Inhoudsopgave van 2024-01-25 - Star

THE COST OF living crisis for South Africans continues to spiral after data released yesterday showed that the cost of a basic grocery food basket had increased by 8.3% in just a year. This was according to the January 2024 Household Affordability Index and Key Data, compiled by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD). The index showed that in January 2024, the average cost of a household food basket was R5 324.86. Month-on-month, the food basket increased by R86.66 (1.7%), from R5 238.20 in December 2023 to R5 324.86 in Janu-ary 2024. Year-on-year, it increased by R407.44 (8.3%), from R4 917.42 in January 2023 to R5 324.86 in January 2024. The food items that increased the most in price in January were potatoes…

THE SA TRANSPORT and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) yesterday called for Transnet National Ports Authority CEO Pepi Silinga to be fired from office, saying he was likely to interfere with investigations into his alleged irregular picking of close associates for a lucrative ports fencing upgrade tender. The tender’s value has controversially ballooned from R80 million to R300m. Transnet acting group CEO Michelle Phillips confirmed yesterday that the port and logistics parastatal had launched an independent probe into Silinga. It had also referred allegations of corruption against the executive to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). However, Satawu said yesterday that Silinga had to be removed from office as he was likely to tamper with investigations. Transnet CEO Portia Derby retired from the company last year following years of lobbying by…

THE LOCALISATION Support Fund (LSF) has challenged the government to create clusters with existing suppliers within renewable energy components in order to deepen local manufacturing. The LSF yesterday released a comprehensive report that analyses the local manufacturing capacity for essential components for three primary renewable energy technologies: solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems. The report is aimed at supporting the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (Sarem) process. The study, conducted by BMA Analysts, unpacks the required value chains and technologies and then compares them to existing capability and capacity within South Africa, identifying the challenges and opportunities that exist to localise the manufacturing of renewable energy (RE) components in South Africa. It determined the ramp-up curve that would be required for those components to meet the specification, demand…

BECOMING a successful entrepreneur involves hard work, determination and grit. However, as many of the world’s most renowned entrepreneurs have attested, a generous amount of good luck often also plays a role in getting to the top. Sometimes, that spell of “luck” relies on being in the right place, at the right time – and, more importantly, talking to the right people. Surrounding yourself with the right people can open many doors of opportunity for you and your business. Research conducted by HubSpot found that as much as 85% of jobs are filled through networking and referrals; and further insights garnered by CNBC con- cluded that at least 70% of jobs are never publicly published for this reason. Apart from the value of networking as a source of potential employees…

THE FOSCHINI Group (TFG) grew sales by 4.5% in the third quarter to December 30 over the same quarter a year before in challenging trading conditions in all the regions where it operates. Group turnover growth for the nine months to the same date was 9%, a trading update said yesterday. The group predicted trading conditions and consumer confidence were likely to remain under pressure, exacerbated by higher interest rates and inflation, as well as continued load shedding and port delays in South Africa. TFG investors appeared cheered with the update, as the share price closed 3.31% higher at R101.10 on the JSE yesterday, while the Top 40 index was up by only 1.48% at the same time. In South Africa, turnover was hit by a softer Black Friday period,…

One of the five men accused of killing soccer player Senzo Meyiwa has implicated the mother of his child, Kelly Khumalo, as the one who allegedly ordered a hit against the former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper. This was revealed in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday by lead investigator, Brigadier Bongani Gininda. Gininda was reading from an affidavit he had written after the arrest of the five accused. “He is further linked by means of a formal confession he made to a commissioned independent officer on May 30, 2020. In his confession, he clearly implicates Miss Kelly Khumalo as the person who gave them the instruction to kill Senzo Meyiwa,” Gininda read from the statement. According to Gininda, this confession was made by accused number one, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, when he was…

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, said inmates should leave prison with a skill and not be a liability once they are released. Lamola said this on Tuesday when he released the matric results for inmates at Durban’s Westville Prison. He congratulated the inmates across the country who did exceptionally well in their matric exams. He said it should be compulsory for inmates to learn skills. “We want them to participate whether in skills for boiler making or for bricklaying or any type of skill. We are starting immediately. Everyone must do something so by the day they are released, they have a skill.” In addition, he urged employers to hire ex-offenders if they met the criteria and had a qualification and skills. He said this would…

