Inhaltsverzeichnis für 2025-06-19 in Cape Times

Consumer prices in South Africa are expected to tick upwards on the back of global pressures and rising oil prices in the wake of escalating war in the Middle East. This is despite the consumer price inflation (CPI) remaining unchanged at 2.8%, matching April’s five-year low. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Wednesday that inflation was mainly driven by faster price increases for food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing and utilities, and clothing and footwear. However, Patrick Kelly, chief director for price statistics at Stats SA, said these increases were offset by slower inflation in alcoholic beverages and tobacco, restaurants and accommodation services, and personal care and miscellaneous services while transport prices declined sharply. “Food & non-alcoholic beverages is the only category that contributed to the monthly increase in the…

South Africa’s construction sector, long mired in stagnation and underperformance, is beginning to show green shoots of recovery off a low base, according to Craig Lemboe, the deputy director at the Bureau for economic Research (BER) speaking at Construction Industry Business Breakfast held on Wednesday. While the industry remains well below pre-pandemic output levels and continues to suffer from weak capital investment and low business confidence, recent survey data suggests that “green shoots” may be taking root. Lemboe said for most of last year, saw the non residential sector was starting to show a little bit more growth and more potential than the residential sector. However, this was from a more eroded base as it’s 50% smaller than what than what it was 10 years ago. “We also see…

South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (Sapvia) in an interview with Business Report said that they believe there is still a big future for the Solar PV industry despite a significant reduction in loadshedding by Eskom. Frank Spencer, the spokesperson for Sapvia, said the association sees the solar PV industry in South Africa as the most important component of future electricity supply. “Solar PV is already being deployed at all scales in South Africa, from small home rooftop systems to large solar farms spanning many hundreds of hectares. In all these cases, solar PV is providing the lowest cost source of new electricity to South Africans, whether through private installations or through public supply by Eskom and municipalities.” Solar offers low costs, clean electricity, deployable at all scales, and when…

The Youth Month in South Africa is a time to reflect and honour the legacy of the brave young people who stood against the apartheid regime during the Soweto Uprising of 1976. Hundreds of students were ambushed and killed by police for protesting the oppressive education system. This was indeed a crucial moment in our history that reminded the nation of the power and potential of its youth. Almost 5 decades later, young people continue to be at the forefront of South Africa’s socio-economic transformation tackling issues such as marginalisation, inequality, and unemployment. According to the Social Profile of South African Youth, this demographic makes up nearly one-third of our population. They represent a dynamic generation which continues to navigate the ever-changing society that is influenced by labour markets, poverty,…

On 9 June 2025, the Kagiso Trust proudly commemorated its 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades of unwavering commitment to enhancing education, fostering socio-economic development, and strengthening civil society and local governance. As an emblem of its enduring mission, the Trust introduced a new positioning statement: “Igniting Human Capacity.” This sentiment encapsulates its core belief that empowering individuals and communities is imperative for sustainable change. At the heart of Kagiso Trust’s operational philosophy lies a steadfast dedication to human capital. “Investing in people is the most powerful and enduring form of capital investment,” stated Kagiso Trust’s CEO, Mankodi Moitse. “Every student we support and every entrepreneur we train contributes directly to economic growth and a more skilled workforce. This is how we build a self-reliant society.” Among its various educational initiatives,…

STANDARD Bank was dealt a blow in its court application to authorise the foreclosure of a mortgage bond it granted over the primary residence of South African Federation of Trade Unions General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and his wife Norma. The bank had asked for a money judgment and leave to execute it against the residence of the respondents, the Vavis. Their indebtedness arises from a mortgage bond passed over the property, which is an upmarket residence in the Sandton area. Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg Judge Stuart Wilson noted that a court asked to authorise the foreclosure against a debtor’s primary residence must be satisfied that to do so would be proportionate. “Foreclosure is generally proportionate when there is little meaningful prospect of the debt secured against the residence being…

SPORTS, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie sang praises for Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, confidently referring to him as the best captain the Proteas have ever had. With Bavuma having led his side to the first World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s last week and returning home with the ICC mace yesterday, McKenzie recognised the journey that the 35-year-old has been on in his career. Bavuma’s career has been filled with criticism, with most of it unfair and lacking any basis. From the start of his Proteas stint, Bavuma was labelled as the first black African Test batter for South Africa – a tag that seemed to confine the right-handed batter and, to an extent, proved heavy to bear. “For now, it’s important for us to at least…

