Sommaire pour 2025-10-22 de Cape Times

Coca-Cola HBC will pursue a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), following Tuesday’s announcement that the Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI) have agreed to sell a 75% controlling interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) to Coca-Cola HBC. The transaction is valued at roughly $2.6 billion (R45 billion). As part of the deal, the Coca-Cola Company will sell 41.52% of its 66.52% stake in CCBA to Coca-Cola HBC, while GFI will sell its entire 33.48% stake. This gives Coca-Cola HBC a 75% interest in CCBA, valuing 100% of the company at $3.4 billion in equity terms. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. CCBA is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa, operating in 14 countries and responsible for about 40% of Coca-Cola’s total…

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago confirms discussions to lower SA’s inflation target South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) Governor Lesetja Kganyago said on Tuesday that the country has entered an era of “low and stable inflation” and confirmed that discussions with the National Treasury are at an advanced stage to formally lower South Africa’s inflation target. Speaking at the SA Tomorrow Investment Conference 2025, Kganyago said a joint statement by the Sarb and the Treasury had already been issued following their meeting with the Fiscal and Monetary Policy Commission, and that a formal announcement would be made “as soon as it is politically possible.” “It was important that the joint team of the Treasury and the Reserve Bank be given time to tie the loose ends before a formal announcement could…

There has been a lot of public commentary about the challenges facing the automotive manufacturing industry and the outcomes of the 2025 Auto Week, however scant attention is being paid on one of the key takeaways of the event, namely, how intensified localisation of the vehicle production process can help to alleviate the pressure the industry is facing. The recent Auto Week 2025 conference that was hosted in the city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape was not only historically significant as the choice of venue for the event was unprecedented in the history of the sector, but it was also held at a time when the industry is at crossroads and is staving off debilitating aftershocks that pose an existential threat to the industry in the country. Gqeberha’s status…

On Sunday October 19, 2025, Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramakgopa presented the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025 during a ministerial briefing in Pretoria. A reliable power system underpins economic growth and high electricity consumption correlates with improved quality of life. The IRP’s stated objective is to ensure security of supply by balancing supply and demand while optimising environmental impact and total cost of supply. In principle, the IRP seeks to secure supply at the lowest possible cost within environmental and other constraints. In practice, the IRP 2025 does not achieve this. The plan proposes increasing nuclear capacity from 1.8 GW to 7 GW by 2039, a net addition of 5.2 GW. Global experience shows that nuclear projects almost always cost double the original budget and take twice as…

South32 reported steady saleable production at its Hillside Aluminium smelter for the quarter ended September 2025, despite ongoing load shedding by Eskom that continues to strain the operation. The diversified miner said on Tuesday that production at Hillside Aluminium unit was unchanged at 181 000 tons for the quarter. The company noted that the smelter “continued to test its maximum technical capacity, despite the impact of load shedding.” Full-year production guidance for Hillside Aluminium remains unchanged at 720 000 tons, although quarterly sales volumes declined 13% after a shipment was deferred to the December quarter. Despite what South32 described as a strong start to the year, its manganese production from South Africa dropped from 593 000 wet metric tons in the previous quarter to 551 wet metric tons in the…

THE Government of National Unity (GNU) could once again be headed for choppy waters after the ANC rejected the DA proposal to eliminate South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy. The DA’s Economic Inclusion for All Bill, introduced to replace the existing BEE policy, aims to remove race as a determining factor, and replace it with a needs-based approach. The party argues that BEE, since its introduction in 2003 as a redress policy for apartheid-era economic inequalities, has been ineffective and has primarily benefited a connected elite, leaving the majority of South Africans impoverished and unemployed. President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking in his capacity as ANC president during a visit to Soshanguve in Pretoria on Monday night, made it clear that any amendments would need to align with the policy’s constitutional…

FOUR trial-awaiting prisoners are on the loose after escaping the holding cells at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court. Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Wynberg police have registered an escape-from-lawful-custody case following the incident on Monday. Twigg reported: “Yesterday, 20 October 2025, at Wynberg court where six trail-awaiting prisoners between [the ages of] 21 and 34 escaped. “We can confirm that two of the six were re-arrested. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. Police are following up all leads in a bid to re-arrest the outstanding suspects.” According to Daily Voice sources, one of the prisoners is from Hanover Park, having earned a reputation as a “runaway bride” after also escaping custody in Philippi. The source told the Daily Voice: “In 2023 he was arrested in Philippi and he also escaped…

Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani says Springboks bolter Zachary Porthen is battle-ready for next month’s tour, having cut his teeth against some of the “best looseheads” in the world. Tighthead prop Porthen, a former Junior Springbok captain, was a surprise inclusion in the Boks’ 36-man squad announced on Monday for the end-of-year tour to Europe. The 21-year-old, who made his Stormers United Rugby Championship (URC) debut in May and is on tour with the team in Italy, is the only uncapped player in the group. Hlungwani, however, said Porthen’s selection wasn’t a major surprise following his impressive start to the URC campaign. The young tighthead was drafted into the Stormers side because of injuries to Bok stars Frans Malherbe and Neethling Fouché, and he’s been a big part of the…

Nuno Espirito Santo admitted “we have a problem” after West Ham suffered a lack- lustre 2-0 loss at home to Brentford on Monday. A night that started with a boycott by one set of Hammers fans ended with those who remained at the London Stadium booing the home side off the field, as goals from Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen secured a first away win of the season for Brentford – who should have won by a larger margin. Nuno’s first home match in charge coincided with a planned stay-away organised by supporters’ groups in protest against the club’s board. Defeat meant the Hammers had lost their opening four home matches of a season for the first time in their history, with this reverse coming on the same day former…

Few would disagree with the presumption that Tristan Stubbs was playing for his Test career in Rawalpindi. And after Stubbs dropped a straightforward catch in the first over of Pakistan’s innings on Monday, there would even be those of the opinion that it served the Proteas right for sticking with a player clearly devoid of confidence. But Shukri Conrad has not built up this World Test Championship-winning squad without supporting his players through both the good and, more importantly, the bad times. So, instead of dropping Stubbs, Conrad pushed the tall right-hander back up to No 3 – where he was initially selected in the Test side, and had scored his maiden Test century. Stubbs’ response was his most assured Test innings since the home series against Sri Lanka last…

Domestic carrier Flysafair has confirmed that its flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) have been disrupted amid the suspension of the airport’s Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) for Runway 05. This is a setback that aviation stakeholders attribute to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) missing key regulatory deadlines. The suspension, which affects aircraft operations in poor weather conditions, comes at a crucial time as South Africa’s tourism sector gears up for the busy festive season. "Yes, unfortunately we are affected with flights into KMIA given the suspension of those flight procedures - obviously this is only in the relevant weather conditions - when weather is clear we can get in. We are reviewing each instance as it arises," said Kirby Gordon, Flysafair chief marketing officer. "When the weather…

South Africa’s largest listed companies are demonstrating resilience despite facing persistent structural challenges, high borrowing costs, and infrastructure bottlenecks, according to analysts at Moody’s Investors Service. While the country’s economy remains constrained by weak growth, high unemployment, and ongoing energy and logistics challenges, blue-chip corporates on the JSE continue to leverage strong balance sheets and diversified funding strategies to weather the difficult environment. “These are diversified, blue-chip corporates with access to international financing as well, though more domestic than international,” said Iker Ballestero Barrutia, corporate finance analyst at Moody’s. “But this varies significantly by sector and company size.” Despite improved access to capital through local and international markets, the cost of capital has risen significantly over the past five years. A recent decline in benchmark interest rates is beginning to…

South Africa’s inability to meet the targets of its National Development Plan (NDP) is rooted in years of corruption, political fragmentation, and institutional decay, according to Professor Somadoda Fikeni. Speaking at the launch of the Maphungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection’s (MISTRA) latest publication, The State of the South African State, Fikeni said the country’s governance structures have been severely weakened, with poor implementation following commissions of inquiry and well-intentioned policy proposals. The new MISTRA book, authored by leading scholars, interrogates the capacity, ethics, and accountability of the South African state, offering recommendations to strengthen governance and restore institutional integrity. Fikeni said the implosion and internal divisions within the African National Congress (ANC) had spilled over into key state institutions, resulting in poor discipline and compromised appointments. "The weaknesses identified are…

As South Africans brace for yet another round of electricity tariff hikes, with Nersa announcing increases of 8.76% in 2026/27 and 8.83% the following year, the business community is facing mounting pressure. Operational expenses will rise further, while persistent grid instability disrupts planning and productivity. At the same time, unpredictable weather patterns, from heavy rains to extreme heat, are straining an already fragile grid. Against this backdrop, the urgency for businesses to accelerate investment in renewable energy has never been greater. The demand for renewable energy in South Africa is rising and shows no signs of slowing down. Across the region, persistent electricity shortages have triggered a surge in alternative power generation. While hydrogen and gas-fired plants play a role, renewables hold a clear edge thanks to shorter construction timelines…

