Índice para 2025-09-02 em Cape Times

500 jobs on the line at manufacturing operations in Gqeberha and Silverton The spectre of job losses looms over South Africa as Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has announced plans to retrench nearly 500 workers across its manufacturing operations in Gqeberha and Silverton. This comes as Ford gave notice to retrench more than 500 workers as it streamlines its manufacturing operations at both the Struandale Engine Plant and the Silverton Assembly Plant. Ford has proposed to realign its manufacturing operation in both the Silverton Manufacturing Plant (SVO) and the Struandale Engine Plant (SEP) to correspond with existing and projected manufacturing requirements in both plants. This drastic move has ignited concerns among organised labour groups, prompting urgent calls for a comprehensive industrialisation policy to tackle the escalating unemployment crisis.…

JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms, soon to be renamed Blu Label Unlimited (BLT), on Monday announced a restructuring of Cell C ahead of a potential listing of the mobile phone operator. In an announcement to its shareholders, BLT said the pre-listing restructuring will involve various transactions to optimise Cell C’s capital structure and balance sheet, in preparation for a separation from BLT and a listing on the JSE. Cell C has a strong market presence in South Africa and has seen strengthened management over the past 24 months, successfully returning it to a strong growth trajectory with significant improvements in operations and financial metrics. Cell C operates on a capital-light approach to its mobile network, using its own spectrum assets with the physical infrastructure owned by other mobile network operators. Cell…

Santam, South Africa’s largest short-term insurer, reported a strong first-half performance in a benign catastrophe claims environment when compared to the same period last year. Santam's chief risk officer, Charisse Ras, said in an interview on Monday that in the first half of last year, Santam paid large weather and property-related claims. However, the level of these were much lower currently, although the weather would eventually turn. The group also benefited from underwriting measures it implemented to tackle high claims inflation and frequency, which helped restore the profitability and earnings momentum of its in-force book. Tavaziva Madzinga, Santam Group CEO, said these actions contributed to robust growth in gross written premiums (GWP) over the six months, along with an improvement in underwriting margins. The strong first-half performance exceeded the long-term…

We have just witnessed one of the most bizarre developments in the history of technology. It involves a technology company that defined an era. Fast Company is documenting the history of Intel and its impact on society as artificial intelligence is challenging its grip on power. Here’s our first stab at the history of technology companies as outlined by Harry McCracken. On August 22, President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that the US federal government had acquired 10% of Intel. The chipmaker’s news release trumpeted the deal as “historic.” That it was. But it was also ignominious. In Trump’s own account, he had humbled an iconic American company. Maybe even shaken it down. Fifteen days earlier, he posted to Truth Social that Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan had ties…

It doesn’t always come with a flashing red light. Sometimes, no rash, no discomfort, no discharge. In fact, for many people living with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), there are no symptoms at all, especially in the early stages. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over one million STIs are contracted every single day, most of them silently. In South Africa, STIs remain a significant public health concern, yet the conversation is shrouded in stigma, silence, and shame. But your sexual health deserves your attention, whether or not you have symptoms. For Sexual Health Week, from September 9 to 15, BioSmart, a top clinical pathology lab in South Africa, is asking an important question: When was the last time you got tested? “We’re conditioned to believe that if there’s…

A year ago, Justice Mandisa Maya made history as South Africa’s first female top judge, and overall, she has scored big wins, but the role’s heavy demands risk pulling her away from the court. The next nine years will be about finding balance. This is according to Judges Matter, a transparency project that believes in the importance of judges. As Justice Maya stepped into her role as Chief Justice on September 1 last year, Judges Matter took stock of what she had achieved during her first year in office. The group noted that Justice Maya has recently introduced a revised sexual harassment policy for the judiciary and helped resolve a long-standing impasse over judicial independence. However, progress has been slow in other areas, such as implementing the 2023 judges’ conference…

