Índex per 2022-08-25 a Star

INTERNATIONAL foodservice group Bid Corporation delivered a record trading performance for the year to June 30 which enabled it to raise its dividend 75 percent above the previous year. A final cash dividend of 400 cents was declared, bringing the payout for the year to 700c a share. The strong performance was despite the lingering economic and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in a number of countries where the group operates and in the hospitality, tourism and leisure industries. Looking ahead, chief executive Bernard Berson said in a telephone interview that they had a “long runway for organic growth”. The group would continue with its strategy of continually simplifying the business, its decentralised management structure, strong entrepreneurial management teams catering specifically to their own markets, achieving…

Fast food giant KFC has hired a private investigator to hunt a “fake food inspector” who has been scoring freebies at its stores nationwide. It has also asked the public to assist the search for the scammer. The fast food restaurant chain said a private investigation was launched this week to track down the so-called inspector who was soliciting free food from KFC stores across South Africa. KFC said reports of the alleged fake KFC quality assurance inspector first surfaced in 2019. “The incidents reported were believed to be urban legend. “Social media coverage of the fake food inspector has led to further stories of other quality assurance impersonators,” said Sarah Campbell of Ogilvy PR. Private investigator Beckett Mathunzi has been hired to establish the authenticity of the alleged reports…

Six men accused of killing whistle-blower Babita Deokaran appeared briefly in the South Gauteng High Court yesterday and had their matter postponed to October 6 after their legal representative raised issues over the payment of legal fees. Shafique Sarlie asked for a postponement, saying as the defence they needed time to consult with the accused over fees which have to be paid, and they also need to get outstanding documents from the State. The accused – Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla – have been charged with murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and conspiracy to murder. Deokaran, 53, was shot dead outside her home in Winchester Hills, south of Johannesburg, on August 23 last year. Deokaran was the chief…

Full-time Durban artist Mondli Mbhele has been announced as the winner of the 2022 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition. Mbhele, 28, walks away with a cash prize of R100 000 and an opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2023. He won the coveted title for his work titled Iphasi nesiphesheli, which is part of a bigger series titled Umlando uyaziphinda, which means “history repeats itself”. The series of mixed-media works is inspired by iconic events from South Africa’s history. In his winning work, Mbhele explores the dynamics of protests in contemporary South Africa. The brightly coloured collage is a snapshot of an ominous moment in a protest where a person is lying lifeless on the ground, yet no one seems alarmed. Mbhele said it…

As Women’s Month draws to a close, Statistics SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2022 has revealed that almost half of working-age women in South Africa are without employment. The report said 47% of women were “economically inactive” or out of the labour force, compared with 35.6% of men. Statistician-general Risenga Maluleke said: “The productive potential of South Africa women in the labour market remains unused.” The survey data showed a decline in the proportion of those who were out of the labour force for both men and women over the past 10 years. In 2012, 37% of all men in the country were out of work. In 2022, the number had fallen to 35.6%, while for women 51% were unemployed in 2012 and a decade…

THE Springboks have been heavily criticised for kicking the ball too often, so should they run with it against the Wallabies on Saturday? There have been encouraging signs on attack this season, especially in the 26-10 victory over the All Blacks in Mbombela, where Siya Kolisi’s team showed that they can pressurise their opponents with ball-in-hand instead of just employing box-kicks. That positive approach continued in some respects in the 35-23 loss to New Zealand at Ellis Park, where Lukhanyo Am and Damian Willemse were the stand-out backs going forward. But there were also a couple of scoring opportunities wasted, such as Damian de Allende’s chip-ahead in Mbombela and Willemse’s grubber at Ellis Park when he had stepped past a few defenders. The main weapon on attack, though, in 2022…

SERENA Williams may have planned retirement her way but the American must be prepared to accept the goodbyes as well as the losses and exit the stage with grace, says tennis great Martina Navratilova. Williams signalled her intention to retire in a Vogue article in early August saying she was “evolving away from tennis” but never confirming the US Open as her final event. However, for Navratilova, like most of the tennis world, the message was clear: Flushing Meadows, where Williams won the first of her 23 Grand Slams in 1999, will be the place she takes her final bow. Navratilova said she understood the emotions Williams was wrestling with as she approaches her final match having experienced many of them herself. But having made her decision, Williams must be…

SOUTH Africa and England head into the second Test at Old Trafford today carrying batters who are under pressure and need runs to continue to justify their presence. It seems strange that following the outcome at Lord’s, the home team chose to change the bowling unit, bringing in Ollie Robinson for Matthew Potts, when it was the batting that let them down. Opener Zak Crawley continues to have the support of head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes, despite averaging just 16.4 since those two took up their current positions. Former England batter Mark Butcher, commentating for Sky during the first Test, described the continued backing of Crawley as “cruel” after his second innings dismissal, while a former teammate of Butcher’s, Mark Ramprakash, wrote in the Guardian that Crawley…

