Índex per 2023-03-10 a Star

A PUBLIC Investment Corporation (PIC) senior investment committee in May 2018 approved a R4.3 billion share for cash transaction with AYO Technology Solutions (AYO) in a report that was signed by the PIC chairperson, five of its senior directors and most of its executive team, the Western Cape High Court heard yesterday. AYO legal representative Nazeer Cassim, (SC), yesterday, during his continued cross-examination of PIC witness Victor Seanie, a dismissed assistant portfolio manager of the PIC, read out documents showing that PIC policies allowed for transactions of less than R10bn to be ratified by the PIC, and then subjected to normal PIC transaction approval processes at a later stage. This contradicted Seanie’s former claims, which he reiterated yesterday, that he believed the transaction was corrupt as it had bypassed…

NORTHAM Platinum said yesterday that it would proceed with its bid to take over Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) as it forecast strong interims ahead. In a trading update for the six months ended December 31, 2022, the miner said it expects its headline earnings per share to increase between 62.3% and 72.3% per share. The group also flagged that it was likely to see a 54.5% increase in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebidta) to R10 billion. Northam said the period under review saw continued production growth as the group strategy unfolded. “Challenges remain, particularly in respect of mining inflation, and the potential for further and more severe Eskom load curtailment events, however, our capital growth programs remain on track and demonstrate the power of our counter-cyclical…

Hundreds of cyclists and non-cyclists will bare it all in the annual World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) event tomorrow. The event is the brainchild of Juanita Pretorius who started the initiative in Cape Town in 2008. The event, which is in its 12th year, sees citizens take action against South Africa’s coal-fired air pollution. The WNBR takes place in over 74 cities around the world, covering the Southern Hemisphere in March and the Northern Hemisphere in June. Pretorius said: “We will ride against the burning of fossil fuels, which is contributing to climate change and ecological disaster – the signs of which are becoming more evident every day. “Species extinction, ecosystem collapse, water scarcity and food insecurity. The devastating impact of our addiction to fossil fuels is undeniable. “Climate change…

Gauteng has committed to injecting almost R500 billion into the province over the next three years to boost service delivery and development in the province. The MEC for Finance, Jacob Mamabolo, said the bulk of the province’s budget would be focused on boosting township economies, fighting crime, and improving the lives of Gauteng residents. “Let me now turn to the Economic Cluster, which will receive a total of R66.6bn, or 13.5%, of the budget over the 2023 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). “The Governance Cluster, which focuses on, among other things, strengthening collaboration amongst all spheres of government and enhancing integrated planning for improved service delivery, accounts for R12.1bn, or 2.5%, of the 2023 MTEF budget.” Mamabolo said. Mamabolo added that the strategic focus of the budget remained empowering women as…

When his name was struck off the roll of advocates in Society of Advocates of SA (Witwatersrand Division) v Fischer, lawyer and apartheid activist Bram Fischer, instead of appearing personally in court, wrote a letter to the court stating: “I accept, my lord, the general rule that for the protection of a society laws should be obeyed, but when the laws themselves become immoral and require the citizen to take part in an organised system of oppression then … this compels one to refuse to recognise such laws.” We have seen similar disobedience in the past two years. Former president Jacob Zuma refused to appear at the state capture commission when he was summoned because its chairperson, Raymond Zondo, dismissed his request for his own recusal, basing his decision on…

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has arrested a man who was driving a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser VX-R which had been stolen in Sandton. JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said when the driver saw the police, he abandoned the powerful V8 vehicle and ran away but officers gave chase and nabbed him. “Officers received a complaint of a white Toyota Land Cruiser which was stolen on Tuesday morning, March 7, in Sandton and sought as per a Sandton SAPS case,” Fihla said. The police officers received a tracking signal of the vehicle around the Kensington area in Joburg, indicating that the off-road vehicle was travelling on the R21, in the direction of Pretoria. “The officers followed the tracking signal to the Nellmapius off-ramp where they spotted it in the traffic,…

