Índex per 2022-07-27 a Star

SOUTH Africa’s leading food retailers have so far managed to keep their average price increases well below the rising inflation rate, good news for consumers battling with rising costs and interest rates. The Shoprite Group, South Africa’s biggest retailer, said yesterday its price movements had averaged 3.5 percent for the 52 weeks to July 3, with underlying product inflation contained to 3.9 percent, as a result of continued price investment. Pick n Pay said its South African internal selling price inflation for the period was restricted to 5 percent, below 7.1 percent Consumer Price Index (CPI) Food for the 18-week period to July 3. Meanwhile, Woolworths Food said yesterday its price inflation averaged 3.5 percent for the 52 weeks to June 26, with…

Measure will have impact on taxis, trucks and buses’ costs across country The RUBBER is on the tarmac as companies importing tyres into South Africa yesterday were up in arms against an application by the SA Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) to tax authorities to impose an anti-dumping duty on Chinese imports. The implication of the tariff hike would have a material impact on the vast network of taxis, trucks and buses’ input costs across the country. The SATMC, which includes the brands of Continental, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Sumitomo (the makers of Dunlop tyres), recently applied to the International Trade Administration Commission to impose additional duties of between 8 and 69 percent on the rubber rims of passenger, taxi, bus and truck vehicles that are produced in China. However,…

Internationally recognised playwright and director Napo Masheane is hosting the Herstory International Theatre Festival in celebration of all women across all works of life, at the Soweto Theatre this Women’s Month. Arguably one of the biggest events in the arts calendar, the festival features local and international acts from the US, Canada, the UK, Brazil, Nigeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Senegal, Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar, Namibia, Sweden and the Caribbean. On August 9, 1956, thousands of women – mothers, aunts, sisters and daughters – of all races, marched to the Union Buildings to protest against pass laws. Now, over seven days, these phenomenal women will be honoured through art, poetry, theatre, song and dance. The line-up of more than 250 creatives from 17 countries includes theatre practitioner Kharyish Wigington, dub poet d’bi.young,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s lawyers have told the Western Cape High Court that the investigation into the Phala Phala matter had nothing to do with his suspension of Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. Ramaphosa’s advocate, Karrisha Pillay, SC, told the judges hearing Mkhwebane’s application to overturn her suspension that the president was co-operating fully with the investigation into the matter, where it is alleged he violated the Executive Ethics Code. On Monday, Mkhwebane’s advocate, Dali Mpofu, SC, had argued that Ramaphosa had suspended Mkhwebane out of revenge because of her investigation into the 2020 burglary at his Phala Phala farm. Mpofu also argued that Ramaphosa was aware that Mkhwebane was preparing to challenge impeachment proceedings against her when he suspended her, and that the suspension was unconstitutional because it took place…

The Duke of Sussex’s memoir has reportedly been written with a finished manuscript signed off by lawyers. Prince Harry’s publishers, Penguin Random House, are now said to be trying to get it out for the Thanksgiving and Christmas market in the US, according to The Sun. It is understood ghostwriter JR Moehringer, 57, completed the book earlier in the summer. A publishing source said: “The manuscript has been finished and gone through all of the legal processes. It’s done and out of Harry’s hands. “The publishing date has been pushed back once but it is on track for the end of the year.” Harry, 37, says his autobiography will be “heartfelt and intimate” but it has reportedly stoked fears it could spark new rifts with the royal family. He is…

The last remaining speaker of the Nu language of the San people, Ouma Katrina Esau, has given her support to the River Club development, although her son disputes her support. Under the wing of the Western Cape First Nations Collective, Queen Ouma Esau said she had been coerced into signing affidavits without first reading them, by Tauriq Jenkins, an opponent of the development. Ouma Esau is the matriarch and Royal House of Nllnge leader and is recognised as the custodian of the //Nu language. The First Nations Collective has been in a tug-of-war with the Liesbeek Action Campaign headed by Jenkins, among others, over the R4.5 billion development by the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT). The LLPT has gained the support of the First Nations Collective, which will see a…

In what promises to be an epic tour experience, American R&B and soul singer Karyn White will be gracing South Africa for a special Karyn White Live in South Africa Tour in August at a concert celebration in honour of Women’s Month. The multiplatinum selling international superstar would be rendering hit songs for her South African fans, including the timeless Superwoman, The Way You Love Me, I’d Rather Be Alone, Can I Stay with You, Love Saw It and Secret Rendezvous. White, the first international soul and R&B artist to come to South Africa since the outbreak of Covid-19, shared the news of her Women’s Month celebration concert in a post on Instagram. “I am so excited ... I will be in Cape Town at the GrandWest Grand Arena on…

