Inhoudsopgave van 2022-11-24 - Star

LOGISTICS utility Transnet yesterday told Parliament how it planned to spend the R2.9 billion pledged in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement to recapacitate the State-owned entity. Transnet wants to fix 350 of its locomotives to fill in gaps in capacity, for customers such as Eskom, ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) and the timber industry. Transnet group chief executive Portia Derby told the standing committee on appropriations that in some instances, as with the Majuba power station, it only had 21 trains to service the station when it required at least 42, while the chrome industry needed 35 trains to the available 20 and other sectors needed 198 locomotives against the available 138. The utility needs the R2.9bn to fix the 315 locomotives which would complete the fleet at 1…

MOBILE operator Telkom’s interim profit dived 52.9% as consumers moved away from legacy technology to new technologies such as fibre and LTE. In its interim results for the six months ended September 30, 2022, the mobile operator said yesterday that profit dipped by 52.9% year-on-year to R641 million, while headline earnings per share (Heps) decreased by 51.9% to 137.2 cents. The mobile operator’s Heps was expected to decrease between 45% and 55%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) decreased by 17.3% to almost R5m. “This was due to limited top-line performance resulting from legacy revenue declines and pressures on our cost base. Direct costs increased, driven by materially higher handset and equipment costs. “While the rest of the operating costs were well-managed, energy costs increased significantly…

COTTON Fest is back for the fourth edition in Johannesburg. The popular street culture and music festival is set to return to its historic home at the Old Station in Newtown on Saturday, February 4, 2023. A press release sent to IOL Entertainment said: “Synonymous with celebrating youth culture, this multilayered lifestyle festival includes a full day concert, merch, cafeteria and sport area.” South African talent across amapiano and hip hop will perform across three stages next year. “Merging both established and upcoming South African talent, Cotton Fest will once again showcase the diversities in music, while fusing the gaps within the different local current movements,” the release read. Tickets will be on sale at Webtickets and Pick n Pay outlets nationwide from tomorrow, with ticket options divided between three…

There’s a chance that DA Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse might remain in her position until January as political parties who want her removed through a motion of no confidence seem to be unable to reach an agreement. This would be the third attempt to remove Phalatse through a motion of no confidence. After her first removal, she was reinstated within a month following a ruling by the Johannesburg High Court that her removal was unlawful. The ANC tried to remove her again shortly after she was reinstated, but the motion was withdrawn by council speaker Colleen Makhubele on the basis that the motion was inadmissible. Yesterday, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie posted on his Facebook page that the motion against Phalatse would happen in January. McKenzie said the ANC would…

According to the British newspaper The Observer, which spoke to Janusz Walus’s daughter, Ewa Walus, she received funds to support her father’s appeals but not from fascist or neo-Nazi organisations. Walus left Ewa behind in the town of Radom, in central Poland, with his mother. The paper reported that she had not seen him since a brief visit to Poland in 1992. The report details how she found out about the decision on his parole on television. “First we heard it was a Polish immigrant, and then that it was Janusz Walus. I was really scared when I saw my mother – she aged 10 years in one minute,” she said. She told the paper that his release would not have been possible if he had not been able to…

Police said they were high alert for any potential threats of unrest following this week’s court rulings on Jacob Zuma and Chris Hani’s killer Janusz Walus. On Monday, The Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously confirmed the medical parole granted to former president Jacob Zuma by then-prison boss Arthur Fraser was unlawful – and it ruled he should return to jail. Zuma, who was jailed for 15 months after being found guilty of being in contempt of court, was released on medical parole in September last year. He began serving his sentence in July 2021 at the at the Estcourt Correctional Services facility. In another court ruling, Walus was released on parole. Walus shot and killed Hani on the morning of April 10, 1993. He has served 29 years for the…

The image of a young woman with a child on her back who has to compromise and sacrifice to care for her child. This is the face of the HIV epidemic in Africa, which affects the most vulnerable sector of society, according to experts speaking at the “Overcoming the Barriers to HIV Treatment and Care” webinar hosted by the BroadReach Group. A panel of experts talked about addressing barriers that priority populations face and often-overlooked social determinants of health that impact access to treatment and patient retention. The reasons young women are most vulnerable and at risk include peer pressure, BroadReach Health Development (South Africa) HIV community services lead Dr Veni Naidu said. “They want to be feel included and accepted so they engage in either early sex or sex…