POLICE are still piecing together clues of what could have been the motive behind the killing of one of the two men arrested over their alleged involvement in the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of three children at a barber shop in Khayelitsha. Athule Mtsha was shot dead three weeks ago in Nkanini just hours after appearing in court. He died alongside another man on Ntlazane Street. Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said Harare police responded to a shooting complaint on May 26 at about 1.15pm in Ntlazane Road, Nkanini. “Upon arrival at the scene, they found two unknown males with gunshot wounds to their bodies. Both victims were declared dead on the scene by medical personnel,” said Twigg. The motive for the attack is still unknown,…

Captain Temba Bavuma says the Proteas must “just live in that moment for a little bit longer” after receiving a warm welcome upon their arrival in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The Proteas touched down at the OR Tambo International Airport, returning home from London after being crowned the World Test Championship winners following their five-wicket victory over the No 1-ranked Australia at Lord’s last week. Although Bavuma has his eyes set on the upcoming two-match Test tour to Zimbabwe, which starts on June 28, he emphasised the importance of basking in their WTC triumph in the coming days. Bavuma wants his team to enjoy themselves before heading to Zimbabwe next week, and most importantly, reflect on what they have done to get to where they are as a team at the…

Cape Town City were denied a vital win in dramatic fashion after conceding a last-gasp penalty to Casric Stars, resulting in a 1-1 draw in their Premier Soccer League promotion playoff clash at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in Mpumalanga on Wednesday. The Cape side looked set to secure all three points, but in what proved to be virtually the final kick of the game, Casric, through Sphamandla Mlilo, converted from the spot to rescue a point and keep their promotion hopes alive. For City, the late blow keeps their top-flight survival hanging in the balance. The draw leaves all three playoff teams – City, Casric, and Orbit College – level on two points apiece, with Casric now preparing to host the Rustenburg outfit on Saturday at the same venue in what…

“So we have a leadership of the Reserve Bank who are capable of being ordered around by Maria Ramos,” asks Pityana Former Absa board member Sipho Pityana has raised serious concerns regarding the independence of the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), urging for a formal investigation into what he describes as "cosy relationships" between key figures in the banking sector. Pityana's remarks come on the heels of a Pretoria High Court ruling that has cast doubt on the conduct of Sarb’s Prudential Authority (PA) during his controversial nomination process as chair of Absa Bank in 2021. The court found that the PA acted unlawfully by adopting an informal process to review Pityana’s nomination, as prescribed by the regulations in place under the Banks Act. This ruling not only vindicated…

A new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has revealed encouraging advancements in the global energy landscape, marking significant strides towards secure, equitable, and sustainable energy sources. However, the momentum continues to be threatened by rising geopolitical tensions, investment shortfalls, and significant disparities in clean energy innovation and deployment, particularly in regions that need it most. Titled the Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2025 report, this comprehensive study was conducted in collaboration with Accenture and examines the energy systems of 118 countries across a range of factors: security, sustainability, and equity. Key insights indicate that 65% of these countries have improved their Energy Transition Index (ETI) scores, with 28% progressing uniformly across all three core dimensions. “Energy systems are evolving at varying speeds,” said Roberto Bocca, head of the Centre…

In a remarkable testament to resilience and innovation, South Africa's small business sector is undergoing a transformative boom, as highlighted in Yoco's latest 2025 Exchange report. With over 200 000 entrepreneurs harnessing digital tools, these businesses have collectively processed an astounding 173 million transactions, equating to a remarkable growth exceeding R500 million in just one year. This surge underlines the crucial role of small businesses in the economy. Yoco's CEO, Katlego Maphai said, “Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy. What we're seeing in our data isn't just resilience, it's a transformation of how entrepreneurs operate, compete, and win.” Retail leads the way The report revealed that retail merchants, who have adapted to the changing landscape by leveraging Yoco's digital solutions, reported an impressive R74 million in revenue growth.…

Kumba Iron Ore has announced that Themba Mkhwanazi will step down as a non-executive director of the board and Anglo American's representative effective 30 June 2025. Mkhwanazi has been an integral figure on the Kumba board and a member of both the Human Resources and Remuneration Committee and the Strategy and Investment Committee for the past eight years. The announcement comes as Kumba also heralds the appointment of Ruben Fernandes as a new non-executive director of the board, effective from 1 July 2025. Fernandes, currently the chief operating officer of Anglo American, will not only take Mkhwanazi's seat at the board table but will also participate as a member of the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee, the Safety, Health and Sustainable Development Committee, and the Strategy and Investment Committee. Fernandes…