Mamelodi Sundowns have shown their intent to continue dominating South African football by acquiring the services of Chile international Marcelo Allende. Allende, 23, joins Masandawana after a two-year spell in Uruguay with Montevideo City Torque. An attacking midfielder, Allende is highly-rated. He previously captained the Chile youth team at the 2015 Fifa Under-17 World Cup, and has been capped by the senior national team. By signing Allende, Sundowns have also continued their recent trend of signing respected players from outside the African continent. They boast Pavol Safranko, who has been capped by Slovakia, as well as Bolivia international Erwin Saavedra. After joining Masandawana earlier in the year, Saavedra has had a challenging first few months in South Africa, having to contend with injury issues which have kept him out of…

Banyana Banyana sent OR Tambo International Airport into a frenzy yesterday as the team returned to the country as the champions of Africa. Gold and yellow shirts of the national team were spread across the airport terminals as the masses became one, singing and chanting. Upon arrival, Banyana, who had left Morocco with the African title after beating the hosts 2-1 in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) final on Saturday night, were escorted by heavy security. They made their way to a marquee specially erected by sponsors Sasol, where they were greeted by fans and dignitaries, including Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa. Mthethwa started off as the villain to the supporters, who booed him during his opening remarks, but he quickly became a hero with his closing gesture. The…

Wayde van Niekerk will not be part of Team South Africa’s bid for medals at the Commonwealth Games, which kick off in Birmingham tomorrow. The athletics competition starts with the men’s and women’s marathons on Saturday, with the men’s 400m heats taking place next Wednesday at the Alexander Stadium. But Van Niekerk confirmed on social media this week – following his fifth-place finish in the 400m world championship final in Oregon, US, last week – that he won’t be in Birmingham. “For those who have interest in my next competitions: I was unfortunately not selected to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games this time around, so we shift our minds to the later part of the season and finish the season off healthy. Looking forward to putting in some…

SUSTAINABLE black empowerment at the banks will continue to be hampered until the local economy recovers from the years of State capture, maladministration, political uncertainty and a lack of urgent economic reforms, the Banking Association of South Africa (Basa) said yesterday, It said the findings of its latest Transformation in Banking Report, compiled by Intellidex, which researched empowerment at the banks between 2017-2020, showed that in hard numbers, the narrative that banks “are falling far short of their Financial Sector Code (FSC) targets is based on an incorrect interpretation of the numbers, as guided by the FSC”. “This can distort facts and discredit the contribution of banks to the transformation of the financial services sector and economic empowerment in South Africa,” Basa said in a statement yesterday. It said banks…

Award-winning actress Jessica Nkosi, pictured, has said goodbye to her character Thando Sebata after two years on Mzansi Magic telenovela The Queen. In an explosive season six finale, her character was killed during a shoot-out at her engagement party. The season went out with a bang. Thando and Bhambatha’s (Khumbuza Meyiwa) engagement party was quite the event with Hector (Rapulana Seiphemo) being shot by Harriet’s (Connie Ferguson) hit man. In an Instagram post, Nkosi confirmed that she is exiting the telenovela after her character was shot dead. She wrote: “And just like that … Thando Sebata is out!!” Nkosi earned a Royalty Soapie Award for her villainous character in 2021. She shared that she loved the “bad-ass chick” character, and thanked the producers of The Queen. “Thank you to Mr…

The Sekunjalo Group and related entities have approached the Western Cape High Court to formally take the Mpati Commission report under review and ultimately have it set aside, the group chairman said on Monday. In an interview with SAfm, Sekunjalo chairman Dr Iqbal Survé said that Sekunjalo’s detractors had used the report against the group and its subsidiaries even though the commission had never proved any misconduct by Sekunjalo. In its review application, Sekunjalo said the unlawful and unjustified actions of the Mpati Commission resulted in unnecessary reputational damage to the group due to the resulting defamatory media coverage. This then led to the unlawful search and seizure operation by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) against the applicants, and major banks unlawfully relying on the report to withdraw banking…

WESTERN CAPE High Court Judge President (JP) John Hlophe may be part of a rumoured “hit list” of politicians opposed to a second term for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Judge Hlophe’s potential impeachment is a “last desperate strategy”, according to a legal expert. This comes after the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC’s) announcement on Monday night and after deliberation on recommendations made to it, they have advised the president to suspend Judge Hlophe. Judge Hlophe’s legal team has slammed the processes by the JSC calling it “unlawful, irrational and blatant interference with judicial processes”. Law expert Dr Paul Ngobeni said the decision has little to do with legal principles and everything to do with “political manipulation and disrespect of our judiciary”. This while Judge Hlophe has a pending matter before the…

