Índice para 2025-08-04 em Cape Times

The National Treasury has partnered with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) in a collaborative effort to bolster cross-border infrastructure across Africa. Treasury and the AfDB convened the inaugural consultative meeting on the “South Africa’s Legacy Initiative: The Ubuntu Approach” in Pretoria last week. The focus of the meeting was to furnish a platform for representatives from various African nations and regional economic communities (RECs), allowing them to delve deeper into the Ubuntu Initiative. This ambitious initiative echoes one of South Africa's pivotal contributions under the G20 Infrastructure Working Group—including the development of a comprehensive Toolkit aimed at alleviating the primary obstacles to planning, financing, executing, and maintaining cross-border projects. Participants included senior officials from 15 different countries, the African Union Commission, eight recognised AU regional bodies, and the African…

Sustainability focus as half of South Africa’s small enterprises may not survive the next year A new survey has unveiled alarming insights into the sustainability of small businesses in South Africa, indicating that without immediate financial support, half of the nation’s small enterprises may not survive the next year. Titled the Small Business Growth Index (SBGI) and released on Friday by Absa, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci), and the Bureau of Market Research (BMR) at Unisa, the survey said that South Africa’s small business ecosystem has revealed a sector under extreme pressure, with rising operational costs leaving more than half in decline, distress or at risk of closure. “Most report they may not survive beyond 12 months under current conditions, underscoring the urgent need for targeted…

The South African automotive industry has responded positively to the recent announcement of a 25 basis point interest rate cut by the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), following its latest Monetary Policy Committee meeting this Thursday. The repo rate now stands at 7%, resulting in a new prime lending rate of 10.50% for commercial banks. This decision has been hailed as a significant relief for both consumers and businesses navigating an increasingly challenging economic landscape. Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA), expressed optimism regarding the implications of the rate reduction. “As a result, the prime lending rate for commercial banks drops to 10.50%. The NADA welcomes this decision, which offers meaningful relief to consumers and businesses alike in a persistently challenging economic climate,” Cohen said. “Lower…

The pending 30% tariff on South African exports to the United States (US) require calm, frank and honest leadership by government and key stakeholders. They necessitate an understanding of the damage this will do to these exporters, their employees and their families. These require thoughtful interventions to address the causes and impacts of these tariffs. The solutions will not be found in slogans, temper tantrums, hate speech or the avalanche of fake news on social media. Cosatu like other sober organisations is deeply concerned about the devastating impact the tariffs will inflict upon an economy limping along at 1% annual growth since 2008, battling dangerously high unemployment of 43.1% and youth unemployment of 72%, entrenched levels of poverty and inequality as well as crime and corruption. We fear…

AngloGold Ashanti’s share price continued a 12-month rally on Friday, gaining a strong 6.39% after it reported a 151% increase in second-quarter profit on record gold prices and higher production. The share price rise to R877.96 added to a more than 74% rally in the price over 12 months. A second quarter dividend of 80 US cents per share was declared, substantially up from 22 cents at the same time last year. The group has since 2021 returned about $1.2bn to shareholders, and the total dividend for the second quarter amounted to $406 million. The gold miner’s headline earnings increased to $639m in the three months to June 30, from $255m in the same period a year before. "This is another strong result that demonstrates our focus on cost control…

We spend so much of our lives juggling work, family and the daily hustle that it’s easy to forget one truth: our health is priceless. Yet the real question most of us dodge isn’t just how we take care of our bodies but how we can afford to do so, especially as women. This Women’s Month, it’s time to get real about something we rarely talk about enough: healthcare financial planning. Because, as sad as it sounds, money and health go hand in hand, and for women, the stakes are even higher. According to Statistics South Africa, women typically live longer than men but often earn less over their lifetime. Add career breaks to raise kids or care for ageing parents, and the financial gap widens. “Women face longer life…

In yet another blow for suspended Road Accident Fund CEO, Collins Letsoalo, the court on Friday refused his application for leave to appeal against his failed bid to be reinstated. His fixed-term contract of employment between himself and the RAF expires on Wednesday. One of the reasons Letsoalo had launched an urgent application for his suspension to be lifted was his belief that he would be reappointed. According to him, the fund’s board promised him a second term – something the then board vehemently denied. Letsoalo had applied for leave to appeal against the judgment issued by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria at the end of June, in which it turned down his bid for his suspension to be lifted. In a scathing judgment at the time, Judge Nasious Moshoanathe…