Zeder Investments’ share price increased 5% on the JSE Tuesday morning even though it reported a 21.9% decline in net asset value to R1.68 per share in the six months to August 31. The JSE-listed company said in results released Tuesday the drop in net asset value mainly arose from a 31 cents a share special dividend and a downward adjustment in the valuation of its unlisted investments. The share price traded at R1.26 per share - a year it was at R1.95. The headline loss per share surged by 143.9% from 4.1 cents to 10 cents, mainly as a result of the downward valuation adjustments, countered by dividend income received. The investment in Zaad, which invests and operates in the specialised agri-inputs industry, with a focus on emerging markets,…

SUSPENDED Police Minister Senzo Mchunu appointed Cedrick Nkabinde as his chief of staff because he was qualified for the job and had a background in policing. He disclosed this when responding to Ad Hoc committee chief evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse’s questions, saying his relationship with Nkabinde developed when he still worked at Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and this was one of the reasons he appointed him. “I would have benefitted from somebody who has a background of how police work and he met those criteria. You appoint somebody you can trust,” he said. The parliamentary inquiry is probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system, sparked by a press briefing held by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on July 6. In his address, Mkhwanazi…

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has denied knowing or ever meeting attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, while confirming that he occasionally speaks to North West businessman Brown Mogotsi “about this and that,” during testimony before the parliamentary inquiry probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system. Mchunu said he has known Mogotsi since 2017, describing him as a comrade rather than a close associate. “I have never asked him if he is married. I have never gone to his home, watched soccer with him, or inquired about his personal life because we just occasionally talk about this and that,” Mchunu said. The minister sought to clarify a previous statement he made at a Police Portfolio Committee meeting on March 5, where KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General…

An undeniable, clear power imbalance exists between the sexual harassment complainant, Andiswa Mengo, and the accused Judge President Selby Mbenenge, which he exploited despite her repeated resistance over a period of about 11 months. This was according to Mengo’s counsel, Advocate Nasreen Rajab-Budlender SC, at the reconvened Judicial Conduct Tribunal, where oral arguments are being heard relating to JP Mbenenge, who faces accusations of sexual harassment after Mengo filed a complaint against him. Rajab-Budlender stated: “There is an undeniable and clear power imbalance between the complainant and the respondent. He exploited that imbalance to harass the complainant. To suggest otherwise would be to ignore not just the jurisprudence of the highest court but the views of gender experts and mostly what all of us who work in a court environment…

Banyana Banyana will have to navigate uncharted territory without their key sources of inspiration when they face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first leg of the second and final round of the 2026 Fifa Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers this afternoon. The team assembled for camp on Sunday without head coach Desiree Ellis and four overseas-based players: Amogelang Motau, Thembi Kgatlana, Sinoxolo Cesane, and Hildah Magaia, all of whom play in Mexico. The absence of Ellis is particularly notable. She is not with the team as she has yet to agree to terms with the South African Football Association (Safa) on a new contract. This is surprising, considering Safa had ample time to offer her a new deal. Ellis has been working on a month-to-month contract…

The Foschini Group (TFG) shares plunged over 19% on the JSE Tuesday afternoon after it reported that headline earnings per share for the six months to September 30 are expected to be 20% to 25% lower than the same period last year. The group directors said the SA economy had softened “significantly” towards the end of its interim period. Consumer sentiment and discretionary spend in South Africa had remained subdued for longer than expected, despite moderating inflation and recent interest rate cuts, the South Africa, UK and Australia clothing and homeware retail group said in a trading statement. The share price traded at R97.25 on Tuesday afternoon, a price that was also well down on R145.05 a year earlier. Negative operating leverage arose in the group from subdued sales growth…

The global climate agenda has entered a decisive decade. The April 2022, flooding in KwaZulu-Natal overwhelmed economic and social infrastructure and forced Toyota’s Prospecton assembly plant to halt production for four months. That kind of disruption is exactly the kind which manufacturing firms face firsthand, and a crude awakening on the what the hard knock of climate impacts on production can and are becoming. The impact affected production lines and logistics routes but also disrupted suppliers across and into the province, demonstrating how physical risks cascade through industrial ecosystems. Similarly, the 2023/24, drought cut national maize yields by roughly 15%, affecting agro-processing and food exports. From agriculture to automotive, the message is clear: climate resilience is now a pillar of economic competitiveness. Building adaptive infrastructure and climate-proof logistics, has to…

