Starの 2024-05-13 の目次

HIGH interest rates in South Africa could prevail for longer than initially anticipated, with the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) starting its cutting cycle only towards the end of 2025 as it becomes more aggressive on its inflation targeting. This comes as consumers continue to grapple with an elevated cost of living and a heightened interest rate environment, while average take-home pay in real terms tracks lower. The SARB is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at the meeting this month of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), as the recently published Monetary Policy Review gave a clear view of the central bank’s inflation and interest rate views. The SARB has raised and left the repurchase rate (repo rate) unchanged at a 14-year high of 8.25% since May 2023, broadly consistent with…

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for the resignation of Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman, amid the company’s process of retrenching nearly 4 000 workers from its South African gold mining operations, saying he and his executive have been “arrogant and brutal” in the lay-offs. NUM members on Saturday marched to Sibanye-Stillwater offices in Libanon on the West Rand calling on the company to halt its Section 189 process to retrench 3 900 gold-sector employees. The union gave the group a two-week ultimatum to address the employee demands for a halt in retrenchments. “We demand Sibanye-Stillwater to respect the country’s labour laws. We demand proper health and safety measures for workers underground,” the NUM said in its demands. It is also demanding that the Department of Mineral…

The Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) on Friday warned concern is mounting among red meat primary producers about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the infectious virus that is once again rearing its head in various parts of South Africa. The service organisation’s chief executive Frikkie Maré said the most recently-reported cases of FMD were in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. “We would like to provide the following information: FMD is a state-controlled disease and therefore neither the RPO nor any other private organisation has the mandate to intervene with the processes on the reporting of, or control over the situation, unless instructed by government,” he said. “The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development reported on the most recent FMD cases on May 2 and producers must familiarise themselves…

IS THE current strong recovery of global and South African financial markets just a temporarily fly by night, or like a dead cat falling out of a tree and bouncing before collapsing again? The answer lies in evaluating the prospects of the world and domestic economy stabilising and being ready for a return to post Covid-19 levels. In the US it was announced that the country had created only 175 000 new jobs in April, the lowest monthly addition since October last year, and almost half the 315 000 new jobs created in March this year. This seems to kick-start the reality that the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy is starting to show effect. The reaction of a weaker US dollar – and global central banks, especially European…

ANGLOGOLD Ashanti on Friday said negotiations for the consummation of the company’s joint venture (JV) project with Gold Fields in Ghana have been complex, despite significant progress and a significant update likely for the next quarter. The company said the proposed Tarkwa/Iduapriem joint venture project in Ghana will become the biggest gold mine in Africa, with expected bullion production of about 900 000 ounces a year. However, the project has been facing government delays, although AngloGold chief executive Alberto Calderon said he remained positive that Ghana’s Ministry of Mines and the country’s Minerals Commission would eventually give the go-ahead for the project. “On Tarkwa, we made good progress, but it is complex (negotiations). It’s not an easy negotiation. We have made progress and there is a constructive approach from the…

NASDAQ-listed AI heavyweight Powerfleet, which is secondary listed on the JSE, says geopolitical conflicts is knocking its customers and suppliers. Powerfleet, a provider in the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), said in a US Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday: “Higher interest rates and lingering inflation, fluctuations in currency values, continued supply chain disruptions, and ongoing geopolitical conflicts, such as the wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas, have resulted in significant economic disruption and adversely impacted the broader global economy, including our customers and suppliers. “The ultimate extent of the effects of these developments remain highly uncertain, and such effects could exist for an extended period of time,” it said. Powerfleet, which first announced the deal to buy South African-based MiX Telematics in October…

Christine Quinn’s estranged husband has been charged with child abuse/endangerment. The Selling Sunset star accused Christian Richard Dumontet of throwing a bag of glass at her, only for it to miss and hit their two-year-old son Christian jr, during an incident in March, and now he has been formally charged with three misdemeanour offences. Law enforcement officials told TMZ that Dumontet has been charged with child abuse/endangerment, assault and violation of a protection order, but the Los Angeles County District Attorney deemed that the case did not meet felony filing requirements. Quinn’s attorney, Jacqueline Sparagna, said they are “extremely satisfied” with the decision. The lawyer told the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column: “He has now been formally charged with child abuse against his toddler, assault against Christine Quinn…