Anglo American has announced a significant restructuring of its executive leadership team, a move that underscores its commitment to simplification and strategic focus. This decision follows the recent demerger of Valterra Platinum and the completion of sales for Anglo American's steelmaking coal and nickel businesses, aligning the organisation more closely with its premier positions in copper, premium iron ore, and crop nutrients. Valterra Platinum, the world's biggest platinum miner by value, made its trading debut on the Johannesburg bourse as a standalone unit last month, completing a spin-off from parent Anglo American. Anglo's demerger of the Johannesburg-based platinum group metals producer, formerly known as Anglo American Platinum, comes as it shifts focus to unlock the inherent value in its portfolio as a whole, with enhanced focus on positions in copper,…

THE Hawks are currently operating with almost half the personnel provided for in its organogram. The staff establishment stood at 2 688, including detectives and support staff when the entity is supposed to have 5 332 personnel. This emerged when Hawks divisional commissioner Patrick Mbotho appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) yesterday. “In this financial year 2025/26, the police management and we agreed that we are going to prioritise 500 posts. The 500 is to be made up of 300 posts to be advertised internally for us to source within police investigators, but the other 200 is reserved for external advertisements for those posts we don’t have capacity internally, such as forensic accountants.” He also said they were in the process of capacitating the cybersecurity environment.…

WHEN Nasha* built herself and family a shelter in the courtyard of a school having been displaced by the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) little did she know what awaited. “Armed men came into our home at around 10.30 p.m. Some men were killed and some women, including me, were raped. Three men wanted to rape me in front of my husband and eight children. My husband resisted . . . they killed him.” Her story was recently highlighted by global medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which said the number of victims and survivors of sexual violence treated by its teams in eastern DRC remains at an alarming level. It has surged in the past three years, since fighting between the Congolese army,…

EXTORTION-related crimes are effectively “strangling economic growth”, with roughly R400 million worth of public infrastructure projects stalled in the province by the end of 2024 due to criminal interference, says Premier Alan Winde. He made the remarks during a recent high-level Anti-Extortion Summit attended by law enforcement agencies, business leaders, civil society, and multiple government departments in a bid to confront what officials described as a “systemic and organised” campaign of criminality. The summit comes amid growing concern that extortion syndicates are paralysing infrastructure projects, intimidating communities, and undermining job creation. Winde told the gathering that extortion was no longer a shadow crime, but a direct threat to development, public services, and lives in the Western Cape. “This is intolerable. We must recommit to working closer together to…

THE Table View Primary School has launched a fundraising campaign for more than 100 members of its senior choir to compete in the prestigious ATKV Applous Choir Competition National Finals in Pretoria. Hailing from Cape Town, the choir is made up of more than 110 young voices, aged 9 to 13, representing different cultures and communities. “We are proud to be one of the most multicultural school choirs in the region, singing in English, Afrikaans, Sesotho and isiXhosa—a true reflection of South Africa’s rich diversity. Last year, we competed in the Merit Category and placed first at the National Finals in Cape Town. This year, we took a bold step forward by entering the Prestige Section, and against all odds, we have once again been invited to…

Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15, while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend. Arne Slot’s champions have the chance to secure the first points of the new season at Anfield as they launch the 2025/26 campaign, bidding for a record 21st English top-flight crown. Following the Bournemouth game Liverpool have tricky fixtures at Newcastle and at home to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, runners-up for the past three seasons. Thomas Frank’s first match as Tottenham boss will come on August 16 at home against newly promoted Burnley, while Sunderland make their return to the Premier League against West Ham. The third newcomers, Leeds, play Everton on Monday, August 18. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who…

E-commerce retailer Takealot has filed "a notice of intention to amend the notice of motion" in the marathon legal battle by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and SA Post Office (Sapo) to maintain a monopoly for Sapo in the delivery of sub-1 kilogram parcels. This comes as the pleading stage in the matter continues until mid-August, according to confirmation by the Acting Sapo CEO Fathima Gany and the Business Rescue Practitioners after an update to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies. The monopoly, as outlined in the Postal Services Act, has been challenged and was extended to April 1, 2025. This comes as the private sector capitalises on Sapo's inability to enforce the monopoly due to its ongoing financial difficulties. Gany told Parliament that…

South Africa’s Agricultural Business Confidence Index (ACI) edged down by five points to 65 in the second quarter, reflecting a slight dip in sentiment across the agribusiness sector, the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) said on Wednesday. The chamber noted that concerns over global trade uncertainty, persistent geopolitical tensions, and ongoing domestic animal disease outbreaks were among the main factors weighing on industry confidence. "Despite the slight decline, the current level of the ACI, implies that South African agribusinesses remain optimistic about business conditions in the country," said Wandile Sihlobo, the chief economist at Agbiz. “The better summer rains and improvements at the ports which have enabled exports with minimal interruptions, are some of the positives. This survey was conducted in the second week of June, covering various agribusinesses operating in…

