Tabla de contenidos para 2024-04-11 en Star

SOUTH Africa’s economy could be under the threat of catching flu as one of its biggest trading partners sneezes after Fitch Ratings downgraded China’s credit outlook. Fitch yesterday revised China’s sovereign credit outlook from stable to negative, while affirming its A+ rating amid mounting concerns regarding the nation’s public finance outlook. China’s wide fiscal deficits have been high since 2020, running roughly at twice the 3.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) 2015 to 2019 average, and the 2024 deficit is forecast to be the highest since the 8.6% of GDP deficit in 2020. Fitch’s primary rating analyst, Jere- my Zook, said China was contending with more uncertain economic prospects amid a transition away from property-reliant growth to what the government views as a more sustainable growth model. “We forecast the…

Avian influenza, the H5N1 strain that has killed hundreds of millions of birds globally and millions of chickens in the past 18 months in South Africa, has now been detected in a Texas farmworker and dairy cows in six US states. Smalltalkdaily Research’s independent analyst Anthony Clark yesterday said that the disease had jumped the species barrier, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was now monitoring the evolving situation. “Given my works in agriculture, food producers and soft commodities, it would be remiss of me not to highlight this developing story and make a comment in this note,” Clark said. “There is no cause for concern at this stage within South Africa as the disease in dairy cattle is only reported in the US.” Clark also…

Afrimat said yesterday the acquisition of Lafarge South Africa became unconditional and the deal would raise Afrimat’s offering in construction materials by expanding its quarry and ready-mix operations nationally. The competition authorities approved the transaction yesterday. Afrimat had entered into a share purchase agreement with a Holcim Group subsidiary, Caricement BV, in terms of which Afrimat would acquire 100% of the share capital of Lafarge South Africa Holdings. The acquisition was expected to close by no later than April 24, 2024. Afrimat CEO Andries van Heerden said the deal was part of their diversification strategy. “Additionally, access to the fly ash operations provides a foothold into the cement extender market,” he said. “The grinding plant will allow Afrimat to grind various materials as value-added products for current and new customers,…

2023 WAS MY third time in Rwanda. It’s a country many will remember for the genocide that ravaged it 30 years ago. Close to a million Rwandans were killed in a civil war that was sparked by tension between the Hutu and Tutsi tribe. Fast forward to 2024, the country commemorates the 1994 massacre that left a huge dent in its history. Yet Rwanda is bold, brave and forging ahead by rewriting its past through various means. Tourism: Known as the land of a thousand hills, mountains and beautiful scenery, it attracts a multitude of tourists that travel from far and wide, boosting its tourism sector from a mere 500 000 visits in 2021 to around a million visitors in 2022. With a free visa for all, Rwanda has…

JSE-LISTED Tharisa Minerals believes that platinum group metals (PGM) prices are stabilising as it maintained its guidance for 2024, after sustaining its PGM production for the quarter to March, despite a lowering of its chrome output over the same period. Platinum prices have been de- pressed over the past few months, although PGM stocks have been on a rally on the JSE, alongside producers of gold, whose price touched new record highs this month. However, Tharisa and other PGM stocks on the JSE, such as Impala Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater, traded in the red in the afternoon session yesterday. Shares in Tharisa were 1.27% weaker at R15.55 per share, although it was 16.67% higher in the past seven days. PGM output for Tharisa in the quarter to end March 31, 2024,…

“DO YOU like John Wick?” asks the back-alley gun dealer as he displays his wall of automatic weaponry for the hero. He might as well be directing the question to the audience since Monkey Man seems hell-bent on establishing itself as the latest wrinkle in post-Wickian cinema: non-stop mayhem featuring an actor previously thought of as a sweetie pie. That actor is Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, who not only stars as the vulnerable yet somehow unkillable avenger known only as Kid but also makes his feature directing debut here. And quite credibly: Monkey Man is strictly formula in plot, but fizzes and sometimes overflows with the style of a first-time film-maker out to prove what he can do. The setting is Mumbai, and…