The new Mahindra XUV700, launched in South Africa last week, is not just a big step forward for the Indian brand, it’s potentially a disruptor to the mid-size SUV market. Built around a new unibody platform and similar in size to the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, the XUV700 (pronounced seven-double-oh) has a feature-packed and hi-tech cabin, but what really gets our attention is the asking price. It’s offered in three variants, with the XUV700 AX5 base model kicking off at R474 999. Upgrading to the mid-spec AX7 will cost you R524 999, while the AX7 L flagship is yours for just R559 999. All three are powered by a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces a generous 149kW and 380Nm, the latter available from 1 750rpm. Power goes to the front wheels…

DANE van Niekerk will utilise the upcoming Women’s T20 Super League (WSL) to gain much-needed match fitness ahead of an all-important summer for the Proteas. The national women’s team captain last played for the Proteas against the West Indies in September 2021 – almost 14 months ago – due to an ankle injury suffered ahead of the World Cup earlier this year. Van Niekerk has made steady progress in recent months, playing a few games in The Hundred for the Oval Invincibles and also for the SA Emerging XI in August. However, the 29-year-old all-rounder missed out on returning to Australia this month for the Big Bash League, where she has participated in over the last few years. Van Niekerk, though, has confirmed to Independent Media that she will be…

TODAY’S World Cup action in Qatar sees Groups G and H in the spotlight. There are two stand-out games as Portugal take on a young, up-and-coming Ghana team, while one of the pre-tournament favourites Brazil battle it out with Serbia. Here, Eshlin Vedan previews the four games taking place today. Switzerland v Cameroon Switzerland usually enter major tournaments with all the ingredients needed for a deep run, but for some reason or another never deliver. Granit Xhaka is the engine of the Swiss team, with the Arsenal midfielder currently being in the form of his life. Rigobert Song’s Cameroon side are not at their best, having failed to pick up a win in four games, a run which includes a humiliating loss to Asian minnows Uzbekistan in September. Veteran striker…

THE Lions have one helluva fixture list coming up in the next 10 weeks and will be travelling left and right across South Africa and up and down to Europe and back. They can take solace in the fact that they won’t be the only South African franchise doing so – the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers will have similar challenges in the weeks to come. During the next few weeks an all too familiar foe will reveal itself in the form of the Dragons. The Joburgers will get to know the Welsh franchise inside-out as they face them on a handful of occasions in the next two months. The first in a trilogy of matches makes its opening on Sunday, the premier at Ellis Park in a United Rugby Championship…

It’s not often that a defending champion has much less chance of repeating that feat, but that’s exactly the case for Thriston Lawrence this week at the Joburg Open starting today at Houghton Golf Club. The venue has moved from Randpark to Houghton, and the event last year was also shortened to 36 holes instead of 72. That was due to bad weather and also the rise of a new Covid-19 variant during the tournament, that resulted in the South African borders closing within a matter of days. Now facing a full event of four rounds, at a vastly different layout, the odds are stacked against Lawrence, whose Joburg Open victory his first win on the DP World Tour (DPWT). “I had a great season last year, and it feels…

E-commerce segment is expected to be profitable by financial 2025 NASPERS, the global internet group, yesterday reported a heavy 74% slide in core headline earnings to $372 million (R6.4 billion) in the six months to September 30 due to lower profitability across associates and fair value losses for the investment in China-based Tencent. The decline was partially offset by reduced share-based compensation expenses, as well as lower finance costs due to a revaluation gain on euro bonds, chief executive Bob van Dijk said in the results yesterday. Of the lower contributions from associates, $879m related to Tencent. There was also lower profitability from Delivery Hero of $530m due to a once-off gain in the prior year. These were offset by an increase in Naspers’ share of gains…

EVERY business that I talk to is suffering from load shedding. It is simply not possible to run a modern economy without power. We can forget about being competitive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution if we cannot fix the basics like power, water and the rule of law. After all, electricity was the main source of progress in the Second Industrial Revolution and that was 150 years ago! I haven’t lost faith that we will win in the end, but to survive and even thrive we must confront the brutal facts of our current reality and take the right actions to adapt. These facts are that 2022 has already been South Africa’s most intensive load shedding year, while energy availability (at 53%) is also at an all-time low. Things will…

