Star 2023-08-10의 목차

NEDBANK Group shares increased more than 3% on Tuesday morning after it declared an 11% higher first-half dividend of 871 cents per share and despite management admitting the period had been much more difficult than they expected. “In the first half of 2023 the operating environment in South Africa was much more challenging than we had initially forecast,” the bank’s management said in the results. After misjudging the first half, they said they now expect the economy to remain “very challenging” due to electricity shortages and increased pressure on consumers’ disposable income. They said a “very strong” balance sheet had enabled them to declare the dividend. A R5 billion capital optimisation initiative in March involving a share repurchase and odd-lot offer had enhanced return on equity and growth…

LIFE HEALTHCARE, South Africa’s second-largest private hospital group, has announced that it has acquired the non-clinical operations of TheraMed Nuclear Benoni. According to the group, which has nine facilities on the East Rand and surrounding area, the Benoni practice is situated adjacent to Life The Glynnwood Hospital. TheraMed utilises advanced technology such as positron emission tomography (Pet) and computed tomography (CT), known as Pet-CT, and single photon emission computed tomography (Spect) and computed tomography (CT) known as Spect-CT to reveal both the body’s structural and cellular function of cells and tissue in a single scan. “This brings finality to the Thera- Med transaction after the first two sites in Midstream and Honeydew were acquired in June 2023,” it said. The purchase of TheraMed Nuclear forms part of the Life Healthcare…

Comic geeks are in for a treat as Ross Marquand returns to the motherland. Following his memorable appearance at Comic Con Cape Town, Comic Con Africa has announced that the actor will be returning to South Africa for this year’s highly anticipated event in Johannesburg. Marquand, who plays Aaron in the hit TV series The Walking Dead, left fans excited during his last visit when he interacted with them, took pictures, signed photographs and engaged in panel discussions. Also coming to Mzansi is Veronica Taylor, Pokémon’s voice-over artist for Ash Ketchum. Many people have expressed delight at a chance to see her as they will be living their childhood dreams. “Omg!!! She is literally on my all-time favourite people I have to meet list,” said @the.candy.vamp. Taylor is just as…

WHILE the country celebrates Women’s Month, Netcare 911 has hailed its female team at the forefront of the helm – the emergency operations centre which is the first point of contact for callers in need of emergency medical assistance. The high-pressure environment requires a highly skilled and passionate multilingual team, many of whom are women. “Sometimes, we get children phoning in to tell us ‘there’s something wrong with mommy.’ You can hear how scared they are. If they are home alone and the parent has a medical emergency, we are all the kids have until the ambulance arrives on the scene,” said Ayanda Mkhulisi, a registered nurse and Netcare 911 case manager working in the emergency operations centre. Selinah Gauwe, inbound resource co-ordinator at the emergency operations centre in…

In the wake of startling revelations by a former Eskom forensic manager about death threats she received after her work uncovered the dealings of cartels operating within the power utility, a crime and security expert has called on law-enforcement agencies to protect her at all costs. Dorothy Mmushi detailed in a number of interviews how she had uncovered criminal syndicates stealing billions from the power utility. Despite reporting these to Eskom, her pleas allegedly fell on deaf ears. However, she had recently received a call where an alleged hitman claimed to have been paid a R50 000 deposit for her assassination. He claimed he would get the balance after killing her. Calvin Rafadi, a crime and security expert who has investigated the ongoings at Eskom for some time, said the…

Ford has come out tops among the volume brands in the 2023 Automotive Innovations awards, held by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and The Centre of Automotive Management in Germany. Ford was named Most Innovative Volume Brand 2023 and also scooped category wins for Autonomous Driving & ADAS and Connected Car Services for volume brands. Volkswagen was named Most Innovative Company, while Mercedes-Benz took top honours among the premium brands. The judges looked at innovations from 29 global car groups representing more than 80 brands. In total, 1 088 innovations were considered during the judging process for the 2023 awards. Ford received an overall score of 91.2 points, ahead of second-placed VW (82.0 points) and third-placed Toyota (64.6 points). “Throughout our 120-year history we’ve consistently innovated, producing vehicles and technologies with customers’ needs…

