Inhoudsopgave van 2025-01-15 - Cape Times

As the Department of Basic Education raises concerns over fewer students enrolling in vital subjects such as physical science and mathematics, business is worried that South Africa’s ability to boost its economic growth could be hampered in a rapidly evolving digital age. This as the government struggles to revive the economy. In the third quarter of 2024, the economy experienced an unexpected contraction of 0.3%. Addressing the public as the matric results for the class of 2024 were released, Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, said that the department had seen a decrease in enrolments in subjects, such as physical sciences, mathematics, accounting and economics. “These, she stated, are “all subjects that are critical for a nation’s ability to advance in science, innovation and economic development”. In a bid to…

Transaction marks end of an era as the Ruperts exit tobacco industry The Ruperts, the South African billionaire family that started a global tobacco business more than 76 years ago, effectively exited the industry on Tuesday after Johann Rupert’s investment company sold its shares in British American Tobacco (BAT) for £1.22 billion (R28.19bn). Reinet Investments said on Tuesday that its indirect subsidiary, Reinet Jersey Holdings (RJHL) would sell over 43.3 million shares in BAT at £28.20 a share to institutional investors. This was completed through an aftermarket accelerated bookbuild, which started on Monday. The Ruperts will be left with a very small interest in BAT - 1.3 million BAT shares are still held by the Rupert-controlled investment group Remgro. Peter Little, fund manager at Anchor Capital, said Reinet did not…

South African households may soon feel the pinch as the price of white maize, a staple food, is expected to rise in the first quarter of 2025. This comes after a challenging 2024 maize production season marked by drought, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz). The South African Cereals and Oilseeds Trade Association (Sacota) on Tuesday pointed out the seriousness of the situation, noting that this week South Africa imported white maize for the first time since 2017. This as Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz's chief economist, warns that tighter maize stocks are likely to drive prices higher and become a reality in the first quarter of 2025. “Relief may start in the second quarter of the year. On January 9, South Africa's white maize spot price traded around R6,724…

At a high level panel discussion on “Energy Transition Pathways in Emerging Economies” at the fifteenth session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi, participants said more needs to be done to support renewable financing in emerging economies and IRENA could facilitate a scale up of resources so that the world could achieve the target of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. IRENA’s concept note said that as energy demand in emerging economies is projected to rise significantly during the period to 2050 and in particular in the current decade to 2030, the role of emerging economies is pivotal for the success of the global energy transition that is itself crucial for realizing the Net Zero ambitions. That is why IRENA has set the target of…

MeTTa Capital has launched South Africa’s first secondaries fund, which it says will help address the liquidity challenges in the local private equity industry, as well as provide flexibility from the the limited exit options for these investments. Secondaries funds involve the buying and selling of pre-existing investor commitments to private equity and other alternative investment funds. This market allows investors to trade their stakes in private equity funds before the funds reach their maturity. MeTTa Capital co-fund manager Tivon Loubser said typical private equity funds lock up capital for extended periods, often five, seven, or even ten years, and this means investors cannot easily access their capital until the fund’s term is reached or until there is an exit. “It’s a significant problem in South Africa, and we want…

POLICE are trying to establish how the 19 people being questioned over a deadly Nyanga taxi rank shooting landed in the Western Cape from other provinces. A security guard was killed while seven more people were wounded in the shooting. Provincial police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, confirmed there was a shootout at the public transport interchange at about 6am. The individuals shot were not community members but belonged to rival factions within the taxi organisation, Patekile said. “The shootout was at the taxi rank and was between two warring parties within the same taxi organisation. It resulted in injuries and one person dying. Seven people were left critically injured and were transported to hospital. We had our combat teams, and we prevented what could have been worse during this shooting.…

THE steady improvement in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) average pass rate attested to the system’s maturation and bodes well for the sector’s future in the country, says Education Portfolio Committee chairperson, Joy Maimela. The committee congratulated the basic education sector for achieving an 87.3% pass rate for the 2024 NSC examination results. “The massive improvement is a testament to the hard work, dedication and countless hours invested by learners, parents, teachers, the Department of Basic Education, and all stakeholders in the future and education of the country’s children. “The same energy evident over the years must be enhanced to ensure the improvement of the system,” Maimela said. She said the 2024 cohort would not have succeeded without the support structure provided by parents, teachers, schools, the Department of Basic…

To put it mildly, Reeza Hendricks’ international career has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. From his very first ODI, where he struck a marvellous century against Sri Lanka, to being left out of the 2019 World Cup squad for an ageing Hashim Amla... And how can we forget the 2021 T20 World Cup in Australia, where Hendricks was in the form of his life, but had to sit out the entire tournament and watch how captain Temba Bavuma limped from one game to the next? But for Hendricks’ sins, everyone will only remember the last T20 World Cup in the US and Caribbean, where he struggled throughout the entire campaign as coach Rob Walter persisted with him at the top of the order despite SA20 Season 2 leading…