THERE has been protest action at some universities and TVET colleges as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) continues to struggle to clear suppliers’ debt and pay student allowances on time. Pleas from students yet to receive their allowances from the financial aid scheme have continued to surface across multiple social media platforms, with student protest action witnessed at some institutions. Against this background, the DA Youth in KwaZulu-Natal visited a number of institutions, especially within the province, to observe the ongoing strikes and significant challenges within various educational institutions. Among these were the University of Zululand (UniZulu), Umfolozi TVET College, and Amajuba TVET. DA Youth said it had noted that students at the institutions had not received their NSFAS allowances, including funds allocated for essential academic materials such…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has pledged to eliminate load shedding by the end of the year in an effort to restore stability to South Africa’s electricity supply and lessen the difficulties citizens and businesses experience. His remarks were delivered during a public lecture at the University of Johannesburg’s School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy on Tuesday, where he commemorated 30 years of democracy. Mashatile said the government is continuing with its ongoing efforts to combat load shedding, enhance energy security, optimise logistics systems and upgrade ports and rail networks. “I would be happy to assure you that there are national plans in place to halt load shedding this year. I understand you don’t believe me. They believe I am electioneering, but I am not. This is true. That…

THE multimillion-rand Townlands social housing project in Marabastad will benefit low-income earners who will be able to have homes closer to economic opportunities. This view was expressed by Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi yesterday during the official launch of the project, first unveiled by former City of Tshwane mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in February 2016. Kubayi interacted with tenants who were happy that it was affordable and closer to their workplaces and social amenities, such as shopping malls and sport facilities. One of the tenants who moved in yesterday was Irene Chale, a student and part-time employee. She said: “I feel happy because I will be able to have my own space and have a space where I can raise my son. For me it is all about the affordability of…

Radio and entertainment industry personality Percy Sleash SA is back with a catchy new single titled Livhutsa Bhee, featuring Jay Spitter. It is his second release under DJ Edit SA Music, an independent label founded by Kennedy Mudzuli, editor of Independent Media’s Pretoria News. The single drops tomorrow and is distributed by Virgin Music Group South Africa. It was produced by Yannick Lumbala, known as Mr Producer. Explaining the process of making the song, Percy Sleash SA said it was easy because the beat was pre-done. “I recorded my lines and then sent it to Jay Spitter in Mbombela. Funny enough, both of us and the producer were not happy with the initial final product, but after work on it, we all agreed that we have done a marvellous job.…

The recent evictions conducted by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements are an indication that the law will be upheld even during the election season. A number of unscrupulous people took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and either sold and/or encouraged the invasion of land in Gauteng. These invaders took advantage of the legal provisions gazetted on March 26, 2020 that stated: “All evictions and execution of attachment orders, both movable and immovable, including the removal of movable assets and sales in execution is suspended … for the duration of the lockdown.” The invaded land is either owned by different spheres of government, its entities, or private individuals. The eviction of people who invaded the department’s serviced stands in Palm Ridge, Ekurhuleni, and the ongoing eviction of the people who…

Audi has ripped the covers off the upgraded S3 Sedan and Sportback models, but calling this a facelift is perhaps an injustice, given the engine and chassis upgrades. Following hot on the heels of the regular A3 models, whose facelift was revealed in March, the new S3 gains a more powerful version of the ubiquitous ‘EA888’ 2-litre turbopetrol engine. Audi S3 buyers can now look forward to outputs of 245kW and 420Nm, which is 17kW and 20Nm more than the outgoing version, and enough to cut the zero to 100km/h sprint time by 0.2 seconds, with Audi now claiming a time of 4.7 seconds. But before you get too excited about the new deputy performance model – an updated RS3 is surely on the way – keep in mind that…

