Sommaire pour 2025-05-07 de Cape Times

South Africa's private sector has emerged from a difficult downturn, recording a slight uptick in sales that has reignited activity and employment. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released on Tuesday reported a rise to 50.0 in April—a neutral mark that separates growth from contraction—marking a notable increase from last month’s figure of 48.3. This signals a shift after four consecutive months spent in negative territory. Key to this recovery has been the much-anticipated improvement in sales, resulting in increased new orders, output, and employment figures. David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the PMI print in April was better news for South African businesses as the second quarter began. Owen said that a sustained decline in operating conditions across the first quarter suggested…

Moody’s Ratings agency has lowered South Africa’s growth forecast for 2025 on the back of expected slow global growth, driven by tariff uncertainty and trade tensions. The ratings agency on Tuesday said South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2025 will only grow by 1.5%, a 0.2 percentage points decrease from its previous forecast. This growth forecast is in line with the 1.7% estimate from the SA Reserve Bank partly to subdued demand, and partly to lingering supply-side fragilities, but more optimistic than the downwardly revised 0.8% forecast by the International Monetary Fund last week. In its Global Macro Outlook 2025-26 Update, Moody’s said global growth slowdown was underway as policy uncertainty added risks to the global economy. “Policy uncertainty weighs on a global economy that was already slowing. Uncertainty…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the appointment of a terminal operator to construct a multi-purpose terminal (MPT) to handle fresh produce and compatible break bulk cargo at the Port of Durban. TNPA on Monday said that the RFP will be for the appointment of a terminal operator to design, develop, fund, construct, operate, maintain and transfer an MPT handling fresh produce and compatible break bulk cargo for a 25-year concession period at the port. “The issuing of this RFP is in accordance with Section 56 of the National Ports Act No. 12 of 2005 to enhance the port's efficiency and competitiveness,” it said. “This brownfield development is earmarked for the Maydon Wharf precinct of the port, which has its landside area dedicated…

Access to reliable electricity remains a significant challenge across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rural areas. Expanding grid infrastructure is often prohibitively expensive and impractical due to difficult terrain and large distances from urban centres. As a result, millions of people rely on costly and polluting diesel generators or go without electricity altogether. Off-grid solar solutions have emerged as a transformative tool in bridging this energy gap. These decentralised energy systems have improved access to power for households, businesses, healthcare facilities and schools, driving socio-economic development. However, solar energy is inherently intermittent, dependent on sunlight availability. Energy storage is crucial to ensuring reliability, but traditional battery storage solutions are expensive and require frequent maintenance. A game-changing solution Green hydrogen storage offers an innovative and environmentally sustainable solution to the intermittency challenge…

The financial position of South African households improved slightly in the fourth quarter, but real disposable income per person for 2024 continued its decline from 2022, when the interest rate raising cycle increased. This was according to economist Dr Roelf Botha, who commented on the release on Tuesday of the Altron FinTech Household Resilience Index (AFHRI) for the fourth quarter of 2024. He attributed the modest improvement to three 25 basis point cuts in the repo rate between September 2024 and January 2025, which lowered the prime overdraft rate to 11% from a record high of 11.75%. Consumers also benefited from year-end bonuses, two-pot pension payouts, and temporary jobs in the holiday period, particularly in the tourism and retail sectors. “The data clearly shows that while we’re seeing some recovery,…

Government has been urged to strengthen criminal penalties and appoint an Interagency Anti-Illicit Trade Coordinator in conjunction with the private sector to battle illicit trade. The South Africa Illicit Economy 2.0 Report, launched by the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) in conjunction with Business Unity South Africa (Busa) found that illicit activities have been undermining businesses, depleting tax revenues, undermining international trade, and exacerbating social and economic inequalities. The South African Revenue Service estimated that illicit trade costs the country’s economy R100 billion annually. In terms of lost tax revenues, Business Leadership South Africa estimated that South Africa loses around R250 million a day. TRACIT director of programmes, Estaban Giudici, said government must prioritise efforts to combat illicit trade and the underlying conditions that facilitate it. “Left unaddressed,…