THE SA National Space Agency (Sansa) Space Weather Centre said a historic solar storm impacted Earth this weekend. The Sansa issued several G4 warnings and, for the first time since 2003, one G5 warning was issued. The Geomagnetic Storm Scale indicates the severity of geomagnetic storms. It’s denoted by a G, followed by a number from 1 to 5, with 1 being a minor and 5 an extreme event. According to Sansa, a geomagnetic storm occurs when charged particles from the sun, caused by a coronal mass ejection, interact with the Earth’s magnetic field. The impact of such a storm is mostly on technological systems; however, it is also the origin of the Northern and Southern Lights. There were several reports of Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights,…

In the 2019 National Elections, just over 11 000 prisoners were registered to vote and with approximately 212 286 offenders behind bars, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said it could only divulge a figure once registration has been completed. Activists have called for fair elections in which prisoners are allowed to vote and for political parties to be able to canvass behind bars. With 240 prisons in South Africa, the IEC, Department of Correctional Services and Department of Home Affairs have to ensure that each prisoner who is eligible to vote on May 29, has a valid identity document. Thabo Bester, who carried out an elaborate prison escape just over a year ago, allegedly with the help of Nandipha Magudumana, is imprisoned at the Kgosi Mampuru II Central…

Since we’re feeling patriotic, I eagerly anticipate our outrage over ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula campaigning in Inanda while driving in a convoy led by a Mercedes G-Wagon. While those in KZN are impoverished, Mbalula has, once again, showed his colours by throwing T-shirts from a R3 million vehicle. Let them eat T-shirts, right! I hope we’re as angry about this as we are about a 30-second advert. I’d hate for us not to rally around our flag and people’s dignity. |…

Over the past years, the UK government has been exploring ways to deport asylum seekers to other countries, particularly African countries, as part of its efforts to deter illegal migration. In its latest move, the government passed the Rwanda Bill and successfully negotiated a deal with Rwanda to facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers. The measure received support in the British Parliament, aligning with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agenda of “stopping the boats”. The scale of the plan is significant, with about 2 000 of 52 000 individuals slated for deportation within the next 10 to 12 weeks. Under the terms of the agreement, asylum seekers who arrived in the UK through unauthorised routes may find themselves whisked 6 400km away to Rwanda. While some view this as consistent with…

AmaZulu (1) 1 Letsoalo 39 Kaizer Chiefs (1) 1 Du Preez 2 AmaZulu and Kaizer Chiefs could not be separated as they drew at the Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday. The two teams, battling for a top-eight spot, could not make significant ground in their ambitions as they added just a single point to their tally. Amakhosi remained eighth in the DStv Premiership standings, while Usuthu failed to move up from 12th place. The opportunity to qualify for next season’s MTN8 competition pitted two of the nation’s oldest clubs against each other under perfect conditions in Durban. Changes were expected in the line-ups with both teams coming off draws, against Stellenbosch and TS Galaxy. The most notable were in the away side’s starting 11 as head coach Cavin Johnson made…

South African banks increased the proportion of short-term lending in their loan portfolios since 2008 with the introduction of the Basel III-mandated net stable funding ratio (NSFR), resulting in decreased long-term lending, particularly in residential mortgages. This is according to a study by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), released on Friday, which investigated the effect of the NSFR on South African banks’ lending. The NSFR was introduced globally as part of bank liquidity reforms post the 2008 global financial crisis, and it addresses mismatches in the maturity of assets and liabilities, which was identified as a major cause of the crisis. However, there is little understanding of how these reforms have affected emerging market banks, which the study attempted to provide some insight into. The SARB said there were…