Coach Rulani Mokwena says Mamelodi Sundowns will continue to give their best to win the quadruple, despite fatigue starting to creep into the side. Sundowns are arguably one of the teams – if not the team – to beat on the continent, given their sheer dominance in recent weeks. The African Football League winners are on the cusp of grabbing four titles as they are still in the race for the Nedbank Cup, DStv Premiership and CAF Champions League. They tightened their grip on the Premiership and Champions League recently. They are leading the league standings by 13 points, following Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Cape Town Spurs at the Athlone Stadium – courtesy of a Lucas Ribeiro Costa first-half penalty – and are in the continental semi-finals. Sundowns haven’t been…

THE WORLD Trade Organisation (WTO) said yesterday that global trade should rebound this year from an unexpected slump in 2023, but warned that regional conflicts, geopolitical tensions and economic policy uncertainty risked darkening the picture. In its annual trade forecast, the WTO disclosed that world trade volumes unexpectedly declined by 1.2% in 2023. That downgrade was “mainly due to the worse-than-expected performance of Europe,” said WTO chief economist Ralph Ossa, with lingering high energy prices and inflation driving down demand for manufactured goods. The eurozone economy stagnated in the final quarter of last year, with Ger- many’s economy contracting by 0.3%. But a recovery in the global trade of goods is already under way, thanks in part to inflation slowing. The WTO forecast that the global economy will continue to…

ANGLOGOLD Ashanti’s change of domicile from South Africa to the US last year impacted the gold miner’s weighting on the JSE indices, in addition to a sell-off, as fund managers sought to rebalance their holdings in the company. South Africa taxed AngloGold Ashanti as much as R4.18 billion for moving its primary listing from Johannesburg to the New York Stock Exchange. This was in addition to a further R351 million in securities transfer tax. AngloGold Ashanti said yesterday that its new corporate structure, listing and domiciling in the NYSE placed it “alongside its highest-rated global gold mining peers in the world’s largest capital market and source of most of the world’s investment” in gold mining companies. This was helping it to create a strong platform “for shareholder value…

The announcement of Abiel Mngome- zulu’s retirement as chairperson of the board and an independent non-executive director at Merafe Resources triggered a sharp decline in the company’s shares. This announcement coincided with the anticipation of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), slated for about May 15. The shares closed 12.18% lower at R1.37 on the JSE yesterday, after a bullish run for the past 90 days of rising 19.08% higher. Additionally, shareholders received notification that Ditshebo Stephen Phiri, an independent non-executive director of the company, would assume the roles of chairperson, chair of the Nomination Committee, and member of the Remuneration Committee and Social, Ethics, and Transformation Committee. The company, the largest ferrochrome producer in the world, has a market value of R3.9 billion. The board yesterday thanked Mngomezulu for…

Chris Hani’s widow, Limpho Hani, has slammed the ANC government for having failed her husband and what he stood for. Hani, who took part in various celebrations in her husband’s memory, said his death was not worth her children growing up without their father. The ANC and its alliance partners hosted a wreath-laying ceremony yesterday spearheaded by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and other leaders, including Solly Mapaila, at Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Germiston. “This government has failed him, and all of us. I assure you that countless of our people have died for our so-called freedom. “This is not what they had in mind when they laid down their lives. It was not worth his life. It was not worth me being a widow,” Hani said. “It was not…

The City of Joburg (CoJ) has warned property and business owners who have defaulted on their monthly rates for more than 61 days that it intends to blacklist them soon as it looks to recoup more than R40 billion in municipal debt. The city has been drowning in municipal debt of R52bn, which it intends to curb with aggressive credit control campaigns. CoJ will be invoking its Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy by reporting defaulting payers to appropriate credit bureaus. The city has set up a specialised revenue collection team that will hound defaulters across the metro. “Residents in arrears with their municipal accounts and who have not made arrangements for settling their bills run the risk of being blacklisted,” said group chief financial officer Tebogo Moraka. Customers who…

Police in Joburg have arrested two men, a 48-year-old Nigerian national and a 43-year-old South African, for allegedly dealing in drugs. Spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) said on Monday that a joint operation was conducted by its tactical response unit and the Joburg-based Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks. “The operation was based on information received about suspected drug dealing activities at the Houghton Hotel in Houghton. Upon arrival, the team identified the room of interest. “The male occupant was found in possession of approximately 5kg of an illicit drug known as crystal meth,” said Fihla. “The occupant of the hotel room then identified another male individual, who was in the hotel’s restaurant. The hotel room was rented under this individual’s name.” Drugs…