From Page 1 Survé said the report was taken to former judge, advocate Willem Heath, to conduct a full review. Heath found that Sekunjalo did nothing wrong. “Despite the negative media arising out of the report, no one has been able to prove any wrongdoing on the part of any company within the Sekunjalo Group. In fact, what must be made clear, is that neither Sekunjalo Holdings nor myself were part of the terms of the Mpati Commission,” said Survé. Among others, the Heath review found that: Sekunjalo Investment Holdings (SIH) was never part of the terms of reference of the Mpati Commission. The term malfeasance cannot be applied to Sekunjalo. The conduct, findings and recommendations of the Mpati Commission were irreparably tainted by illegality. The commission failed in complying…

As music fans get more hyped-up to put on their dancing shoes for more entertainment shows countrywide, so is the long list of events lined up to make up for all the lost time taken away by Covid-19. The popular Bassline Live at The Lyric Theatre is all set, ahead of their much-anticipated show to take place on September 2, boasting an interesting line-up of local heavyweights. Sun-El Musician with Ofentse Pitse, known as the first black South African woman conductor, and her Anchored Sound 10-piece orchestra and female vocal quartet will be showcasing their aptitudes on this day. Adding into the mix of guest artists taking the stage will be the popular music artists Msaki and Simmy. Speaking about the show, Sun-El Musician said he is ecstatic to be…

Formula One teams say they need a quick decision, preferably before the August break, on proposed 2023 technical changes that aim to end the sport’s “porpoising” problem, but have divided the paddock. The governing FIA wants to tackle vertical oscillation, a phenomenon where cars bounce at speed like a porpoise through water. The problem is a consequence of this year’s major aerodynamic changes. The plan is to raise the floor edges of cars by 25mm and perform more stringent lateral floor deflection tests. Some teams, such as Ferrari and Red Bull, who do not have a problem with porpoising, argue that the proposals favour those who got this year wrong and should not be forced through on safety grounds. Either way, all need to know what rules apply for 2023…

On the same day that the national women’s football squad returned home after achieving continental success some 13 000km north, their cricketing counterparts were reflecting on a tour gone badly, and how that may affect their chances at the Commonwealth Games. The multi-format series against England – the first South Africa have played in – was a chastening experience for a group of players used to success in recent years. While they’ve yet to hold a global title – or even play in a final – there’s been a consistency in performance that has seen them reach two 50-over World Cup semi-finals and the last four of the T20 World Cup two years ago. Those results were the culmination of growth among a core of players who for various reasons…

A GROUP of women-led companies yesterday called for innovative financing within a variety of South African development finance institutions (DFIs) in a bid to support women in leadership, management, ownership and entrepreneurship. Women-owned businesses in South Africa are still in the minority in spite of statistics showing that they present a lower risk for business financiers. Jessica Espinoza, the chief executive of 2X Collaborative, called for gender lens investing to be a stand-alone focus in companies and not only an aspect of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), to maximise its advancement. Espinoza said it had been proven that investors make superior returns when they invest in women-owned and led businesses. “We would like to reach a state where gender lens investing has a similar status to ESG considerations due…

South African singer and songwriter Mlindo The Vocalist is making waves with his new album. Titled Lindokuhle, the album, which dropped on July 22, is sitting at number 4 on Apple Music after being at number 3 on the day of its release. In one of the songs, Luselude, the South Africa Music Award nominee talks about the hardship he endured during lockdown and how scared he was that he wouldn’t be able to support his family since he wasn’t performing. “Luselude is essentially a letter to my mother. When lockdown started, I was anxious that I couldn’t make a living because I couldn’t perform. It was difficult not to be able to provide for my family like I usually do. “Sjava (rapper) would often send me messages wishing…

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has refused to be drawn into allegations that he struck a secret deal with the DA to support Johann Mettler’s appointment as city manager of Joburg or Tshwane. It had been claimed that the agreement was in exchange for Mashaba to have his former Joburg city manager Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni rehired to a position of his choice. Mettler, a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal manager, was in the running for the position of city manager in Joburg in March this year. Yesterday, The Star’s sister paper, the Pretoria News, reported that Tshwane mayor Randall Williams was expected to table a report seeking council approval for the appointment of Mettler as city manager during tomorrow’s council sitting. Approached for comment on the allegations that he made a trade-off with…

