Índice para 2025-08-20 em Cape Times

Elon Musk’s SpaceX urged South Africa to consider an alternative to Black ownership rules for telecom companies that want to operate in Africa’s largest economy. SpaceX asked the authorities to allow it to operate using an equity-equivalent program as an alternative to the existing requirement that Black people have 30% ownership of businesses operating in the ICT sector, the company said in a letter to the government seen by Bloomberg. It wants such programs to be a standard for the industry, according to the submission. “Equity equivalent investment programs will provide much-needed regulatory certainty and foster investment in infrastructure,” SpaceX said. “Uniform empowerment regulation will motivate both current and prospective operators to expand their business activities and network reach.” South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has asked the…

This past week offered another clear example of the ongoing reluctance to cede control and allow the energy transition to unfold. It reinforced once again that the energy sector remains a source of political power and financial leverage. The case concerns Eskom’s decision to take the regulator, Nersa, to court over the issuance of trading licences to independent traders. The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has joined Eskom’s position, expressing concern that the move, taken without a comprehensive regulatory framework and adequate public consultation, poses a serious threat to the financial sustainability, constitutional mandate, and operational integrity of municipal electricity distribution systems. Salga argues that municipalities will be left with less revenue to cross-subsidise service delivery and will inherit a disproportionate share of defaulting customers. They also contend that,…

BHP, the diversified natural resources group met its guidance across its assets and set new production records in copper and iron ore, even though full year underlying attributable profit fell to $10.2 billion, well down from $13.7 billion. CEO Mike Henry said, however, the year to June 30 had been “another strong year for BHP,” marked by record production, continued sector-leading margins, and disciplined capital allocation. Copper production exceeded 2 million tons for the first time, up 28% over the past three years. The group maintained its position as the world’s lowest-cost major iron ore producer at Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO), where it delivered 290 million tons – a new production record. A final dividend of 60 US cents per share was declared, also well down from 74…

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has outlined measures aimed at addressing the delays in magistrates’ courts, which result in cases taking months and even years to be resolved. Kubayi said her department has convened the National Case Backlogs Committee, comprised of members of the judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority, Legal Aid South Africa, the Office of the Chief Justice, the SAPS, the Department for Correctional Services, the Legal Practice Council, and officials from the department’s court administration branch. “This committee is tasked with addressing blockages experienced in the courts, which lead to delays and postponements that contribute to growing case backlogs in the courts. “This committee has at its core an understanding that the cooperation and collaboration of every role player in the criminal and civil justice system…

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has struck from the roll an application for reconsideration brought by controversial former sports boss, James Thomas Evans. Evans averred that the Western Cape Province Athletics (WP Athletics) should be held in contempt of court for allegedly failing to hold disciplinary hearings against certain members of WP Athletics within 90 days, as required by a prior court order. The order was served on WP Athletics on August 30, 2022 and the first inquiry was conducted within the 30-day time period. Evans on November 30, 2022, filed a filing sheet and supplementary affidavit supplementing his papers to apply, inter alia, for an order holding WP Athletics in contempt of court for failing to hold the further disciplinary hearings within the 90-day period. However, the high…

After starting the Springboks’ first match of the season against the Barbarians, loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez has pretty much been carrying tackle bags over the last two months. His initial foray into the team was necessitated by the suspension of regular No 8 Jasper Wiese. But he was still overlooked for the Boks’ Test against Georgia and the first Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies when Wiese was again suspended following a headbutt in the second Italy Test. Last weekend against the Wallabies, captain Siya Kolisi packed down at the back of the scrum, and before that, utility forward Cobus Wiese wore the No 8 jersey against Georgia. But Kolisi’s knee injury has opened the door for Du Preez to make a significant statement at No 8, having been…

When Washington’s 30% tariff on South African goods took effect on August 7, outrage was the easy emotion. The better response is discipline. Within days, Pretoria set out a five-pillar plan that blends firm diplomacy with market diversification and practical support for businesses. If we execute with urgency and transparency, this shock can become the push we needed to reset and broaden our export mix. Keep talking, not shouting The first pillar is engagement, not escalation. Cabinet has approved a revised offer that answers the issues highlighted by the US Trade Representative in its 2025 National Trade Estimates. The logic is straightforward: clear the technical hurdles, keep negotiations alive, and create room for the tariff to be reduced or removed. That is not capitulation. It is the work of professional…

In the Eastern Cape, the automotive industry sustains thousands of families and anchors the provincial economy and our country’s automative sector. The province is home to the largest automobile industry in the country, with four major vehicle manufacturers and even more vehicle component manufacturers. It produces 46.5% of light passenger vehicle in South Africa, as well as 53% of the light vehicle exports (NAACAM, 2023). But right now, it faces its most difficult challenge to date. Global trends are reshaping the automotive industry at an unprecedented pace. The automotive sector drives the province's economy, contributing to manufacturing employment and millions of rands to gross value added. However, the global shift towards New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), which require fewer parts and different manufacturing processes, presents both opportunities and challenges. At…

In a mid-season technical review of operations, Tongaat Hulett, which is in business rescue, said that three of its South African sugar mills are outperforming expectations, with the latest performance data showing continuous improvement at the halfway mark of the 2025 sugar season. Since entering business rescue in 2022, and thanks to funding support by the Industrial Development Corporation, the company has implemented a R1.45 billion rehabilitation programme aimed at stabilising and modernising operations across its Maidstone, Felixton, and Amatikulu mills, as well as its central refinery. Both Maidstone and Felixton mills have significantly reduced lost production time caused by equipment failure and unplanned breakdowns, marking a clear turnaround in mechanical reliability since the start of business rescue. Maidstone’s Lost Time % has dropped from 33.5% in 2021 to just…