The duke and duchess of Sussex’s children will reportedly get updated titles on the British royal family’s website. Prince Harry and Meghan celebrated their 21-month-old daughter’s christening last week and referred to her as Princess Lilibet Diana in a statement from their spokesperson. Now, PEOPLE magazine has reported the royal family’s official website will be updated to reflect the titles of Princess Lilibet and her 3-year-old brother Prince Archie “in due course”. As it stands, the two children are listed as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The titles reflect the precedent which was established by King George V when he issued a Letters Patent in 1917, which meant the title of prince or princess would be conferred on male line grandchildren of the monarch. Harry’s father, King Charles,…

Former #FeesMustFall leader Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, who now chairs Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education, science and innovation, has criticised vice-chancellors at universities for how they are handling negotiations during student protests. Mkhatshwa was a prominent leader of the #FeesMustFall movement in 2015/16, and was also the president of the Wits SRC when the fee protests erupted at the time. She is now an ANC MP. Mkhatshwa told Newzroom Afrika that following protests in several universities, including the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, that she was disappointed at university management. “We are highly disappointed at the manner in which some of our vice- chancellors have been handling the protest. They clearly have no capacity to negotiate, mediate or resolve conflict,” she said. Mkhatshwa did…

Cadbury Snacker offers a snacking alternative that is not only bursting with flavour but also a healthy source of fibre, and is ideal for lacto-honey vegetarians. It contains “better for you” components like oats, almonds, and fruit. For those looking for a tasty snack or to satisfy the on-the-go, in-between-meals, or pick-me-up occasion, Cadbury Snacker has introduced two delectable new options, Cranberry & Raisin and Almond & Honey, in addition to the Original, muesli with hazelnuts on a bed of creamy Cadbury Milk Chocolate. Trushann Thomas, manager of Cadbury Innovations, said that local consumer insights show that South Africans like crunchy, earthy, fruity-flavoured bars with a naturally sweet taste. “The local audience expects mindful snacking solutions that provide a nutritious snack perfect for on-the-go consumption on busy days. “The new…

AL Ahly’s winless record against Mamelodi Sundowns away from home doesn’t faze Rhulani Mokwena who’s impressed by the Egyptians’the experience in CAF Champions League. After returning to the core of continental football almost a decade ago, Sundowns have formed a fierce rivalry with Al Ahly in recent years. But in nine meetings since 2019, Al Ahly have never beaten Sundowns away, while the latter ran riot 5-0 in the Egyptians’ first visit to South Africa in 2019. The two teams have blown hot and cold in the competition in recent years, especially after Pitso Mosimane swopped allegiance between them. Mosimane won the African crown with Sundowns in 2016 before moving up north to guide the Egyptian giants to back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021. But a lot has changed…

IT’S not often that a head coach of a senior professional rugby team is younger than some of the players, but that will be the case for Edgar Marutlulle at the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. The scrum coach last season, Marutlulle has been promoted to take charge in the new campaign, which kicks off on Sunday with a tough encounter against defending champions the Pumas at Loftus. A former SA Schools hooker, Marutlulle, who attended Potchefstroom High School for Boys, represented several provincial and franchise teams, including the Lions, Leopards, Southern Kings, Eastern Province, and the Bulls and Blue Bulls. In fact, he has not actually retired as a player. He arrived at Loftus Versfeld in 2016, and was selected for South Africa A against the England Saxons…

SOUTH Africa’s economic indicators are currently all pointing towards an impending recessionary period following the latest credit ratings downgrade, and shrinking gross domestic product (GDP), while the country has recently been greylisted. The SA Reserve Bank (SARB) said yesterday that the country’s terms of trade (including gold) deteriorated further in the fourth quarter of 2022 as the rand price of imported goods and services increased while that of exports decreased. The SARB said the country’s current account balance switched to a deficit of R174 billion, or 2.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the final quarter of 2022 from a revised surplus of R3.1bn in the third quarter. This was the largest current account gap since the third quarter of 2019, as the goods surplus narrowed further to R12.2bn…