AMENDMENTS to the Employment Equity Act (EEA) were replacing a context-sensitive approach where employers set their numerical targets for employment equity, with a rigid, one-size-fits-all system of minister-determined targets. The DA argued before the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday that this violates Section 9 of the Constitution, which governs equality and affirmative action. While Section 9(2) permits affirmative action, it must be approached cautiously and not unduly infringe on dignity or establish absolute barriers, the party said. The DA is challenging the constitutionality of section 15a of the Employment Equity Amendment Act which seeks to introduce numerical targets for the representation of black people, women and people with disabilities in companies with more than 50 employees. Advocate Ismail Jamie SC representing the DA, argued that rigid racial quotas are harming…

LIFE remains a daily struggle for Shadrack Mayine, who lost a leg and arm in the George building collapse, which claimed the lives of 34 of his colleagues and left dozens injured. He was among the workers that were rescued when tragedy struck on May 6 last year- an incident no one has yet to be held accountable for despite several parallel investigations and promises. At an emotional one-year commemoration yesterday, survivors and grieving families in attendance echoed the need for justice and support. Mayine, now unemployed, uses a prosthetic limb. “I feel better now. I can walk and move around, but my arm still gives me pain. I’m unemployed, and my family and volunteers help me. Being on the site again was painful. It took me back to…

Emoji interpretations and sexual connotations in message exchanges came under the spotlight as forensic and legal linguist and researcher Dr Zakeera Docrat took the stand at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing into sexual harassment complaints against Judge President Selby Mbenenge. Docrat yesterday testified on conversation exchanges between complainant Andiswa Mengo and Mbenenge, which the linguistic expert described as starting courteously and professionally but “slowly degenerated” as emojis used in the message exchanges became sexual and flirtatious. Docrat prefaced her evidence concerning knowledge of interpreting emojis after Griffits Madonsela SC, counsel for Mbenenge, said they did not dispute her qualifications and expertise; however, they disputed “her expertise in emojis”. Docrat submitted that she had, since 2018, researched how emojis are used and related this to the South African context, which is…

The Stormers scored 56 terrific points in their last game against Benetton. But a week is a long time in rugby – and they know it won’t just be a case of continuing where they left off in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against the Dragons at Cape Town Stadium (6.15pm kick-off). Coach John Dobson would have been delighted with the seven-try rout of the Italian outfit, and it provided the Capetonians with the ideal momentum at just the right time in their playoff race. The Stormers are now sixth on the URC log with 45 points, and could still mathematically end fourth and secure a home quarter-final. You would expect the Stormers to get the bonus-point job done against bottom-placed Dragons, but assistant coach Dawie Snyman is wary…

Did you know that the last South African to be chosen as the world’s best Under-20 player was Juarno Augustus? Yes, the same big No 8 that starred for the Northampton Saints in last weekend’s epic Champions Cup semi-final triumph over Leinster in Dublin. The former Junior Springbok stalwart was the player of the tournament at the Under-20 Championship in 2017, which took place in Georgia. So good was Augustus that he won his award despite the Junior Boks going down 24-22 to England in the semi-final. They at least won the third-place playoff 37-15 against a French side including current Test stars such as hooker Peato Mauvaka, utility forward Alexandre Roumat, flyhalf Romain Ntamack and utility back Mathieu Jalibert. South Africa were captained by Ernst van Rhyn, and several…

Gus Parker was all smiles following his stunning win at the prestigious Erinvale Golf Club in Somerset West recently — a victory that not only secured him the title but also an all-expenses-paid trip to Antalya, Türkiye, for the World Golf Cup Amateur Series final, courtesy of Turkish Airlines. “You know, it was such an experience for me to win this thing,” Parker said at the time. “I’m looking forward to it (the trip to Türkiye).” Parker showcased his skills at Erinvale in April, which had hosted the South African Women’s Open just a week prior, closing with a winning score of 42. Commenting on the condition of the greens then, he was clearly impressed: “I think the course was in really good nick. The greens were the fastest I’ve…

