Indice dei contenuti per 2024-11-27 in Cape Times

Transnet has dismissed allegations of procuring inadequate critical equipment aimed at enhancing the efficiency and capacity of its Cape Town Container Terminal operations. In a statement two weeks ago, the United National Transport Union (UNTU) claimed that Transnet had purchased seven unsuitable second-hand cranes from the US, with no spare parts, of which only five were in working order, and which were too small for the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) operations and endangered the lives of employees and truck drivers. The union also called on Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy to hold Transnet accountable for what it described as “self-inflicted challenges and costly errors”. However, Transnet yesterday said UNTU’s statement contained inaccuracies. “In December 2023, the CTCT received a delivery of seven pre-used rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs). The procurement…

South African platinum group metals (PGM) producers will influence global refined supply, which is expected to firm up by 1% next year, with Northam Platinum, Impala Platinum (Implats) and others holding excess inventory. In 2025, world platinum supply will grow to 7.3 million ounces. Refined mine supply for the year will likely “depend heavily on the volume of semi-finished inventory that South African producers” are able to release, said the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) in a new report yesterday. Implats and Northam, which recently undertook a smelter maintenance “hold excess” semi-finished inventory. As at the the 2024 third quarter, Implats was holding 230 000 ounces of inventory while Northam had about 60 000 ounces. Implats and Northam estimate that it may take up to three years to fully release…

South Africa (SA) stands at a critical juncture in its climate journey, with its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) offering a transformative opportunity to redefine its response to climate change. While mitigation has traditionally dominated global climate discourse, adaptation — the frequently overlooked yet equally vital counterpart —must now rise and take centre stage. For SA, a country acutely vulnerable to climate impacts, adaptation offers a pathway to resilience, equity and sustainable development. It is time for adaptation to feature more strongly in the nation’s climate commitments. SA’s climate vulnerabilities are real and well understood. From prolonged droughts that threaten water security to devastating floods and rising sea levels that endanger coastal communities, the country faces an array of climate risks. These impacts disproportionately affect marginalised populations, exacerbating inequality and…

THE proportion of river water samples rated as unacceptable from a human risk perspective has increased from 49% in 2019 to 59% in 2023. This was according to the City’s Annual Inland Water Quality Report which attributed the figures to an increased frequency of load-shedding, with its effects on sewage pump stations and Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), as well as burgeoning poorly serviced informal settlements in many subcatchments and poorly maintained and/or vandalised infrastructure. The report detailed ongoing efforts and challenges to improving water quality across rivers, wetlands, vleis, and other inland water bodies. “In line with Cape Town's vision to evolve into a water-sensitive city by 2040, significant initiatives have been undertaken to improve the ecological health of its inland water systems. The report indicates notable progress in managing…

Award-winning entrepreneur Teboho Nthoana has said that the township economy was a misunderstood concept, adding that there were a lot of things that people were missing when it comes to the township market and economy on its own. Speaking at the PSG Think Big Seminar yesterday, Nthoana said one of the things Statistics South Africa released in 2020 was the size of the township economy, which was worth R400 billion then. “That on its own speaks to the informal sector, which contributes about 28% to the GDP of the country according to the South African Reserve Bank,” Nthoana said. “So that on its own goes to show the township market retail size of R120bn. “That shows there is untapped potential that can be taken advantage of. “One of the things…

The Cape Town Cruise Terminal has been named Africa's Best Cruise Terminal for the fourth year in a row at the global World Cruise Awards. The awards were held in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, on Sunday, to celebrate outstanding achievements in the global cruise industry. “We’re honoured to receive this accolade, especially following our recent recognition as Africa’s Leading Cruise Port at the World Travel Awards earlier this year,” said Andre Blaine, executive manager for Marine and Industrial Property. “These achievements reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence and to presenting Cape Town in the best possible light. “As the first point of contact for visitors arriving by sea, the terminal plays a crucial role in shaping their experience, and we strive to make every arrival memorable.’’ “Having successfully integrated…

While Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has spread the net extremely wide this year, using 52 players in total, Stormers fans may feel that it wasn’t wide enough. One of their favourite sons, 21-year-old utility back Suleiman Hartzenberg, was one of the few consistent performers in the United Rugby Championship who didn’t earn a Test cap in 2024. It is almost understandable that Hartzenberg – although impressive – missed out on Bok selection, considering the plethora of talent out wide, including Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe. But Hartzenberg is also capable of operating at outside centre, and with Jesse Kriel and Lukhanyo Am the only real Test-quality No 13s in the country, the youngster from Manenberg may have been worth a shot against Portugal perhaps.…

