Tabla de contenidos para 2023-09-19 en Star

ESKOM’S unbundling process has reached another milestone as the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) moved a step further to becoming operational following the approval of the two outstanding licences. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) yesterday approved that the NTCSA be issued with a five-year trading licence following an application lodged in compliance with section 10 of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA). The NTCSA is envisioned to be an independent transmission system operator incorporating, inter alia, the currently non-licensable but integrated functions of network provision, system operation and system planning. Nersa said the service that would be rendered under the trading licence was the buying and selling of electricity as a commercial activity only. The NTCSA applied for a trading licence to buy and sell electricity…

THE NATIONAL Treasury yesterday released guidelines detailing cost-containment measures for government departments as the country attempts to rein in spending ahead of the mid-term Budget in November. In a letter sent to all government departments, the Treasury outlined the fiscal challenges facing the State and suggested widespread cost-cutting measures. South Africa’s public finances have been in rapid decline as tax collections year to date were R22 billion less than the government had forecast in its February Budget, according to the guideline document. Tighter financial conditions and a higher-than-budgeted-for public wage settlement necessitated these new cost-saving measures, the Treasury added. The guidelines state that cost-cutting would be required “to achieve much-needed savings and prevent the materialisation of potentially crippling resource constraints in the later part of the 2023/24 financial year“,…

THE MARKET yesterday welcomed the move by Zeder, which has investments across the agribusiness spectrum, to agree to dispose of its Capespan Group majority stake through its wholly-owned subsidiary Zeder Financial Services Limited (ZFS). The group said the agreement excluded its pome fruit primary production operations and the Novo fruit packhouse, Pome Farming Unit. The share price jumped yesterday to a high of nearly 12% at R1.80 on the JSE, later moderating to close at R1.70. “Following the implementation of the disposal, Zeder will continue to own the Pome Farming Unit and as part of the disposal will conclude a strategic relationship with Capespan in respect of the marketing and distribution of the Pome Farming Unit’s crops,” it said. Zeder, through its wholly-owned subsidiary ZFS, holds 92.98% of the issued…

In a world where fashion trends change faster than ever before, the fashion industry has found a valuable ally in the form of generative artificial intelligence (generative AI). Just as AI has recently altered the world of music and visual art, it is possible that AI generated fashions will be displayed on the runways at future New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, as was done in Hong Kong in 2022. While the fashion industry has ex- perimented with basic AI and innova- tive technologies such as the metaverse, non-fungible tokens, digital identification, virtual and augmented reali- ty, generative AI seems to be a real game-changer. Many consumer- friendly generative AI chatbots have been released on the market and became a huge sensation in 2023, especially in the creation…

THE STAINLESS steel sector in South Africa has called on the government to make greater use of the product locally to drive further growth of the economy and create more jobs. The Southern African Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) said yesterday that together with the local demand-creating structures of the Steel Master Plan (SMP), it had identified and was focusing on projects that could positively impact the local conversion of stainless steel. Sassda executive director Michel Basson said: “We firmly believe that increased local conversion of stainless steel is not just essential; it’s a game-changer for our industry and the national economy. These projects are our industry’s stepping stones to fostering local demand and boosting the stainless steel sector”. Sassda said that the material was used in various sectors in…

Agribusinesses are cautiously adapting to South Africa’s challenging operating conditions, according to the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI). After remaining below the 50-point mark for three consecutive quarters, the ACI rebounded by six points from this year’s second quarter (Q2) levels to reach 50 points in the third quarter. According to the ACI, this improvement implied that agribusinesses were cautiously adapting to the challenging business conditions in the country emanating from the numerous long-standing challenges such as deteriorating infrastructure, failing municipalities, intensified geopolitical tension, and persistent episodes of load shedding. The readings above the neutral 50-point mark imply that agribusinesses are optimistic about business conditions in South Africa. The survey was conducted between the last week of August and the first week of September. The ACI comprises 10 sub-indices, and…