THE ANC’s failure to bring land back to the people was one of the reasons the SACP would contest the 2029 national and provincial elections, says SACP Secretary-General Solly Mapaila. Speaking at the party’s 104th birthday celebration in KwaDlangezwa community hall outside eMpangeni north of KwaZulu-Natal yesterday, Mapaila expressed his frustration with tripartite alliance partner, the ANC, saying the 2022 congress resolution concluded that the party must contest elections because the the SACP was tired of holding meaningless meetings with the ANC. The ANC was not implementing things the alliance had agreed upon in the meetings, he said Mapaila said that the ANC was arrogant, telling the SACP to take it or leave it. He said that when Jacob Zuma ascended to the ANC and state presidency in 2009, the…

In a decisive push against unlawful border crossings, South Africa’s border guards intercepted 9 954 individuals attempting to enter the country illegally during the recent enforcement period. Border Management Authority (BMA) commissioner Michael Masiapato revealed this during a media conference to report on the authority’s first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, from April 1 to June 30. Masiapato said ports’ immigration specialists processed 8 582 250 passengers entering and leaving South Africa. “Regarding conventional border law enforcement work as undertaken by the border guards, a total of 9 954 persons were intercepted, apprehended and deported as they were attempting to enter the country illegally. Of the 9 954 persons, 5 826 were undocumented, 2 127 were inadmissible, and 2 001 were undesirables,” Masiapato explained. He said most of the…

Langelihle Phili came off the bench to haunt his former club and seal Stellenbosch’s place in the MTN8 semi-finals with a 3-2 extra-time victory over AmaZulu at the DHL Stadium on Sunday. The 20-year-old winger, a product of the Usuthu academy, emerged as the hero deep into extra-time after the tie had finished 2-2 in regulation. With both sides locked in an intense back-and-forth battle, it was Phili’s powerful finish in the 108th minute that proved decisive. AmaZulu, featuring several new faces after a squad overhaul, struck first through debutant Keagan Allen in the 19th minute. The former Moroka Swallows centre-back capitalised on a lapse in concentration from the hosts, staying alert after a set-piece. A clever pass from defensive partner Sandile Mthethwa found Allen unmarked, and he bundled the…

Manufacturing activity in South Africa in July returned to positive territory for the first time in nine months, in a significant turnaround for the struggling economy. The Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released on Friday indicated that the index edged above the 50-point mark and recorded an expansion, following eight consecutive months in contractionary territory. The last time the headline PMI was in the above-50 expansionary territory was in October 2023 at 52.6 points. According to Absa, new sales orders rose by 9.7 points to 55.9 in July, recording a third consecutive month of improvement and signalling a much stronger recovery in demand at the start of the third quarter. “Export sales also showed a significant increase, but at a low level, signalling that manufacturers remain cautious amid regulations and…

The engineering sector has historically been a male-dominated field, and to a large extent it still is. However, this is changing, and the shift is gaining significant momentum as more women begin to take up leadership roles, spearheading innovation and driving inclusive growth. These women are reshaping the industry, driving innovation and change, and Women’s Month is an ideal moment to reflect on how far we have come, while recognising how far we still must go in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusivity. Stepping up to change the industry In recent years, the number of women studying engineering in South Africa has grown significantly across disciplines, including mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering. This shows a promising pipeline of female engineers who will be entering the workforce in the future. Just as…

South Africa’s middle class is vanishing, squeezed between opulence and poverty. In Johannesburg’s Sandton, where affluence defines the skyline, professionals are now allocating up to 20% of their monthly income just to get to work. Meanwhile, just 25 kilometres away in Diepsloot, informal workers, with little to no access to formal employment, live on a fraction of that income; far below the poverty line. Cape Town’s affluent Constantia offers 5-star healthcare just minutes from home, but in Khayelitsha, residents endure 4-hour waits for basic medical care in underfunded clinics. Once comprising 40% of the population in 2010, the middle class now accounts for only 35% of South Africa’s people, signalling a crisis not just of economic disparity, but of the structural inequities embedded deep within the country’s political and economic…

The late Dr Wole Adegboyega, a United Nations expert who served as my advisor on the first post-apartheid census of South Africa, told me of a story about questioning the integrity of census numbers. He was a consultant in Sierra Leone during a count and the number they presented was rejected off hand by the president who said, “My son you no sabi how to count. Plenty people dey de for forest and make you commot count em. I beg oo my son.” This means that there are more people in the forest that have been missed and not counted. That Trump fired Erika McEntrfer the executive of the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics (US BLS) is not new in the practice of official statistics, but it is…