Withdrawals from the two-pot retirement system are likely being used to purchase clothes, analysts said yesterday, highlighting that this was set to influence financial performance for clothing retailers such as Pepkor Holdings, which posted steady returns for shareholders despite a slight decrease in headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the year ending September 30. Pepkor, which owns retail shops like Ackermans, Hi-Fi Corp, Bradlows and Tekkie Town, yesterday declared a 48.5 cents dividend for the period, which will be payable in January next year despite a R2.7 billion impairment for its clothing, general merchandise and footwear businesses. About R2.4bn of the total impairments for the period is attributable to the clothing and general merchandise, while R161 million relates to newly acquired S’Ya Phanda and Pepkor cellular sourcing activities. The group…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to investigate alleged maladministration related to the interest rate swop agreements the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) had with major local banks as per the findings of the Zondo Commission. The Zondo Commission recommended in 2022 that law enforcement agencies should investigate Nedbank and Standard Bank for their alleged role in a corrupt deal involving interest rate swop transactions concluded with Acsa between 2009 and 2011, which involved Regiments Capital, a company linked to the Gupta family. The Zondo Commission Report said the contracts with the banks were procured through the corrupt involvement of Regiments Capital and former Acsa treasurer, Phetolo Ramosebudi. Interest rate swop transactions are typically concluded by large companies, banks and financial institutions to manage interest…

China (Shandong)-South Africa Industrial Cooperation matchmaking was successfully held On Monday Zhang Haibo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor of Shandong Province, led a Shandong Provincial Government delegation to visit South Africa. During the period, the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province and the Shandong Development and Reform Commission jointly held the China (Shandong)-South Africa Industrial Cooperation Matchmaking in Johannesburg. Zhang Haibo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor of Shandong Province, Pan Qingjiang, Consul General of China in Johannesburg, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (MPL), and other guests delivered speeches. More than 100 South African government departments, business associations, and corporate representatives including the BRICS…

Last week marked the final deadline for South Africans to switch over to a new electricity meter recharging system. This upgrade was necessary because the software in the old prepaid meters, which have been in use for nearly 30 years, had reached the end of its lifespan. The deadline, Sunday, November 24, 2024, signalled the point at which old prepaid meters would stop working. Once existing credit runs out, these meters can no longer accept new tokens, effectively rendering them useless. This is due to the expiry of vending codes tied to the older STS (Standard Transfer Specification) technology. While Eskom and municipalities had ample time to prepare for the transition, their efforts to inform the public were inadequate. Eskom’s awareness campaign lacked the visibility and grassroots education needed to…

Summer is a time for outdoor adventures, beach holidays and warm nights under the stars. However, as wonderful as summer is, it often brings with it unwelcome guests: bed bugs. These tiny pests are more than just an annoyance; their bites can cause itchy welts, discomfort and sleepless nights. If you’ve found yourself battling bed bugs, don’t worry. There are effective, low-cost ways to manage the bites and deter these pests. Bed bug bites typically appear in clusters or lines of small, red, itchy welts. While they’re not known to transmit diseases, bed bugs can trigger allergic reactions in some people or lead to secondary infections if scratched excessively. The key to managing bed bug bites is soothing the irritation, preventing further bites and ensuring you don’t scratch and harm…

CHILDREN’s rights organisations have expressed outrage at the significant increase in crime against children in South Africa, as 315 were killed and there were attempts on the lives of 490 others. As the country marked the start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign on Monday, police crime statistics shows that 957 women were murdered between July and September 2024, an increase compared to the second quarters over the past two years. In the Western Cape, 96 children were killed in three months compared to 59 children in 2023 and 55 in 2022. There were also attempts on the lives of 245 children and 398 suffered from Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), meaning they experienced assault that caused serious physical harm. Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said the majority of the…

Continent’s rich cultural heritage has been sidelined or commodified to benefit outsiders Chinese-born French author, playwright and Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian once remarked, La culture n’est pas un luxe, ce’st une nécessité (Culture is not a luxury; it is an imperative duty). This statement underscores the profound role culture plays in shaping the trajectory of any nation’s progress. Many African cultures were systematically marginalised, making it difficult for African peoples to assert themselves in the global arena fully. This contributed to the perception that African cultures are less developed or capable, hindering economic and social advancement efforts. The UN World Commission on Culture and Development Report suggests that “the relationship between culture and development should be clarified and deepened in constructive and practical ways”. In this context, culture is “the…

The Springboks swept all before them on their end-of-year tour without having to engage top gear. The rugby world will be shifting uneasily in their seats as the Springboks threaten to become even better in 2025 as they march on to the 2027 World Cup. Mike Greenaway looks at five takeaways from the victories over Scotland, England and Wales. The veterans still have it A sizeable chunk of the touring squad was over 30 and several are creeping toward the danger zone of 32/33, which casts doubt as to whether they can get to the 2027 World Cup. But look at the performance of Franco Mostert against Wales. “Sous” is turning 34 today, yet won the Player of the Match. His stats included 15 carries over 100m and 12 successful…

Parties had agreed that satellite TV provider would pay public broadcaster R500m million in exchange for the exclusive rights to the SABC’s entertainment channel, which would consist mainly of content from the SABC’s substantial archive of programs. In a legal quarrel that has been going on for more than six years, MultiChoice Group and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) were yesterday arguing before the Competition Tribunal that a July 2013 agreement to exclusive content deals did not amount to a merger as MultiChoice did not have control over the public broadcaster. The deal, which the Competition Commission has stated should have been presented to it as a notified merger, is “of significant public interest” as it enabled the DStv owner to influence the SABC’s strategic direction. Caxton Media Group,…