Ministry is pushing for the sale of components of Amsa business to identified buyers The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Parks Tau, said on Tuesday that the government was pushing for the sale of components of Arcelormittal South Africa (Amsa) business to identified buyers following a substantial R1.2 billion bailout from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Answering an onslaught of questions from members of the portfolio committee on trade and industry in Parliament, Tau explained the scenario facing the automotive sector, which has expressed concerns over Amsa's troubles. Tau said the automotive sector had individually and through the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) indicated that with Amsa doing defunct, the industry would have to follow suit as importing long steel would not be viable. "We can't as a…

Industry players are urging the South African government to prioritize policies to curb illicit trade through the crafting of an anti-illicit trade strategy, strengthening border controls and utilising technology in securing supply chains. This follows the release of the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) report reviewing South Africa’s fight against illicit trade this week. The report, released in conjunction with Business Unity South Africa (Busa), highlights how South Africa’s economy continues to be threatened by illegal trade, specifically in sectors such as alcohol, tobacco, food items, pharmaceuticals, agri-chemicals, counterfeiting, mining, and wildlife trafficking. It notes that illicit trade in tobacco and alcohol alone was costing South Africa as much as R30 billion a year in lost revenue. “Illicit trade deprives the government of critical revenue, fuels organised crime,…

We’ve had a dramatic start to the year – DeepSeek’s disruption of the artificial intelligence (AI) narrative, a seismic shift in defence and infrastructure spending out of Germany and of course “Liberation Day”. As a result, we initially witnessed significant divergence in performance across and within asset classes and, more recently, a severe correction. As always, we need to take a step back to gain some perspective. We’ve talked a lot in recent years about a major shift in the investment regime driven by a rejection of the political consensus which dominated Western policy from the 1990s onwards; a focus on fiscal rectitude combined with loose monetary policy and a highly globalised economy. The challenge with this model, particularly in the 2010s as interest rates moved to zero or negative…

May Day as annually observed globally is more than just a rededication to the struggles for workers’ rights, but about the centrality of the global work force’s need to secure the future of work. The theme for this year being “Industrialization, Trade, and Decent Work for Social Justice" highlights the importance of using industrialization and trade as tools for generating decent employment, promoting economic growth, and ensuring equity and dignity for workers. As we seek and find solutions to greatest threat of our times- climate change, we do so with the full appreciation that there is an energy transition and green revolution currently underway and already altering the labour market with the associated workforce disruption in high-emission industries, with mining and electricity generation bearing the first brunt. Workers Day…

JSE-listed Renergen has won a "legal victory" that frees its onshore helium and natura gas production from operating under National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) regulations, and the ruling adds regulatory clarity to South Africa's petroleum sector. The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, did, on May 2, 2025, rule in favour of Renergen’s owned subsidiary Tetra4's request for a declarator that the Gas Act of 2001 does not apply to production and incidental activities related to upstream petroleum activities, including a requirement for licensing of trading, construction, and operation of liquefaction facilities outside the piped gas industry. "This judgment is a landmark win for Tetra4 and the entire upstream gas industry. It affirms that upstream gas production and related activities, including on-site liquefaction, are outside the scope…

The ANC has started internal deliberations on its proposed revisions to the national budget, following the National Treasury's decision to rework its fiscal plans. This will be the third attempt to table a budget in as many months, with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana expected to present it later this month. The previous two budget drafts were unsuccessful due to political party objections regarding a proposed increase in the standard VAT rate. This latest effort by the National Treasury to create an acceptable budget is anticipated to involve significant input from various political parties, both within and outside the Government of National Unity (GNU), as they submit their fiscal recommendations. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula indicated that, aside from the VAT issue, the party believes the current budget framework is largely suitable.…

A 44-year-old woman who allegedly murdered her disabled daughter's rapist, has been cleared of all charges. The Eastern Cape woman made a brief appearance in the Lady Frere Magistrate’s Court in the Emalahleni Local Municipality on Monday. She was arrested after the incident, which occurred early last month in Cacadu, and was later released on R500 bail. Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, who attended the court proceedings alongside Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta, welcomed the National Prosecuting Authority's decision. “While we acknowledge the independence of the judiciary and respect the legal processes that were followed, we commend the NPA for its sensitivity and careful consideration of the extreme circumstances that led to this tragic incident,” said Mabuyane. “This decision reflects a compassionate understanding of the context and the instinctive…