StatsSA data shows annual price rises have accelerated more than expected INTEREST rates in South Africa could rise by a further 1 percent to end the year at 6.5 percent per annum after inflation surged to another record high, though it has likely peaked. Data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) yesterday showed that the annual headline consumer inflation accelerated more than expected to another 13-year high. Stats SA said inflation surged to 7.8 percent in July, from 7.4 percent in June, amid a relentless rise in fuel and food prices, as well as the annual increase in municipal service charges implemented in July. This inflation print was the highest since May 2009, and above market expectations of 7.7 percent, also quickening for a third…

Ramathuba claims undocumented foreigners are ‘overburdening’ Limpopo’s health services LIMPOPO Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba is standing by her words that undocumented foreign nationals are “overburdening” Limpopo public health services and resources. In a video that has gone viral on social media, she is seen addressing a Zimbabwean patient at a government hospital in Bela-Bela, who was there for an elective surgery, according to the Limpopo Department of Health. The MEC is heard telling the patient that her country must take responsibility for her health issues, and not South Africa. “Instead of using the budget for what it’s meant for, I’m here operating for what (President) Mnangagwa is supposed to do … You are not even registered anywhere, you are illegal … This is unfair,” she said. Ramathuba told the…

John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA, recently referred to his ex-wife as “roadkill” and a “flat chicken”. Appearing on Podcast and Chill, hosted by MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho, Steenhuisen, asked what he understood roadkill to be, replied, “It sounds like my ex-wife”. Adding insult to injury this so-called leader compounds the denigration by referring to her as a “flat chicken”. In a puerile attempt to palliate his inanity, he said: “I fully understand the joke may have been in bad taste to some”. Some? More than half of our population represent women and does he really believe that only “some” would be offended? Steenhuisen goes on to state, “I think it is more telling that the South African media have chosen to focus on one bad joke”. To date, not…

Ingredients For the salad: 1 small sweet potato, cut into cubes 1 small butternut, cut into cubes 45ml (3 tbs) olive oil Pinch of chilli flakes 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika 5ml (1 tsp) garlic salt Salt and pepper, to taste 1 can lentils, drained 75g feta, crumbled 1 red onion, finely sliced 60g rocket, washed 60ml (¼ cup) pumpkin seeds, roasted For the dressing: 15ml (1 tbs) balsamic vinegar 15ml (1 tbs) lemon juice 15ml (1 tbs) olive oil 5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard 5ml (1 tsp) honey 1 small clove of garlic, minced Salt and pepper, to taste Method For the salad: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Combine the sweet potato, butternut, olive oil and spices on a baking tray, season to taste and roast for about 30…

Messages of love and support have been streaming in on social media for mental health advocate and author Zoleka Mandela, after she shared news that she now has cancer in her bones. Mandela, who has not had a merciful journey regarding her health, particularly following her 10-year cancer battle, has once again been rocked by the news that she has bone metastasis. The author, who is a two-time breast cancer survivor, had just looked back at her 10-year journey since being diagnosed with cancer when she learnt that she has yet another battle to fight. In an Instagram post, she revealed that she had endured pain in her back and her left rib for a month. “I’ve had a sore back for more than a month now and recently consulted…

When it was launched locally back in June, the Jeep Gladiator hit the headlines as the country’s most expensive bakkie, but it’s also one of most capable. This we managed to confirm after experiencing the R1 259 900 double cab on the gruelling Hennops Off-Road Trail near Hartbeespoort Dam on the local launch event. Boasting a 249mm ground clearance, Fox aluminium shocks, Dana 44 front and rear axles with Tru-Lok locking differentials as well as 35-inch FB Goodrich off-road tyres, the Jeep Gladiator crawled through some massive and steep ruts that looked big enough to swallow the vehicle whole. And it did all this with the greatest of ease. Jeep gave us a vehicle to test drive for a week recently, so we wanted to see how the Gladiator fares…

The 2022 Toyota Fortuner Challenge beckons and one lucky reader will get to team up with a celebrity hero in a test of skill and stamina that will see the winner driving away in a brand new SUV. 1. You can win a Toyota Fortuner The winner will walk away with a brand new Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 4x2 that’s worth R623 000. Renowned as one of the toughest SUVs on the market, the ladder-framed Fortuner is powered by a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine that produces 110kW and 400Nm. The Fortuner was recently given an upgrade, which includes a large black mesh-patterned grille, accompanied by a silver-accented “skid-plate” underrun. Inside you’ll find a modern 8.0-inch infotainment system and the Toyota Connect telematics system, including an in-car Fi-Fi hotspot 15Gb of free…

