Índex per 2024-02-12 a Star

Finance Minister under pressure to expand social grants, implement national health plan PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) speech last week has put an additional burden on Finance Minister Enoch Godon- gwana’s upcoming Budget speech to make allocations for the expansion of social grants and the controversial health plan. This was the view of a number of analysts who said Ramaphosa had trumped populist policies at the expense of the fiscus during his Sona, in a bid to curry favour with the electorate and secure a second term as the country’s President. Ramaphosa last week said the government would extend it and improve the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant, which currently reaches some 9 million people every month, as the next step towards income…

THE US RATINGS agency Moody’s down- graded Israel’s credit rating on Friday due to the impact of its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, lowering it by one notch from A1 to A2. In a statement, Moody’s said it had done so after assessing that “the ongoing military conflict with Hamas, its aftermath and wider consequences materially raise political risk for Israel as well as weaken its executive and legislative institutions and its fiscal strength, for the foreseeable future”. It was the first time Israel had been downgraded, Bloomberg reported. Moody’s also lowered its outlook for Israel’s debt to “negative” due to “the risk of an escalation” with the far more powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that operates along its northern border. Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack resulted in…

I HAVE ARGUED and advocated for a period of time that the State of the Nation Address (Sona) is about impact and not inputs. The President is the ultimate mirror of the state of the nation. Thus, the Sona needs to reflect how impact measures have either undermined or accelerated the pace of the nation towards a better life. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Sona last week needed to stand on the firmer ground of official statistics rather than in my-shelf-type numbers that are hauled out for election purposes. To better understand this, I need to relate how one tries to capture a mole. Dogs like to dig for moles. But hardly have they been able to come out with a mole. A molehill often serves as a decoy of where the…

South African-born and internationally renowned DJ Black Coffee has made his first public appearance since his recent flight accident. He was seen alongside one of his sons at the State of The Nation (Sona) address in Cape Town on Thursday evening. The incident occurred in January while Black Coffee – whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumalo – was on his private plane, travelling from Brazil to Argentina. He sustained significant injuries when the plane began experiencing severe air turbulence and was forced to make an emergency landing at Montevideo Airport in Uruguay. But just about a month after the incident, the award-winning artist was spotted at the Cape Town City Hall. He was seen wearing a neck brace and dark sunglasses, accompanied by his son Anesu. The DJ’s estranged wife,…

“Food parcels and T-shirts will not cut it this time. Only an end of poverty and creation of jobs will convince our people to vote for us.” These were the words of ANC chairperson Panyaza Lesufi, who yesterday, alongside ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) presidentSisisi Tolashe, gave their instructions to scores of ANCWL volunteers at the Orlando Community Hall ahead of the party’s provincial election campaign. Lesufi urged those who will be campaigning for the governing party to tell residents of Gauteng that his government is serious about creating jobs for women and youth. He said it can’t be that people are promised T-shirts and groceries when they are unemployed. Lesufi, who recently issued appointment letters to 32 000 young people, said poverty has resulted in the ANC being insulted…

Over the past 20 years, there has been an unprecedented increase in charismatic Pentecostal prophets – men of God as they’re called in Pentecostal parlance. Across Africa their unchecked influence has spread into social, economic and political institutions. Pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing strands of Christianity in Africa. In Zimbabwe, for example, the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministry claims its membership rose from 45 to more than a million in just five years. This is a significant number in a country with a population of 16 million. Zimbabwe’s United Family International Church boasts that tis Sunday services attract more than 70 000 people. Charismatic Pentecostal prophets are known for leading megachurches like these that emphasise faith healing, health and wealth. They often attract youthful and marginalised members…

With Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, discussions about dates, gifts, trips, and other topics have become more exciting, with many people planning to make the day special for their loved ones. According to Hinge, a popular dating site, the search for love also elevates, with 35% more dates scheduled on Valentine’s Day than any other day, while Tinder sees a staggering 11.4 million more messages received from January to February 14. Many people find the month of love rush to be stressful, from setting up a date to planning the ideal evening – all of which could be derailed by your outfit selections. The experts at BestBettingSites.com, a leading comparison site, surveyed 3 000 people worldwide to find the top fashion faux pas you should avoid on Valentine’s Day to…

