Sommaire pour 2025-10-14 de Cape Times

South Africa’s citrus export season has wrapped up on a high note, with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) reporting a 19% year-on-year increase in export volumes handled across the country’s ports. According to TPT on Monday, the Durban Multipurpose Terminal recorded the most impressive growth, moving 131.6% more citrus than in 2024. The Ngqura Container Terminal saw a 35% rise, while both the Cape Town and Durban Container Terminals also posted double-digit increases of 27.4% and 28.8%, respectively. Michelle van Buren Schele, TPT’s general manager for commercial and planning, described the 2025 citrus season as “a remarkable achievement,” and thanked all those that have made this possible. “This year has been a remarkable achievement – and this is attributed to a bumper crop season, much improved terminal operational performance, and strong…

A secondary inward listing will preserve South African investor access and market liquidity CANAL+ Groupe, the global media and entertainment group that has closed the R35 billion acquisition of MultiChoice Group (MCG), plans a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock exchange. The deal that adds MultiChoice's extensive African subscriber base to CANAL+'s portfolio will see it serve more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries. It was CANAL+'s biggest acquisition, to date, and follows the global group's listing on the London Stock Exchange in December 2024. In June last year, CANAL+ and MultiChoice set out an offer by CANAL+ to acquire all the issued shares of MCG, not already owned by CANAL+, for R125 per share, payable in cash. "We are pleased with the overwhelming success of the offer.…

Eskom’s return to profitability after eight years offers some welcome positive news for the power utility and the broader economy. I want to congratulate Eskom for its financial results released last month, which showed it made a profit before tax of R23.9 billion. It is the first time the utility has posted a profit in eight years. I was impressed that this was achieved not just from higher tariffs, but from a fundamental and significant improvement in the operations of the state-owned entity. Load shedding was damaging to Eskom for many reasons, but one obvious consequence was that it had less electricity to sell and therefore less revenue it could earn. It also meant that Eskom ran its diesel-based open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) much more, which cost considerably more than…

For years, the focus of Cybersecurity Awareness Month has been on education – a necessary, but unfortunately incomplete, part of the solution. Despite countless training sessions and phishing simulations, the financial consequences of cyber incidents continue to climb. According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach for a South African organisation now stands at a staggering R41.1 million. This number confirms a difficult truth: awareness is not the same as resilience. Knowing that fast food is unhealthy does not, on its own, create a healthy lifestyle. Similarly, knowing about cyber threats does not, on its own, protect an organisation’s balance sheet. The conversation in the boardroom must evolve from asking "Are our employees aware?" to "Is our business resilient?". Resilience is not a passive state of knowledge; it…

South Africa’s financial regulator has imposed a R10.6 million fine on Sanlam Collective Investments (SCI) for failing to meet anti-money laundering obligations under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FIC Act), it said on Monday. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) said the sanction follows an inspection in March 2024 which uncovered serious compliance failures, including ineffective implementation of SCI’s risk management and compliance programme (RMCP), inadequate due diligence on clients, and deficiencies in identifying and reporting suspicious transactions. SCI, a unit of financial services giant Sanlam Ltd and a registered manager of collective investment schemes, is classified as an “accountable institution” under the FIC Act, which mandates measures to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The FSCA said while SCI had an RMCP in place, it was not…

In a warm, meaningful exchange yesterday, Dr Leila Fourie, outgoing CEO of the JSE, handed me a copy of Architects of Influence: Women in Business, a fitting token from a leader whose tenure has embodied that very narrative. As she prepares to step down on March 31, 2026, we at Independent Media pause not only to celebrate her many achievements, but to honour the spirit of inclusion and excellence she leaves behind. Since her 2019 appointment, Dr Fourie has guided the JSE through formidable challenges with innovation, strength, and a steadfast belief in inclusive leadership. Under her stewardship, the Exchange has matured into a more resilient, forward-looking institution that uplifts women and minorities in the financial sector. I offered heartfelt congratulations to Dr Fourie, and shared the pride of our…

When it comes to mental health, parents and kids often find themselves at odds over what matters most. But a groundbreaking survey reveals one powerful insight they both agree on: loneliness is the biggest mental health challenge young people face today. The Intergenerational Stressors Study surveyed 1 000 parent and child pairs in the US and found that both groups agree: loneliness is the top emotional issue for young people. This problem is not limited to the US; families around the world are facing the same challenge. Parents and kids may not always agree, but their shared concern about loneliness shows that families, schools, and communities need to help people connect more deeply. Let’s look at how loneliness affects both groups, why it is so common, and what we…

