Índex per 2022-09-12 a Star

AS THE COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the world of work, South African organised business, government, communities, labour and civil society have been urged to be proactive in transitioning to remote working which is enabled by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This was the main theme at the 27th National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) Annual National Summit on Friday in Johannesburg. Nedlac is the vehicle by which the government, labour, business and community organisations seek to co-operate, through problem-solving and negotiation, on economic, labour and development issues and related challenges facing the country. Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said the Nedlac council needed to be proactive, taking the lead in tackling the major challenges the country is facing – for a just transition, sustainability, digitisation and the…

INTERNATIONAL brewing giant Heineken has agreed to cough up a roughly R10 billion investment among other public interest conditions to seal its €2.2bn (R38.3bn) purchase of Distell.Heineken announced its offer to buy the South African company in November. The offer splits Distell into two businesses, with its wine and spirits brands to be combined into a new company (Newco), with Heineken Southern Africa’s business and the Dutch interest in Namibia Breweries. In a statement on Friday the Competition Commission recommended the deal gets the green light from the Competition Tribunal, but imposed a number of tough public interest conditions. On Twitter, The Passive Income Guy (@hazelwood_dave) said, “Tough conditions imposed on Distell/Heineken merger. You’d swear foreigners were falling over themselves to invest in our country … ”. Conditions included…

UBER STARTED as a transport company, then became a food delivery company and now it’s becoming an online store, e-commerce or, for lack of a better word, a shopping mall. The industry acceptable term is that Uber is a logistics company. While that is the case it’s also important to understand the industries that are being disrupted by the Uber machinery. According to recent announcements, it seems the retail and e-commerce industries need to start considering Uber as a role-player. To continue to think of Uber as just a transport company is misleading for retailers and e-commerce businesses. Last week, Uber made major announcements that signalled its entry into the broader e-commerce sector. At the launch event, Uber Eats reinforced its aspiration of building an app of the future by…

Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Angie Stone is set to serenade the crowds as the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival returns after two years. The event is set to take at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, over the Heritage Day weekend, on September 24-25. Stone rose to fame in the late 1970s as a member of the hip-hop trio The Sequence. In the early 1990s, she became a member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold. In 1999, she released her solo debut project titled Black Diamond and has since been releasing hit after hit including No More Rain, Wish I Didn't Miss You, and More Than A Woman. Adding to the star-studded list of performers at this year’s festival is Nigerian Afrobeat star Nissi Ogulu. Nissi will join her big…

A THIRD witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial is expected to take the stand this morning. The trial, presided over by Judge Tshifhiwa Maulema in the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, adjourned on Friday, with legal counsel for the fifth accused, advocate Zandile Mshololo, stressing that the case was poorly investigated because it was attended to by inexperienced, incompetent police officers. Mshololo was cross-examining second witness Sergeant Patrick Mlungisi Mthethwa, who is attached to the Vosloorus police station. She told the court that Mthethwa and his colleague had attended the murder scene with two student constables, but opted to leave the crime scene unguarded. This was despite Mthethwa indicating that the four police officers had left the scene for the hospital to obtain more information on what occurred at…

LEFT-WING political leaders have taken a standpoint to challenge the British empire to return wealth belonging to African countries, following the death of Queen Elizabeth. While the queen’s death has attracted condolences from South African government leaders, it fell short of gaining sympathy from political parties whose policies revolve around the return of land to black people. During a peaceful picket that took place outside the offices of the public protector in Pretoria on Friday, EFF leader Julius Malema could not resist the opportunity to speak about the late monarch. “It would be wrong for me to leave this mic without saying to Britain and everyone who cares we do not mourn the death of a coloniser and a murderer who came and killed our people, and who proudly wore…

Any unwanted conduct that impairs dignity, including comments about other people, winking at people, touching people and telling others they are sexy, constitutes harassment in the workplace. This was according to the director of employment equity (EE) in the Department of Employment and Labour, Ntsoaki Mamashela, who spoke during the department’s employment equity roadshow held in partnership with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) at the Cape Town International Convention Centre last week. She said harassment was “any unwanted conduct (that) impairs the dignity of the person being harassed, not the dignity of the person who is giving the comments, who is winking the eye to other people, touches other people, telling other people that they are sexy”. “Keep it to yourself. Leave it at the door when…