The Brulpadda and Luiperd offshore gas finds, the only multi-trillion cubic feet gas discovery in South Africa, are national assets that can be profitably exploited and simply must be developed, said Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI) CEO John Copelyn. He detailed HCI's progress on these gas discoveries in the latest integrated report, which was released on Friday. JSE-listed HCI is a well-diversified investment holding company with interests that include businesses in casinos, hotels, energy, mining, transport, property, and media. Last year all the international partners exited the gas project. HCI controls Impact Oil & Gas (IOG), which in turn will own 48% of Toronto-listed Africa Energy Corporation (AEC). AEC had held a 10% interest in the discoveries, Block 11B/12B, but it will become the operator after the international partners in 2024,…

When we think of stretching, many of us picture a yoga class, a post-run cooldown or something reserved for athletes. But stretching isn’t just a ritual for the physically active or the ultra-flexible. It’s an essential, often-overlooked component of everyday health that can benefit just about everyone - no matter your age, fitness level or lifestyle. Incorporating stretching into your daily routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your physical and mental well-being. From reducing stress and boosting energy levels to improving posture and preventing injury, the benefits go far beyond flexibility. And the best part? You don’t need to roll out a mat or attend a class to get started. The science behind stretching At its core, stretching is about maintaining the health and…

ELECTRICITY and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has promised big changes to electricity prices in the coming months in efforts to address what he described as unsustainable prices. Ahead of the ANC National Executive Committee meeting at various venues in Gauteng, he said: “Electricity is unaffordable. We cannot continue along this tariff path. We are getting into a situation here in the country with new dimensions of energy poverty. “There are households there, as I speak to you, that will not be able to afford the cost of electricity ... Poor households are being forced to make choices between a loaf of bread and buying prepaid electricity units.” His remarks come after the residents of Tembisa forced Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza to reconsider the R126 electricity fixed surcharge against residents…

IN a tragic start to Women’s Month, a 53-year-old woman was found dead in her home in Browns Farm, Philippi, following an alleged domestic dispute. The woman was allegedly beaten to death after an argument. A community member said a neighbour found the wife unresponsive and called the police after the husband had left for work on Friday morning. Western Cape police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed a case of murder was registered at Nyanga police station following the discovery of the woman’s body at about 6am on August 1 at a premises in Block 6, Link Road, Browns Farm. “The circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation. “An adult male was arrested and is due to appear in court once charged. The motive is believed to be an argument,”…

Commuters will have to fork out more as Golden Arrow Bus Services has announced a fare increase from next Monday. While most weekly tickets have stayed under R250, most monthly fares have hit the R1 000 mark. Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said it remained mindful of the financial challenges faced by passengers. “In recent years, we have made a concerted effort to delay annual fare increases beyond the customary December period. For example, instead of implementing a fare increase in December 2023, we absorbed the rising costs until April 2024, and we again deferred the December 2024 increase.” Dyke-Beyer said that the interim contract the bus service had with the Western Cape Government provided for fare adjustments to rising operational costs. “However, due to continued and widespread increases in…

Proteas Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma says the team aspires to have the same impact as the Springboks, both in South Africa and on the global stage. Following the Proteas’ historic victory at Lord’s in the World Test Championship final, cricket has seen a resurgence in popularity, with fans across the country rallying behind the sport once again. Despite this renewed support, Bavuma and his teammates understand that there’s still a long journey ahead to reach their ultimate goal: achieving the same level of national and international esteem as the Springboks. “I think within rugby, all of us look at the rugby guys – whenever they go to a world event, there’s proper belief that the guys can go all the way. We’ve seen it countless times, so that…

The South African automotive industry in July delivered its highest new vehicle sales in nearly six years on the back of improving consumer confidence, favourable credit conditions, and a steady recovery in disposable incomes. This comes as export volumes for July 2025 eased by 677 units, or 1.9%, from the 36 056 units exported in July 2024 to 35 379 units exported in July 2025. The sector is also absorbing confirmation of the reimposition of a 30% tariff on general South African exports to the United States, set to take effect from 07 August, following the initial implementation of the 25% Section 232 tariffs on automotive products in April. The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Friday said though vehicle exports have displayed notable resilience despite the effects of the US…