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber is under pressure to provide a comprehensive report to Parliament on the immigration status of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group leader Phil Craig. Committee chairperson Musa Chabane expressed dissatisfaction with Schreiber’s report, labeling it a “by the way response” to all the issues that have been raised. “We must refer back this matter to the minister to give us a comprehensive detail on all matters involved on this individual,” Chabane said. Craig has been subject of parliamentary questions with MPs wanting to know the details of his citizenship, and whether he was naturalised person or permanent resident in the country. Schreiber has also been asked whether he will initiate a review of Craig’s dual citizenship. In his written responses, Schreiber referred MPs to the Promotion…

Ousmane Dembele and his fellow attacking players may have stolen most of the limelight on Paris Saint-Germain's run in this season's Champions League, but the form of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been just as important in taking the French giants to the brink of the final. PSG host Arsenal at the Parc des Princes tonight in the second leg of their semi-final and come into the match with a 1-0 lead following last week's clash in London. Dembele scored the only goal at the Emirates Stadium, his 33rd of the season in all competitions further underlining his status as the leader of the Paris attack in the wake of Kylian Mbappe's departure. But Donnarumma played a key part too with five saves, including two of the highest class to deny…

Nottingham Forest's bid to qualify for the Uefa Champions League suffered a setback as they were held to a damaging 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday. Nuno Espirito Santo's side needed a victory to keep pace with their top five rivals. But Eberechi Eze's second-half penalty put Palace ahead and, although Murillo equalised soon afterwards, Forest left south London outside the Champions League places. Sixth-placed Forest's attempt to appear in Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 1980/81 is now out of their hands. They sit two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea and fourth-placed Newcastle, with third-placed Manchester City three points ahead of Forest. Forest have three games left, with winnable fixtures against Leicester and West Ham before what could be on a final-day shootout against Chelsea. "We…

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has expressed confidence in its decision to grant trading licences to private electricity operators, despite Eskom’s legal challenge. Eskom contends that Nersa violated its own regulations by issuing these licences without the proper industry rules, potentially jeopardising the integrity of the electricity supply chain. At the core of the dispute is Eskom’s frustration over licensing that permits private operators to trade electricity, diverging from the traditional path of virtual wheeling agreements. The challenge suggests a fear that these new entrants might cherry-pick the best-paying customers, leaving Eskom burdened with slower-paying clients. Nersa chairperson Thembani Bukula on Tuesday said the dispute Eskom had with the traders revolved around certain areas that traders will take the best paying customers and leave the utility with…

The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) has raised its alarm over the alarming decline of sorghum farming, a crop that once held promise for various applications including cereals and biofuels. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agbiz, on Tuesday highlighted the paradox facing the sorghum industry: despite its nutritional benefits and the potential for biofuel production, consumer demand remains dismally low, stunting growth and profitability. “Despite all these benefits, the sorghum industry has not taken off. The challenge is not that farmers refuse to plant it. This is due to its weak demand—consumers are not buying sorghum products like other staple grains,” Sihlobo said. “The issue of weak demand partly gave farmers hope that using sorghum in biofuels would provide a much-needed market for farmers. But this venture…

The cause of last week's massive power outage in Spain and Portugal remains unclear but it has shone a spotlight on solar and wind energy, which critics accuse of straining electricity grids. The rise of renewables presents a challenge for power grids, which must evolve to adapt as countries move away from fossil fuels. Maintaining stability Grid operators must ensure that electricity is constantly balanced between demand and supply. A metric of this balance is the frequency of the electricity flowing through the grid, set at 50 hertz (Hz) in Europe and 60 Hz in the United States. If that number drifts too far off, it can jeopardise the grid. Historically, the electricity system has relied on conventional power plants - gas, coal, nuclear and hydroelectric -- that use spinning…