Aston Martin will keep the upgrades flowing after going into Formula One's August break with Fernando Alonso third in the championship behind Red Bull's dominant leader Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. The team's form has tailed off since the opening races when they soared to second overall, from seventh in 2022, but team principal Mike Krack said there would be no easing off on development when the season re-starts. With both titles a foregone conclusion, champions Red Bull - winners of all 12 races so far - and some others are turning their attention to next year's car but Aston Martin have other ideas. "We are not switching off the tap. Full on," Krack told reporters after Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix saw Alonso retain third place overall by a single…

ELECTION season is coming up soon in South Africa, and those with governmental power have started promising jobs to the millions who are unemployed. Yet anyone who has an inkling of economic knowledge would know that the politicians are writing cheques with their mouths, and that they will be unable to cash their actions. South Africa’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public entities number in the hundreds. Yet, one will still find commentators in some quarters decry the “neo-liberal” state that they claim South Africa is. One is left asking themselves, if South Africa is so neo-liberal, with SOEs galore, monopolised and state-dominated markets with their respective enterprises, what would a socialist South Africa be like? More of the same? If one looks at the policy offerings of most mainstream political…

Rulani Mokwena was not exaggerating when he described Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs as not being a true reflection of what transpired at a packed Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville yesterday. Sundowns should have put to the slaughter and the coach’s frustration as his team fluffed chances was totally understandable. They nearly paid dearly for it as Chiefs grabbed an unlikely equaliser towards the end of the match, only for their goalkeeper and captain Brandon Petersen to gift Neo Maema the winner in the final minute. “The better team won, for sure, by far. But if you don’t take your chances, this is what happens: you keep the game alive,” Mokwena said afterwards. “We could have killed the game a long time ago. My disappointment is that we…

Hinata Miyazawa had never been prolific for club or country before the Women’s World Cup – now she is the tournament’s leading goal-scorer and spearheading Japan’s surprise title charge. The 23-year-old already has five goals in four matches, and has Sweden in her sights in tomorrow’s quarter-final in Auckland. “I honestly didn’t think I could score this much,” Miyazawa said after her ice-cold finish in the 81st minute polished off Norway in the last 16. It was typical of how Miyazawa, who plays in Japan’s domestic women’s league, has been at the World Cup: cool, calculating and deadly. It is also noticeable that she has scored with both feet and rather than trying to smack the ball into the net, it is all about precision and placement. Expectations were low…

Premier League clubs have splashed out over £1-billion on fresh faces ahead of the start of the new season tomorrow. Here, we look at five of the biggest transfers of the window so far ... Declan Rice (Arsenal) Arsenal were City’s surprise challengers for the title last season as the Gunners topped the table for most of the campaign before stumbling down the final straight. Rice’s determination to join Mikel Arteta’s team, despite reported interest from City, was another indication that Arsenal are a team on the up. Arsenal had to smash their transfer record with a bid that could rise to £105m to prise the England international away from West Ham United. With that fee comes great expectations for Rice to prove the difference maker in ending a 20-year…

THE SHARE price of UK-based Quilter, Old Mutual’s former wealth management business, shot up more than 10% on the JSE on Tuesday after it reported a strong improvement in first-half profit and healthy fund inflows. “We have delivered a strong improvement in first half profitability, pleasing flow outcomes in the Quilter channel and improved our market share of new advised platform flows,” CEO Steven Levin said. Adjusted profit increased by 25% in the six months to June 30. On the JSE, Quilter’s share price was 11.85% higher at R19.25 on Tuesday afternoon – the price was R22.92 on the same day a year before. The share closed the day 13.31% higher at R19.50. The interim dividend of 1.5 pence a share was 25% up on the 1.2p for 2022.…