BHP gathered strong momentum through its first quarter to end-September and is on track to deliver on full-year guidance and further progress its growth pipeline across Australia and the Americas, CEO Mike Henry said Tuesday. In an operational review released Tuesday, BHP said group copper production increased 4% to 494 000 tons, driven by record concentrator throughput at its flagship Escondida mine in Chile. Performance at Copper SA was strong, and major planned maintenance was safely executed. Copper production guidance for the 2026 financial year was unchanged at between 1 800 000 and 2 000 000 tons. "We’ve made a strong start to the year, highlighted by disciplined operating performance and execution of scheduled maintenance,” said Henry. Iron ore output from Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) was down 1% to…

NATIONAL head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Godfrey Lebeya allegedly sent a team of officers to the home of controversial businessman and murder-accused Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe to establish whether the operation leading to his arrest was legal. A helicopter belonging to the Gauteng Traffic Police, transporting DPCI members also known as Hawks, hovered over Molefe’s home for about 10 minutes during his arrest, not to help detectives working on the case, but to stop ‘a bogus operation’. At that time, the first team of Hawks members was already at Molefe’s gate, where the arrest was being effected by teams from the Organised Crime and Tactical Response units, monitored by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). Testifying at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, Witness A, a detective…

Suspended Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, allegedly sought information about the Armand Swart murder case to brief suspects, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday. This was revealed by Witness A, a detective with the SAPS organised crime unit in Gauteng. Swart, an employee at a Vereeniging engineering company, was shot dead in April 2024 after hitmen allegedly mistook him for his boss. The company had uncovered 4 650% overpricing on small engineering parts supplied to Transnet, exposing possible corruption. Witness A described a conversation with Major-General Richard Shibiri, the national head of Organised Crime, on December 16, 2024, ten days after the arrest of businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, a key suspect in the case. “He [Shibiri] wanted to tell me who this person we…

After walking nearly 800 kilometres from Gqeberha to Cape Town, 28-year-old Zolani Zondani says he is finally living his dream — one rooted in healing, brotherhood, and men’s mental health awareness. Zondani arrived in the Mother City to a hero’s welcome after spending weeks on the road, raising awareness about men’s mental health following the loss of his younger brother to drug addiction. “It feels unbelievable,” he said with a tired smile. “It feels like a dream I don’t want to wake up from. Seeing people smile because of this journey means everything to me. I’m living my dream.” His walk was more than a test of endurance — it was a mission of purpose. “I sacrificed my time and body, not for money but for a cause that can…

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, pictured, said yesterday he would no longer crack down on his youthful squad following a spate of sendings-off than he would harshly discipline his own children. “I have four kids. When they do something wrong, I don’t punish them, I try to teach them to do the right things. I try to treat the players in the same way, to try to help them understand,” Maresca said. “This is the way I see things. It can be right or wrong, I don’t know. But it’s the way I like to do things.” The Blues have collected red cards in each of their last four matches and in five of their last six. Maresca was himself dismissed at the end of the 2-1 win against Liverpool earlier…

Proteas Women’s senior player Marizanne Kapp delivered a stellar all-round performance to guide South Africa to their fifth consecutive win at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, beating Pakistan by 150 runs (DLS method) yesterday at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Kapp produced an outstanding new-ball spell in the rain-affected clash, claiming three wickets in her five-over burst to set South Africa up for another commanding victory in the ongoing tournament. The 35-year-old finished with figures of 3/20, while right-arm off- spinner Nondumiso Shangase and seamer Ayabonga Khaka chipped in with figures of 2/19 and 1/14 respectively, helping South Africa record five consecutive World Cup wins for the first time in their history. The result keeps the Proteas second on the table, behind only Australia – the side they…

Baseball is one of many American sporting codes that require specialists in each position rather than players who can fulfil multiple roles. You’re basically pigeonholed early on – pitchers pitch, hitters hit, and catchers… well, you get the idea. But then Shohei Ohtani, pictured, came along and blew baseball fans’ collective minds. Before reading this column, you may not have heard of the sport’s latest phenomenon. I certainly didn’t know this brah from a bar of soap before he started popping up on my TikTok algorithm, with clips of his unbelievable performances with both bat and ball. Ohtani is Major League Baseball’s two-way marvel. His 160km/h fastballs and towering home runs belong to different universes of skill, yet he merges them seamlessly, night after night. The Japanese superstar doesn’t just…