South African gold miners are being weighed down by elevated costs, with the Minerals Council of South Africa saying on Tuesday that the sector recorded the highest increase in input costs. This comes as Gold Fields recently said all-in-costs for the 2025 March quarter grew by 6%. Bullion prices have been surging to record highs in the past few weeks although South African producers of the precious metal have largely not raised production due to higher costs. Andre Lourens, an economist with the Minerals Council said the gold sector has been experiencing higher input cost inflation. “In March, the gold sector recorded the highest average increase in input cost inflation, although benefiting from strong market prices - with gold averaging $2 986 per ounce. This underscores the ongoing cost pressures…

AngloGold Ashanti's share price surged 3.65% on the JSE Tuesday after it and Gold Fields announced they would pause their proposed Ghana joint venture plans. AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields have agreed to suspend discussions about a proposal to combine their Iduapriem and Tarkwa gold mines in Ghana. AngloGold’s share price increased 3.65% to R789.09 on the JSE Tuesday afternoon, driving its price even higher from the R431.38 that it traded at a year ago. Gold Fields’ share price was up 1.09% to R422.60. The gold price was up 5.29% to $3 389.75 per ounce. The companies proposed the combination of the neighboring mines in March 2023 and had spent much of the time since then in talks with the Ghana government to obtain the necessary approvals. “Over that…

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola described the deaths of three Free State police constables as a heartbreaking conclusion to what started as a suspected hijacking and kidnapping case, confirming that the Accident Unit is investigating the VW Polo involved. “When we first picked up this case, we never anticipated this tragic end,” Masemola said during a memorial service in Bloemfontein yesterday. “We initially thought it was a possible hijacking and kidnapping. We investigated, but through technology and meticulous intelligence and detective work, our investigation led us to the Hennops River in Centurion along the N1 – where we undertook a three-day search.” The memorial service honoured Constables Cebekhulu Linda, 24, Boipelo Senoge, 24, and Keamogetswe Buys, 30, who tragically died in Tshwane. The three officers were last seen in…

THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) remains mum on any action it will take against its general manager, Andile ‘Ace’ Ncobo, who faces charges of fraud and money laundering. Ncobo and his wife Salomie appeared at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday where they were granted bail of R50 000 and R30 000 respectively. Ncobo, who has been a host on the Extra Time TV show on Supersport, DSTV channel 202, for the past 13 years, has since announced his resignation from the show. According to the prosecution, the couple is accused of orchestrating a scheme to unlawfully secure funds from the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (PetroSA) for their personal benefit, as well as for relatives and organisations in which they held a financial stake.…

South African runners stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the world on Sunday, as they took part in the Wings for Life World Run 2025, a unique global race with one goal: to run for those who can't. From Green Point in Cape Town to Irene in Centurion and Hobie Beach in Gqeberha, participants across the country ran not for a finish line, but to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries. This year’s event once again reinforced its place as the largest global charity run, with 310 719 runners across 170 countries. South Africans were part of the extraordinary movement, joining the rest of the world in real-time through the Wings for Life World Run App and official local App Runs. Each South African venue offered routes designed for runners, walkers,…

Who would have thought an educated athlete such as Kagiso Rabada would be involved in a drug-related issue? Yes, on the field, the 29-year-old has found himself in hot water that has seen him sit in a six-hour hearing in 2018 for physical contact with Steve Smith and was banned in England a year prior for a rather violent send-off of Ben Stokes. However, both those cases boiled down to the traditional fast bowler's passion after toiling for hours to get a wicket. On the other hand, the one-month ban for recreational drug use is, however, a different case altogether. Those who are intricately involved in the sport at the highest level would have heard of the many 'bad boy' stories about the fast bowler. Could this have been one…

Mamelodi Sundowns have once again proven their dominance this season and are now on the brink of making history. They turn their attention to Chippa United as they look to take another step towards yet another league title when the two sides meet at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday evening (kick-off at 7.30pm). With the title race firmly under their control, the Brazilians are closing in on a record-extending eighth consecutive Betway Premiership crown. They have managed to hold off a determined challenge from Orlando Pirates throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Pirates’ 1-0 defeat to Eric Tinkler’s Sekhukhune United last week further complicated their pursuit of the title. That result means their fate now hinges entirely on Sundowns dropping points — a scenario that looks increasingly unlikely given their current form.…