Competing with well-known brands can feel like an uphill battle. They have bigger budgets, broader reach, and stronger brand recognition. However, small businesses shouldn’t be discouraged – local small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially, have unique advantages that can set them apart from larger, more established players. Here’s how to position your small business to compete and come out on top. Own your niche Big brands tend to go broad. As a small business, you can go deep. Find a focused niche that solves a specific need in a better, faster or more personalised way than your larger competitors. That might be offering tailored products, local insights, or a level of service that corporates simply can’t match. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, define who your…

Investment holding group Brait is actively exploring exit options for its stake in UK fashion retailer New Look, it said on Wednesday, as the underperforming asset continues to weigh on its portfolio amid a broader strategic reshaping following its 2024 recapitalisation. New Look, once a significant pillar in Brait’s investment lineup, now comprises just 3% of its total assets, down from 7% a year earlier. The decline reflects continued weak trading in the UK’s embattled fashion retail sector, which has been plagued by consumer caution, price discounting, and shifting demand patterns. Sales at New Look fell by 4% year-on-year while gross profit declined by 3%, according to Brait’s year-end results for the period ended March 31, 2025. A capital injection of £30 million (R730m) was recently announced in an attempt…

US President Donald Trump appeared to have snubbed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa by leaving the G7 Summit in Canada before their anticipated meeting could take place. This development brings yet another layer of uncertainty to the already strained relations. Ramaphosa, who attended the summit as the only African leader, was leading a delegation seeking to ‘reset’ the diplomatic ties following controversial statements made by the Trump administration regarding alleged white genocide in South Africa. The backdrop of the summit was further complicated by the recent escalation of conflict between Iran and Israel, which had erupted mere days prior to the leaders’ gathering. The US, a staunch ally of Israel, has consistently accused South Africa of extending support to the Iranian regime. During the summit, Ramaphosa met with various other…

THE South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) has remained tight-lipped on the glaring absence of Flight Engineers (FEs) which was believed to have significantly hampered its ability to operate vital aircraft during recent floods that claimed the lives of nearly 100 people in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. At least 90 people, including numerous schoolchildren, have lost their lives in the devastating floods. The SANDF plays a crucial role in disaster management, providing rapid response and relief in the aftermath of natural disasters such as floods, storms, and earthquakes. Most notably, the SANDF’s Oryx AS32 helicopter - a medium utility aircraft essential for rescue missions - was not deployed during the flooding, primarily due to a shortage of Flight Engineers. Internal sources indicate that the Air Force’s capacity to conduct…

BRING on Borussia Dortmund, right? Following their 1-0 victory over Ulsan HD in the Fifa Club World Cup opener early Wednesday morning South African time in Orlando, Florida, Mamelodi Sundowns can be excused for being cock-a-hoop ahead of a match they ordinarily would be dreading. When the draw for this extended global spectacle was made and the South African champions were drawn into Group F, the one match that stood out as a toughie was the one against the German giants – Dortmund. Football is, however, pretty fickle at the top, and the opening results of the Club World Cup have not been what many would have predicted. Sundowns are top of the table after beating their South Korean opposition, while Dortmund are joint second with Fluminense of Brazil –…

Recently appointed Proteas Women coach Mandla Mashimbyi was chuffed with his team’s performance in the Caribbean, after defeating the West Indies 2-1 in an ODI series on Tuesday night. The Proteas thrashed the home side by 166 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method after various deluges of rain throughout the evening had interrupted the game. Mashimbyi said the SA team did well to come back after losing the first encounter by four wickets, and had shown real improvement in their bowling, which lacked discipline in some of their games, according to some of the players. “I’m excited for the girls. In the last few months, they’ve put in the work, so to come to the West Indies and win a series is a really good thing for them,” Mashimbyi said.…

South Africa’s four sides in the United Rugby Championship achieved mixed results during their season, with only the Bulls and Sharks reaching the final four as the Stormers bowed out in the quarter-finals. While it was a disappointing performance in another heart-breaking final for the Pretoria side, the Lions had a fourth consecutive season where they could not make a challenge for the playoff spots. More and more questions are being raised about whether they have the players and coaching staff to stay competitive in the tournament. Independent Media rated the season of the four SA franchises... Bulls (runners-up) Rating: A It was a case of so close, but yet so far again for the men from Pretoria. After some strong performances to set them up for home playoffs in…