The Samane family and the community of Orlando East, Soweto, have welcomed the sentencing of convicted rapist and murderer, Phethe Simiao, to two life terms by the Gauteng South High Court sitting in Johannesburg. Simiao, 25, was convicted of kidnapping, rape, and the murder of six-year-old Amantle Samane from Orlando East in October 2024. Speaking following the judgment, Amantle's mother, Ntombizodwa Samane, welcomed the sentence, saying her child will now rest in peace knowing that her rapist has finally been convicted. “I'm sure my child will now rest in peace. This well-received sentence will deter other men from killing and raping our children. Maybe then they will stop,” she said. Samane said even though the family welcomes the hefty sentence against Simiao, they were still reeling from the death of…

PRESSURE is mounting on the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to explain a data input error in a recent tariff settlement with Eskom, a blunder that threatens to increase electricity costs for already struggling South African households. The additional tariff hikes of 3.4% in 2026/27 and 2.64% in 2027/28 is expected to only intensify financial strain, compounding the increases already approved. The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has warned that the new electricity increases risk pushing many households “further into hardship. Eskom was granted approved revenues of R384.6 billion (12.74% increase) for 2025/26, R409.5 billion (5.36%) for 2026/27, and R436.9 billion (6.19%) for 2027/28. However, on July 2, Eskom filed a judicial review to challenge the Energy Regulator’s decision, citing a R107 billion revenue shortfall between its…

Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has urged communities across South Africa not to allow politicians to take control of the National Dialogue. Makgoba, who was appointed by the president to be among the Eminent Persons Group, was speaking during a church service at Taung in the North West Province. The National Dialogue is an initiative designed to unite South Africans in addressing the country's most pressing issues. This includes social, economic, and political challenges. Its intention is to allow for space for discussions at a grassroots level, identify common ground, build a collective vision for progress, and strengthen democratic processes. The phased, participatory process involves local consultations, sectoral discussions, and provincial gatherings. There is expected to be a second convention in early 2026 where a national programme of action will be…

The taxpayer will once again have to foot the damages costs of more than R2.6 million awarded to the partner of a Nigerian citizen who was, on the face of it, suffocated to death by members of the police during a raid at his home. The SAPS simply gave a blank denial of being involved in the death of the man only identified by the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, as B. They claimed that he took drugs and simply died after he had a seizure. But a post-mortem report stated that he had no drugs in his system and that he had died of asphyxia. The court, in awarding the damages, frowned upon the evidence of the police officers who were present when B died. It was noted that they…

Lando Norris’ title hopes suffered a cruel twist at the Dutch Grand Prix, as a late power failure robbed him of a potential podium and handed his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, the upper hand in their championship duel. The Brit looked every bit a match — if not quicker — than Piastri, only for his race to end in bitter disappointment with eight laps remaining due to a mechanical failure. Instead of the wheel-to-wheel showdown many had anticipated, Norris was left to watch from the sidelines while Piastri cruised to his seventh win of the season. The contrast could not have been starker: one McLaren celebrating another dominant triumph, the other left empty-handed and facing fresh pressure with Monza up next. Despite McLaren’s crushing form in the constructors’ standings, the…

The latest data from the Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) has stirred alarms among economic analysts, revealing a disconcerting retreat into contractionary territory in the manufacturing sector. Released on Monday, the August PMI indicates a decline of 1.4 points to 49.5, marking a significant regression after a brief moment of optimism in July when the index had edged into expansionary territory for the first time in nine months. The PMI, which is compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) on behalf of Absa, serves as a critical barometer of manufacturing activity in South Africa. This latest figure highlights a subdued atmosphere in the sector, with both domestic and export demand facing persistent sluggishness. Absa noted that despite July's 2.3-point improvement, economic activity remains lacklustre as new sales orders plummeted…

Bidvest’s international services, trading and distribution group operations reported mixed results from its various divisions, but “a great deal of execution went into the year” to June 30, and benefits from this will materialise in coming years, CEO Mpumi Madisa said Monday. The group did 9 acquisitions through the year, concluding a two-year spate of 24 acquisitions and disposals. Madisa said in an online presentation they had executed almost all transactions in their proactively built pipeline, and the focus now was to ensure these businesses delivered on potential and generated strong cash flow. “We will be driving growth across all 11 territories,” she said. The share price fell 5.67% to R223.46 on the JSE by yesterday midday, a price about 27% lower than the price a year ago. Included in…