MAMELODI Sundowns’ new record R51 million signing Marcelo Allende paid back the first of his instalments to the Premiership champions with a goal on debut in their 3-0 thrashing of Stellenbosch FC in Pretoria yesterday. After being introduced in the second half, the Chile international needed just seven minutes to leave his first imprints on the South African game with a neatly taken goal. Allende’s effort was the icing on the cake as normal service resumed for Sundowns at Fortress Loftus Versfeld. The blue-and-yellow steam train has stuttered on occasion this season, but they were in an unforgiving mood last night. Perhaps the Brazilians felt they still owed the ambitious club from the Western Cape after last season’s shock defeat at home to Stellies. Within 90 seconds Sundowns were on…

KAP INDUSTRIAL Holdings benefited from its diverse businesses and increased its operating profit 40 percent in the year to June 30, while the dividend almost doubled. The 29 cents per share dividend, compared with 15c paid out last year, is the highest the group has ever declared. Chief executive Gary Chaplin said the biggest drivers of growth were PG Bison’s R216 million increase in its operation profit, the Safripol polymer business generated a record operating profit increase of R972m, while transport services group Unitrans lifted operating profit by R133m. Looking forward, he said in a telephone interview that they anticipated a recovery in revenue and operating profit from the automotive component maker Feltex, sleep products company Restonic, a better result from transport group Unitrans and additional income…

GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, legendary female athlete Rosina Sedibane-Modiba and former Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane officially launched the Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School of Specialisation with a focus on sports and sports science this week. According to the department, the school is a fully functional sports school that has proficiency in chess, soccer, tennis, basketball and many other sporting codes. In his address at the school in Laudium, Lesufi urged the learners to protect their school and maintain the integrity of Sedibane-Modiba’s legacy. “We don’t want to read about wrong things in the papers about this school and the children. Protect the image and integrity of this school and assist her (Sedibane-Modiba). When she rests in peace she must say ‘I left a beautiful school for…

The internationally-acclaimed band, The Brother Moves On, are celebrating their latest release Bayakhala as they prepare to embark on a national tour in October. The group launched the song last week and celebrated it at Romeo’s in Melville, Johannesburg, ahead of their album release later this year. Describing the song on social media, the band said: “Bayakhala draws from deep histories, old languages and the idea of ‘keepers of the land’ communicating a calling to higher self-hood from the other side.” The band is part of a musical underground movement that connects Johannesburg to the international community through healing and music. Their artistry also pays homage to the tradition of avante garde and jazz music rooted in the calamity that is the urban area, and South Africa’s racial and spacial…

AWARD-winning storyteller Napo Masheane will host the inaugural Folklore Festival on October 1 at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg as a celebration of African culture, customs and community. The festival marks the end of SA Heritage Month with a diverse pan- African creative offering from North, South, East and West Africa. South Africa Music Awards award-winning storyteller and festival founder Pilani Bubu said: “We would like to announce that our MC and on the main stage is thespian and poet Napo Masheane.” Folklore comprises the traditional beliefs, customs and stories of a community passed from generation to generation by word-of-mouth. Contemporary folklore encompasses forms of creative expression such as folk art, song and dance and children’s rhymes. Aside from music, the Folklore Festival has a diverse cultural…

ANC staff have greeted with mixed feelings the Financial Sector Conduct Authority’s (FSCA) order forcing the ANC to pay R10 million every month towards its employees’ provident fund scheme after it had neglected to do so since 2018. Workers are wondering how their employer will afford the payments as it has been struggling to pay their monthly salaries. The FSCA said the ruling party “has not met its obligations in terms of making regular retirement fund contributions into the fund” affecting 535 members. According to the FSCA, the ANC undertook “to pay a sum of R10m every month into the fund until the arrears contributions are extinguished”. The party is expected to provide monthly confirmation to the FSCA that it “is not making further deductions from employees’ salaries, if paid,…

While the world is moving progressively quicker to silent EVs, it’s good to know that there are still cars out there where the sound of an internal combustion engine is an integral part of its DNA. Such a car is the new Ford Ranger Raptor. It starts with the petrol 3.0-litre V6 twin turbo that’s good for 292kW and 583Nm, fitted with a new active valve twin-exhaust system and four drive modes. The valves open to change the sound of the car according to the setting and the driver’s mood. The system can be controlled by the driver’s preference, using the “Exhaust Mode” button or automatically according to the drive mode they’ve selected: Quiet, Normal, Sport or Bajai. Crank up the volume and listen to it in the video below:…

HEAVY may be the crown Edward Mothibi carries into Sunday’s Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban but the Nedbank Running Club ace is strong enough to withstand the pressure that comes with being defending champion of the Ultimate Human Race. “Things are very different for me now. Unlike in 2019 when I was a novice in the ‘up run’ and running just to make a particular time, this time I am going to start with a target on my back. Everyone’s going to want to beat the champion. It comes with pressure,” Mothibi said. Do not, however, misconstrue that to mean Mothibi is unsure of his chances. “Back then, I went to the Comrades as a novice. I was not going to win the race. My goal was just to…