As winter grips South Africa, Eskom on Friday noted significant strides in stabilising its power system with an improved Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ensuring reliability during peak electricity demand. Since May 15, the power utility has not resorted to load shedding, a significant turnaround for a company long synonymous with national power shortages. The latest data reveals that Eskom's generation fleet is steering towards greater stability, with more than half (57%) of its 14 coal-fired power stations now functioning at an EAF exceeding 70%. Notably, three of these stations have surpassed an impressive 90% operational efficiency. Reflecting on the current state of the power system, unplanned outages are reported to be at 8 525MW—marking the lowest figures in recent history. This is a significant improvement from last year, when outages…

This week there was significant uncertainty about the implementation of American President Donald Trump’s 30% tariff on South African exports and in the end it was delayed by one week to August 7. We also saw a major shift in our inflation targeting regime with the Reserve Bank announcing that future Monetary Policy Committee' (MPC) decisions would be anchored around the lower bound of the 3-6% target band. The indicators to keep an eye on were June PPI numbers, Absa and the Bureau of Economic Research’ Purchasing Managers Index, and new vehicle sales data for July. At Thursday’s MPC meeting the repo rate was cut by 25 basis points by a unanimous decision. The repo now stands at 7% and the prime lending rate at 10.5%. In their statement the…

THE ANC is unlikely to resolve its differences with the US in time to avert the impending 30% tariff on South African exports. This is according to some political analysts as the party held its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Johannesburg at the weekend. The tariff is expected to take effect on August 7, as announced by the Trump administration on Thursday. South Africa is the only country from sub-Saharan Africa singled out in the announcement, reflecting the US’s strained relationship with Pretoria. Other African nations, including Lesotho and Zimbabwe, have been hit with a 15% tariff, which will also come into effect in seven days. The decision is a huge blow to South Africa, as the US is its second-biggest trading partner and comes despite trying to agree…

The Constitutional Court, in a unanimous judgment, found that Parliament failed to comply with its constitutional obligation to facilitate a reasonable public participation process in the appointment of new members for the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE). Corruption Watch, which launched this application, submitted that the public participation process was defective due to insufficient information on the shortlisted candidates being made publicly available. It also submitted that the opportunity for public participation was restricted to 2 000 character submissions and only 14 days were provided for written submissions. It contended that the opportunity for public participation was unreasonable and inadequate. It also argued that the Portfolio Committee misinterpreted the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), leading to unnecessary restrictions on candidate information. In doing so, the Portfolio Committee wrongly concluded…

The case against a Khayelitsha couple accused of the rape and murder of 7-year-old Lolitha Kowa was postponed to this week for verification of a new residential address after their Kuyasa home was set alight. Odwa Jack and his girlfriend, Nokuthula Matyesini, appeared in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning, where the State confirmed its intention to oppose bail. The pair was arrested on July 23, hours after Lolitha’s body was discovered about 1.5km from her home. The child had gone missing the previous day after telling her family she was going to play with Matyesini’s daughter. Her body was later found dumped in another section of Kuyasa. A screwdriver was lodged in her head and a sock had been stuffed down her throat. The prosecutor told the court…

Orlando Pirates’ new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is relishing the pressure that comes with the expectations of challenging for all the trophies up for grabs this season. Ouaddou ushered in a new era at Pirates on Saturday afternoon, following the departure of his predecessor Jose Rivero. And that got off to a flying start as his side beat Polokwane City 2-0 in the MTN8 quarter-final and reached a fourth successive semi-final in the competition. It was a crucial win that saw them take a step closer to winning a record-extending fourth Wafa Wafa crown, following three successive triumphs under Riveiro. Winning cup competitions is expected to be a standard for Ouaddou, after Riveiro’s strides, which is why bagging the league is the ultimate target for the Moroccan. The last time Pirates…

Western Province coach Labeeb Levy is hoping his Currie Cup charges can kick on and become an 80-minute team after they looked like they could cause an upset in the second half of Saturday’s 40-19 away defeat to the Lions, before fading on the Highveld. The Joburgers led 21-12 at half-time at Ellis Park and extended their lead with another try early in the second half. Province stuck to their attacking game plan and came back at the Lions. Their third and final try of the match brought them within nine points of the home side in the 53rd minute, as they threatened to pull off a surprise result. “I was happy at that stage of the game,” Levy said. “It was 28-19 and we were actually on the attack,…