PARLIAMENT’S portfolio committee on mineral resources has resolved to urgently call the department and the police to come and account on what they have done to stamp out rampant illegal mining in Gauteng and North West provinces. Committee chairperson Zet Luzi- pho on Tuesday said that the executive had to account on the steps it has taken to implement the recommendations in the report tabled by the committee to Parliament last year. Luzipho said illegal mining activities had always been associated with peripheral violent crimes that were complicated to predict, such as rape, the terror of mining communities, stock theft, murder, damage to national infrastructure and social amenities, human trafficking, as well as the illicit trade of contraband goods. He said though Parliament was currently on constituency period until the…

Mike Kantey, the former chairperson of the “National” Coalition Against Nuclear Energy, attacked the energy expert Hlathi Madela in a right of reply in Business Report, “Words without end: A factual approach to the nuclear debate,” on August 3. Kantey makes four claims about nuclear energy that are just plain wrong: The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR), nuclear proliferation, the danger of radiation, and the cost. Kantey is right that the PBMR did indeed cost South Africa around R10 billion, but why doesn’t he say that the project ran over a period of 14 years? India with a significantly poorer population then South Africa, invests heavily in science and engineering and the pay-off is that the Indians recently constructed their own domestic heavy water reactor. Why shouldn’t South Africans follow…

BANKS have an important role to play in our financial system, but the financial system does not exist only for their own narrow interest. After the judgment handed down by the Competition Appeal Court on July 17, Standard Bank issued a letter to all companies whose bank accounts it holds related to Dr Iqbal Survé, including Independent Media. The bank stated it intends to close their bank facilities by the 21st of this month. This announcement immediately wiped out at least half the market capitalisation of the listed entities, indicative of the severity and full impact of the value destruction that was caused by this decision. It has also vested a precedent in the South African financial system, and it is not just about one bank and one client.…

When it comes to health care, the focus has moved to preventive managed care and particularly, health checks and screenings. These include tests carried out by a medical doctor to check for diseases and health conditions, even before you may have any symptoms. By detecting diseases early, they are often easier to treat. The clinical team at Bonitas Medical Fund talks about the most important check-ups for women. Breast cancer From age 18 you should do regular self-examination of your breasts; if you see or feel any changes, consult your doctor immediately. Early detection increases the chance of survival. Some doctors recommend having a mammogram every two years from the age of 40, others believe you need to start at 50. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with…

THE donation of sporting equipment to young people in Winterveld will go a long way in keeping them off the streets, where they are vulnerable to negative influences such as substance abuse and crime. This was the sentiment expressed the City of Tshwane’s MMC for community and social development services Peggy de Bruin, who recently led an official hand over of soccer and netball poles to the community. The gesture by the municipality followed a request made by the community during the commemoration of the Winterveld massacre, which took place in 1986 at City Rocks soccer field, resulting in scores of people being killed. De Bruin said: “Co-ordinators of the event comprising different stakeholders in Winterveld, namely, the Winterveld massacre committee, football associations and other community structures, put in the…

WHILE the country celebrated Women’s Day yesterday, the legal advocacy group, Judges Matter, paid tribute to the 100 years of women in the legal profession. April this year marked 100 years since women were allowed to enter the legal profession as practitioners. For women’s month, the group celebrates and salutes women pioneers in the judiciary and highlights some of the progress made. In 1994, there were only two women on the Bench, both of them white: Judges Leonora van den Heever and Jeanette Traverso. The first black woman judge was Johannesburg Judge Mokgadi Mailula, appointed in 1994, followed by Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro. Based on February 2023 statistics from the Judiciary Annual Report 2021/22, there are currently 253 judges in the superior courts including the Constitutional Court,…

The Public Servants Association (PSA) says it is aware of the immense role that women play in households, noting that nearly 42.1% of South African households have women as breadwinners. The trade union organisation said some 7.2 million households relied on women to support the family structure financially. “Very often, these women must maintain households with very limited resources and support. They face many struggles to enable their children and families to access quality education and health-care services, while also ensuring that those who rely on them achieve their goals. SA women are furthermore the main victims of domestic violence,” the PSA said. The PSA said that over the past 103 years, equality for women in the public sector has been pursued, including actions that led to women being permanently…