The outlook for house prices is slightly dimmer, FNB said in its Residential Property Barometer, released on Friday. Growth in the FNB House Price Index averaged 0.8% in the first quarter of 2024, unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2023. High borrowing costs and uncertainty were discouraging potential buyers, while unfavourable selling conditions were causing some homeowners to hold back on listing their properties. FNB said it echoed its view of a hesitant house price growth trajectory in the near term. “The elevated living and borrowing costs, as well as heightened political uncertainty – both domestically and internationally – are weighing on transaction activity and, ultimately, property prices. Nevertheless, wide disparities are evident across regions. Generally, larger non-metro regions are seeing stronger house price growth relative to traditional metropolitan cities.…

The critique levelled at the DA’s proposal to empower millions of young, jobless South Africans through a Youth Employment Opportunity Certificate (YEOC) has exposed how out of touch Cosatu is with the reality. The truth is that South Africa is facing a man-made unemployment crisis. At 41%, the world’s highest unemployment rate is dwarfed only by the highest youth unemployment rate in the world at 71%. While government officials often cite external shocks such as the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic as the culprits, the rest of the world – both emerging and developed – has rebounded mainly from these disruptions. SA has all but done so, and in 2024, the real number of employed remains tragically similar to 2008, despite a near-doubling of our population. Well-intentioned but…

SAM Mudd has been appointed CEO of Bytes Technology Group (BTG), one of the UK’s leading software, security and cloud services specialists, that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listed on the JSE. The appointment comes after Bytes was rocked in February by former CEO Neil Murphy’s undisclosed share trades on the LSE. Murphy subsequently was forced to resign under a cloud. “The board of BTG has appointed Sam Mudd as CEO with immediate effect, following a selection process led by chair Patrick De Smedt with support from a leading external search firm. Sam brings over 20 years’ experience in leadership positions and has served on the BTG board as an executive director since July 2023, and was appointed interim CEO in February 2024,” Bytes said.…

SIBANYE-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman on Friday said there was limited downside potential for the gold price for the remainder of this year, maintaining a positive outlook for platinum group metal (PGM) prices despite headwinds for the group’s PGM operations. Sibanye, which has been retrenching at its South African PGM and gold sites, saw its bullion production for the March 2024 quarter fall by 18%. However, with gold prices currently elevated, the company’s problems were more pronounced in the PGM sector. “The fundamental outlook for gold remains constructive with limited apparent downside for the gold price for the balance of 2024,” Froneman said. “Our view that the fundamental outlook for PGM is positive is unchanged, with little evidence of a systemic change in the market fundamentals to justify the price collapse…

The National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola has defended SAPS Divisional Commander for Human Resources, Bongiwe Zulu, over allegations made against her by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru). This comes after the union called for Lieutenant-General Zulu’s removal amid allegations of her failure to lead in the smooth running at various police colleges which she oversees. On Tuesday, Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya said he was concerned about the growing number of complaints against Zulu about her style of leadership. Zulu was appointed in 2018 with parts of her responsibility being oversight of SAPS colleges. Ngwenya said that many unit managers wanted her out due to her many failures as a leader. “Our members have reported that this commissioner’s management style is undermining morale and creating a hostile…

PUBLIC Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala is expected to lead a delegation comprising built environment professionals and experts to the site of the George building disaster today. His visit follows that of Police Minister Bheki Cele yesterday and Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi last week. As the rescue and recovery efforts enter day eight at the site of the collapsed building at 75 Victoria Street today, operations still continue with new vigour after the successful rescue of a construction worker, Gabriel Guambe, on Saturday morning. By 9pm last night, the death toll stood at 17. The confirmed statistics are as follows: n Total individuals on-site during the incident: 81 n Rescued and recovered: 45 n Of which deceased: 17 n Currently hospitalised: 14 n Unaccounted for: 35 Zikalala’s…

IN A country where professional cycling is associated with white cyclists, Soweto-born professional cyclist Thulasizwe Mxenge is pushing the boundaries of this elitist sport as one of the few young black professional cyclists in the country. Mxenge, who has won more than 10 local and international titles, has a passion for empowering other young cyclists – which is why he has established his very own cycling team, Aluwani Pro Cycling Team. To him, cycling is not just a sport, but a calling used for the better good of other young cyclists who deserve a chance to make a name for themselves. “The bigger goal for me and my cycling team is to get more sponsorship on board to assist with funding, as well as cycling products, to enable us to…

