Inhoudsopgave van 2023-11-30 - Star

NASPERS’S 15% half-year revenue growth was more than double its peers and core headline earnings was more than doubled, increasing by 112%. The stronger performance was due to improved e-commerce and higher profits from Naspers’s Amsterdam-listed subsidiary Prosus’s 25% investment in the very large China internet group, Tencent, the results showed yesterday. Naspers’s directors said yesterday in results for the six months to September 30 that the fundamentals of its e-commerce businesses were improving. The “meaningful improvement” in profitability had enabled the group to bring forward its Prosus’s e-commerce profitability target by six months to the second half of the 2024 financial year. Core headline earnings a share, a key indicator of operating performance, rose to 454 US cents (R84.65) for the six months, more than double 214 US cents,…

EXXARO Resources was expanding its search for critical mineral assets to greenfield projects, the mining company said yesterday, as it pursued its strategy to diversify away from coal. Exxaro, one of South Africa’s top coal producers, also has interests in iron ore and renewable energy. The company plans to acquire manganese and copper assets, both minerals considered vital for the global transition from polluting fossil fuels to cleaner energy. The miner was among several firms that were interested in buying Botswana’s Khoemacau copper mine, which holds one of Africa’s largest copper deposits. The $1.88 billion (R35bn) mine was eventually sold to Chinese miner MMG. Exxaro’s chief growth officer Richard Lilleike, who is leading the miner’s mergers and acquisitions drive, told analysts that while the company was still interested…

Manufacturing companies in South Africa have remained more pessimistic regarding expected business conditions for the next 12 months due to tough trading conditions emanating from constrained electricity supply and logistical challenges at the ports. The Absa Manufacturing Survey, released yesterday, showed that confidence in the manufacturing sector has improved slightly to 26 points in the fourth quarter. This was the highest level the Absa Manufacturing Survey has been in 2023, even though it remained firmly below the 50-points mark, which sepa- rates expansion from contraction. The confidence index ranges between zero and 100, with zero re- flecting an extreme lack of confidence and 100 extreme confidence where all participants are satisfied with current business conditions. Absa Relationship Banking’s head of manufacturing sector, Justin Schmidt, said although trading conditions remained tough,…

South African pop star Tyla made an appearance on musician and media personality Jennifer Hudson’s television show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, to discuss the global success of her Billboard Hot 100 single Water. In a snippet of the interview posted on YouTube, Hudson asked Tyla where she was when she got the news of the nomination. “I was in my hotel room in New York and I literally didn’t expect it at all,” she said. “My label was like just watch the live stream, maybe you’ll get nominated. So I watched the thing from the beginning and when my name (came up), yoh, I jumped up. I was screaming, it’s crazy, I can’t believe it.” Hudson asked her how it felt to be representing her country. “Yoh, it feels so…

The lead investigator in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has denied police officers ever assaulted any of the accused during their investigations. Brigadier Bongani Gininda, who is also the head of the SAPS National Cold Case Unit, became the lead investigating officer in the case of murdered footballer Meyiwa in November 2018. He told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday that accused number one and two had never been assaulted by the police. The court is currently in a trial-within-a-trial to determine the admissibility of alleged confessions made by Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi, two of the five accused in the October 2014 murder of the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, who was gunned down at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus home during a suspected armed robbery. Gininda,…

There has been a drastic spike in attacks on cyclists in Pretoria East, Centurion, and other parts of Gauteng. Earlier this month, Freddy Strydom, a 57-year-old cyclist was brutally attacked and stabbed in the back by three men who pounced on him while he was cycling with a group of 12 others between the R21 and M18 in Centurion. Strydom, a Midstream Estate resident, is now fighting for his life in ICU at a hospital in Pretoria. Before Strydom’s incident, a 57-year-old cyclist riding near Olievenhoutbosch was accosted by five men in the early hours, shot several times and robbed of his bicycle. The 57-year-old was fatally wounded. These are just two of the many attacks carried out over the last few months as criminals target cyclists in Gauteng.…