Sea Harvest Group benefited from improved catch rates, firm demand, better vessel utilisation, two new trawlers, price increases, and higher processed volumes and fish oil yields in the pelagic business in the six months to June 30. The group, which derives 64% of revenue and 90% of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) from its South African fishing business, increased headline earnings per share by 91% to 95 cents per share for the period. “The last three years have been tough as catch rates were at the lower end of the cycle and fuel prices at their peak. This necessitated cost reduction and focus on maximising value for species in high demand globally. Once catch rates turned in 2025 and fuel prices normalised, the business saw a significantly…

A crypto entrepreneur posting as @goodalexander on X recently offered some disconcerting observations about powerful people and truth-telling. His cynical take - that Warren Buffett's folksy investment wisdom and Peter Thiel's contrarian innovation insights might be theatrical misdirection - feels particularly relevant when applied to how we discuss Africa's digital transformation. These musings come alongside @goodalexander's promotion of Post Fiat, a blockchain project that reimagines XRP's consensus mechanism with AI-driven validator selection. Whether his X handle reflects genuine identity or careful branding around "good" intentions, his scepticism about curated reality deserves journalistic scrutiny. Side-bar: XRP is a cryptocurrency created in 2012 by developers David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb, and Arthur Britto. Unlike Bitcoin, all 100 billion XRP tokens were created upfront, with most going to Ripple Labs—the company that helped develop…

When TikTok creator and new mother Sarah Biggers-Stewart opened up about her harrowing postpartum experience in 2023, one viewer’s comment stood out: “Where’s the girl with the list?” It was a reference to the now-infamous “Pregnancy List”, a growing catalogue of more than 350 reasons why someone might think twice about having children. For many, this list has become a form of free birth control, offering an unflinching look into the brutal realities of pregnancy and childbirth that often go unspoken. The girl with the list The list began with TikTok creator Yuni (@yuniquethoughts), who in 2021 casually started adding reasons not to have children in her Apple Notes app. What began as a joke quickly turned into a cultural phenomenon. Every time another creator shared a video detailing an…

City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero said that more than two years after an explosion caused significant damage to Lillian Ngoyi street, the City is on course to launch phase one of the rehabilitation programme by September 12. This comes amid consistent delays in the completion of the project. “The project's budget status is clear. The contractor's appointment value stands at R192 million, with R82 million already disbursed to cover Work Package 1. “This leaves a remaining balance of R110 million earmarked for Work Package 2,” Morero said. Reacting to the ballooning costs, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the DA in Johannesburg is outraged, accusing Morero of 'willfully misleading Joburg residents over the spiralling costs and shifting deadlines of the Lilian Ngoyi Road upgrade'. “The initial contract was worth R172 million, with…

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Ronald Lamola says South Africa is finalising the relocation of the Taiwan office from Pretoria to Johannesburg. South Africa officially ended its diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1997, and recently, the department gazetted a notice for the relocation of the office from Pretoria to Johannesburg. Lamola confirmed the notice has been gazetted for the transition of the Taiwan office, which will now be rebranded as the Taiwan Commercial Office in Johannesburg, adding that the move from Pretoria to Johannesburg has become a done deal. The latest relocation deadline was set for March 31; however, it was not met due to ongoing negotiations between the two countries regarding the terms of the agreement. Earlier this year, IOL reported that the South African government had…

A father of four who was shot at close range by police with rubber bullets in the aftermath of a service delivery protest, which he did not partake in, is set to receive R250 000 in damages. The SAPS also has to pay him a further R104 700 towards his future psychological treatment following his nightmare ordeal. Tebogo Gasetingwe was shot in the thigh and arm while he was standing outside his car. He said he had got out of his vehicle after a service delivery protest had calmed and insisted he had not participated in the protest. He turned to the North West Division of the high court, sitting in Mahikeng, where he claimed R500 000 in damages from the police. The 38-year-old plaintiff broke down in tears as…