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has introduced facial recognition technology into its registration system for secure registration, a first for South Africa’s higher education sector. In a statement issued by UJ yesterday, the university said that in a significant move towards bolstering secure and fraud-resistant registration processes, it has introduced facial recognition technology into its registration system. The initiative establishes UJ as the first South African university to utilise facial recognition for identity verification during registration. The university said that traditional methods of identity verification, such as submitting ID copies for manual checks, are not foolproof and can be vulnerable to fraudulent activities. Therefore, UJ’s adoption of facial recognition technology underscores its commitment to embracing cutting-edge solutions for a safer, more efficient, and technologically advanced registration process. The university explained…

POLITICAL parties yesterday joined forces with the Lotus Gardens, Atteridgeville and Saulsville Civic Association (Lasca), during a service delivery march to Tshwane House, where they cried foul over the poor state of service delivery. At the centre of their complaints was inaccurate municipal billing for rates and taxes, which they claimed was often inflated. Marchers convened in the morning at the Marabastad old bus depot before departing to Tshwane House, with the SAPS and metro police keeping an eye on them. Newly-formed political party Xiluva, under its president, Bongani Baloyi, was among parties that participated in the march. Baloyi said: “The reason why we decided to join you today is that we realised that we might be different political parties, but we are from the same communities.” He lashed out…

The Volkswagen Golf “8.5” has been officially revealed to the world, complete with fresh exterior styling, new cabin tech and a more powerful GTI model. We’re awaiting final confirmation on the South African line-up, but it’s probable that our market will once again receive only the Golf GTI and the Golf R, although the Golf R has yet to be revealed in facelifted form. Overseas, Volkswagen continues to offer a full range of Golf models, including TSI and TDI turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, eTSI mild hybrids and two plug-in hybrids, including the high-performance GTE, which can cover up to 100km on electric power alone. But it’s the GTI that we’re really interested in, and for 2024, the performance hatchback is receiving a power boost. The EA 888 2.0-litre turbopetrol…

Chelsea stormed into the League Cup final with a 6-1 thrashing of second-tier Middlesbrough to easily overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. The Blues struck four times before half-time as Jonny Howson’s own goal, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer put Mauricio Pochettino’s men on the road to Wembley next month. Palmer and Noni Madueke piled the pain on Middlesbrough in the closing stages on a night that could prove the turning point in Pochettino’s early reign in charge. A much tougher test awaits against either Premier League leaders Liverpool or local rivals Fulham on February 25, but there are promising signs for the Argentine that an expensively-assembled, yet still raw squad is beginning to come together. “Today we were very clinical in…

PETROSA said yesterday a joint venture with private company Theza Oil & Gas Exploration and Equator Holdings would conduct a feasibility study on the redevelopment of the gas exploration infrastructure offshore of Mossel Bay. The State-owned oil company said in a “clarification” statement yesterday that “the respective governance processes, including Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) requirements, will be observed to advance the partnerships. In particular, the Section 54 PFMA processes which afford PetroSA the opportunity to conduct due diligence, progress feasibility assessments, secure governance approvals towards the final investment decision and financial close.” PetroSA likely emphasised its commitment to good governance after questions were raised about the ability of Equator Holdings, led by controversial businessman Lawrence Mulaudzi, to undertake the work. The DA said it had submitted a Promotion of…

LONDON and JSE-listed UK wealth management company Quilter’s fourth quarter IFA Platform gross flows increased 44% year-on-year following supportive markets into the year-end, with a contribution from net flows during the quarter. Assets under Management and Administration (AuMA) of £106.7 billion (R2.6 trillion) at December 31 had increased by 5% on the end-September position of £101.4bn. “In what has been a tough year across the industry, we finished 2023 on a positive note with improved fourth quarter performance relative to the third,” CEO Steven Levin said. Fourth quarter core business net inflows of £175 million contrasted with net inflows of £242m in the same period of 2022, but was a significant improvement on the £1m achieved in the third quarter. The Quilter channel delivered a strong quarter,…