Makhehleni Makhaula is a big brother figure at Orlando Pirates, and that’s why it’s been easy for the youngsters to be at their best around him on and off the pitch. Pirates have been on an upward trajectory this season – so much so that they are tipped to challenge for a quadruple come the end of the campaign. They’ve already won the MTN8, while they are second in the Premiership table, in the CAF Champions League quarter-final and will face Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup last 32. Their qualification for the continental showpiece last eight came with a game to spare as they’ve won three matches and drawn two in Group C. The Sea Robbers will be in action in Cairo on Saturday (6pm kick-off) to face Al…

Imposing anti-dumping duties on chicken products has helped the local industry to recover, the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) said. This follows Business Report reporting on Monday that frozen food importer Hume International said lobbyists calling for a harsher anti-dumping duties stance were short-sighted and could potentially harm broader economic interests. An expert has said that anti- dumping duties can cause the price of poultry to significantly rise. Izaak Breitenbach, the head of the Sapa, said dumping, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is unfair trade where a country exports their problem (oversupply) to become the problem of the importing country. “This is not allowed in terms of world trade, and the remedy is an anti-dumping duty. South Africa was the dumping ground for nine countries in terms…

France’s Orange Telecom has entered into a partnership with South Africa’s largest mobile network operator, Vodacom, to expand cellular coverage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The companies have agreed to collaborate to build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations in underserved areas of the DRC. In a statement, Vodacom said this was a first of its kind, rural towerco partnership in Africa. Orange currently operates in eight African countries through investments in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal along with its 16 points of presence. Vodacom’s DRC operation has more than 21 million customers. Mobile Internet penetration in the DRC is at 32.3%. In the statement, Vodacom said the initiative will extend network coverage and enable access to telecommunications and mobile financial…

BASIC Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said Grade R practitioners will be formally integrated into the basic education system as educators once the provisions of Grade R in the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act commenced. Gwarube said those practitioners who possess the necessary qualifications to teach in the foundation phase will be eligible for appointment into vacant substantive posts as fully recognised educators. “These appointments will be made through open advertisement, absorption, or conversion, as guided by the terms set out in Collective Agreement 2 of 2024,” she said. Gwarube was responding to parliamentary questions from IFP MP Siphosethu Ngcobo. She said transitional measures were currently being developed in consultation with the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and the Heads of Education Departments Committee (Hedcom) for qualifying Grade R teachers…

Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape continued their poor start to the SA20, going down by six wickets to the Pretoria Capitals at SuperSport Park in Centurion yesterday, recording their third consecutive loss in six days. The Aiden Markram-led side may lean on how they have been slow starters in the two seasons gone by – in which they failed to win their opening two matches, but still went on to win both campaigns. However, this season, they have serious problems. Having been bowled out for 77 at home last week, they were rolled over for 113 in Centurion yesterday. To their defence, the Capitals did win a crucial toss, one they used well in asking the Sunrisers to bat first, looking to exploit all the moisture on the wicket following…

Arsenal’s Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering what is suspected to be an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, according to British media reports yesterday. Jesus, 27, left the pitch on a stretcher before the end of the first half in Arsenal’s FA Cup tie with Manchester United on Sunday, which Mikel Arteta’s side lost on penalties. “We know more now. It is not looking good at all. We need to review with one more specialist, and will have better information this afternoon,” Arteta told a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League game with Tottenham Hotspur tonight. “I don’t want to confirm anything until we have the final report this afternoon. We were very worried after the game, and we are…

Last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev destroyed his racquet and avoided a huge shock at the Australian Open yesterday to join a rampant Taylor Fritz and veteran Gael Monfils in the second round. In the women’s draw, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina were both emphatic winners on day three, with Emma Navarro and Emma Raducanu also victorious. The feisty Medvedev, a three-time losing finalist at Melbourne Park including a year ago to Jannik Sinner, was heavy favourite against Thailand’s 418th-ranked Kasidit Samrej. But in his first match of the season, the Russian fifth seed nearly imploded in a fit of anger before finding some measure of calm. “Second and third set, I couldn’t touch the ball. I didn’t know what to do,” Medvedev said after finally winning 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-1…

FEW things inspire sportsmen better than the recognition of their efforts. Granted, football is a team sport, and coaches and players always make sure to remind us that their achievements are thanks to the help of those around them. But individual awards go a long way towards bringing the best out of sportsmen, and that being the case, you can bet that Mamelodi Sundowns’ Iqraam Rayners will be cock-a-hoop when he takes to the field against AS FAR Rabat in the club’s final group match of the CAF Champions League at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday (6pm kick-off). Rayners was yesterday announced as the Betway Premiership Player of the Month for both November and December for his incredible efforts that have seen him score six league goals this season, which has…

South Africa’s commodity sector faces a mixed outlook as cost and logistical challenges weigh heavily on mining companies. While improved rail and port operations from Transnet could provide relief to coal and iron ore producers, global uncertainties - following the election of US President Donald Trump last year - and rising operational expenses continue to cast a shadow over the industry. Analysts suggest that elevated gold prices, driven by an unpredictable global economic landscape, may provide some respite, but the broader mineral commodities market is struggling with mounting pressures. The nation, a key player in coal, manganese, gold, platinum group metals, and copper production, has been grappling with rising costs and logistic hurdles that have hindered growth. Industry setbacks, such as ArcelorMittal South Africa’s decision to close its longs…