NETHERLANDS-based internet and e-commerce group Prosus’s trading profit has fallen sharply in the first half of its 2023 financial year despite an increase in overall revenue. The Amsterdam and JSE-listed subsidiary of Naspers said yesterday that trading profit for the six months to September 30 fell 37% to $1.4 billion (R24bn), reflecting also the impact of e-commerce technology extensions and currency headwinds in emerging markets. Prosus’s share price closed 1.36% higher at R1 012 on the JSE yesterday. Revenue climbed 9% to $16.5bn due mainly to a 41% increase in e-commerce revenue across all core segments. Core headline earnings were down 60% to $897 million, the results showed. Revenue was boosted with “meaningful contributions” from all main operating segments, classified food delivery, payments, fintech and edtech. Merger…

itumeleng.mafisa@inl.co.za and noxolo.miya@inl.co.za Joburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse yesterday stormed out of council chambers after councillors rejected a R2 billion short-term loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). Phalatse and the multi-party government tried to convince council that the loan was imperative in ensuring the city was able to meet its day to day obligations, such as payment of suppliers. Difficulties in getting the loan approved have seen the municipality having some leased vehicles repossessed. The Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) had been affected with more than 20 vehicles being taken away. The Star understands that Johannesburg Water would also fail to carry out some functions with some of its fleet also being affected. The ANC in council yesterday questioned if the mayor was sailing a sinking…

The Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) has accused the ANC of colluding in the plot to assassinate former SACP and ANC leader Chris Hani. Hani was killed in April 1993, outside his Boksburg home by Janusz Walus with the help of former political leader Clive Derby-Lewis, who supplied the weapon for Hani’s killing. Walus, who has spent 28 years in jail for the murder, was on Monday granted parole by the Constitutional Court in a unanimous judgment delivered by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. This ruling has angered Hani’s widow as well as the SACP, the EFF, and now the military veterans, some of whom Hani led while in exile. It is expected that Walus will become a free man in the next week or so after Justice Zondo gave…

Ingredients 2 250g chicken breast fillets, sliced 2 carrots, grated ¼ cup breadcrumbs ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped juice and grated peel of 1 lemon (60ml) Salt and milled pepper 1 roll puff pastry (400g) 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional) ½ cup double-cream plain yoghurt 2 tbsp peri-peri sauce Fresh coriander, for serving Method Blitz chicken, carrots, breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon juice and peel, and seasoning in a food processor until well mixed. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pastry on to a lightly floured surface and roll out lengthways. Cut into four equal rectangles, about 10cm x 15cm. Roll a quarter of the filling into a log (a little shorter than the pastry rectangles) and place in the centre of one of the rectangles. Fold one edge of…

With brands like Haval and Chery creeping up the sales charts, it’s no secret that the Chinese automotive industry has upped its game. Now, there is another disruptor on the scene, and it aims to entice South African midsize SUV buyers with its striking looks inside and out, bountiful spec and high-value price tag. The Beijing X55 is a product of BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation). It sells the X25 compact crossover and B40 off-roader. The Beijing X55is priced closer to the segment below. Three models are on offer, with the entry-level X55 Dynamic coming in at R394 900, the midspec Elite at R424 900, and the flagship Premium variant at R454 900. Beneath the bonnet of all three, you’ll find a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine that pushes 130kW and 305Nm…

MANCHESTER United’s owners said on Tuesday they were ready to sell the club, potentially bringing down the curtain on an acrimonious 17 years under the Glazer family. On a tumultuous day for the English giants, it was earlier revealed that star player Cristiano Ronaldo has left the club with “immediate effect”. Weeks of turbulence appeared to have come to an end when United announced Ronaldo’s contract had been terminated by mutual agreement to bring to an end his second spell at Old Trafford. That dramatic announcement was eclipsed just hours later by the news the US-based Glazer family could also be on their way out. “The board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company,” a statement said. The…

LATE goals by substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano gave Japan an incredible 2-1 comeback victory over Germany in the World Cup yesterday in another emotional fillip for Asian soccer after Saudi Arabia’s shock win over Argentina. Four-times champions Germany had looked to be cruising to a routine victory via Ilkay Guendogan’s first-half penalty but paid a fatal price for profligacy in front of goal. The shock result was a repeat of their 2018 World Cup nightmare when, as defending champions, they lost their opener to Mexico and, after another defeat by South Korea, were condemned to an unheard of group-stage exit. The Asian team, half of them who play their club football in Germany, had shown almost nothing in attack until a series of second-half substitutions injected some energy…