TSHWANE mayor Cilliers Brink yesterday announced a bold energy plan for the metro to procure at least 1 000 megawatts of electricity independent of struggling Eskom in the next three years. The move in the pipeline is intended to mitigate the negative impact of load shedding on the municipality. Brink outlined the plan at Rooiwal Power Station, where he addressed the media following council’s resolution last week to subject the proposed alternative energy generation to a public participation process. It is envisaged that the outcome of the public participation process will pave the way for the municipality to lease the Rooiwal and Pretoria West power stations to potential independent power producers. Brink bemoaned the fact that daily rolling blackouts impacted negatively on infrastructure and the City’s maintenance budget, adding that…

DR GEORGE Matsobane Senosha, synonymous with excellence, leadership, and community building, has returned from Lusaka, Zambia, after an intensive six-day engagement at the 5th All Africa Rotary International Institute. Senosha’s remarkable journey and achievements are making headlines as he becomes a trailblazer and the first black South African to occupy the prestigious district governor position in the 118-year history of Rotary International and the 103-year history of Rotary in South Africa. This historic milestone marks a significant turning point in the Rotary movement, symbolising the embodiment of Rotary’s core values of service, diversity, and inclusion. Senosha’s election as district governor not only shatters glass ceilings but also opens up new vistas of opportunity for Rotary’s engagement in South Africa and across the African continent. Senosha will unveil an ambitious plan…

THREE Unisa lecturers received Special Recognition Awards for Research Excellence at the 2023 National Research Foundation Awards. They are Kabelo Mokgalaboni (lecturer: Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences), Dr Athi Mavukwana (lecturer, Civil and Chemical Engineering, College of Science, Engineering and Technology) and Professor Lawrence Madikizela (Associate Professor, Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, College of Science, Engineering and Technology). The university said the trio of awards again give effect to Unisa’s vision “to become a centre of excellence and a lever of optimum, impactful participation in the global knowledge arena, as championed by Professor Puleng LenkaBula, the institution’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor”. Viewed as the benchmark for research excellence in South Africa, the annual awards recognise individual academics and teams for their recent outstanding scientific achievements.…

As the country continues to celebrate Heritage Month, popular cereal brand, Kellogg’s, has partnered with talented artist Lazi Mathebula to bring South Africa’s breakfast heritage to life through art. Kellogg’s head of marketing and brand custodian, Tamsin Darroch, said the brand decided to collaborate with one of the country’s leading visual artists to celebrate and honour its close association with the people of South Africa, who are represented in the limited edition’s special and bold packaging. “As part of the special celebration, we have also given away a range of prizes, including a share of a million rand, to consumers and South Africans so that they can nourish their great start. We really want to thank our consumers for supporting us for the past 100 years,” Darroch said. Mathebula, who…

The bad news for defences is that Springbok try-machine Cobus Reinach is feeling no ageing in his 33-year-old legs – not that anybody who saw him play against Romania on Sunday needs confirmation of that. Reinach scored a first-half hat-trick in the Boks’ 76-0 destruction of Romania in what was close to a perfect repletion of the hat-trick he scored within 22 minutes in the 2019 World Cup defeat of Canada. He didn’t quite beat his record from that Canadian clash for the fastest hat-trick in international rugby, but he wasn’t far off. Reinach is very much a chip off the old block in that his father, Springbok wing Jaco Reinach, was the South African 400m champion in the mid-1980s and he scored some scintillating tries against the New Zealand…

Banyana Banyana, fresh from their World Cup heroics, arrived in the United States yesterday without several key players for international friendlies against the Americans. The matches will be played at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Friday (1.30am kick-off) and Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday. Spain-based defender Noko Matlou had visa problems, while University of the Western Cape midfielder Sibulele Holweni picked up an injury over the weekend in the Super League clash against fellow students Tshwane University of Technology, and was forced to withdraw from the tour. South Korea-based striker Hildah Magaia is also on the injury list. South Africa will also be without Serie A star Refiloe Jane and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bambabani Mbane, who are still nursing injuries sustained at last month’s World Cup. Banyana have…