The City has defended itself against sharp criticism that it merely announces properties for development without having anything to show for it, with the Good Party’s Brett Herron saying they announced the redevelopment of the “Fruit & Veg” site in the CBD three times. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, in a Council speech last month, touted the City’s commitment to addressing apartheid spatial planning, explaining how developers bidding on the properties have to meet a minimum threshold of social housing units as part of their mixed-use development. “And if they were to fail to meet this threshold for whatever reason, our reversionary clause would kick in and the property would revert to the City. “Let me remind you here that when we speak of social housing, we are talking about subsidised, affordable…

Both teams will be equally desperate on Saturday at Eden Park when the Springboks face the All Blacks in the first of two Test matches in the Rugby Championship. That is the belief of Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus, as his side looks to continue their dominance over the Kiwis, this time away from home, in the Southern Hemisphere tournament. The world champions will be aiming for a fifth consecutive victory over the current world No 1 side. More importantly, they are chasing a win at Eden Park for the first time since 1937. The Boks are also determined to keep their hopes of back-to-back Rugby Championship titles alive. New Zealand, on the other hand, will be just as eager to preserve their long-standing unbeaten record at the venue. A…

Liverpool’s British-record capture of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak brought an end to a transfer saga that had dragged on for far too long, as the headline signing of a dramatic deadline day when a number of puzzle pieces fell into place for English Premier League sides. The Swedish forward completed his medical at the Premier League champions on Monday afternoon, after the conclusion of a deal worth about £125m (about R2.92 billion), according to Sky Sports. The lanky sharpshooter divided opinion among football fans, and incurred the wrath of supporters of the Magpies, after insisting he would never play for the club again amid claims of broken promises. He was banished from the Newcastle first-team squad as he forced through a move away. Liverpool had failed with an opening…

Vehicle export volumes in South Africa are anticipated to come under increased pressure in the near term as the sector continues to adjust to higher tariff barriers to the United States market in spite of rising by 6.2% in August. The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Monday said exports would also be pressured by the adjustment to the knock-on implications of the tariffs resulting in increasing global competition in other traditional export markets. This comes as the 30% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on South African exports kicked in during the month of August, leaving the automotive and agricultural industries as the hardest hit. Vehicle exports to the US dropped by 73% in the first quarter of 2025, followed by a further decline of 80% and 85% in…

There is surely no greater sign of the urgent need for reform of the electricity sector than the way Eskom’s electricity tariffs are set. The whole system is far from the way prices should be set – through a competitive market in which firms aim to sell to consumers by offering them better value than others. The current approach was made clear last week with the revelation that the regulator Nersa has agreed to a court order that Eskom can collect an extra R54 billion in tariffs over the next few years. That is because of a mistake Nersa made back in January when setting the tariffs Eskom can charge. Eskom was already going to increase prices by almost 13% this year, and now it will be able to increase…

The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution eclipses even the seismic impact of the Internet boom in the 1990s, propelled by the unprecedented speed of innovation and exponential growth in data. It marks a fundamental shift in human capability that cannot be stopped. AI is rapidly transforming every industry and sphere of work, with more than three-quarters of respondents in The State of AI survey conducted by McKinsey & Co. stating that their organisations currently use AI in at least one business function. While this rapid adoption rate has many people worried about their role and relevance in the workplace, the overriding theme of the unfolding AI revolution is that the technology is augmenting—rather than replacing—human workers, enhancing productivity, driving operational efficiencies, and unlocking organisational value. McKinsey & Co. terms it superagency…