Makes 4 naan pizzas Ingredients 4 naan breads 1 whole head of garlic 250g portabellini or button mushrooms, sliced 1 tin crushed tomatoes 4 tsp curry powder 300g bocconcini or fior di latte fresh Mozzarella 1-2 fresh chillies, sliced Olive oil or ghee, for cooking Salt and pepper, to taste Diced tomato and onion, for serving Fresh coriander, for serving Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Slice the top third of the head of garlic off. Place on a square of tinfoil. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt. Wrap up the garlic tightly and place in the oven for 1 hour. After an hour remove the garlic from the oven and squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skin. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in…

A Durban woman, whose wedding dress was stolen days before her nuptials, has tied the knot in what she describes as a beautiful ceremony. Jennine Naidoo, from Shallcross, was robbed of her wedding dress in peak hour traffic in the Durban CBD on July 24. Naidoo and her father had been on their way to work when they stopped at a traffic light on West Street, when robbers broke into the back of the locked bakkie and took her dress worth R15 000. Naidoo had been taking the dress to the dressmaker to have it altered. After sharing her story on social media and news outlets which went viral, Naidoo was gifted a wedding gown from Bride&Co. Speaking to IOL the weekend after her wedding, Naidoo said: “It was such…

WHILE sales of sedans and hatchbacks keep declining and manufacturers cull them from their offerings the world appetite for SUVs continues unabated. And as people drop off from the C-hatch segment they head towards the myriad of C-SUV options that include Opel’s Grandland offering. It’s been significantly spruced up both inside and out, the most obvious being Opel’s “Vizor” design treatment upfront first seen on the Mokka making it a wallflower no more and with the IntelliLux LED Pixel Light headlamps moves it closer to the cool category. The front lines follow through gracefully along the sides to the rear with the Grandland name and Opel Blitz logo adorn the middle of the electric tailgate. There are three options in the range starting with the Grandland, Grandland GS Line and…

THE recent bus accident that stole the lives of six pupils on the R618 near Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve, injuring more than 34 others, has reminded the authorities about the seriousness of the road carnage crisis in this country. The victims, pupils of Mchitheki Secondary School in Nongoma, died when their bus overturned. They were on their way to visit Durban. A school trip, obviously that had begun with much jubilation and excitement, ended in tears because of either the reckless driving of the bus driver, or the road unworthiness of the bus, or maybe the road conditions. All of the above should be a cause for concern for the authorities to try to deal with the pandemic that has brought so much pain and suffering to thousands of families…

Ten-man AmaZulu FC frustrated SuperSport United as the two sides played out to a goalless draw at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last night. The stalemate saw Usuthu go two games without scoring as they notched up their second draw in as many Premiership matches. Matsatsantsa dropped points for the first time in their new campaign, having won their opener. An Usuthu side looking to place their first three points on the board handed attacking debuts to midfielder Celimpilo Ngema and striker Victor Letsoalo. AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin highlighted the importance of variation in his squad while they work their way to the required fitness levels. Visiting coach Gavin Hunt was forced into alterations of his own as Bradley Grobler missed out through injury, handing an opportunity to…

It was an tense Sunday and Monday for Springbok wing Canan Moodie, and the stress levels were high because he had those doubting thoughts of “am I in or am I out?” constantly on his mind. But after the 20-year-old heard that he made the Bok World Cup squad, relief and gratefulness washed over him, and that nervousness dissipated and turned into a big smile that the Bulls’ player has worn since getting the good news that he is heading to France to help South Africa defend their world title. The Paarl-born speedster had one final shot last Saturday against Argentina to convince coach Jacques Nienaber and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus that he should go to the World Cup. Moodie had a blinder against the Argentines, and played out…

Mobile operator to approach the Competition Tribunal to argue its case to buy stake in Dark Fibre Africa and Vumatel VODACOM on Tuesday said it was “disappointed“ after the Competition Commission scuppered its expansion plans by recommending its $862 mil- lion (R16 billion) deal to acquire a stake in Dark Fibre Africa and Vumatel be prohi- bited. However, the mobile operator said the recommendation was not the end of the process as it would approach the Competition Tribunal to argue its case. Vodacom in 2021 said it had acquired a 30% stake in a newly formed company Maziz, that holds Community Investment Ventures Holdings’ Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa fibre assets. The deal at the time was punted as marking the beginning of an ambitious plan to bridge…