Manchester City begin their defence of the Champions League today when the group stage kicks off in the last season in its current format as Europe’s elite club competition gets ready for a radical change. Unveiled by Uefa in 2021 at the height of the crisis which saw a group of 12 clubs announce a breakaway Super League before promptly abandoning the project, the new-look Champions League will begin next year. It will see the number of clubs involved in the competition proper increase from 32 to 36, with all participants going into a single league in which teams will play eight games – up from the current six – in what is known as the “Swiss system”. This is therefore the last campaign, after two decades, in which the…

Stellenbosch FC and a beleaguered Cape Town Spurs will kick off Premiership action in the Western Cape tonight at venues some 50 kilometres apart (both starting at 7.30pm). Steve Barker’s Stellenbosch host Moroka Swallows FC at their Winelands venue, the Danie Craven Stadium. Closer to the centre of the Mother City, winless Spurs, bottom of the standings, entertain Golden Arrows, who have surprised with their form of late and are in second place behind Mamelodi Sundowns. Swallows coach Steve Komphela said he is aware that Stellenbosch are winless in their last three games, and he is expecting them to be more determined than ever to win. In their last match, Komphela faced a similar situation when they played the hitherto winless Richards Bay FC over the weekend. “We have to…

Coach Steve Borthwick praised his England players for “finding a way” to beat a tiring Japan on Sunday night, but the lively final 15 minutes could not wipe away the memory of the turgid fare that had gone before, even if the fans’ jeers had turned to cheers. “We felt that last quarter was where we needed to accelerate, and the boys did that,” arch-pragmatist Borthwick said after the 34-12 victory that left England exactly where they wanted to be after two games – top of Pool B, with two wins against their strongest rivals. He said the slippery conditions and Japan’s aggressive defence had contributed to his team’s lack of ambition with ball-in-hand, but his players took that caution to the extreme during a mind-achingly dull first hour. Again…

GEMFIELDS said yesterday that despite the lesser quality and quantity of emerald production at Kagem mine in Zambia in recent months, it was pleased to see yet another set of auction results that demonstrated that the emerald market remained in excellent shape. Gemfields which is the owner of Fabergé, announced the results of an auction comprised of commercial quality rough emeralds held from August 29 to September 15. The rough emeralds sold were extracted by Kagem, which is 75% owned by Gemfields and 25% by the Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia. The proceeds of this auction will be fully repatriated to Kagem in Zambia, with all royalties due to the Government of the Republic of Zambia being paid on the full sales prices achieved at the auction. According to the…

OCEANA Group, producer of the iconic Lucky Star brand in South Africa, said its Africa canned sales volumes increased 8% to 8.7 million cartons for the 11 months to August 27. The sales were driven by continued demand for affordable and shelf- stable protein. Sales volumes in the past five months had reduced by 5% over the same period a year before, where volumes were boosted by a return to normalised supply levels. However, the group warned that as far as its financial position was concerned, an increase in selling prices and reduction in freight costs were insufficient to offset above-inflation increases in energy, tin can and tomato paste costs, and the impact of the weaker rand against the US dollar on the cost of imported raw materials. “Positively,…

Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone on January 9, 2007. On September 12, 2023, Tim Cook may have unveiled an iPhone 15 and other products that mark the beginning of an end for the iPhone as a product. Besides the change in how you will charge future iPhones and how you will control them via a new button, there’s nothing much to celebrate. The EU has forced Apple to drop its traditional charger (lightning port) to adopt the USB-C charger. This means that an iPhone will be charged with similar chargers that are used by its competitors. The new iPhone 15 will also feature a major change in the form of an Action Button, which replaces the ring/vibrate switch, that can be programmed to do things like activating…

TRADE union Solidarity said in a statement yesterday it was concerned about the fate of almost 3 000 Sibanye-Stillwater mineworkers after the mining company announced lay-offs were on the horizon. The union said it would actively participate in the consultation process with the aim of preventing lay-offs, or at least, limiting lay-offs. The mining firm on Friday said it intended to lay off a total of 2 389 workers and 581 contract workers from the Kloof 4 shaft at Carletonville. Sibanye-Stillwater said this was pursuant to “ongoing losses over an extended period and operational constraints” at the Kloof 4 shaft. The initiation of the S189 consultations comes against the backdrop of failed attempts by the company to “address productivity issues and other operational constraints” at the operation. Losses…