In light of the recent concerns highlighted by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) regarding compliance and integrity lapses among legal practitioners, the imperative for adherence to the FIC Act has never been clearer. The challenge underscores the extensive responsibilities shouldered by legal practitioners and the Legal Practice Council (LPC) in upholding the profession’s credibility and standards. While the portrayal of the challenges might suggest a beleaguered legal sector, the LPC remains dedicated to strengthening legal practice and promoting a culture of governance across South Africa. Our ongoing dialogue with legal practitioners and stakeholders, including the FIC and the Financial Action Task Force, focuses on the clear communication of compliance requirements. This ensures that legal firms and practitioners understand their obligations. As one of the initiatives in promoting compliance in the…

On Monday, a five-storey building collapsed in George. Sadly, at least 16 workers have died and 29 have been rescued, with many dozens of workers still unaccounted for. As a structural engineer with more than 10 000 structural design studies under my belt, the question arises whether computer programs can replace experience in structural engineering. Most advances in earthquake design have been the results of observations of buildings that have been subjected to severequake conditions. Analytical and computer modelling play an important role in structural engineering analysis, but its limitations should always be kept in mind. On the other hand, experience is a very expensive teacher and fortunately, we do not have to relive all the experiences of those who went before us, especially the failures. It is therefore important…

A healthy functioning democracy is predicated on the electorate making informed choices which, in turn, rests on the quality of information they receive. The work of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), is incomplete without the presence of the members of the Fourth Estate, the media. Since the dawn of South Africa’s democracy 30 years ago, the media has been used to facilitate not only the realisation of democracy but also the representation of all its facets. Through the media, we have archives of the dire implications of colonialism and apartheid on the lived experiences of civilians and the consequences of systems established centuries ago. Today, the media continue to have not only a constitutional mandate to uphold but it enjoys access to diverse communities in order to accurately…

JDR Stars’ hopes of PSL promotion/relegation play-off qualification became slightly more complicated with a 1-1 draw against Baroka in their Motsepe Foundation Championship clash at the Global Stadium in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, yesterday. The result means the battle for the play-offs moves into the final day of the season with both sides failing to make inroads into the lead enjoyed by second-placed University of Pretoria, who are two points ahead of both clubs on 48 points. First-placed Magesi have already earned automatic qualification for the elite league next season. JDR Stars were within inches of grabbing the advantage heading into the final matchday next weekend, but will rue not securing victory in a tightly contested game with few chances. With the sun setting in Lebowakgomo, it looked as if the hopes…

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen feels his team are “still alive”, but has urged his players to be more ruthless on attack if they hope to make the United Rugby Championship play-offs. The Johannesburg side had to wait until the 79th minute to grab their bonus-point try in the 34-13 victory over Cardiff at Ellis Park on Saturday night. The URC quarter-final race is as tight as it can get, with the Lions 10th on 44 points, Connacht on the same tally but in ninth due to having won one more game, and Benetton eighth on 48 after they beat the Sharks 25-24 in Durban on Saturday. Edinburgh are seventh on 48, Ulster sixth on 49 and Stormers fifth on 50, with the top four seeing Glasgow leading, followed by…

Cape Town City and TS Galaxy look set to hold on to their top-eight berths after they drew their DStv Premiership match 1-1 at the Cape Town Stadium, Green Point, yesterday afternoon. TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic said he would have liked all three points, but was happy with the draw. “We played against a fantastic team and it was beautiful to come here and go away with a point,” said Ramovic. Eric Tinkler, City’s coach, is not happy that his team did not collect maximum points. “I think there were lots of turnovers for both sides,” said Tinkler. “Our ball retention was not good enough. We put ourselves under pressure. Both teams were attack-minded at the outset, and this made for end-to-end fare that resulted in corners at either…