SIMILAR to how members of the public helped to identify the whereabouts of convicted criminal Thabo Bester at a Woolworths store, so too can they help with locating the remaining suspects on the run in the AKA and Tibz murder investigation. Instead of offering “crumbs” on the first year’s anniversary of the murder of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, police have been urged to rope in the public and business community to help assist in locating the remaining suspects allegedly on the run. As scores of fans shared their memories of rapper AKA, Kiernan Forbes, on the anniversary of his shooting on February 10 last year outside a restaurant in Durban, security experts have questioned the police’s insistence to keep mum on the remaining suspects…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2024 State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday night was intended to inspire hope and confidence in the future of South Africa. However, amid the grandiose claims and boasts of progress lies a stark reality that cannot be ignored. One of the most glaring toxic traits of our political landscape is the tendency to celebrate actions that should be considered basic responsibilities of governance. Ramaphosa’s address sought to deflect attention from critical issues facing the nation, but let’s delve deeper into the realities obscured by his rhetoric. Ramaphosa proudly highlighted the provision of meals to more than nine million schoolchildren, conveniently sidestepping the harsh truth that a staggering 62% of children in South Africa live in impoverished households. Particularly alarming is that nearly three-quarters of children…

SASOL’S share price fell hard by 4.1% on Friday after it said interim profit had been hurt by weaker oil and petrochemical prices, unstable product demand and inflation cost pressures. A trading statement by the fuel and chemicals company said adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) was expected to fall between 0% and 18% for the six months to December 31. Adjusted Ebitda was expected to be between R26.2 billion and R29.4bn compared to the prior half’s R32bn. Sasol’s share price traded at R146.21 on Friday afternoon, this after steadily trading lower over 12 months from R278.66 at the same time a year previously. The share closed the day at R146.55, 3.9% lower. “Despite some operational im- provements in South Africa, persistent under-performance of the State-owned…

THE DURBAN Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 had maintained single digit numbers of vessels at anchor, having increased operational teams to 11 per shift on the waterside handling, Durban Terminals said in a statement on Friday. The combination of employee allocations and evacuation of import containers averaging 35 wagons daily, via rail to back-of-port facilities, had also enabled fluidity on the landside handling. The interventions had resulted in significant improvements and considerable decongestion of the terminal. “At the height of the vessel backlog in November, DCT Pier 2 had 43 491 import containers waiting at anchor, and has since reduced that number to 1 738,” it said. Managing executive at the Durban Terminals, Earle Peters, said there were ongoing positive engagements with shipping lines and transporters. “We…

THE NATION’S true state is embodied by the challenges South Africans have to overcome daily and not by the good- sounding economic and democratic achievements of the past that were held up to us during last week’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) by President Cyril Ramaphosa. As always, there remain more questions than answers. The current high unemployment rate is a concern in terms of economic progress. How is it that far-reaching economic reforms, an ambitious investment drive, and an infrastructure programme starting to yield results, still don’t result in sustainable jobs? The placement of over a million school assistants in 23 000 schools to provide them with work experience is troublesome, as such short-term solutions tend to leave people unemployed as soon as the project ends. Thirty…

FARMERS are oozing excitement and confidence after the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development criss-crossed the country last December to inform them they will be receiving title deeds to the farms they are leasing from the department. This has brought delight not only to the leaseholders, but to the wider agricultural fraternity, who have argued that the lease arrangement is disadvantaging black farmers. To understand the shortcomings of the lease arrangement, one must first contextualise the evolution of the land reform programme in South Africa. Land reform has three pillars – restitution, redistribution and tenure security. Restitution focuses on redress by assisting individuals who were dispossessed of their land by race-based policies, such as the Natives Land Act of 1913. To remedy the injustice, the government, in 1994,…

Get-well wishes have been pouring in for award-winning musician Lloyd Cele, who has been admitted to hospital. According to posts on his social media handles, the “Idols SA” season 6 runner-up confirmed that he is in hospital awaiting more test results. He did not as yet divulge the nature of his illness, saying that all would be revealed in due course. The “Can’t Hurry Love” hitmaker also thanked his fans, friends and church leaders for the overwhelming show of support and love he has been receiving through his “difficult time of sickness”. “There are some extraordinary, special, wonderful humans out there, who I have never met and probably will never do, and some I have from church or wherever … too many of you to mention. “I sincerely wanted…

Date set for court spat between ANC and newcomer to the election fray The date for the legal battle between the ANC and the Jacob Zuma-backed MK Party over the registration dispute of the party has been set for March 19 at the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein. This comes after the ANC had last month requested the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to reverse the registration of the new MK Party while at the same time having dragged the party to court over a trademark dispute. The war of words as well as political mudslinging come as the MK Party continues to make inroads in regions and areas previously dominated by the ANC, despite some opposition parties regarding the Zuma-backed party as a regional party. On Saturday, while…

INTERNATIONAL Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor said her life might be in danger after she received threats from suspected Israeli agents. As a result she has asked Police Minister Bheki Cele to beef-up her security. Pandor has been vocal in condemning Israel’s war actions in Gaza, as South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over allegations of genocide. Pandor told journalists at the State of the Nation Address that she had spoken to Cele over her family’s security. “I spoke to Minister Cele because of the messages I was getting, and I felt it would be better to have extra security. What I am more concerned about is my family because in some social media messages, my children are mentioned,” said Pandor. “The Israeli agents,…

Acclaimed designer Gert-Johan Coetzee has teamed up with Pantry, known for its delicious dishes, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, elevating the day’s mood. Known for outfitting celebrities in Africa and beyond, the innovative fashion designer is back with an incredible partnership: Pantry x GERT Valentine’s doughnut Wednesday. With this collaboration, haute couture and culinary artistry come together in a delicious fashion and flavour fusion. It also represents a harmonious convergence of food and fashion, a symphony of taste and style that promises to delight all the senses. Speaking about the collaboration, Coetzee says it is a celebration of beauty in all its forms, further inviting everyone to experience it. “This collaboration is a celebration of beauty in all its forms. It’s about capturing the essence of luxury and bringing it to…

Infrastructure projects provide essential services and other benefits to people from all walks of life, and play an integral role in the welfare and economic stability of a nation. However, it’s often difficult for developers and clients to measure how successful a project will be once completed. While every precaution is taken in the planning and construction phases to ensure the structure’s long-term durability and utility, the only true measure is how people use it every day. There is value in understanding a project’s impact and success once completed. Post-analyses help determine whether what we deliver is of value and meets the needs of the client, especially the communities we serve. It further identifies potential issues that the system may experience, what the long-term maintenance requirements will be, what additions…

THE COMPETITION Commission plans to do a market inquiry into the poultry industry value chain, saying it has reason to believe there are features in the poultry market that may impede, distort or restrict competition. This will come as another blow to poultry companies, which only two weeks ago heard that they would face stiffer competition from frozen imports, after the government provided temporary import rebates on frozen poultry. The rebates were granted ostensibly due to a shortage of birds locally, following the culling of 8.5 million chickens last year due to avian flu, and notwithstanding that the industry has disputed there was a shortage that necessitated the import rebates. However, some poultry product prices in some regions, notably for eggs, have increased sharply in the past year due…

WITH SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) leaving the financial markets with more questions than answers, and many of the country’s structural risks remaining unsolved, the markets should brace for continued volatility in the lead-up to the National Budget Speech on February 21 and continue to hedge against risk. The president spoke about key issues facing the country, but fell short on explaining how these issues would be addressed. The recurring sentiment of promises around delivery without a clear implementation plan has resulted in markets becoming disinterested in Sona. The rand barely moved in response to Sona. Sona to Sona There have been no major shifts in economic policy, comparing Sona 2023 to Sona 2024. High economic uncertainty re- mains, and was in fact exacerbated…

MOST EQUITY indices on the JSE moved weaker last week. The US dollar remained strong and, helped by lower metal prices for gold and platinum, the rand to dollar exchange rate traded at levels around R19. The State of the Nation (Sona) address by President Cyril Ramaphosa had a minor negative effect on South Africa’s equity, exchange rate and the bond markets. The All Share Index (Alsi) lost 0.5% on Friday and 1% over the whole week. The Alsi total return index for the year till Thursday, February 8, is down by 3.7%. The Resource 10 index lost 2% on Friday alone as the prices for gold, platinum and palladium tumbled on Friday. The All Share Industrials, however, traded up by 0.2% on Friday, gained 1.5% over past week…

THE SOUTH African agriculture industry continues to face difficulties that threaten its viability, while also pursuing exciting new growth prospects. For the Land Bank, which is dedicated to agricultural financing, assessing these developments is critical, both from a risk management and opportunity point of view, as well as on how they will impact the well-being of our farmer clients and the sector overall. Among the most pressing issues are the problems at the Port of Cape Town, which are disrupting fruit exports during peak season for crops such as table grapes and deciduous fruits. Container throughput has dropped compared to last year, due to reported operational inefficiencies and weather patterns resulting in delays in the movement of goods at the ports. These persistent challenges amplify the industry’s anxiety, especially as…

CANTONA James has become one of Mzansi’s hottest new actors since his breakthrough role in Showmax’s Spinners, which was released towards the end of last year. If you have seen the 25-year-old actor’s performance in the series, you will agree that the high praise he has received is merited. Cast as Ethan, who at 17, works as a driver for local gang leader Damien to take care of his younger brother (played by Jihaad Otto), his tragic life story in the Cape Flats is only to be expected as the community suffers from many social ills relating to poverty, gang violence and drug abuse. With a dead father and a drug- addict mother, who has abandoned them, Ethan is forced to do what he has to, to ensure they…

TinTswalo’s life story is worse than that of someone born in the 70s, Xolelwa Kashe-Katiya of Indlulamithi Scenarios 2035, has told Newzroom Afrika. The research-based organisation, which has been researching and conducting studies as well as scenarios building exercises for the future of South Africans, revealed that South Africans born in 1994 and beyond are worse off than those from previous generations. On Thursday, in his State of the Nation Address (Sona), President Cyril Ramaphosa used Tintswalo, a child of the democratic South Africa, to highlight the successes of the governing ANC. He said Tintswalo, and many others born in democracy, were beneficiaries of the policies of the democratic state. Kashe-Katiya said the story of Tintswalo, as illustrated by Ramaphosa, had some pockets of success as the country has become…

EFF leader Julius Malema, who has described KwaZulu-Natal as a key battleground for this year’s national general elections, has told his party’s provincial leaders that he expects nothing less than a provincial ballot win. Malema, addressing thousands of supporters during the manifesto launch at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, said provincial chairperson Mongezi Twala must lead the party to victory at the elections. The party has deployed deputy president Floyd Shivambu to the province to head the election campaign as it sees an opportunity to grow its votes in a ballot that will be hotly contested. Malema said that KZN is the home of the EFF as the province is where the party grew the most in 2019. “In the 2019 provincial and national elections, the EFF got more than…

CITY Power has “successfully” disconnected a number of non-paying business and residential customers which collectively owe the Johannesburg power utility more than R50 million in electricity bills. City Power management together with law enforcement officials led the charge in the Midrand service delivery centre (SDC) areas on Thursday, as part of the ongoing revenue collection drive. “While the team was only targeting over R50 million, the Midrand SDC alone is owed over R350m by defaulting and non-paying customers,” City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said. “Most of the customers we paid visit to, were mainly residential complexes, with one owing over R25m.” He said “quite unfortunately” in most cases the tenants at the premises would be paying their electricity bills to property management utility companies. “However, those property managers fail…

Around 160 children visited the Colbyn Wetland Nature Reserve in Pretoria earlier this month to learn about wetlands and why we need to restore and protect them. This annual event, held to celebrate World Wetlands Day, was hosted by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa-affiliated Friends of Colbyn Valley and the Agricultural Research Council’s Institute for Soil, Climate and Water. They were this year assisted by the South African Wetland Society, Southern African Young Geomorphologists, Youth Engaged in Wetlands and BirdLife Northern Gauteng, and sponsored by Ocean Breeze Food Merchants. A number of environmental professionals and students volunteered as leaders and facilitators at the event, including, among others, specialists from the Agricultural Research Council, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the Department of Water…

FANS can now breathe a sigh of relief after news that internationally acclaimed music DJ Black Coffee is recovering after his plane accident. Nkosinathi Maphumulo, fondly known as Black Coffee, who was spotted at the State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Cape Town, has taken to social media to thank everyone who respected his privacy. He said: “Thank you for respecting my privacy during an intimate and enlightening moment in my life. “I’ve taken this time to recover and take some much-needed time off at home, healing with my family by my side. It’s been rejuvenating on a handful of levels. I can’t wait to be back on the dance floor with you all very, very soon. “I’m thankful to the merciful God for giving me yet another chance.…