CRISTIANO Ronaldo is searching for a new team after a tumultuous few hours at Manchester United, during which they announced the superstar forward was leaving and the club could be sold. The veteran Portugal forward set the stage for his Old Trafford exit last week with an outspoken interview on TalkTV, in which he said he felt “betrayed” by the club and had no respect for new manager Erik ten Hag. There was clearly no way back for Ronaldo and United issued a statement on Tuesday confirming they were parting ways with one of the greatest players in their history by “mutual agreement, with immediate effect”. Ronaldo, currently at the World Cup in Qatar, issued a statement of his own, declaring his love for the club and saying it “feels…

THE president of Liberia George Weah is a proud dad after his son Timothy became the first offspring of a Ballon d’Or winner to score in the World Cup. Before being voted into office in 2017, Weah was first loved in football and was the first and only African to win the Ballon d’Or. That reward followed his attacking exploits for Italian and French giants AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain in 1995, ‘putting Liberia on the map’. But a piece of football history was rewritten by the Weah family, with Tim making the US final squad for the 2022 World Cup. This was the first time that someone from the Weah family was set to play in the global showpiece despite George’s impressive exploits in his heyday. And boy, Weah…

The Bulls have adopted an attacking mentality and scored some terrific tries in the United Rugby Championship, but are still making sure that they get the traditional weapons right ahead of Saturday’s clash against Ospreys at Loftus (3pm kickoff). The positive approach adopted by coach Jake White since taking charge in Pretoria has also resulted in a number of new Springboks such as speedsters Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, as well as lock Ruan Nortje and loose forward Elrigh Louw. But now they’ve had time to spend on fine-tuning their forward play as well during the November Test window, as Ospreys will be determined to bring some shine to Welsh rugby following the national team’s defeat to Georgia last week. Wales face Australia on Saturday, so Ospreys won’t have their…

FOOD prices have surprisingly pressured consumer inflation to rise marginally after two consecutive months of decline, leaving the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) with no choice, but to hike its benchmark lending rate for the last time this year. Another interest rates hike will make the cost of borrowing even higher, lifting the repurchase rate – the rate at which the SARB borrows money to commercial banks – from an already elevated 6.25%. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday showed that the headline inflation rose to 7.6% year-on-year in October, up from 7.5% in September. This was the first time consumer prices had risen since July’s 7.8% peak, and was above market expectations of 7.4% and the upper limit of the SARB’s target range of 3% to 6%. On…

BUSINESS confidence in South Africa has dipped further into contractionary territory as a majority of business owners feel pessimistic about the economic climate and the ongoing power cuts that have crippled activity. The business confidence index (BCI) slipped to 38 points in the final quarter of 2022, with more than six out of 10 respondents dissatisfied with prevailing business conditions. The BCI survey was conducted by the University of Stellenbosch’s Bureau for Economic Research (BER) between October 26 and November 14 on behalf of Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), covering just more than 1 000 senior executives in the building, manufacturing, retail, wholesale and motor trade sectors. Although the BCI was little changed, RMB/BER said the outcome hides striking dynamics among the sectors, both positive and negative. After…

FOOD producer RFG Holdings, which owns brands including Rhodes, Bull Brand and Hinds, yesterday posted annual earnings that grew by a whopping 57% boosted by higher global demand for canned fruit products For the year ended October 2, 2022, the group increased its revenue by 21.9% to R7.3 billion and operating profit by 54.1% to R574 million. RFG increased its dividend by 57% to 45.8 cents per share. RFG chief executive Pieter Hanekom said the group delivered strong sales growth for the year, with the regional business posting a resilient performance in the constrained consumer spending environment and benefiting from the Today acquisition. The international division, which account for 25% of group revenue, experienced robust growth in export volumes due to increased demand for canned fruit and…

The Constitutional Court will today hear the consolidated application by the DA and President Cyril Ramaphosa to appeal the decision by the Western Cape High Court to set aside the president’s suspension of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. In June this year, the president informed Mkhwebane of his decision to suspend her. In September, the High Court ruled that this decision was invalid and should be set aside on the grounds of actual bias on the president’s part, and a conflict of interest. The DA’s involvement is as a result of it being the party that sponsored impeachment proceedings against Mkhwebane in Parliament. During the High Court case, Mkhwebane’s lawyer, advocate Dali Mpofu, argued that the suspension might have been the president’s revenge for a letter sent to him containing questions…