Ingredients Bao buns: ¾ cup milk ¼ cup butter, melted 1 sachet instant yeast 2½ cups cake flour + extra for dusting ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp baking powder 3 tbs sugar 1 tsp fine salt Canola oil, for brushing Sauce: 2 tbs sriracha sauce + extra for serving (optional) 2 tbs honey 4 tbs brown sugar 2 tbs soy sauce 2 tbs water 2 cloves garlic, grated 2cm knob fresh ginger, grated 1 tbs canola oil Slaw and chicken: 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks ½ packet red and white coleslaw 1 mini cucumber, sliced into ribbons Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped 600g fried or baked crumbed chicken strips, halved 1 tbs sesame seeds ½ cup plain yoghurt Method Bao buns Warm milk to lukewarm temperature in…

It is that time of the year when we are looking to stock up on gifts for family, friends and colleagues, as well as a day of fun and fresh air to get us through to the end of the year. An event that will tick all these boxes is the Food, Arts and Culture Lifestyle Market in James and Ethel Gray Park, Melrose, this Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Children, friends and family can enjoy an array of activities, products and stalls filled with hand-made goodies, delicious food and one-of-a-kind crafts. There will be live music and entertainment for the young ones, including face painting, arts, crafts and a jumping castle. And your furry friends can join in the fun, as long as they are on a…

RESIDENTS of the controversial No 2 Struben Street homeless shelter in Pretoria will have to find an alternative place to lay their heads at night. Gauteng Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment MEC Mbali Hlophe has announced her intention to close its doors for good following her visit to the sanctuary last week. The shelter, established in 2004, is meant to accommodate 300 people but it is overflowing, with more than 550 residents, and has become a den of crime and drug use. It is funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, which has enlisted the assistance of the NPO Kitso Lesedi, which supports the residents with food and medical supplies. However, the municipality-controlled shelter’s days are numbered, according to the government, because it has been failing to…

It is true that the Lions have been building a team for some time now, in a process that has been frustrating to watch and painful in many instances. This Lions group will be the first to admit that perhaps they were just not good enough, and they let slip their momentum and confidence at the most crucial of moments and inappropriate times during past seasons. Nevertheless, there is a growing sense that something wonderful is stirring in the halls of Doornfontein and that a team with a winning mentality – one that does not lack in self-belief and that can bounce back if ever there is a setback – is being constructed. A team that might even have a future Springbok or two in it ... The culture of…

Thriston Lawrence may be enjoying the “holiday vibe” back home, but he will be going all out to defend his South African Open title this weekend. The 26-year-old from Mbombela claimed his first SA Open crown last year at the same Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate course in Gauteng where the event will start today. Lawrence produced rounds of 64, 67, 67 and 74 to finish on 16 under par and edge Frenchman Clement Sordet by one stroke. He nearly claimed a ninth professional victory last week at the Joburg Open, held at Houghton Golf Club, but had to settle for a tie for seventh spot on 10 under after a final-round 75, with Dean Burmester shooting a 64 to end on 18 under and secure a three-shot…

The country’s major steel maker has also been weighing its options on a large steel plant being built in Zimbabwe AFTER shutting down its long steel manufacturing at Newcastle and Vereeniging, ArcelorMittal South Africa said yesterday it would grow its flat steel business through import replacement and localisation as Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reverse South Africa’s scrap metal policies. ArcelorMittal South Africa on Tuesday announced that it was axing 3 500 jobs at its long steel businesses, citing weaker economic growth, poor logistics and erratic infrastructure. Amid widespread concern over the closure of the Vereeniging and New- castle long steel operations, ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster insisted yesterday that the issues that had contributed to the winding…

THE COMPETITION Commission of South Africa wants former SABMiller employees to be paid entitlements under the Zenzele Employee Share Ownership Programme to bring finality to the issue and to help the former workers who are faced with a tough economic situation. The Competition Tribunal of South Africa heard submissions on the merits relating to a settlement agreement signed by the Competition Commission, the South African Breweries and the chairperson and trustees of the SAB Zenzele Employee Share Trust. This became necessary after the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa lodged a complaint with the Commission in 2020, alleging a breach of a condition to the 2017 merger which saw the Coca-Cola Company South Africa acquire the interests of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa. AB InBev exited as a shareholder…