TESLA boss Elon Musk said on Friday that the electric vehicle manufacturer would invest over $500 million (R9.2 billion) this year to install new superchargers, just days after a report of massive layoffs in this branch of the company. “Just to reiterate: Tesla will spend well over $500m expanding our Supercharger network to create thousands of NEW chargers this year,” Elon said on X. “That’s just on new sites and expansions, not counting operations costs, which are much higher.” According to tech news outlet The Information, Tesla was moving to disband its supercharger department, laying off most of its 500 workers and its senior director. The revelation raised questions about the future development of Tesla’s network of over 50 000 fast chargers, which can add 320 kilometres of range…

A number of parties in the Western Cape have trotted out the worn election trope of a “one-stop shop” for investments, aimed at making government application and approval processes easier for small- and medium-sized businesses. This Business Report reporter has covered most of the national elections in one form or another since 1994, and can attest to the fact that all manner of parties, including the ANC, have trotted out promises of the “one-stop shop”. However, while it is an idea viewed favourably by many business commentators, these “one-stop shops” never happen, and political parties soon get back to berating business for not following procedures, or doing things without proper consultation, both with the authorities and communities. Last Friday, senior representatives from most of the political parties contesting the elections…

It has been argued indisputably that South Africa’s success in filling its greenfield and hence risky infrastructure gap hinges upon a delicate balancing act between development banking and institutional long-term investment. An innovative structural approach to project development and innovative sources of financing are required to gather the necessary funds to meet the upsurge in infrastructure investment demand. Taking all considerations into account, a project structure is “bankable” if lenders are willing to finance it. Lenders need to be convinced that a project company can service the debt for the project to be bankable. Moreover, bankability varies and may involve wider macroeconomic factors, such as economic and political stability, an appropriate legal and regulatory framework, and smart financing concessions, to name a few. The manifestos of most political parties presented…

BE READY. The hard slog to solving our transformation problems, in particular health and education, can be won when we achieve leaving no one behind. Tomorrow, watch this space for a critical announcement that should catch your attention on a matter of health. When the question staring South Africa in the face is one of a demographic disaster, instead of a demographic dividend, then the nation must hit the pause button and seek the wisdom of Greek mathematician Archimedes. How do you leverage a demographic dividend? Only through a system of levers can you leverage exponential returns. I have been analysing data the mighty organisation Statistics SA produces, such as Census 2011, the Community Survey of 2016 and Census 2022. These data results show there is no demographic dividend for…

SHARES in Novus Holdings jumped 5.5% on Friday after it announced it was acquiring Bytefuse with the view that it was strategic to its education business and a good entry point into the broader AI market. The board of directors of Novus said its subsidiary, Novus Print, had entered into a deal on May 9 with Marblehead Investments, Alphawave Holdings, Etienne Barnard, Lambda AI People, Greg Newman, Ruan van der Merwe, Cobus Louw and Bytefuse to acquire all of the ordinary no par value shares in the capital of Bytefuse. Bytefuse, founded in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, in 2021, develops machine learning and artificial intelligence technology for application in various fields. The shares closed at R4.60 on Friday. Novus said it was anticipated that the use of AI technology would enhance…

WINTER nights are going to come with action-packed drama. Showmax has dropped its trailer for Empini, and it looks hot. The local show, set to premiere on the streaming service on May 23, features an all-star cast. They include Nambitha Ben-Mazwi, Siyabonga Thwala, Nqobile Sipamla, Owen Sejake and Charmaine Mtinta. Empini is a 52-episode drama series set in the dangerous world of private security, and according to Sipamla, will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. “Empini is an edgy show that will have viewers thoroughly entertained,” she said in a statement. “It will showcase the intricate dynamics of how it is sometimes necessary that some secrets be kept for the safety of others, while, on the other hand, some secrets must come to light.” Sipamla is no…

South African musician and artist Moonchild Sanelly is back with a new single. Scrambled Eggs, produced by Johan Hugo, is the lead track off Moonchild’s new studio album, which will be released later this year. The song celebrates the happy return of the musician, who gained recognition abroad thanks to her self- described “future-ghetto-funk” style. She has since released two acclaimed solo albums and collaborated with a range of artists, among them are Beyoncé, Ghetts, Major Lazer, Gorillaz and Wizkid. Commenting on the inspiration behind the song, she said: “When I started staying in the good hotels, I noticed how the world is obsessed with avo and eggs for breakfast. It became a thing … you get avo and eggs for breakfast at the good places. “My writing recently has…