Donald Trump will speak online to the annual meeting of the global political and business elite in Davos next week, days after taking office as US president, the World Economic Forum said on Tuesday. Trump will be sworn in at the US Capitol in Washington on Monday, January 20, the first day of the WEF gathering in the Swiss Alps. "He will join us digitally" on January 23, WEF president Borge Brende said in a press briefing previewing the annual meeting. "We think that will be a very special moment also to learn more what the new administration has (in terms) of policy priorities," Brende said. The US president's return to the White House was already expected to dominate discussions in Davos, a gathering that he attended in person during…

At a press conference at the fifteenth session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi, Safiatou Alouma, IRENA Director General on Energy Transition, Climate and Green Industrialisation said that South Africa is a role model for successful African renewable projects. “You need high level political leadership to trigger action on the ground and South Africa’s renewable energy programme shows what can be done and is a role model for other African countries,” she said. South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) was launched at the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference or the Conference of the Parties 17 (COP17) and was aimed at increasing electricity supply capacity through private sector investment in renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic plants, concentrated solar and…

The mining industry is undergoing a transformation, driven by shifting global demands and new opportunities. Copper is being hailed as the essential resource of the future, while the move toward renewable energy is reshaping coal’s role in the energy mix. At the same time, advances in technology and logistics are creating both challenges and possibilities. But beneath all these changes lies one constant: the importance of people in making progress possible. Here are five key trends that are redefining mining and how companies can adapt effectively. 1. Copper is the new gold Copper is quickly becoming the cornerstone of the renewable energy revolution. Its unique properties make it indispensable for electrical wiring, electric vehicles, and renewable energy grids. As governments and businesses worldwide push for decarbonisation, copper demand is skyrocketing.…

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is seeking to emphasise the uniqueness and value of natural diamonds as compared to lab developed gems through hosting a diamond show next month and placing emphasis on local cutting and polishing as value addition propositions. The South African diamond show will be hosted in Cape Town at the beginning of next month. The State Diamond Trader is a statutory entity that is “eligible by law and proclamation to purchase up to 10% of all diamonds from producers” in South Africa. Under the amended Diamond Act, the State Diamond Trader is also permitted to acquire diamonds from foreign jurisdictions. This comes as at a time when the Kimberley Process and Certification scheme has upped its play against trade in conflict diamonds. The State…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has pledged his unwavering support for MEC Matome Chiloane in an initiative aimed at harmonising the examination processes between private and public schools. This landmark move proposes that pupils from schools affiliated with the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) should sit in the same examinations as their counterparts in the public education system. The decision is generating interest and debate among educators, parents and pupils. Aligning the examination processes, Lesufi said, would create a fair and inclusive educational environment where every pupil is assessed under the same rigorous standards. “We really believe that if you have a child or a school that is an informal school like Lufhereng and it can give us a 96 bachelor pass rate and learners that are giving you six distinctions including…

Rounding the Cape on Monday was the accommodation support vessel Floatel Triumph. She is en route from the North Sea, via Las Palmas to Port Louis for bunkers before moving to her next assignment, a seven-month contract on the Inpex Ichthys gasfield in the Timor Sea off north-western Australia. It appears that other Australian contracts will keep the structure busy in the area until deep into 2026. Positioned adjacent to an oil or gas rig, Floatel Triumph and similar vessels are used to accommodate rig workers in more comfortable facilities than on the rig itself. Via a 38m telescopic gangway between the floatel and the rig, workers simply “walk to work” on the rig and return to the floatel at the end of their shift. Floatel Triumph can accommodate 570…

Anrich Nortjé last played for South Africa in June. That was in the ill-fated T20 World Cup final against India in Bridgetown, Barbados, which the Proteas lost by seven runs in controversial circumstances. Nortjé produced an excellent four-over spell under the most intense scrutiny of a major title decider, with figures of 2/26 – claiming the wickets of Shivam Dube (27) and Ravindra Jadeja (two). He ended the tournament as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker on 15, and breaking Dale Steyn’s SA record of 30 for most scalps in the history of the tournament. But the 31-year-old ‘Uitenhage Express’ hasn’t worn the Proteas badge since. Injuries have seldom been his friend during his career, and a nine-month spell on the sidelines with a stress fracture in 2023 saw him only return to…

Double World Cup-winning scrumhalf Cobus Reinach is looking forward to slotting in seamlessly at the Stormers when he joins them next season. The Cape outfit yesterday announced his acquisition, with two of their experienced halfbacks, World Cup winner Herschel Jantjies and Paul de Wet, set to depart the union this season. Jantjies is off to France, with De Wet linked with a move to the Bulls. After seven years playing in England and France, the 39-cap Springbok Reinach, currently at Montpellier, is eager to return home and contribute to a team renowned for their exciting brand of rugby. “I feel that I have a lot to offer within their game model, so I look forward to connecting with my new teammates and coaches when I move down to Cape Town…