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will rely on drones to protect the stadiums. Fortem Technologies came to an agreement with the host nation, following fears of rogue drones attacking matches at the Fifa-organised event in November this year. The manufacturer tweeted: “We are very excited to be supporting Qatar in securing the Fifa World Cup.” Fortem Technologies CEO Timothy Bean added: “The government of Qatar understands the importance of providing comprehensive security from the ground to the air for the Fifa World Cup matches and beyond. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with Smart Communication Systems to provide the best counter-drone security to ensure the safety of players, sports fans, and everyone involved in putting together one of the most viewed global events in decades.” The company…

Women are not only responsible for the success of IVF treatment, and father’s age may also play a vital role than previously thought, a study has found. The findings could help shape fertility advice for couples trying to conceive, challenging assumptions that a woman’s age should be primary consideration, the DailyMail reported. Researchers analysed nearly 19 000 IVF cycles and found that for women under 35 or over 40, the age of their male partner made little difference to their chances of conceiving. But there was a “significant drop” in the live birth rate for women between the ages of 35 and 40 if their partner was 40 and above. “Clearly it is very important that we do not ignore the paternal age when it comes to educating couples about…

Wits vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, has been inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific academies. The London-based Royal Society is a self-governing fellowship made up of eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth. Fellows and foreign members are elected for life through a peer review process on the basis of excellence in science. There are about 1 700 fellows and foreign members, including about 85 Nobel laureates. Each year, up to 52 fellows and up to 10 foreign members are elected from a group of around 800 candidates, who are proposed by the existing fellowship. “I am honoured to be welcomed as a Fellow of the Royal Society,” said Vilakazi. He joins the ranks of Isaac…

Three comments caught my eye this past week. Outgoing SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande stating: “If the ANC lose power, land will return to whites.” Absolute baloney, and he knows it. Once again, playing the outdated, boring and irritating race card simply because he has nothing concrete to offer, and never has. He really has been a disaster. ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile’s commenting: “The ANC will continue with (Jessie) Duarte’s legacy of selflessness, hard work and caring for the poor.” Really, Mashatile? You could have fooled me. Since when has the ANC ever been concerned with the three issues stated above? Its only concern has been feathering its own nest, with little to no regard for the well-being of South Africans. Regarding Ramaphosa’s “farmgate” scandal, Real Democracy leader Srini Naidoo…

For all those caught up in the hype that Dewald Brevis is the most exciting batting prospect to emerge from South Africa since AB de Villiers, then they surely do not remember Rilee Rossouw. Make no mistake, teenage prodigy Brevis is a generational talent who will sooner rather than later debut for the Proteas, but Rossouw – now 32 – is from different stock. Perhaps it’s the fact that Rossouw forged his reputation in the trenches of first-class cricket that is most appealing. Aged just 20, the tall left-hander hit 319 off just 291 balls, which is the record for the fastest triple century in South African cricket. Hitting four sixes in an over is entertaining, but striking the ball so sweetly and consistently for such a lengthy period of…

Ian Foster has shrugged off queries over his future as New Zealand coach ahead of a tour of South Africa that could spell the end of his tenure. Despite huge pressure, Foster survived a New Zealand Rugby review into the 2-1 series defeat to Ireland, with his assistant coaches instead taking the fall for the shock result. But defeat in the upcoming Rugby Championship Tests against world champions the Springboks would renew calls in New Zealand for change at the top. Asked whether his position might become untenable with another setback in SA, Foster said he was only focused on the job at hand. “It’s not something I think about. I think about just doing the best I can in my role,” Foster said in Wellington yesterday. “My job is…

Inevitably, there has been fighting talk from the All Blacks’ new forwards coach Jason Ryan ahead of their visit to South Africa. But unless he has a magic wand hidden somewhere, it is difficult to see the New Zealanders getting the better of a settled Springbok pack and the celebrated ‘Bomb Squad’. In fact, on the day after Ryan – the hitherto forwards coach of the Crusaders – was appointed, he admitted that arguably his best prop, Blues powerhouse Ofa Tu’ungafasi, is out of the two-match Rugby Championship tour, and is joined on the sidelines by two other Test props in veteran Joe Moody and Blues teammate Nepo Laulala. Ryan will also be missing battle-hardened lock Brodie Retallick, who broke a cheekbone in a collision with Ireland prop Andrew Porter.…