It’s heading towards that wonderful time of the year again, where festive cheer starts to fill the air and the spirit of generosity and community is ignited. The festive season is truly the time of giving and Cadbury is encouraging everyone to give a little this festive season. Whether you are giving your time or sharing the perfect gift, the season embodies the spirit of generosity for all South Africans. And what better gift to give or receive than chocolate? To add to the festivities, Cadbury is back with a new and exciting Festive Range, including some popular favourites and introducing even more delicious treats that make for perfect stocking fillers, under the tree surprises or table decorations. Perfect for gifting, sharing or simply enjoying with loved ones, the Cadbury…

The Lewende Woord Centurion Church was a sea of white as friends, colleagues and family members gathered for an all-white-themed memorial to celebrate the life of Oupa John Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody. “A lover of people and bringing premium experiences in the hood, his Veuve Clicquot All White parties were a testament of his passion of bringing culture, lifestyle, good music and showcasing amazing talent,” his family said earlier in the week. DJ Sumbody’s management, Sumsounds Music, confirmed that he died in the early hours of Sunday, November 20. Delivering an emotional tribute, Cassper Nyovest spoke fondly about DJ Sumbody, sharing how their friendship began. “I am here to talk about my friend. Me and DJ Sumbody met a long time ago. And I just knew he was a…

WHILE a triology of power-mad political predators and conspirators – Robert Mugabe, Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein – are dead a new breed is at the nexus of world disorder. Leading the pack is Russia’s Vladimir Putin, followed by North Korea’s Kim Jung. They play human chess in order to advance their own casus belli, where every move can have deadly consequences for the world. The leaders are exalted in their respective countries. They are clinically paranoid and see conspiracy everywhere – the West being their number one target. Equally, they are the West's number one enemy. The citizens of the countries suffer untold subjugation, suppression and oppression. Any form of opposition is brutally crushed. Dissidents are put in an early flight or conveniently disappear, never to be seen…

It’s impressive what a difference the clever people in white coats can make to a car when they sprinkle their magic dust in all the right places. Which is exactly what Toyota has done with the Hilux GR Sport, and it’s more than a couple of decals, black rims and interior tweaks to South Africa’s most popular double cab. A lot more, in fact, making the Hilux GR-S the halo product of the range. There are four levels in the GR product hierarchy starting with parts (Toyota SA is investigating this option) allowing owners to tweak their normal models with GR flavour, then the GR Sport moniker offering cosmetic and dynamic handling enhancements (Corolla Cross, Hilux, Land Cruiser 300), then the fully fledged GR performance models (GR86, GR Yaris, GR…

WHEN Thomas du Toit first emerged on the rugby scene, he was a giant loosehead prop for the Western Province Schools team. Hailing from Paarl Boys’ High, Du Toit was a thunderous presence as a ball-carrier, as well as in the scrums, and he earned his SA Schools cap in 2013. Fast-forward to the present, and the now-27-year-old has 14 Test caps for the Springboks – not bad, but perhaps not as many as you might have expected from a front-ranker who was so dominant in his youth. Senior rugby is tough and uncompromising no matter your size. Du Toit is still a behemoth at 1.90m and 136kg, and has made pleasing progress in his career to become the Sharks captain, having made a successful transition to tighthead. But perhaps…

IMAGES of maskless crowds at the World Cup in Qatar have sparked anger in China, where people worn out by harsh Covid-19 restrictions are questioning their government’s exceptional approach while the rest of the world lives alongside the virus. China is the last major economy still attempting to stamp out the domestic spread of Covid-19, and has continued to shut down entire cities, seal off neighbourhoods and impose mandatory tests on millions. Driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, daily cases in the country hit 29 157 yesterday, which is low compared to most other countries but nearing the domestic record set earlier this year. Authorities have put more than a quarter of the population under some form of lockdown as of Tuesday, according to Nomura analysts in a contrast with…

US attacker Gio Reyna is relishing a potential battle with rising England star Jude Bellingham, with the Borussia Dortmund teammates set to face off at the World Cup tomorrow. Reyna, who sat out the Americans’ 1-1 draw with Wales on Monday but is expected to play this time, has forged a close bond with Bellingham since the English teen joined Dortmund two years ago. Reyna, 20, said Bellingham had been a source of support during the American’s injury-ravaged 2020/21 season, where he hardly played. “He’s definitely my best friend at Dortmund,” Reyna said. “We have a really close relationship on and off the field. “He’s been really great with me over the last year, just talking with me. Obviously it’s been a tough year for me. But he’s been the…