SUSPENDED deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya has defended being in contact with alleged murder mastermind and tender kingpin Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and controversial North West businessman Oupa Brown Mogotsi. He made the admissions when he appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations of corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system. Central to the issue are allegations that Sibiya played a key role in having the political killings task team (PKTT) disbanded by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu who has since been placed on special leave. The disbandment of the PKTT, according to SAPS Crime Intelligence Head, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo at the Madlanga Commission, was orchestrated by senior officials at the behest of a cartel that feared being exposed.…

THIS year’s annual Penguin Palooza at Stony Point Nature Reserve will feature the release of rehabilitated penguins back into the wild and shine a spotlight on the crisis facing the African penguin. Unique to the African continent, the African penguin is its only native penguin species and it's now facing a critical tipping point. It is now listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species. Populations continue to plummet, with fewer than 8 750 breeding pairs left in South Africa. At Stony Point in Betty's Bay the situation is even more dire. The 2023 census recorded 1 200 penguins. By 2024, that number had dropped to just 673, a staggering decline of nearly 50% in a single year and only…

A mother described how happy she was to see her then 8-year-old son coming out of the theatre, because finally the long-awaited operation on his deformed knee was done - only to discover that the doctors had operated on the wrong knee. The mother, who is not identified to protect her minor son, told the High Court in Polokwane that she cried tears of joy when she first saw her son. This was before she had realised that the doctors had operated on the right knee instead of the left knee. She subsequently instituted a damages claim against the Limpopo MEC for Health as she argued that the doctor who performed the wrong operation on her son at the Lebowakgomo Hospital was negligent. The boy, only identified as O, underwent…

Two elements were vital for the Proteas to be in contention in this first Pakistan Test. One of the spin trio selected had to step in and fill the void left by the injured Keshav Maharaj. And the other was the batters needed to find a way to counter Pakistan's potent spin threat. Towards the end of a second day in Lahore, the foundations were being laid to achieve those objectives with the Proteas moving to 174/2 in response to Pakistan’s 378 all out. The home team had lost their last four wickets for just 26 runs, largely due to Senuran Muthasamy’s 6/117 – the left-arm spinner’s maiden Test ‘Michelle’. “I've got a few in first-class cricket, but that was my first fiver in Test cricket. “It’s really special. It's…

Westbrooke Renewable Energy Alternatives, an alternative investment strategy managed by Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management said on Monday that it has acquired a portfolio of operational solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system assets located at 91 Shell Downstream South Africa (SDSAs) owned service stations across South Africa. The portfolio was purchased alongside one of Westbrooke Real’s partners, CVE South Africa, an experienced independent power producer. The assets were acquired from Thebe Solar Energy, which exited its position as part of a strategic realignment. The portfolio is fully operational and produces approximately 7.8 GWh of renewable power annually. The acquisition forms part of Westbrooke Real’s strategy to invest in South African behind-the-meter solar projects with experienced operators such as CVE. Westbrooke Real’s partnership with CVE has seen the joint acquisition and…

The JSE share price of ASP Isotopes, an advanced materials company that produces isotopes for various industries, surged by 28% to R210 on Monday after the announcement of a new supply agreement for enriched silicon-28 and a strategic acquisition. In a business update, ASP Isotopes revealed the acquisition of an independent radiopharmacy in Florida, USA, aimed at expanding PET Labs' nuclear medicine business. This move represents PET Labs' first expansion outside South Africa. "This acquisition marks an important first step in the planned expansion of PET Labs beyond South Africa. Over the next several years, we expect to grow PET Labs through both brownfield and greenfield expansions, with the goal of ultimately establishing PET Labs as a global leader in the production of radioisotopes for treating various forms of oncology,"…

Most people in tech start a career as interns and ultimately they become CEOs and if they start a business they also become tech founders. It’s rare for anyone to start as a founder and to later become an intern. This has been the case with Lunga Momoza, which makes him probably one of the most expensive interns in South Africa. When I first met Momoza I was deeply impressed by how he had spotted an opportunity in assisting township traders to stock for goods. His business story partly began in 2019 when Momoza enrolled at Stellenbosch University. Although he did not really know what studies to pursue when he came to the institution, he ended up enrolling for studies in philosophy, politics and economics. Momoza grew up in a…

Calgro M3, the South African integrated housing and memorial parks group traded on the JSE, witnessed a significant 7.7% drop in share price on Monday following the announcement of an 18.4% fall in headline earnings per share for the six months ended August 31. The decline in share price to R5.13 in the morning - it traded at R6.60 a year ago - may be due to raised concerns among investors as the company grapples with substantial capital allocations to ongoing projects. The decline in Calgro M3's revenue and profit for the six months was attributed to its investments in the Bankenveld District City Project, expected to result in some 20 000 additional housing units, where infrastructure installations have just begun. These costs are slated to reach R158 million over…