NINE new trapdoor spider species have been discovered in the Great Karoo by researchers at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Zoology and Entomology, and the Agricultural Research Council. This brings the count of members of the Stasimopus genus, which is endemic to Southern Africa, to 56 distinct species. News about the discoveries was announced in the journal Zootaxa. “A distinguishing feature of trapdoor spiders is the way in which they cover their underground burrows with a trapdoor-like lid made of soil, silk and plants,” explains lead author Dr Shannon Brandt, a recent PhD graduate from UP. “These burrows can be up to 30cm deep. Depending on the species, some burrows are wide enough for a R5 coin to fit in, while a smallish orange could easily be dropped…

Veteran actor and playwright Sello Maake kaNcube and his wife Pearl Mbewe Maake KaNcube have finally addressed all the rumours about their marriage. In a post, Pearl shared how she wished people would give Sello a break, and she praised him for what he has done for her. “How I wish people could just give you a break! In what may seem like me coming to your defence, the truth is being with you has elevated me to heights I never thought possible.” Pearl defended Sello’s character, following the rumours of a divorce and him being allegedly dropped by Budget Insurance as their brand ambassador. “I will forever love you and your spirit shall and will remain unshaken. YOU ARE A GOOD MAN. Father, son and a sibling. “More than…

Renault is aiming for a more premium and sculpted look with the facelifted Captur recently unveiled in France. But hang on, wasn’t the second- generation Captur launched in South Africa only last year? That’s true, but we received it more than three years after its international debut due to Covid-related supply delays. Thankfully there won’t be as long a wait for the facelifted model, which Renault SA is aiming to introduce locally around the third quarter of 2024. The facelifted Renault Captur adopts the French brand’s new design language initiated by design chief Gille Vidal, and already seen on the facelifted Clio and Scenic E-Tech. Or as Renault puts it: “Playing on light and matter with taut lines and precise detailing, the new language creates a more stylish and dynamic…

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis struggled to put into words their disappointment at missing out on qualification for the Paris Olympics this week. Banyana lost 1-0 on aggregate to Nigeria in the two-legged final qualifier for the Olympics after losing 1-0 in Abuja in last Friday’s first leg, before drawing in Pretoria in the second leg. Fresh from the goalless draw in the capital on Tuesday night, Ellis cut a dejected figure in the bowels of Loftus Versfeld in her post-match duties. Ellis folded her arms and leaned towards the table, while her teary red eyes flinched at the media corps who packed the Loftus auditorium. She tried to not to blink as much as she could while answering questions, as failure to do that could have seen tears roll…

Jose Riveiro is only a piece in Orlando Pirates’ puzzle, and that’s why he’ll always put the club’s interests first before his or any other ambitions. After a stellar debut season – winning a cup double and finishing second in the league – Riveiro was expected to build on the momentum by convincing the club to buy players – especially from Europe – that he thought would fit his style of play and take them to new heights. But that hasn’t been the case. Pirates continued to bolster their squad with only locals, including this season’s wonderkid, Patrick Maswanganyi. And that’s not all. The arrival of Thalente Mbatha on loan from SuperSport United raised eyebrows, with some questioning whether he was signed by the club or Riveiro. For a…

AS A season that has certainly aged him much quicker than the previous ones draws to a close, Gavin Hunt appears much more relaxed and less grumpy than he has been for most of the campaign. It could well have to do with the fact his SuperSport United outfit no longer have to endure the gruelling travelling that was brought about by their involvement in continental competition. Or “Huntie” finally managed to play a round of golf, his favourite pastime, as Matsatsantsa a Pitori enjoyed a rare midweek without a fixture. But then again, the multiple championship-winning coach could well have imbibed at his favourite bar the previous day. Whatever the reason, Hunt was pleasantly amiable as he addressed the media at the Premier Soccer League (PSL) offices yesterday ahead…