ZIMBABWE’S in-store exchange rate was “an albatross” for formal retailers that are also tightly squeezed for taxation, Meikles Limited, the Pick n Pay Zimbabwean-listed partner in the TM Supermarkets chain, said yesterday. Meikles operates Pick n Pay and TM branded stores across Zimbabwe and competes against Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed OK Zimbabwe. The big Zimbabwean retailers are struggling against a thriving informal sector that the government has now targeted for taxation. But for the Pick n Pay and TM stores, there has been little respite from growing adoption of the US dollar by the Zimbabwean market. Worse still, the local unit of exchange the Zimbabwe dollar, which is the preferred currency by consumers in formal supermarkets, has continued to lose value on both the official…

Viewers are in for a treat as local A-list actors come together for Red Ink. The spine-chilling eight-part thriller releases on Showmax from February 12. It stars Bonko Khoza and Nqobile Nunu Khumalo in lead roles with Bongile Mantsai, Lorcia Cooper, Yonda Thomas, Jo-Anne Reyneke, Kwenzo Ngcobo, Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku and Abdul Khoza completing the cast. The much-anticipated series, which is based on Angela Makholwa- Moabelo’s best-selling debut novel of the same name, tells the story of a journalist turned publicist, Lucy Khambule, who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer to tell his story. The two-minute trailer begins with a scene of a human skull believed to be the victim of a brutal killing in June 2010. Cooper tells of the murder case. It then shifts to a wealthy and…

EVEN though Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has described the decrease in the number of road fatalities during the 2023/2024 festive season as a story of progress achieved against extraordinary odds, independent bodies said the number of deaths remained too high to celebrate just yet. Groups such as the AA reported that although the number of fatalities were reportedly on a decline, the high number of road deaths still required urgent intervention. Chikunga released the 2023/2024 festive season road statistics at the Grasmere toll plaza yesterday, where she revealed that 1 427 people died on the roads between December 1 and January 11 – 25 fewer than the previous year, or a 1.7% decline from the previous year’s records. The transport minister said there were 1 184 fatal crashes,…

Jennifer Barkhuizen, head of marketing at Managed Integrity Evaluation, a background screening services provider, offers her insights 2023’s matriculants entering the job market and tertiary institutions. According to the 2022 Background Screening Index (BSI) report released by Managed Integrity Evaluation (MIE), candidates tend to embellish their qualifications and experience, as employment becomes more and more difficult to find. Barkhuizen said such findings highlighted the importance of vetting and screening all employees, regardless of status, because proper background checks help with safety, reputation preservation, legal compliance, and maintaining a secure work environment. A PwC analysis revealed that if a job creation fails, unemployment might reach 40% by the end of the decade. Economic stagnation, policy stalemate, and load shedding have added to a bleak prognosis, with GDP growth hovering around 1.5%.…

The Gauteng police have confirmed that a 29-year-old man who has confessed to having caused the fire that killed 76 people at the Usindiso Building in August last year is set to appear in court today. According to media reports, the man who was arrested on Tuesday was high on drugs at the time of the blaze. According to EWN, the man revealed this during the commission of inquiry into the Usindiso Building fire. He told the commission, which was held in-camera, that he killed a person and then set fire to the body in a bid to destroy the evidence of the crime. He said his actions were responsible for the fire that quickly spread across the hijacked building. The witness is reported to have cried while giving his…

WITH KwaZulu-Natal identified by the National Executive Committee of the ANC as the host for the launch of the ANC Election Manifesto we are humbled by the excitement from all corners of the province and the country. Each day ANC members and ordinary members of society are demonstrating their deep love for the ANC. At the same time, they are pointing out challenges facing the country. But most importantly, they are saying they expect nothing from the ANC leaders other than solutions to socio-economic challenges. As the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, we offer not to disappoint them. We discussed these matters in our first meeting of the Provincial Executive Committee for 2024. This is a very important year. Not only because we are approaching the general elections, but because as a…

Francis Ngannou can cause a “massive upset” by defeating Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia, according to veteran promoter Frank Warren. British boxer Joshua heads into the March 8 fight looking to back up his commanding stoppage win over Sweden’s Otto Wallin last month as he continues his quest to become a three-time world champion. But Warren believes Joshua will have his work cut out for him in a 10-round bout against 37-year-old Cameroonian Ngannou. Best known as a mixed martial artist, Ngannou stunned many observers with an early knockdown of Tyson Fury, promoted by Warren, before suffering a controversial split-decision loss to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion in October. And Warren believes Ngannou’s punching power could pose problems for another British boxer in the 34-year-old…