VUKILE Property Fund has increased its guidance for the full financial year after another strong interim performance that saw the half-year dividend lifted by 10% to 52.1 cents. In South Africa’s low eco- nomic growth environment, it has become exceedingly rare for listed groups to increase their earnings guidance, let along one in the real estate investment trust sector, which has also faced severe headwinds from structural changes in the retail and office property markets, the high interest rate environment, and slow Covid recoveries in some instances. Vukile’s funds from operations (FFO) from the consumer-focused real estate invest- ment trust of 85c per share was up 5.2%. Guidance for the full year increased to FFO growth of 4% to 6%, compared with a previous forecast of 3% to 5%…

The City of Joburg says it is prepared to meet the more than 200 victims of the Marshalltown fire halfway in order to comply with the recent court order that their living conditions be improved. This week, the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, gave the municipality three months to improve the living conditions of the fire victims. The high court instructed the city to install prepaid electricity meters, standpipes and additional ablution facilities at the site within 90 days. The legal team representing the victims slammed the city, saying it was unfair that it had subjected the victims to poor living conditions. This was after more than 200 of these victims who were displaced when a fire gutted the a five-storey Usindiso Building in the CBD, killing 77 people, have been…

Langa’s stalwart social activist, Nobahle Jacobs Basse, known as “Mandlangisa”, turned 100 on Tuesday at the same time the township commemorated its own centenary. Basse was born on November 28, 1923, when the Native Urban Areas Act came into force. It was also the year when Langa was born, making it one of the oldest townships in Cape Town. She pursued her education at Blair Helen, furthered her studies at Lovedale College, where she established herself as an educator, and returned to teach at Blair Helen when her parents moved to the Western Cape. She later found employment as a teacher at St Cyprian’s Anglican School in Langa, which was renamed Zimasa Community School. Basse is the sixth of seven children, and she has five children: Xola (who died), Mandisa,…

FINAL-YEAR students from the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Consumer and Food Sciences impressed industry leaders, academics, friends and family at the first UP-Cycled food experience. The purpose of the practical exam and exhibition that incorporated academic research, innovation and social impact was to highlight how, with innovative product development, food waste could be minimised and recreated into new food products that still have value. The global food insecurity challenge has not spared South Africans; this includes underprivileged university students. As such, students planning careers in culinary sciences, hospitality and food retail management sciences used their final exam to demonstrate how food that could have become waste was salvaged and transformed into high-quality food that could be served at restaurants and retail stores. “We decided to host a practical…

Apart from the resounding success of her chart-topping song Water, millions of fans have expressed how they have fallen in love with Tyla’s authentic personality. Born Tyla Seethal, she has interestingly taken over musically beyond South African borders. Recently, she marked a significant milestone in her career after her song broke the record for the highest-charting Solo Song by an African female artist on the Billboard Hot 100 and in 56 years. It is reported that she is now the highest charting African female artist in history, officially surpassing Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba. Having been a guest on different shows in the US, Seethal was recently hosted by Jennifer Hudson on television to talk about her song and her journey. In a widely shared video of the interview, many…

Every contact centre generates a huge amount of data and uses the data to monitor metrics such as customer satisfaction and response times. Most companies are sitting on a gold mine of dark data, the unused and hidden information stored throughout the contact centre. The industry needs to excel in offering customers a premium service experience that provides high levels of customer satisfaction which, in turn, leads to increased brand loyalty. Dark data is defined by Gartner as the information assets that organisations collect, process and store during regular business activities and generally fail to use for other purposes. It’s often collected for compliance purposes only or is used once and then filed. It comes in the form of call transcripts, survey responses, text messages, reviews, emails, chats and…

MANUAL, turbo-charged, high-performance and all-wheel drive aren’t words that appear regularly in modern cars. Which is why those of us that enjoy the art of driving rather than a plethora of connectivity and IT jargon when it comes to cars, raised a collective glass to the Toyota GR Corolla 1.6T GR-Four Circuit we recently spent time with. The GR Corolla joins its Gazoo Racing siblings in the form of the GR86, GR Supra and GR Yaris as Toyota’s current high-performance offerings. A cursory glance at the car tells you it’s not just a run-of-the-mill Corolla but that there’s something special going on there. It’s wider, lower and the wheels stand out further, especially the rear ones, while the front is fitted with the GR Matrix grille, LED headlights and a…