SIBANYE-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman told the platinum group metals (PGMs) Industry Day conference in Johannesburg yesterday that mobility remained the biggest driver of PGM demand. Froneman also said that understanding how battery electric vehicles (BEV) would replace internal combustion engines (ICE) was key to understanding the dynamics of the industry. “Mobility plays a significant role in supply and demand. We need to focus on people and their preferences. New technologies, such as hydrogen-powered engines, are becoming more viable and are being developed by companies like Toyota,” Froneman said. “In addition, we must consider the impact of virtual work on mobility as there will be less demand for mobility going forward. In the first quarter Tesla reported a 9% year-on-year decline in sales, which was the first decline since 2012. “We…

WITH THE MINING Indaba set to take place later this month, Lesotho is well on its path to reviving its extractive industry. A first for the country having previously attended the Mining Indaba in Cape Town last year, the foresight of bringing it to Lesotho can only serve to further cement the country as a key player in the mining sector. Under the banner: “The future of mining in a global landscape” the indaba will not only showcase what the country has to offer in terms of mining, but will also provide a platform to discuss chronic challenges faced by the sector. It is only through tackling the problem head-on that Lesotho can continue to attract investors that will ultimately play a role in the growth of the sector. Despite…

SMALL businesses have felt the impact of the ongoing and worsening energy crisis in a tangible way. Load shedding has cut into productivity and profitability levels, throwing a spanner in the plans that many businesses had made to recover their pandemic era losses. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country, investing in a back-up or alternative source of power has become a non-negotiable, and in many cases, solar energy has provided the most viable solution. The benefits of going solar The escalation of rolling power cuts has catalysed a scramble for renewable sources of energy, but for many reasons, solar energy has emerged a clear frontrunner. To date, solar is the most advanced and developed energy technology accessible to South Africans and businesses on the ground. And, with…

IN A GROUNDBREAKING move re- shaping South Africa’s financial, fishing, investment and media sectors, billionaire businessman and philanthropist Dr Iqbal Survé in the last year has repurchased assets valued at more than R5 billion. This manoeuvre follows the delist- ing of Premier Food and Brands (PFB) and African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI), one of the first listed black companies in South Africa, amid sustained smear campaigns by media rivals and politicians of Survé’s Independent Media conglomerate. The strategic buy-back by Survé, who owns Independent Media, South Africa’s largest newspaper business, is set to send shockwaves through the nation’s economic landscape. The move comes amid relentless attacks by media entities such as the Daily Maverick, Arena and Media24, tarnishing the reputation of Survé’s ventures and prompting threats from local banks…

SCOOP, which premiered on Netflix this weekend, was inspired by Sam McAlister’s 2023 book Scoops. In November 2019, amid the Jeffrey Epstein drama, Prince Andrew agreed to an interview with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight, a BBC current events programme. In the opening scenes of Scoop, the BBC announces 450 job cuts among the news staff and, like many newsrooms across the globe, the Newsnight newsroom is already short-staffed. Much of the action takes place in the newsroom. The 2019 interview led directly to Andrew’s withdrawal from royal duties. The Netflix version focuses on the journalists securing an exclusive news story. But what happened behind the scenes is just as riveting. The behind-the-scenes story is told from the point of view of Newsnight’s interview booker, Sam McAlister. Played by Billie Piper,…

April 8 was a big day for some lucky folks because they had a total solar eclipse in town! And when I say “in town”, I mean certain communities in the US were rolling out the red carpet for this cosmic show-stopper. They were expecting millions of eclipse enthusiasts to flood in, ready to boost the local economy. The eclipse sadly couldn’t be seen from South Africa (the next visible eclipse here will be a partial lunar eclipse on September 18). However, just because you didn’t have a front-row seat to the celestial spectacle doesn’t mean you can’t join in the excitement. So, let’s dive into a selection of movies that feature the beauty and mystique of the solar eclipse. Ladyhawke (1985) Set in a medieval fantasy world,…