The Blitzboks are banking on a good dose of fresh blood to put a spring in their step in Perth this weekend in the form of two uncapped players and three returnees from injury. The South Africans are motivated to bounce back from a disappointing outing in Cape Town last month, and sunny Perth will also bring a fresh outlook to the World Sevens Series. Even if the tournament was played on the South Pole, Ricardo Duarttee hopes to be a ray of sunshine for his team. After being named as World Rugby’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season, “Tricky Ricky” missed out in Dubai and Cape Town as the coaching staff decided to go with a fit-again Selvyn Davids and Ronald Brown in the playmaker/sweeper role. But…

South Africa’s business industry has pinned its hopes on government leaders to conclude the long-running discussions with Saudi Arabia over investing to help the country improve its oil refining capacity. Saudi Arabia, the world’s second largest oil producer, has been in talks dating back to 2018 with South Africa's Central Energy Fund (CEF) to partner with Saudi Aramco to build a $10 billion (R189bn), 300 000 barrel a day crude oil and petrochemicals refinery plant in Richards Bay to come on stream by 2028. Speaking at a press briefing in honour of the visiting Saudi business delegation yesterday, the head of Invest SA, Yunus Hoosen, said, “I think as part of our broad energy mix and energy security, there are ongoing discussions bilaterally between the DMRE (Department of Mineral Resources…

A RESURGENT rand later this year, a possible pause in rate hikes and less elevated power cuts were expected to lift South Africa’s economy to a 1.5% gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year, Bank of America said yesterday, citing a projected weakness in the US dollar that will prop up emerging markets towards a re-rated commodities outlook. Tatonga Rusike, a sub-Saharan analyst for Bank of America, said: “South Africans will head to the polls later this year and it is expected that although struggling with plummeting confidence in its policies, the ruling ANC party will form a coalition with smaller opposition political parties.” The 2024 elections were likely to herald “a busy year for SA”. “It is going to be a busy year for SA. We think that GDP…

THE NATIONAL Planning Commission (NPC) recently released its 10-year review of the National Development Plan. The NDP review revealed that the vision for South Africa outlined in the NDP has not been realised over the past decade. The review revealed that the NDP has been marginalised, leading to fragmented planning and ineffective implementation. The NDP places the responsibility of creating 90% of new jobs in the workforce in South Africa on the small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) sector, between 2010 and 2030. The small business sector, which had an estimated 2.5 million small businesses in 2019, was most severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. 22 On Sloane recently published a white paper that seeks to foster a comprehensive understanding of the employment landscape within the…

BIG SOUTH African steel producers, including ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa), Columbus Stainless, Unica, and Cape Gate among others, are struggling “to keep the lights on” and have called on the government to fix “supply chain constraints” and to foster a balanced trade policy framework to breathe life into the industry. The closure of Amsa’s long steel manufacturing businesses in 2023 has epitomised the challenges the South African steel industry is undergoing. The government has moved in to control imports of some steel products by imposing import duties starting last month, but the bigger producers are still constrained. The South African Iron and Steel Institute, whose membership includes the big steel manufacturers and some associate members, has said that despite the sector supporting 290 000 jobs in the country, it is…

Poor Things is a technically stunning film that cinephiles will understandably love for its ability to deconstruct the human condition. For the average movie-goer, however, it is a challenging and uncomfortable experience that forces the viewers to confront their own degree of morality and empathy while sitting through feelings of discomfort. The experience of enjoyment that one may have while watching the film is one that is on a spectrum and will only be decided by the individual after they watch the film. The film is stunning from its visual language and production design to the nuance in performances where the actors are deconstructing and articulating the narrative with not only their words but actions as well. While many others have drawn comparisons between the character arc of Bella Baxter…

Oppenheimer is leading the 2024 Oscar nominations with 13 nods. The shortlist for the 96th Academy Awards was announced on Tuesday and the World War II drama – which stars Cillian Murphy as the theoretical physicist – is leading the way. The film is up for Best Picture, while Christopher Nolan is up for Best Director and former Peaky Blinders star Murphy is up for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Murphy will face competition from Bradley Cooper for his role in Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction. Those up for Best Actress in a Leading Role include Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon, Annette Bening for Nyad, Sandra Hüller for Anatomy of a Fall and Carey…