The term “rurality” has no universal definition and varies across geographical and temporal dimensions. What is deemed rural in the Global North may vastly differ from rural conceptions in the Global South, indicating a profound disparity in socio-economic and cultural contexts. Furthermore, the passage of time alters the perception of rurality; areas once considered rural may now be on the urban fringe, transformed by the spread of cities and infrastructure. In South Africa, the heterogeneity of rural landscapes is particularly pronounced. The notion of the rural encompasses the expanse of vast commercial agricultural lands held under freehold tenure, reflecting a more conventional Western perspective of rural spaces. Yet, it also encompasses scattered settlements woven across communal lands, embodying a unique rural identity. The communal areas starkly contrast commercial farms regarding…

The Springbok Sevens team had some truly horrible results on the World Sevens Series circuit last season that left fans, pundits and players all dispirited. They finishing an unacceptable seventh in the standings, which was further compounded by an inability to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games automatically – and then after that, through Africa, where they shockingly lost to Kenya. A repechage awaits them later next year – one final chance to still qualify for the 2024 Games – but there is no guarantee that the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) will authorise their participation in Paris, even if they were to win that match. So, much then hinges on how well they will fare when the 2023-24 World Sevens Series kicks off this weekend in…

Yet another goals record on Erling Haaland’s bulging CV had Pep Guardiola sounding on Tuesday – tongue-in-cheek – like he was growing tired of answering questions about his prolific scorer. The 23-year-old became the fastest to score 40 Champions League goals with his strike in the 54th minute that sparked City’s 3-2 comeback victory over RB Leipzig, which clinched them top spot in Group G with a round of group games remaining. Three days earlier, Haaland had become the fastest to net 50 Premier League goals in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool. “Again? I have to tell you again?” Guardiola said, laughing, when asked for comment. “A thousand million times, I’m really impressed. They won today. Another record. Congratulations. He’s a fantastic player. I tell you many times, we’re really,…

THE SOUTH African Reserve Bank (SARB) has flagged six micro and macroeconomic challenges, including intensified load shedding, as key risks to domestic financial stability in the short-, medium-, and long-term. The SARB said yesterday that the sharp repricing in government debt, capital outflows and declining market depth and liquidity, insufficient and unreliable electricity supply, intensification of geopolitical risks, remaining on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist for longer, as well as further deterioration of household and non-financial corporate (NFC) buffers were the main risks to the country’s financial stability. SARB’s lead macroprudential specialist, Dr Herco Steyn, said the financial sector’s exposure to government debt increased markedly over the past decade, while at the same time the fiscal position and the credit rating of government debt deteriorated. Steyn said…

EARNINGS in Pepkor, the owner of household brands PEP, Ackermans, Tekkie Town, Buco and Incredible, took a knock for the year ended September 30, 2023, amid a challenging operating environment in South Africa with consumers under severe financial strain. Headline earnings per share fell 8.7% to 149.1 cents. Headline earnings of R5.5 billion was in line with expectations, negatively impacted by elevated debtors’ costs and net finance costs. Despite this, the board declared a cash dividend of 48.1c per ordinary share payable to shareholders on January 22, 2024. This was down nearly 13% from the prior year’s 55.2c per share dividend. Pepkor CEO Pieter Erasmus said: “Consumers in South Africa have continued to experience severe economic and social challenges during this reporting period. The result is extreme financial…

Diversified miner Sibanye-Stillwater said on Wednesday that it would cut 287 jobs at its US platinum group metals (PGM) operations to reduce costs as metal prices declined, adding the move would not significantly affect production. The price of PGMs, mostly used by automakers to curb emissions, have declined significantly over the past year amid concerns over global economic growth. The palladium price has plunged nearly 40% this year, particularly hit by weak demand in China, while primary metal platinum is down 14%. Last year, the Johannesburg miner announced the restructuring of its palladium-dominated US operations in anticipation of a fall in palladium prices and because of the impact of inflation on costs. The restructuring was expected to affect approximately 100 Sibanye-Stillwater employees and 187 contractors, Sibanye said in a statement.…

The holiday season has been lauded as a period of bliss, joy and festive cheer. But for many, the festivities can often prove to be something they dread. It is a time when the accomplishments of the past year are shared and celebrated with loved ones. But if you are not exactly where you want to be in your life, the festive season has a way of amplifying insecurities and highlighting shortcomings. This is the narrative behind Best. Christmas. Ever!, Netflix’s latest holiday offering. It centres on two friends who are on opposite ends of the festive cheer spectrum. For Jackie, played by actress and musician Brandy Norwood, Christmas is her favourite time of the year. She loves it so much that she shares a boastful Christmas newsletter with her…