Mzansi’s much loved SABC1 drama Uzalo is known for its regular changing of characters and relevant story lines to keep audiences intrigued. And the show continues to shine a light on South African talent. Stained Glass TV, the production powerhouse behind Uzalo, recently shared the news of a few changes and additions in the upcoming season. Uzalo season nine aims to end with a monumental bang as they maintain their promises of a mix of drama, suspense and action with the arrival of four renowned actors, who are ready to make their mark. Vuyo Dabula, joins the show as Bentley Majozi, a character who promises to bring a heavy dose of drama and suspense. Nonhle Jali, the ex-wife of soccer star Andile Jali, takes on the role of Thandiwe,…

Princess Charlene of Monaco was all smiles over the weekend as her foundation, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa (PCMFSA), hosted the inaugural Water Bike Challenge at Sun City. Among the celebrities competing in the South African version of the race was cricket star AB de Villiers, boxer Kevin Lerena, Olympic medallist Bridgitte Hartley, swimming star Ryk Neethling, model Lee-Ann Liebenberg, musician Jesse Clegg, actor Siv Ngesi, and DJ and model Roxy Louw. Photos were shared from The Monaco Palace Instagram account, of the fun-filled event, but someone who was noticeably absent was Prince Albert, along with the couple’s twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. The 65-year-old royal spent the weekend at the opening of the exhibition Pablo Picasso & Antiquity, and then accompanied the children on a…

Ingredients Glug olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tbs cumin seeds 1.5kg cubed lamb 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbs chilli flakes 2 tbs ground coriander Salt and milled pepper 1 punnet fresh dates, chopped ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 packet (400g) puff pastry, defrosted Method Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin seeds and fry until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Tip in lamb, cinnamon, chilli flakes and coriander. Season. Stir in dates and red wine vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Pour over enough water to cover the meat and cook on medium heat for 1½ to 2 hours, with lid on, until lamb is tender, stirring occasionally and ensuring…

A huge investment in vaccine production will be pumped into the country by the Federal Republic of Germany’s KfW Development Bank over five years. The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, announced the conclusion of the €20 million (R407m) financing agreement last week. According to the department, the grant is exclusively for financing equipment for the development, production and certification of active pharmaceutical ingredients for vaccine production in South Africa. “It will be used, among other things, in support of the mRNA technology transfer hub that South Africa is hosting for the World Health Organization (WHO) to build vaccine manufacturing capacity in low and middle-income countries, although it will go beyond this in providing support. “The objective of the technology transfer hub is to establish or enhance…

SOUTH Africa is a mess and moving towards the kind of crisis facing Zimbabwe, because of a lack of leadership. These are some of the observations of former vice-chancellor of the University of Kwazulu Natal and former Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, in his new book. The book, which is Tshwane University of Technology Vice-Chancellor Professor Tinyiko Maluleke’s book of the month, is titled Leadership for Transformation since the Dawn of SA’s Democracy Makgoba was speaking at a discussion event moderated by Maluleke at the TUT Pretoria campus where students gathered to take a leaf from the book yesterday. Makgoba did not mince his words about the future and politics of the country, saying a lack of leadership was keeping the country in dire straits. “We don’t have leadership…

Renowned actor and producer Tumisho Masha gets candid about his court battle that has been going on since his separation from his ex-wife, Zozibini Mtongana, in 2018. Masha said he was finally victorious after going in and out of court, highlighting that he was denied his rights as a father in fulfilling his fatherly duties towards his child. In a statement shared publicly, he said he found himself fighting charges laid against him based on fabricated lies about aggressive behaviour towards his child, as well as alcohol and drug abuse. Having won the custody battle against his ex-wife, he says he wants to use his story to empower other men. “This is in a continued effort to alienate me from my daughter, despite my child’s continued desire to spend equal…