Cleopatra Hani, the daughter of the late Chris Hani, has described the slain SACP leader’s widow as an old and bitter woman. This is after Limpho Hani accused Cleopatra of being a fraud and an imposter, saying that she failed to take a DNA test to prove her paternity allegations. Cleopatra said Limpho was the last person who should be asking for a DNA test from her, as she was not her family. “Limpho is bitter and angry, hence she’s lying this much. She married my father, knowing that I existed. Now I don’t understand the spectacle she’s (making),” she said. Cleopatra said that when her father was shot dead, Limpho was no longer living with him; she was in Lesotho. As for Limpho’s nephew, Mphatali Hani, Cleopatra questioned on…

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga wants the government to be proactive in curbing teenage pregnancy among scholars. Last month, the Eastern Cape came under the spotlight after it was reported that the province recorded an increase in the number of pupils falling pregnant, with a recent report showing more than 12 500 schoolgirls fell pregnant and gave birth in the province this past year. On Tuesday, SABC News reported that the minister has submitted a new policy to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education which seeks to bring this under control. It is expected that the committee, once it starts its work, will deliberate on the policy proposal. According to the ministry, the policy seeks to prevent the expulsion of pregnant learners from schools while at the same time seeking…

The Lehurutshe Magistrates’ Court in North West postponed the case against Obakeng Segwabe, 19 and Olebogeng Mafora, 21, who are facing five counts of murder, two of violation of corpses and one of defeating the ends of justice. The case against the men was postponed to January 31, for further investigations. On Tuesday, the accused men were scheduled to apply for bail, but they opted to abandon it, North West regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Henry Mamothame, said. “Police reports revealed that the two were initially arrested for the alleged murder of two people after human bones were found in a plastic in the bushes near Mosweu village,” Mamothame said. “After further investigation and linkages to three decomposed bodies that were found between December 2023 and January…

Although Volkswagen has repeatedly stated that an Amarok-based SUV was not in the pipeline, we now know that it was at least under consideration. The rendering you see here was posted on LinkedIn this week, by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) design head Albert Kirzinger. His wording seems to imply that it’s more a “could have been” than a preview of what’s to come. This is what he had to say about the rendering: “Exploring design ideas for the Amarok pickup truck! Our research phase back in the day took us on an off-road journey, and here’s a sneak peek with a rendering featuring a fully closed pickup bed. Ready for rugged adventures!” Although he appears to be describing a bakkie with a fixed canopy, the picture shows a purpose-designed…

KwaZulu-Natal has once again been hit hard by devastating weather- related disasters, claiming the lives of more than 60 people. The tragic incidents are a stark reminder of the urgent need for proactive measures to address the challenges posed by inclement weather. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, had launched a series of summer disaster awareness campaigns before the rainy season started. The campaigns were aimed at alerting communities to the imminent dangers of lightning, flooding and accidents resulting from slippery road surfaces. Our collaborative efforts with NGOs, such as the South African Red Cross, Al-Imdaad Foundation for Disaster, IPSS Medical Rescue and Reaction Unit South Africa, have proven to be invaluable. Together, we formed a united front to reach out…

Hughton and Saintfiet first coaching casualties Chris Hughton was fired as Ghana’s coach after their elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations was confirmed. Hughton, who won 53 caps as a fullback for Ireland, is the second coaching casualty at the Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast after The Gambia boss Tom Saintfiet. Two late goals deprived Ghana’s Black Stars of passage to the round of 16 after minnows Mozambique secured a come-from-behind 2-2 draw in a Group B clash in Ivory Coast. It was a stark reminder of what happened two years ago. Playing in Cameroon against Comoros two years ago, Ghana let East Africa minnows back in and conceded stoppage-time goals by Geny Catamo and Reinaldo Mandava, which combined with Egypt’s draw to send them home after failing…

England spinner Shoaib Bashir has received his visa for India and will join the touring team this weekend, the country’s cricket board said yesterday. Britain-born Bashir, a 20-year-old Muslim of Pakistani heritage, was unable to join the rest of the squad flying to India from a training camp in Abu Dhabi and remained unavailable for the first of the five Tests starting today. The Somerset off-spinner had to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to finish the required paperwork for his entry to India. “Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa, and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement. “We’re glad the situation has now been resolved.” According to reports, the UK…