A prison warder has opened a case against three of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. This follows after three of the five accused were involved in a scuffle with an armed Correctional Services officer during the tea break on Monday. It started after the warder saw accused number four, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, sitting on top of the bench and asked him not to do so. There was an exchange of words and a scuffle ensued between the warder and three of the five accused. The assault case was opened against accused number three, Mthokozisi Mncube, Maphisa, and accused number five, Fisokuhle Ntuli. National commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale said yesterday that they would not tolerate the accused being involved in scuffles with officers.…

THE R67 million project to refurbish Caledonian Stadium in Arcadia is set to cost the City of Tshwane at least 10% more than was initially budgeted for when first announced in 2017 by former mayor Solly Msimanga. The MMC for Social Development and Community Service, Peggy de Bruin, said additional costs would be incurred after the contractor failed to complete the construction work on time. She was reacting to the EFF’s accusations that she lied when she said last year that the stadium project was on the right track while it had stalled. The regional EFF in Tshwane claimed the MMC indicated that the project was scheduled for completion in the 2022/23 financial year. This despite the project site being littered with heaps of sand, weeds and debris bearing testimony…

In a recent interview with MD+DI, LR Fox, founder and CEO of Next Life Science, a medical device company, unravelled Plan A – a male contraception strategy designed to offer couples a groundbreaking alternative in family planning. Fox said his personal experiences growing up in the foster care system ignited a passion for solving societal issues. The devastating consequences of restricted family planning choices propelled him to establish Next Life Sciences and introduce Plan A as a solution. Plan A distinguishes itself as a medical device rather than a pharmaceutical, leveraging Vasalgel, a hydrogel that occludes (blocks) the vas deferens, allowing for a reversible male contraceptive. The vas deferens is a long tube that transports sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct. Fox emphasised that Plan A aims to…

WITH days to go until December’s fuel price sums are finalised, the outlook is positive for both petrol and diesel. The latest daily snapshot from the Central Energy Fund, released on November 24, shows a strong over- recovery for the month so far, pointing to a possible decrease of R1.03 for 95 Unleaded petrol. However, the petrol price equation has come under strain in recent days due to a weaker rand, and if that trend continues, the petrol decrease could instead land somewhere between 90 cents and R1. Those with diesel vehicles can look forward to a much bigger decrease, with the latest data pointing to price cuts of more than R2.20 per litre, notwithstanding the aforementioned rand issues that could erode that slightly. A significant diesel reduction is good…

What if it were possible to control 100% of our thoughts, emotions and reactions? But, with any challenging experience, it is possible to listen to oneself, respect oneself and be in harmony with oneself and others. When faced with a challenging experience, the brain switches off and emotions and feelings are given priority over logic. It is said: “The only constant in life is change.” Despite this, we are not prepared for the emotional disturbance that comes with it. Change impacts our emotions; we feel like we are no longer in charge of our lives. Since the beginning of the 20th century, emotions have been a topic of research. Even though it is not a new topic, the stoicism philosophy, which dates from the 3rd century, has conducted extensive research.…

Banyana Banyana are pumped up and ready to start the defence of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations crown against Burkina Faso with a bang this evening. Banyana were crowned the African queens for the first time in the biennial showpiece that was held in Morocco last year, adding a milestone to the growth of women’s football in the country. So, as a result of that coronation, and historic finish in the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup in Australasia, the South Africans will be the team to beat in the Wafcon finals next year in Morocco. But before they can even dream of defending their title at the main event, they have to qualify first by beating Burkina Faso over a two-legged fixture. Banyana want to ensure…

After four defeats in a row, it is understandable if Stormers fans are worried about their favourite team. But one of the men who can help bring them back on track, Damian Willemse, says now is not the time to panic. John Dobson’s team could easily have won all four games on their European tour, but went down 20-9 to Glasgow, 20-17 to Benetton, 10-3 to Munster and then 31-24 to Cardiff last weekend. They should be able to get back to winning ways in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Zebre in Stellenbosch (7.15pm kick-off), although they can’t afford to underestimate the Italian side despite the 61-19 thrashing they received from the Lions at Ellis Park last weekend. But the Stormers need to sort out a number of issues…