COME tomorrow, e-toll beeps will officially be a thing of the past but motorists will still see invoices coming into their inboxes after the fact. Earlier yesterday, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga provided an update in Pretoria on future plans following the decision by the national government to officially scrap e-tolls in Gauteng. On March 28, the government gazetted a notice concerning the withdrawal of the Toll Declaration of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), popularly known as e-tolls, effective as of midnight on April 11. Chikunga said coming to the decision was not an easy process, as the reasoning behind the implementation of the tolls came as a result of the government seeking to address extreme road congestion and the negative effect it had on the country’s economy and the…

A ‘cheating and abusive’ husband who sought R15 000 monthly maintenance from his wife failed to convince the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that he needed the funds. The former couple were married in community of property in July 1999 and two children were born from the marriage. The wife brought a divorce application in the high court and also sought for the husband to forfeit her pension fund, as well as properties and cars which were part of the joint estate. However, an attorney informed the court that most of the issues had been settled and the only thing that remained to be contested was the forfeiture of the pension benefits. In her oral evidence, the wife testified that the husband would be unduly benefiting if the forfeiture order was…

WORK to speed up upgrades at the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works through a partnership between the Department of Water and Sanitation and the City of Tshwane is on track. This optimism was shared by Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink who joined Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu to conduct oversight inspections at the facility, including the Klipdrift Package Plant in Hammanskraal. The wastewater treatment works, identified as the source of dirty water supplied to Hammanskraal people, came under the spotlight during a cholera outbreak in the township in May last year. The causes of cholera was, however, not determined despite more than 20 people having died after being hospitalised with diarrhoea or gastrointestinal infections caused by the consumption of contaminated water. The Rooiwal plant was flagged for its lack of…

Ingredients 3 tbs olive oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2 tbs Cajun spice 2 crushed garlic cloves 2 cups cream 400g tagliatelle Salt and milled pepper 3 tbs chopped parsley, for serving ¼ cup grated hard cheese, for serving Method Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Coat chicken with Cajun spice and add to the pan. Cook chicken for 10-12 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside for later. In the same pan, add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the cream and simmer on low-to-medium heat. Reduce the cream sauce until thick. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Set aside ¼ (60ml) cup pasta water. Toss the cooked pasta in…

Just when you thought Ford had saturated the Ranger range along comes the locally built bakkie with two more options, that when you think of it, actually makes sense. There’s a new king of the luxury double cab segment with the Ranger Platinum and an off-road biassed Ranger Tremor. The Ranger Platinum adds the sophistication of the same-named Everest SUV into a double cab and also uses the 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine capable of 184kW and 600Nm, which sees it slot in just above the Wildtrak and below the halo Raptor. We’ll focus on the Tremor first and in another article spend some more time with the Platinum. Based on the XLT Ranger, Ford thought it good to use the lower specced option to add a whole lot of lekker…

Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will pull back the curtain on a robotaxi later this year, news that comes as the adoption of self-driving vehicles hits speed bumps over safety concerns. The billionaire boss of the electric car maker did not provide details, saying only in his post on X that the “Tesla Robotaxi unveil” will come on August 8. Musk has long boasted of the work Tesla is doing on its systems for electric cars to drive themselves. Tesla models with FSD (Full Self-Driving) “will be superhuman to such a degree that it will seem strange in the future that humans drove cars, even while exhausted and drunk!” he said in a post on X in March. Musk has also said that owners of Tesla vehicles with FSD…

SELECTION in sport almost always sparks debates in any country, but when it comes to South African cricket, the debates are often heated for various reasons. When Independent Newspapers learnt that Cricket SA is currently in talks to possibly change the existing selection structure – one which effectively put Proteas coaches Shukri Conrad (Tests) and Rob Walter (limited-overs) as the sole selectors of their teams this past year – it was clear that this was going to be an impactful decision. It is understood that CSA is considering going back to having a convenor of selectors and a selection panel to assist the coaches in selecting their squads, and that this new structure and its personnel would be announced next month. Although both coaches enjoyed success in their first year…