, including a priest, died and dozens were hospitalised after eating food at their aunt’s funeral on Saturday. The Kagiso family had six of their members hospitalised after the funeral. A family member, Lucky Motaung, said the community had been coming to their house to complain about the sickness that the funeral food had caused. He said he could count at least 40 people who he knew of who were hospitalised after eating the food. Motaung said the family would like to assure the community they did not know the food would make people sick. “We…

Nokwanda Ncwane nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za THE Post Office has released a list of items not to be mailed after recently coming across several instances where customers attempted to post prohibited items which are potentially dangerous on an aircraft to overseas destinations. Saying this delayed outgoing mail dramatically, SA Post Office spokesperson Johan Kruger explained that airlines scanned all mailbags before loading them for prohibited items, using an X-ray machine similar to that used to scan hand luggage. “Should a single prohibited item be detected in a mailbag, the entire mailbag is returned to the sorting centre to be opened and searched until the offending parcel is found. “All the items in the mailbag miss the flight and are delayed until the next flight departs.” He said the list of items not to…

Sinazo Alungile Novukela | Arcadia THE recent Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, particularly where he spoke about the agricultural spinoffs, gave clues to the citizens that agriculture is the saviour. The speech clearly indicated that agriculture has boosted the economic outlook of the country, expanding by 8.3% in the first half of the year compared with the same period last year. It is set to grow for a second-consecutive year. If agriculture can boost the economy, it can also boost household spending. The rise of petrol prices indicates that commodity prices will inflate, and that includes food. This will have a ripple effect on all households, particularly low-income South Africans. Furthermore, Covid-19 has left a lot of South Africans without jobs, with the government…

Sonri Naidoo sonri.naidoo@inl.co.za IT IS about the timing, said Relebogile Mabotja who makes her return debut to radio 702 next week. It follows seasoned media personality Azania Mosaka taking her final bow at the station this Friday. Mosaka said all good things must come to an end and after 20 years of radio, she will be stepping away from the microphone to focus on her personal goals. “I am taking on the active citizenry baton through my NGO, Peo Impact Gardens, in Soweto. “I look forward to moving into a space of implementation, physically and actively doing community outreach and to use my voice to raise the profile of communities in need,” said Mosaka. 702 station manager, Mzo Jojwana, said Mosaka has contributed significantly to 702’s success over the past…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za SOUTH Africans are counting the days ahead of the big announcement of the Idols season 17 winner. It was just last week when everyone was raving over Karabo, Berry, and S22kile for making it as the all-female top three in the history of the Idols competition. But sadly fans and judges had to say their goodbyes to S22kile, leaving Berenike “Berry” Trytsman and Karabo Mathe to face off for the finale on Sunday. It has been quite a journey for the duo, especially having to battle it out with other contestants who are as talented as them. In the past few weeks, all contestants showed considerable efforts to be winners but it all goes down to one winner. It should not take you by surprise that Berry…

LEWIS Hamilton and Max Verstappen shook hands after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, but the gloves are now well and truly off between Formula One rivals Mercedes and Red Bull as the championship enters the final straight. As Hamilton celebrated his 101st win, and possibly the greatest race of his F1 career to revive his hopes of a record eighth world title, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff vented his feelings. The Austrian spoke of Hamilton’s “harsh” disqualification from Friday’s qualifying and the stewards “laughable” decision not to penalise Verstappen when the Dutch driver “forced” the champion off the road on Sunday as he tried to overtake. His sense of injustice was palpable, as well as the feeling that Mercedes were fighting forces greater than Red Bull even as Hamilton closed…

Italy coach Roberto Mancini was upbeat about his side’s chances of playing at the 2022 World Cup despite the European champions missing out on an automatic qualification spot on Monday. Four months on from their Euro 2020 success, Italy’s 0-0 draw in Northern Ireland meant Switzerland finished top of World Cup qualifying Group C following their 4-0 win over Bulgaria in Lucerne, condemning Mancini’s men to the play-offs. It is the second successive World Cup qualification campaign that Italy have only made the play-offs, with three teams from the 12 involved this time progressing to Qatar. The Azzurri failed to qualify for a World Cup finals tournament for the first time since 1958 four years ago after defeat by Sweden in the play-offs over two legs. “I am very confident…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za GAME HAS ACCUSED the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) of putting pressure on workers to go on a strike, but says it does not expect the Black Friday shopping bonanza to be affected. Saccawu said yesterday it was preparing to lead 18 000 members on an indefinite national strike on Friday at Massmart’s 229 stores over wages and unilateral changes to conditions of employment. Massmart spokesperson Brian Leroni said the group was aware that Saccawu’s leadership was “cajoling” its members into taking strike action. “It would appear that Saccawu’s approach has, in cases, involved threatening reluctant members to participate in a strike at a time when they would typically maximise sales commission-based earnings due to higher footfall and sales volumes in our…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za NINETY ONE plc surged more than 3 percent to R53.64 per share on the JSE yesterday as it reported record assets under management of £140 billion (about R2.9 trillion) on positive business momentum. This record for the six months ending September 30 was up by 7 percent from the previous six months, supported by strong net inflows and portfolio growth. The dual-listed asset management group said net revenue increased 10 percent to £328.4 million during the period. Ninety One founder and chief executive Hendrik du Toit said a combination of strategic clarity, disciplined execution, competitive investment performance, and a long-term approach to business continues to work well for the company. “A combination of competitive investment performance, relevant offerings and a stable…

LOVE LIFE S2 SHOWMAX The journey from first love to lasting love is back in the spotlight with the hit romantic comedy anthology series Love Life. The new cast is led by three-time Emmy nominee William Jackson Harper as Marcus Watkins, who enters his thirties freshly divorced and as lost as ever. Forced to rediscover his identity as a single black man in New York, Marcus must learn to find love again. WIE WORD ’N MILJOENÊR? KYKNET, DSTV CHANNEL 144, 8PM Bernie Meyer is back in the “Hot Seat” tonight. With R10 000 in the bank, he’s about to play question 7. How much money will Bernie win? Host Rian van Heerden keeps him cool, calm and collected as he ponders which answer is the correct one. DIE…

Gerry Cupido geraldine.cupido@inl.co.za The fashion consumer landscape has undergone a transformation over the past year with more people turning to online shopping. This has made it easier for brands to keep an eye on consumers’ shopping patterns. According to the data, the most-searched-for fashion brand worldwide is high-street favourite Zara. In fact, the top list is full of non-luxury brands such as Fashion Nova, ASOS and H&M. These brands are also known for their e-commerce offering, where you can go from browsing styles on your phone to wearing the latest trend in as little as 24 hours. Zalando, the German e-commerce company that sells a number of premium fashion brands, is particularly popular in Europe, and it is the third most popular brand globally. Athleisure companies also feature highly, with…

NOKWANDA NCWANE nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za THE ALLEGED serial rapist who used Facebook to lure young women to bogus job opportunities around Pretoria abandoned bail when he appeared before the Ga-Rankuwa District Court. Police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said according to information available, the suspect contacted unsuspecting female victims aged between 19 and 34 via Facebook, offering them work in Klipgat, Loate, Soshanguve and Rietgat between June and October this year. “He would invite them for an interview, and make an appointment for them to meet in person. During their first appointment, the victims were taken to secluded bushy areas, where they were overpowered, threatened with a knife/firearm, robbed of personal belongings and ultimately raped,” Myburgh said. The suspect was traced and arrested on October 19 at a petrol station in Soshanguve. During…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za AYANDA Ncwane’s remarkable work in the arts has gone beyond South African shores and had her thrive and be recognised internationally. Last Sunday saw Ncwane being honoured with the Global African Award for her outstanding contribution to the entertainment and music industry. The Global African Awards celebrate, honour and acknowledge achievement from the next generation of African leaders. Their main focus is on the African diaspora’s success across all walks of life, emphasising achievement and highlighting inspirational role models in fields of business, sport, entertainment, philanthropy, and popular arts and culture. Ncwane took to social media to share her accolade. “I’m so grateful to be awarded the Global African Award for Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment and the Music Industry. It is humbling to be recognised for the…

Herman Gibbs WHILE the wounds of Bafana Bafana’s stinging defeat are still raw, South Africa and Ghana will again cross swords on Friday. It will not be a Fifa World Cup qualifier in Ghana this time, but a historic final of the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League in Egypt. Mamelodi Sundowns will play Ghana’s Hasaacas in the maiden decider of the women’s continental club competition. The two finalists emerged victors from Monday’s semi-finals, in which the Ghanaian side were far more impressive, as has been the case since the start of the tournament. After four matches, Hasaacas have scored 10 goals, while Sundowns have a miserly two, but have yet to concede a goal. After regulation and extra time failed to provide a goal in the match between Sundowns…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za ACTING Cricket South Africa chief executive Pholetsi Moseki believes Mzansi, along with Zimbabwe and Namibia, will deliver a “beautiful African World Cup” after the ICC announced the hosts of the 2027 men’s one-day international World Cup yesterday. It will be the first time the men’s World Cup will be returning to the African continent in 18 years after South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya jointly hosted the 2003 event. Kenya have now been replaced with Namibia, who have just returned from a stellar maiden performance at the men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden, along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt. The ICC board accepted the recommendations of…

ENGLAND coach Gareth Southgate has backed Harry Kane to overtake Wayne Rooney as the country’s all-time leading goal scorer after the Tottenham Hotspur striker netted four goals in Monday night’s 10-0 away demolition of San Marino in a 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying encounter. England booked their place in a seventh successive World Cup tournament with their win over San Marino as Kane took his international tally to 48 goals and moved joint-third on the all-time list with Gary Lineker. The 28-year-old, who scored a hat-trick against Albania last week, is five goals behind record scorer Rooney. “I think that will definitely be one of his goals,” Southgate said. “And the remarkable thing is, we haven’t given him the opportunities of nights like tonight (against lower ranked teams) too often…