GLENCORE the largest natural re- sources company in the world, reported on Tuesday that its earnings dropped by 60% owing to commodity market imbalances and volatility. In its half-year report for the six months to June, the group said headline earnings decreased by almost 60% to about $4.28 billion (R80.7bn), and revenue fell by 20% to $107.4bn. The group said that this followed extreme global geopolitical and economic turbulence in 2022, which pushed prices for many coal and gas benchmarks to record levels. In spite of this, the group announced a “top-up” return to shareholders of $2.2bn, which includes $1bn in a special dividend and $1.2bn in share buybacks. Glencore CEO Gary Nagle said: “Against the backdrop of a normalisation of commodity market imbalances and volatility, primarily across…

How do we, as women in business, chase success when we are gasping for air and running just to stand still? My talking points at this year’s Thriving Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit, hosted by ActionCOACH SA, on August 11, are inspired by this concern. As the business world adapts to the new normal post Covid-19, and while the new normal might not be what many of us hoped it would be, there are many opportunities surfacing and no better time than the present moment to seize them. However, many women business owners that I work with feel that their time and energy is already over-invested in just trying to keep up with all the changes and manage the challenge and chaos of running their businesses. In a time where our personal…

Oppenheimer, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, feels like a buffet display showcasing all Nolan’s skills acquired during his previous films, but the story does not always achieve its intent. The IMAX®-shot thriller thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin. Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy as J Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Matt Damon also appears, as General Leslie Groves Jr, the director of the Manhattan Project. Robert Downey Jr plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission.…

With many South Africans being deaf or hard of hearing, it’s a great privilege and honour to have the likes of Khetha Makoatsane, pictured, who helps bridge the gap. The female sign language interpreter made it her mission to help make the lives of the hearing impaired community better. Every day, she opens the door to knowledge and information for them when she signs in IsiZulu on Newzroom Afrika’s Izindaba Zethu. But that’s not all. Makoatsane also works at the Wits University’s Disability Rights Unit, interpreting in lectures for deaf students and converts study material for blind students into an accessible format. In South Africa, more than 4 million people are deaf or hard of hearing, making the country’s decision to adopt sign language as our 12th official language a…

Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane said as the province mourns the loss of young lives, there is a growing determination to prevent future tragedies and to foster a culture of support, compassion and understanding within the educational community. Chiloane was expressing his “deep sadness” after two incidents of learners who apparently died by suicide in the province. One of the incidents occurred at Soshanguve Secure Centre, where a Grade 10 boy learner was foundhanged in a dormitory on Monday. The learner had apparently been taken to the juvenile centre about two weeks ago and was awaiting trial. In the other incident, also on Monday, a Grade 9 boy learner from Kgetsi Ya Tsie Secondary School took his own life at home. The Gauteng Department of Education said its psychosocial…

South Africa recorded at least 207 child marriages in the year 2021, according to statistics released to the African Union special rapporteur, who is currently in the country to monitor and evaluate progress on how South Africa is performing in its ongoing campaign to end child marriages. Statistics South Africa director for education and child statistics, Dr Seble Worku revealed that, of the 207 recorded child marriages, 188 were brides and 19 were grooms. She further revealed that 37 of the child marriages were registered as civil marriages and 19 were customary. Regarding sources of income for children in South Africa, the national Department of Social Development said an improvement has been observed in the number of minors living in low-income households, with the total number at 2.6 million. Dr…

THE DA in Tshwane has called out the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), urging it to take “immediate and decisive” action against striking municipal employees. Workers affiliated to Samwu have been engagedg in a series of protests since last month, demanding a 5.4% wage increase. The strike, declared illegal and unprotected, had hampered the metro’s service delivery efforts, with residents being denied access to medical facilities, electricity and water, while waste had been left uncollected. In a move seen to be supporting mayor Cilliers Brink, the DA said the union’s lack of action was “deeply concerning”. Samwu has denied it had sanctioned the continuous strike action. The DA’s Tshwane caucus chairperson Jacqui Uys opposed the union’s assertions, saying the reality faced by the city and the residents was telling…