ANC Gauteng secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza and his fiancée Lebo Phasha spilled the tea on how they keep their romance heated, suggesting that people should not limit themselves when it comes to pleasure. In an Instagram live video shared on social media, Pasha can be heard saying: “Do not limit yourself when it comes to pleasure; have it everywhere. Everywhere. Bedroom for what? For who? Yes, we want spicy.” In the video, a man suspected to be Nciza is heard echoing her sentiments, saying: “Bedroom for who?" Nciza was married to Mafikizolo’s Nhlanhla Mafu, with whom he shares three sons. Their daughter died in a car accident in 2009. After 15 years of marriage, the pair had an amicable divorce in 2019. “After almost 15 years of our strong bond…

Jose Riveiro is a practical coach – the sort who is not only swerved by results, but the overall performance of his team. Riveiro has brought a breath of fresh air to Orlando Pirates since taking over the reins last season, with his team having won the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup knockout titles, and finishing second in the Premiership. Given the instant impact their Spanish coach has made, the Buccaneers are expected to continue with the momentum, including knocking multiple league champions Mamelodi Sundowns off their perch. Pirates will clash with Sundowns in their first league match of the season at Orlando Stadium tomorrow night, with the two team having had contrasting starts to the season. Sundowns are already leading the pack with 18 points, thanks to six wins in…

The Proteas’ World Cup class of 2023 will be hoping they are not struck down by the same wretched luck that befell their predecessors four years ago. Former coach Ottis Gibson had put together a battery of fast bowlers ready to be unleashed in the United Kingdom, but before even leaving South African shores, they were without Anrich Nortjé, who suffered a “freak” hand injury in the nets. Worse was to follow when veteran fast bowler Dale Steyn failed to shrug off a long-standing shoulder injury, and returned from the UK without playing a single game. All the injury disruptions set in motion arguably the Proteas’ worst showing at a World Cup. Current coach Rob Walter will certainly be keeping his fingers crossed that a similar fate does not await…

Red Bull’s hopes of winning every race in the 2023 season were dashed in Singapore, where Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz triumphed and an exciting rookie claimed his first championship points. Here, we look at three talking points from the Singapore Grand Prix ... You can’t win them all Red Bull’s winning streak finally came to an end in a chastening weekend under the floodlights, as Sainz drove a perfect race to hang on to victory for Ferrari. The last time neither Max Verstappen nor Sergio Perez stood on the top step of the podium was in Brazil in November 2022. George Russell took his first grand prix victory in that penultimate race of last season. In Singapore on Sunday, the Mercedes driver was sniffing a second win when he crunched the…

Lions head coach Russell Domingo may have arrived at the Wanderers with a great deal of pedigree, having led both the Proteas and Bangladesh teams, but he is acutely aware of the unique pressures associated with his new job. The Lions are among the most successful provincial unions in the country, along with highveld neighbours the Titans, with Domingo taking over a side who have dominated 50-over white-ball cricket in South Africa over the past three seasons. After sharing the trophy in the 2020/21 season with the Dolphins, the Lions have successfully defended the title outright both in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Domingo will therefore have precious little time to settle into his new role with the 2023/24 season kick-starting with the Cricket SA 1-Day Cup. Last season’s runners-up Western Province…

Rand has breached the R19-to-the-dollar mark as the country’s government finances are deteriorating SOUTH Africa’s capital markets began what could be a tough week on the back foot as both the rand and stocks on the JSE traded lower due to concerns about the impact of rising oil prices on the inflation outlook and interest rates. The rand breached the R19-mark to the US dollar yesterday as markets continued to worry about the deterioration in South African government finances from overspending in a weak economy. Statistics SA is expected to release data on the August headline consumer inflation while the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) will announce its latest interest rates decision. It is expected to keep rates unchanged, but remain hawkish on the back of concerns of an uptick in…

RFG HOLDINGS, which owns market- leading brands such as Rhodes, Bull Brand, Magpie, Squish, and Hinds, said that for the 11 months that ended August 2023, revenue increased while sales volumes decreased due to the challenging trading environment, including load shedding and operational pressures at the Cape Town port. In its trading update released yesterday, the Western Cape-based food producer said it expected its revenue to rise by 10%. “The sustained growth was driven by price inflation of 13.5% as the group continued to make pleasing progress in recovering the higher input costs encountered over the past two years,” it said. According to the group, the trading environment remains challenging, with lower consumer spending and increased competitor promotional activity. “This has created volume pressure in some product categories, and overall…