PAN-AFRICAN financial services group Sanlam stood firm as it navigated a tough 2022 of “extreme turbulence” amid high insurance claims and investment volatility. Challenges it faced last year included significant volatility in global equity, credit and interest rate markets as well as flooding in KwaZulu-Natal. In its results for the year ended December 2022, life insurance new business volumes slid 10% to R64.8 billion, while the value of new covered business fell 14% to R2.4bn. This as the group increased its divi- dend by 8% to 360 cents per share, while its headline earnings increased by 2.8% to R 9.3bn. Its general insurance net result from financial services declined by 32%, impacted by several factors including significant claims inflation, adverse weather conditions as well as investment market volatility.…

CONSTRUCTION can finally begin on the Msenge Wind Farm, located near Bedford in the Eastern Cape, which signed a deal with Sasol in January to supply 69MW of renewable energy to the company’s Sasolburg site. It is the first utility-scale private wind farm in South Africa with its power wheeled or transmitted across the national electricity grid. In a statement yesterday, African Clean Energy Developments (Aced) said that the Aced-Ideas-Reatile Consortium has reached financial close with its lender Rand Merchant Bank on the 69MW wind farm and begun construction. “The project will supply renewable energy to power Sasol’s Sasolburg site, which will be used for green hydrogen production. This comes at a time when South Africa is experiencing the worst load shedding in its history due to a generation gap…

l 200 000 sign petition to get rid of police minister Despite the escalating crime rate and a 200 000-signature petition to persuade President Cyril Ramaphosa to get rid of Police Minister Bheki Cele, the president is not willing to budge. Ramaphosa appeared in Parliament yesterday where he told MPs that he backed Cele – just as lobby group Action Society’s online petition clocked 200 000 signatures, calling for Cele’s removal. EFF leader Julius Malema had asked, in written questions, whether Ramaphosa had confidence in Cele and national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola. Ramaphosa attributed the escalating crime situation to “extreme inequality” and Covid-19. “I’m confident that the minister and (Masemola) are competent to lead the government’s collaborative approach to building a South Africa where all people feel safe,”…

A POLICE detective based in Brakpan has been accused of assaulting his wife. Pictures of the abuse have been circulated on social media, calling for the SAPS and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to take action. Ipid revealed that the woman was previously assaulted by her partner and the matter was investigated. Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said: “Ipid has recently seen images of a woman who was assaulted and beaten to a pulp by her partner, Xolani Mthembeni Kunene, on social media. According to social media statements, the woman was refused assistance by both SAPS and Ipid.” Suping said: “Ipid would like to clarify the following: the woman was previously assaulted by her partner and the matter was investigated by Ipid. “The officer was arrested but was subsequently released…

A search is under way for a lion that has been spotted around the R511 road, near the popular Hennops Hiking Trail and areas bordering Gauteng and North West. Arthur Crewe, speaking on behalf of the Strategic Response and Rescue Unit (SRU), said the lion remained on the loose and it had not been confirmed where it escaped from. He said a security officer patrolling the area had spotted it on the R511 in the Hennops area at 2am on Wednesday. “He (the security officer) posted on the local group for everybody to be cautious,” Crewe said. “At around 7am yesterday, I dispatched our search and rescue team to try and locate the lion and bring it back safely. We did not know where she had come from. “People in…

Kerry Washington wore one of Whitney Houston’s most iconic dresses to celebrate Black excellence. The actress was honoured with the Excellence in the Arts Award at the American Black Film Festival Honors, and she marked the occasion by wearing the late singer’s red Marc Bouwer gown from 1996 at the ceremony. She told Extra about her outfit choice: ”When you get an award for Black excellence, you gotta go to Black excellence, you know what I mean?” Washington added she was “honoured” to be wearing the piece, while she has been “thinking about (Whitney) a lot” lately. Asked if Houston, who died aged 48 in 2012, was an inspiration to her, Washington said she always tried to remember “all those that have come before us”. “She’s a big inspiration to…