During the Eastern Cape spring graduation ceremony, notable industry leaders within the region gathered to engage in a significant discussion with Unisa’s executive management. This group included University Of South Africa Chancellor, Dr Thabo Mbeki; Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula; Eastern Cape Regional Director, Motale Nkgoang; Acting Vice-Principal: Strategy, Risk and Advisory Services, Dr Matshidiso Molapo; and prominent figures such as Andreas Brand, the president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, and Lizelle Maurice, the executive director of the Border-Kei Chamber of Business. The discussion predominantly focused on exploring potential strategic collaborations that would benefit both the university and the automotive industry – a key area identified as a catalytic niche for Unisa. Additionally, the discussion recognised the vital importance of creating programmes that not only meet but anticipate…

TotalEnergies and its consortium partners, Mulilo and Reatile, have started construction of a major renewable project in South Africa comprising a 140 MW wind farm and a 120 MW solar plant. Stakes in the consortium are: TotalEnergies Renewables South Africa (33.5%), its partner Mulilo (15.5%) and Reatile Group (51%). TotalEnergies said in a statement on Tuesday that in 2023, the consortium signed Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPA) with Sasol South Africa and Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa to supply 260 MW of renewable electricity over 20 years. “Located in the Northern Cape Province, the projects will supply around 900 GWh of green electricity per year to Sasol’s Secunda site, located 700 kilometers further North-East, where Air Liquide operates the biggest oxygen production site in the world,” it said. The…

South Africa is grappling with a surge in foodborne illnesses, prompting the National Disaster Management Centre to classify the situation as a national disaster under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002. The alarming rise in cases has claimed the lives of 22 people this year – including children – and led to nearly 900 reported incidents since September 2024. This crisis has exposed gaps in food safety regulations, municipal enforcement and public awareness, unders- coring the urgent need for action. During a media briefing in Pretoria, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, outlined the government’s response to this escalating public health emergency. From strengthening health interventions to enforcing municipal by-laws, the measures aim to curb recurring outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations. But how did…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which has in the recent past been accused of failing to present strong evidence against several high-profile individuals implicated in alleged state capture, has once again claimed that it has a strong case against former SAA accountant, Yakhe Kwinana. Last week, National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi disclosed that the NPA would not be pressured into prosecuting state capture-related cases following a series of blunders including the matter involving former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko and others, which was struck off the court roll due to unreasonable delays. Kwinana appeared briefly before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday, facing serious allegations related to unauthorised auditing contracts and fraud concerning the national air carrier, dating back to 2011. In an affidavit she submitted…

Chicken filling 10ml olive oil 1 brown onion, diced 1 large carrot, diced 1 large celery stalk, diced 125g button mushrooms thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 10 ml Rajah All-in-one curry powder with Garlic 600g deboned chicken thighs, cut into chunks 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes 250ml chicken stock 15ml balsamic vinegar 50g tomato paste 5ml dried mixed herbs salt and freshly ground black pepper Potato topping 1kg potatoes, peeled and quartered 80ml milk 30g butter salt, to taste fresh thyme, to garnish (optional) Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Rajah curry powder and cook for another minute. Add…

IT doesn't matter where you play in the world or what conditions you face; it will always be difficult to win a series when the batting unit doesn't put up a single 300-plus total on the scoreboard. Perhaps we have looked at Sri Lanka's only Test series victory in South Africa all wrong by emphasising the often spin-friendly conditions in Durban and Gqeberha where Sri Lanka became the first and only Asian team to win a series in South Africa. A deeper diagnosis of the Proteas' batting performances during that series reveals their glaring shortcomings as they crossed the 250-run mark only once. Again, those numbers will almost always guarantee losses, especially in Test match cricket. The one group that carried their weight superbly during that series was the bowling…

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs have set their sights on returning to winning ways as they prepare for their return to Betway Premiership action against Richards Bay. Amakhosi have been out of competitive action for nearly a month now, having last taken to the field in their embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout Cup Semi-finals. Before that, the Naturena-based club had lost against SuperSport United and drawn against the newly promoted Magesi FC in the league. Sitting in eight on the log, head coach Nasreddine Nabi is targeting a full haul of points against the Natal Rich Boyz, whom he deems a dangerous side battling for their survival. The two teams will clash at the Peter Mokaba Stadium today at 7.30pm, the first two games Chiefs will…

Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Maniema Union 0 The CAF Champions League success that Manqoba Mngqithi believes his team is capable of, is going to take some doing. To emulate the Class of 2016 that earned the Brazilians that star above the club crest, this current lot are going to have to do way better than last night's showing at Loftus Verafeld. Of course, any team that makes it to the group stage of the continent's premier club knockout competition has to be taken seriously. Still, such is Sundowns' pedigree in Africa and Maniema Union's minnow status that the smart money was on the South Africans to bag maximum points. However, the Congolese fought a fantastic rearguard battle that saw them take home a valuable point while leaving Sundowns to wonder just…