Even from the far reaches of the globe, the prominence of Google is unmistakable. However, behind that seemingly simple search bar is an empire that the US Justice Department is currently challenging, in what is being termed as one of the most significant antitrust trials in recent years. Contrary to expectations, crowds were reportedly sparse on the opening morning of the case. However, there was in attendance one man dressed as Uncle Pennybags from Monopoly, under the guise of providing comic relief as a “fellow billionaire”, and to emphasise the power of Google’s quasi-monopoly. What’s the contention? Essentially, the US government alleges that from around 2010, Google began implementing anti-competitive strategies to ensure its dominance in the search engine realm. The Justice Department is keen to present the case as…

MONDI, the multinational packaging and paper group, has reached an agreement to sell Mondi Syktyvkar, its last remaining facility in Russia, for 80 billion roubles (about R15.8bn). The acquisition by Sezar Invest LLC would be paid for in a series of instalments, Mondi said in a statement yesterday. Net proceeds would be distributed to Mondi shareholders “in a timely manner” once all instalments were received, a statement said yesterday. The Russian Federation’s Federal Anti-Monopoly Service and the Government Sub-Commission for the Control of Foreign Investments had approved the disposal, and there were no further outstanding regulatory conditions. The 80bn roubles would be paid to Mondi in roubles and in six monthly instalments. The first four monthly payments would be for 13.5bn roubles each, with the first payment made by…

SOUTH African agricultural organisation Agri SA intends to write to Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza requesting an engagement with stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to discuss implications of the government’s stated intention of tackling food pricing. In a statement yesterday, Agri SA agricultural economist Kulani Siweta said this followed the recent announcement by Minister in Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni that Cabinet had directed the Economic Cluster to put in place an action plan on food prices, food security and access to food. “While Agri SA shares government’s concerns about the rising cost of food, government interference in the market could lead to empty supermarket shelves,” Siweya said. The agricultural organisation said food price inflation remained high, but the latest Essential Food Price Moni- toring…

Others may know him as an EFF member but for many he is known by his Generations stage name, Mandla Sithole. Fana Mokoena is one of the most talented actors in the country. He has appeared in several shows, among them Yizo Yizo, Hotel Rwanda and The Lab. To celebrate three decades in the theatre, television and film industry, he took us down memory lane, sharing his career highlights. After graduating from UCT in 1991, Mokoena worked in theatre in Durban. “I graduated in 1991 and joined the Playhouse Company. Playwright and director Lara Foot introduced me to my agent Moonyeen Lee, whom I’ve been with ever since. “I have worked with the biggest giants in this industry and, hopefully, changed lives in small ways. “I still managed to dedicate…

ANC veterans Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and former health minister Zweli Mkhize are expected to appear before the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) on several counts of refusing to toe the party line, although their supporters believe the campaign for next year’s elections could influence the party’s possible sanction. Dlamini Zuma, Mkhize, former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane will have to appear before the NDC to explain why they voted last year for the adoption of the section 89 report recommending an impeachment process for President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal. The MPs this year again defied the party in a vote on the creation of an ad hoc committee…

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has apologised for the delay in arranging the board medical exams. According to the council, the Medical Board exams were previously managed by an external service provider on behalf of the Medical and Dental Professional Board. That contract has expired. Earlier this month, the council appealed to the frustration and dissatisfaction among the South African foreign-qualified medical doctors whose registration with the council has been delayed due to administrative challenges. HPCSA registrar Dr Magome Masike said the appointment of the new service provider was a lengthy process. “However, I am pleased to announce that a new contract has been signed with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to manage the HPCSA Medical Board examinations for the next three years,” said Masike. The theory…

A teenage girl from Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, postponed her first day back at school after undergoing a successful operation at Groote Schuur, removing a stray bullet that hit her face, went through her nostrils and stuck at the back of her head during a gang-related fight last month. Tiyana van Rooyen, 13, a Grade 8 pupil at Beacon Valley High School, said she was looking forward to going back to school yesterday after being absent for almost a month, but having heard gunshots the night before caused her anxiety and she decided to stay at home. The teen also said that since the incident, she can’t bear being in a room full of people because she gets panicky. “I sometimes can’t help but get triggered. I am planning to…

Ntandokazi Ngoma Mbutuma is excited about the world of future skills. On Friday, the young woman from Ngcobo, Eastern Cape, won a gold medal for South Africa at the BRICS Future Skills 2023 Challenge at the Nasrec Expo Centre. After battling like-minded young people from other BRICS countries and encountering a myriad challenges to emerge victorious, Ngoma Mbutuma, 35, wants to use her voice to encourage other young people to dream big. Hosted by the Skills Development Working Group of the BRICS Council in South Africa, the challenge has seen hundreds of people aged between 18 and 35 pit their skills against one another to develop solutions for a range of challenges in various fields. This year’s annual event was hosted under the theme: “Solving today’s problems using tomorrow’s technologies…

It is a little too early in the season to term this week the litmus test of Mamelodi Sundowns’ credentials as South Africa’s best team. Yet there can be no denying that the next four days are sure to play a very important role in determining whether the Brazilians go on to be local football’s most dominant team once again, as they have been in the past six seasons. Sundowns will play back-to-back matches against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the Premiership and the MTN8 tomorrow night (7.30pm kick-off) and Saturday respectively, and are aware that success in both will set them up for a potentially great season. Beat Pirates at Orlando Stadium tomorrow night, and the team that have been local league champions for the last six seasons…

The Proteas have a responsibility to unite the country, to inspire and to give hope that there is more to the diversity of South Africa when the country acts as one. Since South Africa’s dismal World Cup campaign in England and Wales in 2019, the sport in the country has been mostly surrounded by drama and negativity, and because of that, interest from the public began its downward spiral. While the Springboks emerged as a symbol of hope for the country post-2019, SA cricket increasingly radiated a contrasting image as dramatic incidents occurred in and around the team. The involvement of former head coach Mark Boucher in some of the drama of the 2019-2022 period only reinforced the country’s lack of trust in the team and, to an extent, a…

Hekkie ‘The Hexecutioner’ Budler found out just why Kenshiro Teraji is nicknamed ‘The Amazing Boy’ after the South African suffered a ninth-round TKO stoppage in Tokyo yesterday. Teraji, 31, held on to his Ring Magazine, WBC and WBA light flyweight titles as the 35-year-old Budler – one of South Africa’s most decorated fighters – produced a valiant performance but could not defy ‘Father Time’. Towards the end of the ninth round Budler was unable to ward off a barrage of punches and Mexican referee José Guadalupe Garcia stepped in to stop the onslaught. After the fight, Teraji – now 22-1 – said he had tried to finish the fight too early and that allowed Budler to stay in it much longer. However, during the break at the end of the…

Fiji’s convincing victory over the two-time world champions Australia on Sunday was the first big upset of the World Cup and further enhanced the case for the Pacific islanders to have a place at rugby’s top table. Already a Sevens superpower as champions of the first two Olympic tournaments, the Fijians have played seven Tests this season and won five of them, with the vanquished including former world champions England, Japan and now Australia. The victory over the Wallabies was their first in 69 years but not a huge surprise to those who have frequently watched the disciplined and well-structured Flying Fijians play this season. Negotiations over the exact future framework of international rugby have been ongoing for a few years now but in playing terms at least, the Fijians…

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says he and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber would be “fools” if they went into World Cup matches “uncomfortable” with the ability of Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden to cover Bongi Mbonambi at hooker. Erasmus has used the opportunity created by the injury to first-choice hooker Malcolm Marx to call up flyhalf Handré Pollard to the 33-player squad, but many would have preferred specialist hooker Joseph Dweba to have been on a plane to France. “Maybe we have been remiss in not always giving the public all the information, but Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden have been training as back-up hookers for months,” Erasmus told reporters in Paris yesterday ahead of Saturday’s big clash with Ireland (9pm kickoff). “If Bongi had been…