Renowned media personality and businesswoman Bonang Matheba has attained recognition as one of Africa’s 100 most impactful women entrepreneurs with visions for reimagining Africa's future. This major recognition came as the world marked International Women’s Day under the theme, DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. Matheba, who launched her popular drink, The House of BNG, has been on an upward trajectory with many accolades to boast about. Her celebratory drink has been used at most premium lifestyle and entertainment events in the country and is reported as one of South Africa’s top-selling MCCs. She recently revealed that she sold 500 000 cans and further expressed gratitude to her supporters. “We sold 500 000 cans in January alone. Ya’ll love some @houseofbng, huh?!! Insane. I’m so happy. Thank…

Radio personality, DJ and podcaster Sol Phenduka hosted the reunion of the hit Showmax Original reality series that premiered on Wednesday. Content executive producer for POP/Media 24 Keneilwe Senyatsi said Pheduka’s charismatic and objective nature made him the ideal host, because he came with the right humour, compassion and appreciation for all the women and their storylines. Renowned entertainment commentator Phil Mphela was among viewers who shared his views about the show on Twitter, revealing some of the issues he felt could have been handled differently. “So many things happened on this reunion that are just embarrassing. We truly have degenerated into the abyss of content. It’s not about these ladies being in the sex industry – it’s the disrespect by production and even security. Even Sol didn’t bother. T-shirt?…

With the horrific accident in uMhlanga on Monday morning, we can only be grateful that no one was killed. A bit of a miracle, really, if one looks at the vehicles involved. Once again, the powers that be pontificate about what will be done, but it all boils down to hot air. Until the owners of the trucks are held responsible, nothing will change. I worked in Germany from 1978 to 1984, and the company I worked for had trucks that went all over Europe. German traffic laws were strict. The person who planned the logistics and briefed the drivers would, in the presence of the driver, install a round hardish paper disc with magnetised points on it (like old computer programs) behind the odometer, if I remember correctly. When…

Second Test, Day 2 SA: 320 & 4/0 West Indies: 251 (Holder 81*, Coetzee 3/41, Harmer 2/63, Rabada 2/19) South Africa lead by 73 runs MUCH of the talk before the final Test of the summer at the Wanderers concerned whether it would survive long enough to see the weekend. It all seemed to be going to script after the first day-and-a-half’s proceedings, with the West Indies requiring just 18 minutes to end South Africa’s first innings at 320 before the tourists were reduced to 193/9 in response on the second day. But now barring any major batting catastrophes today, the Johannesburg locals could still come streaming in tomorrow - customarily the best supported day up on the Highveld - to consume some Test match cricket. That has as much…

ENGLAND captain Owen Farrell has been dropped for tomorrow’s Six Nations match against France, with Marcus Smith selected in his place for the pivotal flyhalf role. Farrell, 31, will start on the bench, with prop forward Ellis Genge named by coach Steve Borthwick as skipper for the Twickenham clash against the reigning champions. “The players selected to face our visitors are again a reflection of what I see to be the right balance of personnel for the challenge we face in this game,” said Borthwick. “Marcus Smith starts at flyhalf and Dave Ribbans returns to the match-day 23. Congratulations to Ellis Genge, who will captain the side for the first time.” It is the first time Farrell, a veteran of more than a hundred Tests, has been omitted from a…

THERE may be over six months – 185 days, to be exact – to go to the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup opener against Scotland, but the competition for places is red-hot at the moment. The defending champions will kick off their Pool B campaign at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Sunday, September 10, and also face Romania, Ireland and Tonga. Before that, of course, is the shortened Rugby Championship, which starts on July 8 against the Wallabies in Pretoria, and three further World Cup warm-up Tests against Argentina, Wales and the All Blacks. The training camp that will conclude in Stellenbosch this week was vital in creating the building blocks for France 2023, but now those 14 players in attendance – as well as a number of other strong…

THERE was good and bad news coming out of the Sharks camp yesterday regarding ace fullback Aphelele ‘Weekend Special’ Fassi. The good news is in fact great if you are a Sharks supporter because the Durbanites have fended off a strong challenge for the services of the 25-year-old and he has re-signed for the next chapter in his rising career. The not-so-good news is that the ‘Weekend Special’ has been grounded for six to eight weeks after badly injuring his shin bone playing against the Stormers last week. Fassi hobbled from the field in some pain and the injury means he will play a limited part in the business end of the United Rugby Championship (URC). The seventh-placed Sharks still have plenty of work to do if they are to…