ARTS and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has dismissed accusations made by the South African Roadies Association (Sara) that he protects friends in his appointment of board members of the National Arts Council (NAC). On Friday, The Star reported on allegations by Sara president Freddie Nyathela on Kodwa’s alleged disregard of the law by appointing “friends” in the NAC. Sara is a non-profit that trains individuals in the arts and entertainment sector. Nyathela revealed to The Star, with papers, that Kodwa had unlawfully appointed the NAC leadership by disregarding rule section 4 (2) of the NAC Act 56 of 1997. The NAC is an arts and culture subsidiary of the government, managed in the office of the minister. Nyathela had initially said that council members at the NAC had been illegally…

The Constitutional Court judgment handed down on Friday against the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) will make it difficult for the party to clinch a seat in the National Assembly, according to an analyst. Analyst Michael Atkins said the ruling meant that ACT would lose the ability to get regional votes from their supporters in other areas such as the Free State or North West, which would make it harder for them to obtain National Assembly seats. “ACT are on the national ballot, but the only regional ballot they are on is the Western Cape. However, they are contesting provincial legislatures in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Northern Cape. “A small point about their loss is the Concourt did not in the end grant ACT leave…

Over the past two decades, the Live Music Lab has become a springboard to launch the careers of emerging artists as well as sound, stage and lighting technicians. Some of these include, Morena Leraba, Msaki, BCUC, Zoe Modiga, Nakane and many others. This flagship initiative, staged and managed by Bassline and the French Institute of SA (IFAS), is celebrating a 25-year partnership with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a platform to promote local musicians, IFAS and Bassline’s collaboration, through Fête de la Musique, has supported more than 240 bands since 2015. Festival organisers have also called on emerging artists and bands as well as young people interested in gaining skills in live event staging who want to gain skills in event management, concert promotion, marketing…

Nurses continue to confront daunting obstacles including inadequate staffing levels, unsafe working conditions and insufficient resources. Marking International Nurses Day yesterday, the Public Servants Association (PSA) said it remained concerned about the profound challenges facing this critical sector of the South African workforce. Nurse’s Day coincides with the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. “South Africa is experiencing a notable shortage of nursing professionals, putting strain on the healthcare system. “The healthcare system is heavily reliant on an ageing nursing workforce without recruiting new nurses. This looming crisis needs to be addressed urgently,” the PSA said. “In addition, the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme represents a crucial time to address systemic inequalities in the healthcare system and improve access to quality care for all South Africans. The successful implementation of the…

The ANC in Tshwane has rejected claims that its members in Atteridgeville were caught removing EFF election campaign posters. Regional party secretary George Matjila hit out at EFF regional chairperson, Obakeng Ramabodu, for reportedly implicating that the two people arrested in connection with poster removal were ANC members. In a media statement, Matjila slated Ramabodu for making “unfounded allegations in the media that two ANC members were apprehended by EFF local structures in Atteridgeville removing EFF election posters”. “The ANC is a signatory to the IEC Code of Conduct for political parties during this election and is bound by the code,” he said. ANC deploys members and volunteers during election campaigns, he added. “In this case, we can confirm without a doubt that both apprehended individuals are not ANC members…

Arsenal kept their Premier League title dreams alive by ending an Old Trafford hoodoo to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United yesterday to move back top of the table. Leandro Trossard scored the only goal on 20 minutes as Arsenal won for just the second time in 17 games away at United to go a point clear at the summit. Manchester City still have the destiny of the title in their hands as the defending champions have two matches left to Arsenal’s one. However, the Gunners kept the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s men ahead of their tricky trip to Tottenham tomorrow. Defeat further dented United’s chances of competing in Europe next season. Erik ten Hag’s men showed more spirit than in a dismal 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace…