Star -julkaisun 2023-11-02 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

ECONOMIC growth in South Africa is expected to stagnate below 1% this year as activity remains constrained by inadequate electricity supply, freight rail capacity and a weaker global outlook. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday said that the long-standing structural constraints continued to limit economic performance in the country. In his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Godongwana said power cuts were expected to continue for the remainder of this year, before gradually easing in 2024. He said the gross domestic product (GDP) outlook had dimmed in spite of the 0.9% growth experienced in the first half of the year, and the recovery in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction, transport and communications. “We forecast a 0.8% growth in real GDP in 2023. This is 0.1 percentage points lower than…

Treasury Director-General Dr Duncan Pieterse, who was only appointed in August 2023, but who was intimately connected with the Eskom bailout negotiations, said yesterday that Eskom debt relief remained conditional on progress. The media have privileged access to the Finance Minister as well as Treasury officials during the lockup, while the Minister is joined by the Director- General of Treasury, the governor of the South African Reserve Bank and the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. As at September 30, 2023, the government has disbursed R16 billion of the R78bn debt relief for 2023/24. A task team has been established with officials from the National Treasury, the Department of Public Enterprises and Eskom to monitor compliance with the conditions and report quarterly on whether Eskom qualifies for the…

The MINISTER of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has revised down spending in the current financial year by R21 billion, while making additional allocations for disaster relief. In his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Godongwana said a further reduction of R64bn in 2024/25 and R69bn in 2025/26 was proposed. “The implications of these adjustments will be partially offset by departments implementing the cost containment guidelines issued by the National Treasury. “It will also be offset by implementing control measures on payroll systems in line with the directive issued by the Department of Public Service and Administration, as well as implementing the recommendations from the spending reviews conducted in the past two fiscal years,” he said. Godongwana said the government had made a strategic decision to allocate funds to sectors that are…

The Medium-Term Budget Statement (MTBS) laid bare the consequences of the failures of state-owned entities like Transnet and Eskom, which is negatively affecting the mining sector’s profitability and government tax revenue. In a stark illustration of this, the mining corporate tax take in the first half of 2023/24 is down by R24.6 billion, or 55.4%, relative to the same period a year earlier. This is an important factor in the R56.8bn downward revision in gross government tax revenue compared to what was expected in the February budget. The scale of the fiscal problem was further emphasised by the fact that, despite cuts to non-interest expenditure over the next two years of R85bn and the signal of R15bn worth of tax hikes in 2024/25, government debt is now expected to peak…

THE 2023’s MEDIUM-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) has seen deterioration in the fiscal metrics, key of which are the government’s debt to gross domestic product (GDP) and fiscal deficit projections. The Budget is consequently credit negative, with the risk of credit rating downgrades having risen for South Africa, and the three key rating agencies, Fitch, Moody’s and S&P to potentially give their country reviews this month. Specifically, the medium-term, gross debt is projected to now peak at 77.7% of GDP in 2025/26, versus February’s Budget estimate of 73.6% of GDP for the same year. The current fiscal year (2023/24) has seen a substantial reduction in projected revenue collection as expected, by -R56.8bn lower, raising the budget deficit. The 2023/24 budget deficit is now projected at -4.9% of GDP versus the…

More South African consumers will be making the switch from busy shopping queues to the convenience of e-commerce sites on Black Friday, says Carey van Vlaanderen, the CEO at ESET Southern Africa. “That’s why staying vigilant and knowing how to spot dodgy deals and scams has never been more important,” Van Vlaanderen said. Dan Thornton, the CEO of GoldPhosh, said: “We have to be on the lookout for dodgy deals and be smart when it comes to prices that seem too good to be true.” Four online scams: Phishing emails This is when criminals send emails that claim that a customer’s order has been confirmed. People are urged to click on a malicious link to find out what the contents are. Another is when criminals send an email that says:…

TEACHER unions and parents have rejected the new policy that provides for the possession, consumption or sale of liquor during a private or religious function on school premises. The policy is included in the new Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (Bela) the National Assembly approved recently. The bill aims to amend school rules and is expected to be tabled in the National Council of Provinces before President Cyril Ramaphosa signs it into law. There were 222 votes in favour of the bill and 83 again it. The fourth clause, which has caused a stir, provides for the possession, consumption or sale of liquor during private or religious functions on school premises. Sadtu General-Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, told The Star’s sister newspaper, the Daily News, that the union was against the new…

PUBLIC Protector (PP) advocate Gcaleka Kholeka has blasted the City of Tshwane (CoT) for failing to provide water suitable for consumption to township residents and animals. This comes almost six months since a cholera outbreak in the township claimed the lives of more than 20 people. Kholeka made damning findings against the municipality in a report dated October 31 emanating from a complaint by a certain Edwin Bapela. On September 1, 2021, Bapela asked the PP to investigate allegations that the city was failing to provide residents of Hammanskraal with clean drinking water. The probe was conducted despite the fact that other reports by the Hammanskraal Community Water Inquiry and the SA Human Rights Commission confirmed that the Hammanskraal water was not of good quality. The PP’s report found…

For the past couple of weeks I have been fortunate enough to spend some time in the new limited edition Toyota Hilux Raider X. It’s been a while since I got into a Toyota bakkie and getting in brought back a lot of memories from my Toyota Fortuner days, which was one of the best adventure vehicles I’ve owned. After a few days of daily driving, fetching the Mrs from work and going to the shops, I was quite impressed with the fuel consumption averaging only 9.0L/100km. This is always good for a vehicle of that weight and size. With the current fuel price, this is something we are all looking for, so I thought this would be the ideal time to take a drive down to KZN as well.…

Climate change is unfortunately upon us, and it affects the country’s rainfall patterns. Some the rainfall is characterised by heavy winds and flash floods that often leave a trail of destruction in our communities. These are the effects of climate change, and they are going to be with us for a long time. This is evident in the recent torrential rains in Western Cape where rooftops were blown away by the strong winds and the roads were left submerged in water. Hundreds of homes were saturated with water and people, including children, lost their lives. It is so heartbreaking when the little ones are also victims of such circumstances. As adults, we have a responsibility to protect our little ones. In KwaZulu-Natal, the recent heavy rains left eight people dead,…

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has cast his net far and wide to bolster his squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda later this month. He has named a 44-man preliminary squad that will be trimmed to 23 players before a camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre on Monday, November 13. An interesting inclusion in the squad is the Kempton Park-born left-footed centre-back Bradley Cross, who is playing for Golden Arrows. He made headlines two years ago when he was signed by Newcastle United after an impressive spell at German club FC Schalke 04. He was on loan there from Bidvest Wits, a PSL outfit at the time. Cross failed to break into Newcastle’s Premier League squad, and played mainly in the…

Golden Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza has thrown his weight behind national mentor Hugo Broos to lead Bafana Bafana to a better future. The Belgium-born coach has never shied too far away from controversy since his arrival on South African shores two years ago, as his blunt personality rocked the football fraternity. Broos, an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Cameroon in 2016, has made shocking yet bold decisions since his appointment in 2021, and has always had the words to defend them. While he has found himself at loggerheads with Premier Soccer League clubs, Broos’s impact at Bafana since taking over has earned him an admirer in Khenyeza. The 41-year-old mentor, who has guided Arrows to a surprisingly strong start to the 2023/2024 campaign, complimented Broos’s forward-thinking approach as one…

The last time the Bulls faced Zebre, they ran in 11 tries in a 78-12 romp at Loftus Versfeld in April last year. But on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off SA time) at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, co-captain Marcell Coetzee is expecting a very different United Rugby Championship encounter. The hapless Italian outfit have usually been the whipping boys in the URC, but have come close to causing upsets in both matches this season. They nearly knocked over Ulster in Parma, going down 40-36, before a narrow 34-31 defeat to the Ospreys in Swansea last weekend. Of course, the Bulls lost 26-19 to Ulster in Belfast on Sunday, having thrashed the Scarlets 63-21 at Loftus Versfeld in their tournament opener. “If you come with a complacent mindset, or you are not…

A SPIN-OFF from the electricity crisis is that it has forced many households and businesses to invest in renewable energy and this capacity is now double that of the strictly government-controlled formal renewable energy programme, which started in 2011. In yesterday’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that rooftop solar capacity installed by homes and businesses amounted to 4.412MW, or “twice the capacity installed to date under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.” Over the next three years, he predicted, more than 11 000MW of electricity capacity from various renewable resources will be added, which would significantly reduce power outages. The MTBPF yesterday included spending on renewable energy and a just energy transition in line with international efforts to combat climate change and…

GROWING small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and making it easier for them to trade was a simpler solution to economic growth and job creation than the strategies outlined by the government in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Garth Rossiter, the chief risk officer of SME bank and funding services provider Lula, said yesterday. Rossiter said that to him, the MTBPS appeared to be “vague” plans that would attempt resolve the country’s immediate problems over the next three years, such as the issues of electricity, load shedding, and the ability to transport goods in the country. These problems were also negatively impacting the ability of small businesses to trade, he said. He said unlike previous Budgets, SME’s or companies were not mentioned once in the MTBPF, and while small businesses…

TREASURY officials said that they are making progress on 17 of the 22 action items that the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) asked South Africa to attend to and the Treasury officials said they expect compliance by early 2025. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his speech said that the government expected to address all the deficiencies identified by the FATF by early 2025. The FATF warned on October 28, 2023 that unless South Africa showed consistent improvement in the regu- lation of anti-money laundering and terrorist financing standards, the country would remain on its grey list, but this issue was not addressed in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) documentation given to the media before the speech. Instead, the media have an opportunity to speak with Treasury officials during…

Professor Raymond Parsons, North-West University Business School: In the face of pressing economic and fiscal challenges, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana offered a realistic, but vulnerable fiscal picture for South Africa. Several of the fiscal risks outlined in the main February Budget have materialised and were recognised by the Minister. While it may have been inevitable that the Medium-Term Budget has allowed public debt levels to rise even further it must be seen as a stop-gap measure that still needs to be remedied by appropriate economic steps. There was clearly no appetite for tough decisions in the Medium-Term Budget. On the positive side, the MTBPS recognised that whatever the current fiscal strains, public finance sustainability in the longer term ultimately…

Accused (S1) M-Net, DStv channel 101 at 8pm After a group of Navajo friends are arrested for protesting the local uranium mine, they come up with a plan to try and shut it down for good. Come Dine With Me: South Africa BBC Lifestyle, DStv channel 119 at 7pm. It’s ladies weeks and Andre struggles to get a word in with teacher Nicole, aspiring actress and presenter Makoto and final host, Mrs Krugersdorp, Dominique. Expedition: Back to the Future (S1) Discovery, DStv channel 121 at 8pm Josh Gates and Christopher Lloyd set out an epic journey in search of the iconic DeLeorean Time Machine from the Back to the Future trilogy of movies, hoping to deliver it to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Dirty Home Rescue (S1) CBS Reality, DStv…

Yet another Rea Vaya bus service strike has left some commuters in Soweto and parts of Johannesburg stranded. A Soweto commuter, Nompumelelo Luthuli, said the bus service is unreliable; every month new problems prevent the service from running. “It is not fair for people who depend on this service. I was charged for a trip after the lady at the Ellis Park station said the bus is coming soon. I waited two hours and still no bus but a trip was deducted due to your incompetence,“ the commuter said. The latest suspension of services is said to be due to salary problems with the Rapid Bus Transit Service saying some routes have been suspended. The National Union of Mineworkers SA (Numsa) condemned the City of Joburg for its failure to…

Seven men who allegedly kidnapped a Wits student will remain behind bars following an unsuccessful bail application in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the men also face charges of attempted murder and extortion after they allegedly demanded a ransom of R30 000 from the victim’s family. The accused are Sanele Ndlovu, 26, Vikani Khanyeza, 28, Sohollo Khumalo, 26, Sphamandla Mavundla, 33, Lungisani Shabalala, 33, Thulani Mazibuko, 23, and Khayelihle Zulu, 24. NPA provincial spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the accused are said to have lured the student on a date via a dating app called Grindr, a dating site for the LGBTQI+ community. “The accused held him hostage and demanded a ransom of R30 000 from his family. They also allegedly sent hor- rific images…

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has urged people who are travelling to malaria-endemic areas to take appropriate precautions in summer. NICD principal medical scientist and head of laboratory, Dr Jaishree Raman, said the malaria-risk areas in South Africa were at present limited to the low altitude, shared international border regions of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. “According to the 2022 World Malaria report, in 2021, South Africa reported 2 968 cases and 56 deaths. “Among the three malaria-endemic provinces, Limpopo reports the highest number of cases, while KwaZulu- Natal reports the lowest number of cases,” said Raman. The start of summer generally marks the start of the malaria season in South Africa, due to higher temperatures and increased rainfall in the malaria transmission areas. The NICD advised travellers to…

LACK of by-law policing was one of the major complaints raised by residents in Ward 64 in Centurion during a campaign by ActionSA president Herman Mashaba ahead of the November 8 by-election. On Tuesday evening Mashaba spoke to residents at The Reeds on Markotter Road about the state of service delivery and the scourge of crime. Illegal dumping, informal settlements, drugs, lawlessness and air pollution were some of the burning issues raised by locals, according to party ward candidate Henriette Frohlich. Mashaba told those present that if ActionSA failed in the 2024 general elections “Zimbabwe will be like a Sunday school picnic and I really dread to live in a country like that because I am not going anywhere”. He lamented that the country had become the murder capital of…

The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) that organises the SA Music Awards (Samas), is not taking kindly to the events that led to the cancellation of the 29th Samas ceremony, which was to take place in Durban this month. On October 25, the future of the annual Samas event was uncertain after Siboniso Duma, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (Edtea), pulled the plug on their involvement. The drama unfolded after political party ActionSA threw a spanner in the works. In a letter to ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, ActionSA said: “This is not only a blatant case of misuse but also potentially sinister, given the absence of an itemised budget with accurate and substantiated figures. “ActionSA supports the hosting of the Sama Awards in eThekwini for…

If Paris is the home of trendy designs and chic then I suppose it’s not too much of a stretch to say that Range Rover is pretty much the equivalent in the motoring world. The designs of their SUVs puts them well ahead of the pack, especially among the more traditional luxury brand manufacturers and even many more expensive exotics. And Paris is where we found ourselves just off the Arc de Triomphe on a Saturday afternoon to drive the new Range Rover Evoque Autobiography P300e the following day. But first, because Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is a sponsor of the Rugby World Cup, with its more rugged Defender headlining the global showpiece, we were privileged enough to witness the quarter-final between the All Blacks and Ireland in Stade de…

The petrol-powered Volkswagen Golf GTI is living on borrowed time. Earlier this year, brand chief Thomas Schaefer confirmed that there won’t be another combustion-engined Golf, although by “another” he was referring to a new, ninth-generation model. However the German carmaker is not yet finished with the current gen-eight Golf, and prototypes of a facelifted model have been widely spotted in Europe. And the latest intel suggests that the GTI version of this “Golf 8.5”, as some have dubbed it, will be going out with a bang. According to Autocar, the standard version of the facelifted Volkswagen Golf GTI is likely to gain around 15kW to match the 195kW output offered by the latest version of the EA288 2.0-litre turbopetrol fitted to the new Tiguan and Passat. Maximum torque, meanwhile, is…

It is the World Cup that keeps on giving for Springbok rugby fans after revered captain Siya Kolisi said that he has no intention of quitting the game at the international level. Earlier this year, when the 32-year-old announced that he was leaving the Sharks for Racing 92 in Paris, he hinted that the World Cup would be his swansong – but he has had a change of heart. At OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg this week, Kolisi was asked about his future, and his answer was music to the ears of adoring South Africans. “Nothing will change for me with the Boks,” he said, smiling. “I will still be up for selection, because I really want to continue to play. “On being captain, I am not sure. I am…

The country’s fiscal outlook had severely deteriorated and debt-service costs are rising, he says FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana has delivered the news no-one wanted to hear, that there is going to be less food on the table as the government has to pay bloated interest on its debt. Godongwana yesterday warned that South Africa’s fiscal outlook had severely deteriorated as the rising debt-service costs were “crowding out” priority expenditure and consuming a greater share of the National Budget. “The main Budget deficit has increased by R54.7 billion compared with the 2023 Budget estimates. This reflects lower revenue performance, higher wage bill costs and higher projected debt-service costs,” Godongwana said. This comes as the government is expected to significantly raise its borrowings to average R553.7bn per year over the next…

THE MINISTER of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, said yesterday that the collection of revenue this year was lower relative to the 2023 Budget, citing under-collections in corporate tax, particularly from the mining sector. The gross tax revenue estimate for 2023/24 has been revised down by R56.8 billion to R1.73 trillion. This reflects lower revenue performance, higher wage bill costs and higher projected debt-service costs. “The main reasons for this are a sharp fall in corporate income tax, particularly from the mining sector. “The result of the shortfall is a substantial worsening in the main budget deficit in the current fiscal year. We are now projecting a deficit of 4.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) compared to our previous estimate of 4%,” he said. Godongwana said under these circumstances, measures…

THE COUNTRY’S Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, has said that the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant will continue until March 2025, while it considers social security policy reforms and a funding model. The Minister said that R34 billion had been allocated to extend the grant by another year. “Over the medium term, a provisional allocation is retained while a comprehensive review of the entire social grant system is finalised. The 2023 Budget indicated that the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant was only funded until March 2024. “Government proposes that the fiscal framework make provision for funding for the grant for 2024/25. Beyond this, a comprehensive review of the entire social grant system by the Department of Social Development and the National Treasury is required,” Godongwana said. The Treasury…

The MEDIUM-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) shows that the National Treasury is doing its best to hold the line against rising political pressure to increase spending. Although spending, excluding interest on debt, has increased this year by R30 billion, of this R27bn is financed by re-prioritising existing spending. While this may not be possible, it is important that Treasury is signalling to investors its intent to respond to political pressure in the most prudent way possible. The outcome of the debt profile in the MTBPS was largely expected and in line with our in-house expectation that issuance of South African local currency bonds would not be increased, despite the rather terrifying redemption profile that SA faces over the next ten years. South Africa’s rand denominated redemptions have averaged R33bn…

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana walked a tightrope when he juggled the public finances in an effort to support the economy, stabilise debt and extend the R350 grant. Tabling his medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) yesterday, Godongwana painted a dire picture of the state of public finances. “The economic outlook over the medium term remains weak, reflecting the cumulative effect of power cuts, the poor performance of the logistics sector, high inflation, rising borrowing costs and a weaker global environment,” he said. The budget deficit had increased by R54.7 billion compared with the 2023 budget estimates. “This reflects lower revenue performance, higher wage bill costs and higher projected debt-service costs,” he said. The government was projecting a deficit of 4.9% of GDP compared to the previous estimate of 4.0%. “Under these…

There have been a growing number of fraudulent medical practitioners emerging in South Africa, and individuals found to be masquerading as doctors need to be brought to book as they endanger the lives of many people. Thebe Matlhaku, senior underwriter: Medical Malpractice at ITOO Special Risks, said many patients cannot afford the high costs of private health care, so con artists prey on them by offering their services at lower prices. This contributes to the growing problem of fake doctors. “The emergence of a large number of unregistered or bogus doctors practising medicine in South Africa is alarming, and this type of conduct is putting the health of the public at risk. “It is therefore encouraging that authorities are bringing these people to book, as they are playing with people’s…

FORMER President Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution against State advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan will remain on the court roll, Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Nkosinathi Chili said yesterday. Four court rulings have gone against Zuma in the private prosecution matter and he has applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court after a recent Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) finding. Judge Chili yesterday postponed the matter to April to allow the former president time to finalise his appeals. Zuma has alleged that Downer violated the NPA Act by sharing court papers containing his medical information with Maughan. Advocates Andrew Breitenbach for Downer and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi for Maughan, yesterday argued that the private prosecution should be removed from the roll or adjourned and how this should unfold. Ngcukaitobi said…

South African lobby groups are putting pressure on the government to urgently pass the Liquor Amendment Bill, which will see the legal drinking age increased to 21. At the 7th Biennial Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) in Cape Town recently, the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (Saapa) reiterated its stance on increasing the legal drinking age. The lobby group says delaying when youngsters begin drinking would have a positive effect. “We are calling for a number of alcohol harm reduction interventions which include raising the legal drinking age to 21,” said Saapa spokesperson Terri-Liza Fortein. The alliance wants the government to pass the Liquor Amendment Bill of 2017. “This would mean a comprehensive approach would be in place to reduce alcohol harm. This would include no advertising except at point…

As the country closes focus on Mental Health Awareness Month, the Gauteng Department of Health this week launched the country’s second-of-its-kind mental health museum at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria. In a joint effort between the department and, among others, the University of Pretoria, the department launched the museum to showcase tools used in early days to treat patients with mental health challenges. These include pictures and apparatus, equipment, typewriters and straitjackets. This was as the institution marked 131 years of existence, having been established in the 1800s, and, said Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, the hospital and the museum were a symbol of individuals who had, over the years, experienced mental health challenges and been treated by the hospital. She said: “It is a repository of stories, a refuge…

TIME was running out fast for 8-month-old Ashley Meerkotter when specialists from the world-class Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital performed a lifesaving operation to repair a hole in her heart. The Maboneng Foundation co-ordinates medical expertise and donor funding to help children like Ashley. The specialised procedure was performed by cardiothoracic surgeons Dr Schürmann and Dr Martin Myburgh of the Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute, anaesthetist Dr Krishnee Naidoo and cardiac perfusionist Mogotsi Mophosho. They all gave pro bono of their time and expertise to help Ashley. After spending just three nights in hospital, Ashley was well enough to be discharged and continue her recovery at home and has been going from strength to strength ever since. “We didn’t know if our brave little warrior would…

James Ngcobo, the acclaimed director and visionary behind the thriving Joburg City Theatres, is thrilled about his latest collaboration with a groundbreaking international play. His participation in Never Look Back, a play written by Sheffield actor and director John Rwothomack and performed at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, exemplifies his indelible mark on the industry. Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, CEO at Joburg City Theatres, speaks fondly of how Ngcobo demonstrates his commitment to celebrating diverse voices and stories from around the world. “Ngcobo’s contribution to this project extends beyond his role as an artistic director; he is also responsible for creating international linkages to bring this story to a broader audience, and when such collaborations happen, we eagerly await the magic we will bring to our patrons,” said Nduneni-Ngema. “His dedication…

WITH the local Nissan Rosslyn plant in turmoil with the imminent demise of the NP200 bakkie next year and hundreds of staff members facing retrenchment, Nissan Global CEO Makoto Uchida says the plant is still very much part of the Nissan Global plan. Currently the plant manufactures the Navara bakkie for local consumption and export into Africa and the NP 200, which means when its run ends it will only be making one vehicle. Speaking at the Japan Mobility Show, Uchida said it fits into their plans as part of expanding the journey of the company. Without divulging any specific details of what can be expected going forward, he said: “Yes, in South Africa and Africa we are looking at a lot of potential but we need to be prepared…

The once mighty Kaizer Chiefs have again incurred the wrath of the PSL disciplinary committee, who have announced punitive measures in an attempt to end the violent behaviour of fans stadiums. A string of defeats for Chiefs over the past few months has resulted in a plethora of charges against the club after coach Molefi Ntseki became the fans’ regular target to display their anger. The long-suffering Amakhosi supporters have now had nine seasons without a trophy, and after recent defeats, they were unable to contain their frustration. The latest charges stem from their Carling Knockout Cup defeat against AmaZulu at FNB Stadium on October 21, when the fans went on a rampage. On Tuesday evening, PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu confirmed that Chiefs pleaded guilty to the charges, and will…

South Africa completed the double over New Zealand yesterday, with the Proteas thrashing the Black Caps by 190 runs to put them within touching distance of a place in the Cricket World Cup semi-finals. After the Springboks edged the All Blacks in last weekend’s Rugby World Cup final, captain Siya Kolisi and President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the nation to now switch their attention to the Proteas. In previous years, this spotlight has proved too bright for the cricketers, but Temba Bavuma’s team are showing that they want to be considered genuine contenders with the tournament fast approaching the business end. And they are doing so in such a sparkling manner that everyone is starting to believe that things may just be different this time around. Four years ago, England…