SIM TSHABALALA, the CEO of Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, delivering bumper annual results, said yesterday that the South African economy looked run down, with pessimism about a quicker turnaround become more entrenched amid unprecedented electricity supply and other structural constraints further straining the continent’s most sophisticated country. Standard Bank is anticipating interest rates in South Africa to increase by an additional 25 basis points in the first half of the current year, although the lender believes a pause in rate hikes is possible beyond that. It also anticipates inflation to moderate to 5.9% in the year ahead, while economic growth will likely come in at 1.2%, held back by “severe electricity shortages and structural constraints” to the economy. “The level of electricity disruptions experienced this year…

THE SOUTH African Poultry Association (Sapa) has extolled growth in the local industry despite challenges, including load shedding, which has necessitated investments that adds amounts ranging from 75 cents to R2 to the cost of production as well as higher grain and other input costs. Sapa CEO Izaak Breitenbach has said the industry had been able to hold its own despite extensive culls in Janu- ary and February as a result of power cuts. This put pressure on farmers to not pile the increases on the consumer. Daily power cuts disrupt 24-hour production schedules and necessitate expensive investment in diesel generators. Sapa estimates that load shedding adds 75c/kg to the cost of producing a chicken. In addition, production was reduced in January and February by 13 million…

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) has received an impressive 3 316 films from 137 countries for submission into this year’s edition, leaving the programming team with quite the task. The 44th festival, presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, is set to run from July 20-30. Festival manager Andrea Voges and 15 other programmers have their work cut out as they decide which films will make it through to be screened at the leading film festival on the African continent. Voges, who has worked at a number of festivals, said this year’s programme would showcase the works of film-makers who “placed their imaginations, voices, creativity and lenses at the centre of creating films that inspire, confront, challenge and provoke audiences. The programming…

Health Minister Joe Phaahla said authorities are following up to verify the causes of deaths through medical records since the inception of a strike by health-care workers affiliated to the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu). Phaahla confirmed that four people have died in Gauteng since the beginning of the strike. “We are still following up to verify the causes of death and make sure that it can be definitely linked with the strike. From other provinces we have not received any confirmation of deaths that can be linked to the strike,” he said. The minister said the more intensive strike action is in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, portions of KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. He said there were reports from Klerksdorp in the North West and…

COPE’S sole councillor in Tshwane, Dr Murunwa Makwarela, has been reinstated as mayor with effect from yesterday. On Tuesday, Makwarela was disqualified by city manager Johann Mettler as a councillor after it surfaced that the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, had declared him insolvent in 2016. His return to office comes after he submitted a certificate of solvency rehabilitation to Mettler in keeping with a promise he made this week. The declaration of his insolvency status by a court of law meant he was ineligible to hold a public office as a councillor in terms of Section 158 (1) of the Constitution. He was under pressure to produce the evidence of solvency rehabilitation to demonstrate that he was not an unrehabilitated insolvent, and that he was eligible to occupy public office.…

One of the 10 murder accused in the Rosettenville shooting was reprimanded during court proceedings after he asked people in attendance at the Johannesburg High Court to sing happy birthday to him. Andrew Thobolo, this week turned 68. During proceedings, Thobolo stood up to tell the judge that while he understood he could not have cake, he wanted to know if the court could sing for him. According to EWN, Judge William Karam wished him happy birthday but turned down his request. Thobolo appeared in court to establish where Legal Aid could represent four of the accused – himself, Khulekani Nkosi, Phendulani Mvubu and Mike Ngwadi following their application. They are charged with murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances. In February last year,…