The South African red meat industry is currently facing a pressing challenge with the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, characterised by a notable shortfall in available vaccines. However, industry leaders have assured stakeholders that there is no cause for alarm, as the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that more vaccine imports are on the horizon. Dewald Olivier, CEO of the Red Meat Industry Services, on Tuesday said that the current FMD outbreak was being managed, but it cannot yet be described as fully under control. “Outbreaks remain localised in certain areas, and containment zones together with movement restrictions in place to limit further spread. What is important is that industry and government are working more closely than in previous years, which has improved coordination of the response,” he…

A Wesbank family was left traumatised after discovering that what they thought was fresh meat was instead a foetus. The incident happened on Monday night in Wesbank. Police have confirmed the incident is under investigation. Natalie Walton said a man had given her sister the meat, telling her it was chicken. “She didn’t give him money, but instead said she was going to braai the meat and then share it with him. She started the fire, and when she was going to spice the meat, she opened the plastic bag and found the foetus. She was so shocked, she ran out of her house and called the neighbour and the police,” Walton said. She described the foetus as a premature baby girl. “What the guy told us is that he…

SO MUCH hype has been spread about the amount of greenhouse gases passed into the atmosphere by ruminants that environmentally sensitive consumers feel guilty about their love for beef and dairy products, even wool (which, by the way, doesn’t pollute the earth with microplastics the way synthetic materials like polyester do.) The truth is, say down-to-earth scientists, that herbivores actually do more good than harm and that part of the bad publicity they so unfairly attract can be blamed on the way their carbon footprints are measured. Only their emissions are considered and not the huge tonnage of carbon they put back into the soil every day. Environmental economist, Professor James Blignaut, explains that ruminants – from farm animals to antelope - are grazing herbivores that depend on plant-based…

As South African steelmaker Arcelormittal (AMSA) vacillates on a crucial three-year contract, Assmang's Beeshoek Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Cape has found itself in dire straits, reflecting broader challenges within the mining sector. With a staggering R3.6 billion impairment loss annually and ongoing production declines, the mine is exploring drastic corrective measures, including the potential retrenchment of over 700 jobs. This comes as Assmang, the operator of Beeshoek Mine, has issued a notice of retrenchment to its employees and is conducting a consultation process with labour on the possibility of saving the threatened 700 plus jobs. In a notice on the retrenchment, Assmang notified its stakeholders that an approved recovery plan hinging on AMSA committing to a three-year deal to off take at least 2.2 million metric tons per…

Eskom has shifted its focus from merely addressing the crippling issue of loadshedding to positioning itself as a sustainable and competitive player in the energy market. In a bold move, Eskom on Tuesday announced the launch of its first Renewable Energy Offtake Programme, inviting large power users to submit bids for the procurement of 291MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. This initiative forms part of a broader strategy aimed at transitioning Eskom's generation mix away from its coal-dominated past towards a more diverse blend that includes a growing share of renewable energy sources by 2040. The acceptance of bids comes on the heels of the South African government's approval of six large-scale solar plants, totalling nearly 1.3GW, under the seventh bid window of its national renewable energy procurement programme. This…

Aveng’s share price shot up over 7% on the JSE after it announced it is in talks to sell its South African asset, the Moolmans contract mining company, as its strategy to create two independent businesses progresses. CEO Scott Cummins said Tuesday that although the talks to sell Moolmans were fairly advanced, he was not yet in a position to disclose when it might be finalised. Aveng’s other operating brands, MacConnell Dowell, which does infrastructure and construction, operates in Australia, New Zealand & Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, while the building segment, branded Built Environs, operates in New Zealand and the states of Victoria. Aveng's share price traded at R5.15 on the JSE on Tuesday morning, this after drifting from R10 a share a year ago. Cummins said in an…

FAMILY members, friends, and the community of Eldorado Park gathered at the Don Mateman Hall yesterday to pay their last respects to four-year-old Baby Nikita, who died over two weeks ago. The child's death sparked outrage amid allegations that the 32-year-old father, who remains in custody having appeared in court, physically and sexually abused the child, while the 39-year-old mother is accused of failing to report this abuse to the authorities. The emotionally charged and sombre send-off, attended by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, Speaker of the City of Joburg Council, Margaret Arnolds, EFF provincial chairperson, Nkululeko Dunga, and Bishop Dalton Adams, among others, saw mourners reflect on the scourge of GBVF and violence against children. "Where do we go from here as we leave the church service to bury Baby…

THE alleged collusion by some of the country’s top banks and their international counterparts to manipulate the Rand resembles a classic example of a transnational cartel, says Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC. “They targeted our sovereignty - our rand - driven by profit. We are the only ones who have an interest in prosecuting them,” said Ngcukaitobi SC, acting on behalf of the Competition Commission. The commission is appealing the majority of the findings of the Competition Appeal Court (CAC), especially the fact that the CAC found that the commission did not have jurisdiction over the majority of the international banks. The Constitutional Court yesterday heard arguments from the commission and the hearing is expected to last until Friday. An important issue which served before the court is the extent…

There are two things I didn’t have on my 2025 sports bingo card. The one is definitely the reemergence of the long throw-in in the English Premier League, a throwback play that was once reserved for bottom-half teams to bully the big teams’ prima donnas in their penalty area. Rory Delap even had a ball-boy dry the ball with a towel before the throw-in during those cold and rainy nights in Stoke … There’s something beautifully unrefined about a long throw-in. It’s unapologetically agricultural, designed for teams who can’t find a goal with beautiful, intricate passing. In an era of false nines, xG metrics, and inverted full-backs, the long throw is the sporting equivalent of putting a steak on a plate without any garnish – it’s primal, no-nonsense, and strangely…