Jose Riveiro has quietly gone about his business at Orlando Pirates, defying those who said he wasn’t up to the job. ‘The Ghost’ are one of the most demanding fan-bases in the land as they regularly emphasise how incoming coaches must understand the club’s history and culture. At first, Riveiro didn’t seem to ticks those boxes given his underwhelming spells in Spain and Finland as they called him a ‘ticking time bomb’. But after the coach’s first nine matches in charge, not only has he turned his detractors to admirers but he’s fast becoming one with the Ghost as well. After every game – regardless of the result – the Spaniard strolls around the stadium, greeting Pirates supporters and joining them in song. This has seen more fans flocking into…

IGA Swiatek believes “the sky is the limit” after she crowned her rise to the pinnacle of women’s tennis with a third Grand Slam title at the US Open on Saturday. The 21-year-old Polish world No 1 claimed her second Grand Slam title of 2022 at Flushing Meadows, defeating Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6 (7/5). It was the latest staging post on a dazzling season which has provided ample evidence Swiatek is the front-runner to dominate the sport as it heads into the post-Serena Williams era. A second Grand Slam title on Saturday and a victory at the French Open in June are part of seven tournaments she has won this year, which included a 37-match winning streak as she swept to the top of the rankings. Swiatek, whose favourite…

THE ADDITIONAL duties on tyres from China levied by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) will be devastating for South African motorists, public transport users and the trucking and logistics sector, fostering higher prices and less choice, industry pundits said on Friday. The provisional payments on the respective tariff classifications that will be in place for a period of six months, from September 9 to March 8, 2023 are 38.33 percent ad valorem. The Road Freight Association (RFA) and the Tyre Importers Association of South Africa (Tiasa) said on Friday that the additional duties on top of the existing import duties, of between 25 and 30 percent, were simply another form of tax on the consumer and on businesses. This left them to questioning whther Itac and the…

BELL EQUIPMENT, the materials handling equipment manufacturer, plans to grow its manufacturing footprint in both its northern and southern hemisphere markets. Chairperson Gary Bell and chief executive Leon Goosen, for the interim period ended June 30, said the growth plans included an increase of its manufacturing footprint in the northern hemisphere to improve responsiveness and efficiencies by manufacturing more of the articulated dump truck product closer to supplier and the markets in which they were sold. Capacity created in the Richards Bay factory would be used by additional products, which would be introduced in the southern hemisphere market over the next few years. “To this end, underground mining equipment as well as seeking contract manufacturing opportunities utilising the core competencies and assets at the Richards Bay manufacturing facility have been…

Residents reject Eskom plan for prepaid meters, repaying debt The people of Soweto have rejected Eskom plans to install prepaid meters and to pay their electricity debt owed to the power utility. Eskom’s operation and maintenance manager Daphne Mokwena said the utilitiy was working hard to replace broken transformers which have plunged parts of Soweto into darkness for months. This has not only affected households but schools, clinics and other facilities. Mokwena was speaking at a meeting in the Soweto Amphitheatre, where City of Joburg mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse gave her report back to residents on Saturday. The report back comes after the residents marched to the mayor’s office in June to deliver a memorandum of demands regarding Eskom debt and other service delivery issues. “Most of the issues…

THE race for the leadership of the ANC is gaining momentum amid reports that Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is set to challenge President Cyril Ramaphosa. This will be the second time that Dlamini Zuma challenges Ramaphosa. She challenged him and was defeated by a small margin during the 54th national conference of the ANC in 2017 at Nasrec, Joburg. Following the announcement that Ramaphosa had won the race, there were reports of alleged corruption in the form of bribery of delegates but they were never confirmed. In the next few months the ANC will work toward nominating contenders who will be elected in the national conference to take place on December 16. The victorious leaders will guide the party during the 2024 national elections…

Patricia Motsoeneng, popularly known as Gogo Skhotheni, has revealed that being a traditional healer may not be as easy as some people imagine it to be, particularly with the awful things required of her, explaining that it becomes an overwhelming experience. In conversation with DJ Sbu in his podcast, Gogo Skhotheni got candid about her experiences as she deals with people who consult her for various purposes, which she claims are more bad than good. Most people mainly approach her with an end goal to bewitch and destroy other people, she said. “Out of the 100% of people I work with, 70% who approach me it is all about witchcraft,” shared Gogo Skhotheni. She added that people aimed to destroy others while 30% are merely people who want to better…

A new locally-manufactured jewellery is in town as Akopo Jewels, a luxury jewellery brand, partnered with Tsa Rona Debenya, owned by Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela tribe leader Kgosi Nyalala Pilane, to launch their first luxury jewellery outlet at the posh DA Vinci Hotel at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton. The launch of the shop on Thursday was attended by EFF leader Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, broadcasters Lindi Serame and Penny Lebyane. Also in attendance were acting High Commissioner for the Republic of Guyana, Candida Daniels and Jamaica Commissioner to South Africa, Angela Comfort. The two companies Akapo, owned by Labi Kapo, and Dibenya decided to collaborate by opening their high-end store in Sandton as a symbol of their intention to compete in the luxury jewellery market. Kapo said Akapo was serious…

DEFENDER Zitha Kwinika spared Kaizer Chiefs’ blushes with a face-saving equaliser against 10-man Marumo Gallants in a 1-1 stalemate in their Premiership clash at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium yesterday. Gallants were just six minutes away from scoring an upset win which would have been their first for the current season but it was not to be. The point from the draw has, however, lifted Gallants off the bottom of the table and they’ll move from 16th to 15th place. Chiefs will remain in 14th place. The start was a lively with Chiefs managing penetrative runs down the flanks while Gallants, forced to settle for a defensive role looked to counter-attack from deep. Gallants’ early efforts were punctuated by fouls and referee Thokozani Mkhize blew up Keagan Dolly and Lehlogonolo Matlou,…

ONS Jabeur insisted she had “no regrets” after losing to Iga Swiatek in the US Open final as she targeted the Pole’s world No 1 ranking next year. Jabeur’s 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) loss on Saturday was her second successive defeat in a Grand Slam final after also coming off second best at Wimbledon in July. “I have nothing to regret because I did everything possible,” said Jabeur, who will return to No 1 in the world today. Swiatek remains comfortably in the rankings’ top slot with twice as many points. The 28-year-old Jabeur, however, is already drawing up a battle plan for 2023. At the Australian Open, she will have no points to defend having missed the 2022 tournament before she suffered a shock first round exit at the French…

Confirms that he and partner not after Airports Company SA, as rumoured BILLIONAIRE private investor Rob Hersov will be directly approaching the Department of Public Enterprises with a daring R2 billion bid to buy six regional airports owned by the state. Speaking exclusively to Business Report while in Europe on Saturday, Hersov confirmed that an informal offer he and his business partner Nick Ferguson made for the airports was completely rejected by the government. Hersov said they were not bidding for Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) as was rumoured, but instead his company RSA.aero would bid for regional airports. These regional airports are George, Gqeberha, East London, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Upington, and would add to the Cape Winelands Airport RSA.aero already owns on the outskirts of Cape Town. Hersov…

SOUTH32, the diversified miner listed on the JSE, ALX, and London Stock Exchange, has set a new goal of net zero Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In its 2022 annual report released on Friday, the group said it had developed its Climate Change Action Plan in this. “The plan describes the actions we are taking to address the risks and opportunities which climate change presents, including producing the metals that support the transition to a low-carbon world, in a way that minimises our impact,” the group explained. Chief executive Graham Kerr said South32’s Climate Change Action Plan outlined measures the company was taking to address specific risks and opportunities that climate change presented for its business. “We understand the need for action on climate change, and we are…

TELECOM companies say it is too soon to comment on the government’s new draft policy document – as they are still studying it. The proposed policy aims to help small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and new entrants in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector to have access to the spectrum. The Next Generation Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy for Economic Development, also known as the spectrum policy, was published by Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni last week. MTN said on Friday it had noted the new draft policy on the licensing of the next-generation spectrum and was studying the document. “We will be in a better position to comment once we have reviewed the document,” it said. Vodacom said at the weekend: “We are busy studying…

Viewed by more than eight million people worldwide, crime-fighting duo Miss Scarlet and The Duke is back to entertain fans in another thrilling season. The crime series follows Britain’s first female detective in 19th century London, Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips) and her handsome “sidekick” and bubbling love-interest – William “The Duke” Wellington, played by Stuart Martin. While viewers might have initially tuned in for the mystery, it was Eliza and The Duke’s mismatched, fiery chemistry that kept them coming back for more. Created by Rachael New, the six episode period crime drama will premiere today on BBC Brit (DStv channel 120). Martin, popular for his roles in shows like Army of Thieves, Babylon, Jamestown and Game Of Thrones, says he is “very excited” for viewers to tune in. “This season…