RCL FOODS, the grocery brands, baking and sugar group, managed to lift headline earnings a share by a healthy 14% in the year to June 30, but negative general sales volume growth towards the end of the second half was of concern, CEO Paul Cruickshank said Friday. In the past year, strong earnings from the group, with brands such as Nola, Ouma, and Smarties, came primarily from marginally higher sales and cost savings. Some two months into the new financial year, sales volume growth remained weak and unlikely to change in the next six months, at least, Cruickshank said in an interview on Monday. The results are in an environment of falling consumer sentiment in South Africa, driven in part by uncertain global trade and political relations, lacklustre gross domestic…

The City of Tshwane has razed two illegal high-rise buildings in Pretoria West owned by property developer George Asaba following his failed legal bid to appeal a high court ruling that allowed the City to proceed with the action. The structures on Luttig Street were deemed unsafe and illegal due to the lack of approved building plans, violating the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act. In March 2025, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled that Asaba had failed to obtain the necessary approvals for the complexes. After Asaba's appeal was dismissed four months later, the City took swift action, bringing the structures down. Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya said she, along with other city officials, had made multiple visits to the construction site. “We have been here a couple…

SUSPENDED deputy police commissioner, Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya is bolstering his fight to have his job back by pointing out the divisions between acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and police commissioner Fannie Masemola over the return of the dockets removed from the KwaZulu-Natal political task team investigating high-profile murders. Masemola suspended Sibiya, his deputy, responsible for crime detection, for intentionally disobeying his instructions on the disbandment of the task team. The task team is at the centre of the allegations of political interference in parts of the criminal justice system - claims that were made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Sibiya filed a supplementary affidavit following Cachalia’s remarks regarding the decision to return 121 dockets to the political killings task team. This was after Masemola reportedly told the media last…

A supplier convicted of defrauding Eskom's Tutuka Power Station of R2 595 000 has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the term suspended, and ordered to repay the stolen funds. On August 22, the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court handed down the sentence to Jessie Phindile Kubheka, a director and majority shareholder in one of the implicated companies. Kubheka was found guilty of fraud and money laundering linked to inflated invoices for containers supplied to the Mpumalanga power station in 2020. She received 12 years for fraud and four years for money laundering, both suspended for five years under strict conditions. In addition, she must repay Eskom R2 595 000. The case stemmed from an Eskom investigation that uncovered a syndicate contracted to deliver three containers to Tutuka…

As drugs continue to plague communities across South Africa, Cape Town has seen a surge of ‘lean’ usage. In an operation on the Cape Flats, the City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said they were alerted of an increase in cough syrup being sold to children across the metropole. During crime prevention operations in Lavender Hill on Friday, Smith said residents were explaining how cough syrup is being bought and mixed with fizzy drinks by children. The mixture, known as ‘lean’, is consumed in order to experience an intoxicated state, with many users claiming to experience a ‘high’. During the operation, Smith explained they found cough syrup bottles strewn all over the place, especially at job corners. During stop-and-search operations, officers pulled over a motorist who…

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has his sights firmly on the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates, viewing it as a chance to revive their season after a sluggish start to the Betway Premiership. Coming off a third defeat of the campaign — a 1-0 home loss to Mamelodi Sundowns — Stellies sit on just four points from their opening five games, a challenging start for a season that carried high hopes. It hasn’t helped that their early fixtures included tough contests against Orlando Pirates (1-0) and Kaizer Chiefs (2-0). Despite these league struggles, Stellenbosch have shown stronger form in the MTN8, where they now prepare for the final against Pirates at Mbombela Stadium on September 13. As the season pauses for the Fifa international break, Barker believes the cup run…

Western Province will look to unleash more United Rugby Championship (URC) players in the Currie Cup on Saturday but will not overload their team with stars, as they aim to end a disappointing domestic season on a high note. Still winless after six games and anchored at the bottom of the points log, the Western Cape derby at the DHL Stadium will offer them a final chance to regain some lost pride as they aim to claim the scalp of the Cavaliers. The Bolanders, currently second, are chasing a home semi-final and can seal it with a victory. They have been the surprise package of the competition after returning to South Africa’s premier domestic rugby tournament for the first time since 2016. The men from Wellington will head to the…