The 47-year-old golfer’s former partner, Erica Herman, lived with him in Florida during their six-year relationship and says she performed “valuable services” for the sporting legend in lieu of paying rent. According to the former restaurant manager, there was an “oral tenancy agreement” between the pair which was supposed to last five more years after they split last year. However, according to documents obtained by TMZ, Herman claimed Woods’s staff convinced her to pack for a “short vacation” without the golfer last year but after driving her to the airport, she was told she had been “locked out” and wasn’t allowed back to the house. The 38-year-old alleged one of Woods’s lawyers met her at the airport with a proposal to resolve any issues between the former couple, and also…

Usually, when you’re in love you want to show it to the world. Whether it be through public displays of affection or constantly sharing all your special moments on social media, you proudly show off your significant other. Having said that, there are couples who prefer to keep their relationships private, and there’s something quite special about that as well. While they might keep their relationship off social media, it doesn’t mean they stay home all day and never go out on dates. When you’re with someone and love them, you should be happy and proud to be at their side when you’re out together. This, however, seems to be different in this relationship. An unhappy man has taken to Reddit to share that he suspects his girlfriend…

Returning and better than ever! The Johannesburg International Comedy Festival (JICF) is back with three days of delightfully packed comedic performances. With a lengthy history of providing top-notch comedy experiences, JICF features the hottest local and international artists available. JICF is slated to provide some much-needed laughs and is proudly presented in co-operation with Comedy Central (DStv 122), BET Africa (DStv 129), IOL, and in association with the Department of Arts & Culture. The largest independent international comedy festival in Africa, JICF, is in its eighth edition. Over 20 local, pan-African and international comedians will perform during the three-day comedy showcase at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, east of Joburg, from the end of this month. The festival continues the long-standing custom of showcasing both emerging artists and the…

I have been in the psychological field for a while now. I have studied, read and researched numerous articles on assisting diverse individuals with suicidal thoughts. Along the way, I remembered, during my younger days I had devoted much time to reading Scriptures. I stumbled across an interesting saying: “Life does not give you a challenge that you cannot handle”. But, if you reflect back on your childhood, your teenage years and early adulthood, you would realise that every challenge faced has taught us meaningful life lessons. Yet, in the course of this learning process, we have endured much hardship and struggles, confronting our battles head-on. Can we agree that we have within us the tools to face and overcome the challenges life has to offer? You should feel proud…

ORLANDO Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says they’ve thoroughly prepared for their Nedbank Cup last 16 tie against Venda Football Academy as they do not want to be caught off guard. After a relatively lukewarm season, Pirates are hitting all the right notes towards the end. The MTN8 champions are on course to finish in the top three in the Premiership and win a domestic double via the Nedbank Cup. And while coach Riveiro has conceded that finishing in the top two and qualifying for the CAF Champions League is their ultimate mandate, they’ll not neglect their winning duties in the country’s premier club knockout competition. After all, winning the Nedbank Cup doesn’t only guarantee silverware and R7 million prize money, but also entrance to the Confederation Cup – a back-up…

PARIS Saint-Germain were convinced that persuading Kylian Mbappe to stay would finally deliver them Champions League glory, but the failure to build a strong enough team around the France superstar has contributed to another early European exit. Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich in Germany saw the Qatar-owned club lose their last-16 tie 3-0 on aggregate and go out in the first knockout round for the fifth time in seven years. PSG’s run to the 2020 final now looks even more like an anomaly, coming in a pandemic-hit season when the Champions League was reduced to a mini-tournament behind closed doors. There were celebrations last May when Mbappe agreed a new three-year contract to stay with Lionel Messi and Neymar in the French capital rather than join Real Madrid.…

AT 64, Ernst Middendorp’s recently ended spell with Swallows FC could have been the last in his long journey on South African soil. Middendorp unexpectedly quit the Dube Birds to return to Germany with SV Meppen, a third-tier side in his homeland. However, never say never. Middendorp’s experience will make him an attractive option to a few mid-table Premiership clubs should he want to return to South Africa. In addition, he has South African citizenship, which means that clubs don’t have to go through much hassle to recruit him. Middendorp’s football career was mainly spent with lower league sides in Germany. He started his managerial career in 1987 with lower league side Eintracht Nordhorn, before taking charge of Arminia Bielefeld. An interesting fact about him is that he is one…