President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday called for gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) to end. Ramaphosa said the government had responded to the call for tougher bail conditions for perpetrators. Speaking during the official Women’s Day celebration, he said that they were getting to the point where if one touched a woman and was arrested, there would be no bail. He said when one kills a woman, the perpetrator will get a life sentence. “There is no justifiable reason for us as men to believe that you own women. There was a period where men believed they own women, and we must relegate that with the past. No man must believe that they own women in South Africa,” he said. The president added that the violence perpetrated by men against women and…

The Isuzu MU-X is a stylish but somewhat lesser-known rival to popular bakkie-based SUVs such as the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest. Some might argue that Isuzu’s D-Max-based wagon is on the expensive side of the equation, but now the Japanese company is making it more attainable with the release of a 1.9-litre variant. Priced at R708 000, the Isuzu MU-X 1.9TD LS is R92 000 cheaper than the 3.0TD LS, and it also becomes the second least expensive vehicle in its class, with only the equivalent Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 auto model undercutting it at R697 800. For the record, the next cheapest alternatives are the albeit higher-specced Mitsubishi Pajero 2.4 DI-D, at R769 990, while the cheapest Ford Everest is the bi-turbo XLT at R848 300. The lower-priced…

The latest set of updates to Toyota’s Fortuner – first launched here in 2005 – sees the mid-level SUV take a significant step up as an on- and off-road performer. At the same time, the exterior has been freshened up and the front end with its sharp creases and revised lighting signature now bring the range into line with the current Toyota design seen on the likes of the Corolla Cross. The Swartberg Pass is a majestic 23.8km of unmatched scenery designed by Thomas Bain. It was opened in 1888 and remains as pristine as it was over the ages. It’s well maintained enough to allow almost any modern car to traverse this winding road, taking the revised Toyota Fortuner – in top-spec VX trim – on this route highlighted…

Kaizer Chiefs’ season went from bad to worse in a matter of seconds after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at a time when they looked like they could burgle a point from Mamelodi Sundowns yesterday. Playing in their second match of the new season and desperate to avoid defeat, Chiefs spent most of the match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on the back foot. It looked like they could hold the champions to a 1-1 stalemate after striker Ashley du Preez scored the equaliser six minutes from the end. There was a thunderous roar from the Amakhosi fans, who were quiet all afternoon, but their joy was short-lived when Sundowns substitute Neo Maema snatched the winner, and Chiefs were gutted. They were held to a goalless draw by…

Having 57 players in a rugby squad may seem excessive, but after what happened to the Bulls last season, director of rugby Jake White is leaving no stone unturned to bring trophies back to Loftus Versfeld. Injuries, illnesses and coaching issues all contributed to the Pretoria side falling short in the Champions Cup (last 16), United Rugby Championship (quarter-finals) and Currie Cup (semi-finals), and White has covered all his bases with 17 coaches, sports scientists and other support personnel as well. Some of the big-name signings are Springboks Willie le Roux, Wilco Louw and Akker van der Merwe, as well as coaches such as Andries Bekker, Gary Gold and Kennedy Tsimba. “There is a special feeling in the air at Loftus at the moment, perhaps because we are all enjoying…

Don’t worry, Mzansi: There is a method to the ‘RasNaber’ madness! There were plenty of eyebrows raised, and supporters shifted around uncomfortably after seeing four scrumhalves and only one recognised flyhalf in the 33-player Springbok World Cup squad. Do not even speak about the absence of outside centre Lukhanyo Am and who will fill his mercurial boots at No 13, with Jesse Kriel the only back-up. And the loss of experienced flyhalf Handré Pollard with the seven-cap Manie Libbok currently the recognised No 10 and goal-kicker. These are some of the concerns around the Bok squad going to France to defend their world title. And they are valid concerns. But if there is one thing we have learned in the era of Rassie Erasmus (as coach and director of rugby),…