The Nobel prize in economics was awarded on Monday to American-Israeli Joel Mokyr, France's Philippe Aghion and Canada's Peter Howitt for work on technology's impact on sustained economic growth. Mokyr, 79, won one half of the prize "for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. Aghion, 69, and Howitt, 79, shared the other half "for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction", it added. John Hassler, chair of the prize committee, told reporters their work answered questions about how technological innovation drives growth and how sustained growth can be maintained. Mokyr, who is a professor at Northwestern University in the United States, "used historical sources as one means to uncover the causes of sustained growth becoming the new normal",…

Suspended deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya has attributed the tensions between himself and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to the arrest of the individuals allegedly involved in the murder of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and his friend Chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane. During his testimony before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, Sibiya explained that when the previous police Minister, Bheki Cele, had asked about a debrief on the case, he contacted Mkhwanazi's deputy, instead of the KZN top cop. He did not think Mkhwanazi would make a big issue of this. Thereafter, he got a call from Mkhwanazi, who, according to him, said: “You are not going to phone my province and order my people around”. Sibiya said that he did not take kindly to Mkhwanazi’s reaction and that the…

THE four suspects arrested over the murder and hijacking of LEAP officer Yonke Pakade are expected to appear before the Athlone Magistrate’s Court today. One of them was arrested shortly after the attack on Sunday, while three were caught later. The 26-year-old was off duty when he was hijacked. The attackers stabbed him multiple times, and stoned him. Safety and security mayco member JP Smith said LEAP officers responded to the scene in Sheffield Road on Sunday where the officer's vehicle was found abandoned. “His colleagues found him in the Marikana Informal Settlement, as he had tried to flee his attackers, but he succumbed to his injuries in hospital. LEAP officers initially arrested one male suspect.” Following the first arrest, the Safety and Security Information Systems Management (SSIMS) unit…

More than 500 people in the province were poisoned by common cleaning and household products in just six months, prompting renewed warnings from health authorities about the dangers lurking in everyday items. Between January and June 2025, the Poisons Information Helpline recorded 6142 poisoning cases, of which 514 were linked to everyday items such as bleach, detergents, air fresheners, and polishes. Children are among the most affected. Of these household product-related cases, 243 involved children under five, many of whom accidentally ingested brightly coloured or scented cleaning agents. “Many poisoning incidents occur not from neglect, but from everyday accidents,” said Cindy-Lee Golding, a specialist at the Tygerberg Poisons Information Centre. “A momentary lapse, such as leaving a bottle open or storing a cleaner within reach, can have serious consequences. Prevention…

South Africa’s women’s hockey team began their Africa Cup of Nations title defence with a commanding 10-0 victory over hosts Egypt in Ismailia, while the men finally got their campaign under way with a 3-1 win over Kenya. The South African women wasted no time asserting their authority, leading 5-0 at half-time after taking the lead inside the opening three minutes through the first of veteran Thati Zulu’s goals – an emphatic reverse strike. The hosts dug deep to resist the South African pressure in the third quarter, but the floodgates reopened in the final phase. There were braces for Taheera Augousti and Kayla de Waal, while Ntsopa Mokoena, Hannah Pearce, Ongeziwe Mali and Tegan Fourie also got on the scoresheet. The experienced South African side boasts nine members of…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank's semi-annual gathering of finance ministers and central bank governors gets underway in Washington on Monday, against the backdrop of new trade threats from the world's two largest economies. Last week, China unveiled new export restrictions on critical minerals, prompting a fierce response from US President Donald Trump, who said he would impose new 100 percent tariffs on Beijing in response. The news, delivered just after US stock markets closed on Friday, sent shares plunging after hours, as investors digested the prospect of a reinvigorated trade war. Last week, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told an event in Washington that the world economy is doing "better than feared, but worse than we need." She added that the Fund now expects global growth to…

Governance is often spoken of in technical terms. Policies, processes and compliance frameworks dominate the conversation, leaving little space for reflection on the quiet dignity that once defined good leadership. Somewhere along the way, governance became procedural rather than personal, more about ticking boxes than inspiring trust. Yet, governance was never meant to be a system of control. It was meant to be a practice of conduct. When did governance lose its grace? Perhaps it was when rules began to replace relationships, or when compliance became an end in itself rather than a means to ethical stewardship. In the pursuit of accountability, we may have forgotten that governance is not only about what an organisation does, but how it chooses to do it. True governance is not a rulebook. It…

Industry players have welcomed the KwaZulu-Natal High Court’s decision to dismiss APM Terminals’ application to overturn the selection of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) as Transnet’s private equity partner for the upgrade of Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 — a project seen as critical to restoring efficiency at South Africa’s busiest port. ICTSI was appointed as the preferred bidder in July 2023 for a 25-year joint venture with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) to modernise and expand the facility. Pier 2 is the largest single container terminal at Transnet and handles 72% of the Port of Durban’s throughput and 46% of South Africa’s container volumes, making it a critical gateway of trade. The State-owned logistics company said the ruling validated its procurement process, which it maintained was “rigorous and…

In December 2016, I sat down with Chad Larson, M-KOPA co-founder and CFO at the time, for an African Tech Roundup podcast conversation about their solar home systems business. The ground: What was promised With the precision you'd expect from a former Bain consultant and Bank of America investment banker, he explained that M-KOPA's grant funding (from Shell Foundation, Gates Foundation and others) didn't subsidise customers. It funded capacity building, the tech platform, upskilling the team. The customer proposition, he insisted, stood entirely on its own commercial merit. He was technically accurate. That farmer in Kenya's Central Highlands paying for her solar panel wasn't getting a discount courtesy of philanthropic capital. Fast forward to October 2025. Stephen Deng, co-founder and general partner (GP) at venture capital (VC) firm DFS Lab,…

Leading grocery discounter Boxer Retail comfortably met its IPO forecasts, increasing headline earnings a share by 5.3% in the 26 weeks ending August 31 after trading firmed in the second quarter. Net cash surged to R1.1 billion, up from R180 million at the last year-end. The strong trading momentum, solid operational execution, and progress on strategy resulted in an inaugural post-IPO dividend of 45.30 cents per share, representing a 40% payout ratio. “Boxer accelerated turnover growth, maintained a consistent trading profit margin, and absorbed additional JSE listing-related costs while delivering headline earnings growth and strengthening its balance sheet. In terms of the bottom line, we were probably at the higher end of our guidance,” said CEO Marek Masojada in an interview on Monday. Turnover increased by 13.9% to R22.5bn, with…

NON-COMPLIANCE and a regression in asset management have been cited as the primary factors leading to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) receiving a qualified audit with findings for the 2024/25 financial year. This decline, following three consecutive years of unqualified audits, has sparked a fierce debate within the parliamentary Portfolio Committee, with opposition parties and even members of the Government of National unity expressing shock and demanding accountability. While the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) had reported an improvement in Dirco's audit outcomes in the 2021/22 financial year, moving from financially qualified to unqualified with findings, the latest report released last week paints a grim picture. However, DIRCO’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, pushed back against the DA’s claims that the department’s asset management for overseas missions was…

Despite a lifelong fear of water, Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspector Lwazi Ntungele bravely stepped into a fast-flowing canal near Mfuleni’s Covid City informal settlement to rescue a stranded dog caught on debris. At the SPCA’s Animal Hospital, veterinarians treated the dog named Drifter for paraphimosis, a painful emergency condition requiring immediate surgery. Without intervention, Drifter would have faced severe suffering and would very likely have succumbed to Sepsis, the animal welfare organisation explained. “I have always been afraid of water, but at that moment all I could think about was that this dog needed me and that need was greater than my fear,” Ntungele said. Ntungele and a fellow colleague, Inspector Lee Prins, had also earlier this year received free swimming lessons from Finz Aquatics, a Grassy Park…

It’s been a long time since Liverpool fans approached a home clash with Manchester United feeling this uneasy, with Arne Slot facing the first real test of his fledgling Anfield reign. Three straight defeats across all competitions have stripped away the early-season optimism from a mammoth spending spree that brought some of the world’s most desirable football talent to the champions. Suddenly, there are cracks all over the show – some of Slot’s own making, it must be said – with some of the stalwarts of last season’s title-winning campaign looking jaded, while one of the new puzzle pieces is still trying hard to prove his worth. There is also a growing recognition of the role that Trent Alexander-Arnold played in Liverpool’s attacking blueprint, with Mo Salah becalmed down the…

No country has ever won the World Cup with a foreign-born coach, but Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday that there is "always a first time" as he eyes glory with Brazil. The Italian became Brazil's first overseas coach in six decades when he took over in May and helped the five-time champions secure their place at next summer's World Cup. Brazil face Japan in a friendly in Tokyo on Tuesday, fresh from a 5-0 hammering of South Korea in Seoul last week. Ancelotti said he is aiming to make history for himself and his team at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. "My goal is to give my best for the Brazil national team, to try to get them to perform at their best and to…