PUBLIC prosecutor Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s urgent application in the Western Cape High Court for an immediate enforcement of the court’s order on Friday setting aside her suspension by President Cyril Ramaphosa will be heard tomorrow at 10am. If successful, the application filed by her attorneys could see Mkhwebane back in office after just over three months after her suspension. She approached the court in July in a bid to overturn her suspension, which her lawyer advocate Dali Mpofu SC, said was triggered by a letter written by Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in March this year. The letter informed the president that the committee on the Section 194 enquiry to consider her removal would be resuming its proceedings. During the suspension Mkhwebane has faced a gruelling parliamentary inquiry at which everything from…

CONTROVERSIAL Mamelodi businessman Vusi “Khekhe” Mathibela has turned to the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in an urgent bid not to be detained at the C-Max section of the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria, while awaiting his sentencing this month. He and his co-accused were convicted in June for the murder of businessman Wandile Bozwana, who was gunned down at the Garsfontein off-ramp in Pretoria East in October 2015. Their sentencing procedure is expected to start on September 20. Mathibela first approached the court in June – shortly before he and his co-accused were convicted – after Correctional Services decided to move him from the normal awaiting trial section of the prison to C-Max. Mathibela complained that he was still an awaiting trial prisoner and was entitled to be incarcerated…

The SANDF soldiers deployed under Operation Chariot are still hard at work in flood-stricken areas of KwaZulu-Natal. The soldiers have been in the province since the deadly floods of April submerged parts of KZN. Joint Tactical Headquarters KZN commanding officer Colonel Arthius Mattius Nyalunga said the operation began in April due to a natural disaster, and the SANDF was immediately instructed to co-ordinate a response to the widespread devastation caused by heavy rainfall on April 11-12. Nyalunga said that first in the theatre of operation was the air component of the SANDF – who came in to support the SAPS with the search-and-rescue missions, which later became based at Virginia Airport. “Over the course of three months, over 400 bodies were recovered by the teams consisting of SAPS, SA Air…

Police in Joburg have arrested a 23-year-old man for business robbery and attempted murder at a BP garage at the corner of Mooi and Heidelberg streets. “The suspect was captured by CCTV cameras at the garage on August 31 at 12.30am. He forcefully opened the locked sliding door and took sweets in the shelves worth plus or minus R1 000,” police spokesperson in Joburg Central, Captain Xoli Mbele said. He said a cashier noticed the intruder and screamed for help. “Two petrol attendants came to her rescue. The suspect stabbed both of them with a knife before he fled the scene. “The victims were taken to hospital by an ambulance where they were treated and discharged,” Mbele said. “The suspect was on the run until he came back to…

LOCAL celebrities, invited guests and nominees all made their way to The Galleria in Sandton yesterday to shine a light on South Africa’s favourite content creators for the inaugural DStv Content Creator Awards. Hosted by comedian Loyiso Madinga, the awards brought to life some of the most-viewed social media reels and videos in the form of an opening dance piece, choreographed by Bontle Modiselle Dance Studio. The blue carpet was packed as more than 400 people arrived to be part of this first-ever awards event. They strutted their stuff down the carpet, rocking the finest threads designed by SA’s celebrity designers. The highlights of the blue carpet included Melanie Bala, Robot Boii, Lasizwe, Bontle and Candice Modiselle, Nadia Jaftha, Donovan Goliath, Kim Jayde, Zanele Potelwa, Banele Ndaba, Chanley Wong, Roxy…

Mamelodi Sundowns’ co-coach Rulani Mokwena is perplexed why the football fraternity has cast doubts over his team’s prowess, even though they’ve been grinding out results. Sundowns have won the Premiership title five years in a row, grabbing the attention of admirers and naysayers in their pursuit of a sixth consecutive championship. There has been more noise from their detractors who feel they are not capable of winning the league tile this season, following a slow start to the campaign. The comments have taken Mokwena by surprise, given the fact that they are top of the standings, thanks to five wins, one draw and two defeats. Not only that. The Brazilians are also on course to defend their MTN8 crown, where they will face Orlando Pirates in the semi-finals next month.…

Day 4 of 5: Bad light stopped play South Africa 118 and 169 England 158 and 97/0 SOUTH Africa’s bowlers had cracked open the door on Saturday, then blown it off its hinges inside the first 15 minutes of play yesterday. Suddenly an opportunity presented itself. Sadly, the Proteas batters couldn’t make more of that chance. Conditions were difficult, with the ball seaming around and England’s bowlers used that advantage well. Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee batted bravely, making use of all the good fortune that had deserted them on the third day. It was often ugly, but it was effective and irritating for the English bowlers. The pair registered just the fourth half-century partnership by the Proteas in the series - the second one they’d shared after Lord’s -…