Inhoudsopgave van 2024-01-26 - Star

RENEWABLES were set to displace coal as the top source of energy for electricity production globally in 2025, the International Energy Agency said yesterday. In its annual report on the electricity market, the IEA said that renewables – in particular from solar panels – should see their share of total electricity production surpass a third of the total, passing from 30% last year to 37% in 2026. If nuclear power, which the IEA sees hitting a record next year, is included, almost half of the world’s electricity will be generated by low-emissions sources by 2026, up from a share of just under 40% in 2023. The strong growth in renewables would outpace the increased demand for electricity in industrialised countries as part of efforts to reach carbon neutrality, said…

THE SOUTH African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago has appointed Dr David Fowkes to serve as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) while the Presidency looks for former deputy governor Kuben Naidoo’s replacement. The announcement came on the same day the SARB’s MPC, at its first meeting of 2024 yesterday, left interest rates unchanged leaving the repurchase rate (repo rate) and prime lending rates at 8.25% and 11.75%, respectively. Naidoo tendered his resignation from the SARB to President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2023, just less than 18 months before the end of his second five-year contract. Naidoo was one of three deputy governors of the SARB and a member of the crucial five-member MPC, which oversees the interest rates in the country. Since Naidoo left the SARB,…

CHINA yesterday warned the European Union’s economic image was “at stake after the bloc unveiled new measures to protect sensitive technology from falling into the hands of geopolitical rivals. “The EU’s image in the fields of economics and international trade is at stake”, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, urging the EU against “taking anti-globalisation” steps. Brussels has bolstered its armoury of trade restrictions to tackle what it deems to be risks to European economic security, following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and global trade tensions. And on Wednesday, EU officials outlined an economic security package containing five initiatives, including toughening rules on the screening of foreign direct investment and launching discussions on co-ordination in the area of export controls. When asked about the new rules yesterday, Wang warned “the international…

ELON MUSK is seeking a bigger stake in Tesla – otherwise, he fears he will be “voted out”. The billionaire businessperson – who used $40 billion (R754bn currently) of his stock to help with his purchase of Twitter (now X) for $44bn – at present has a 13% stake and is the biggest shareholder of the EV giant. However, he insists he needs to own 25% if he’s to remain and provide AI and robotics work. Speaking at an earnings call on Wednesday, Bloomberg reports that he said: “I don’t want to control it, but if I have so little influence at the company at this stage, I could be voted out by some random shareholder advisory firm.” He went on to slam advisers Glass Lewis and Institutional…

When it comes to personal finance, every individual has different needs, dreams and financial goals, as well as different pathways to achieving the objectives. One of the most common long-term ambitions shared by many South Africans is to retire comfortably – to live confidently, knowing that there are enough funds available to cover your basic needs. Making regular contributions to a retirement annuity (RA) and supplementing it with a tax-free savings account (TFSA) can be an effective way of getting there. The golden thread: cashing in on the tax benefits RAs and TFSAs are two different financial instruments but they share one powerful advantage: tax efficiency. An important part of structuring a savings and investment portfolio for maximum returns involves choosing products that attract less tax. Making tax-efficient choices can…

THE CITRUS Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) yesterday announced that high schools across South Africa were this year offering a qualification in citrus production. “More than 450 learners at 16 schools will be enrolled in the Citrus Secondary programme in 2024,” it said in a statement. The Citrus Secondary programme had the potential to make a significant contribution to growing local skills pools to meet the demand for skilled workers, it said. Projections indicated the citrus industry can grow with a further 100 000 jobs in the next eight years if all role-players work together to secure increased market access and improved export logistics, CGA said. Pioneered by the Citrus Aca-demy, a subsidiary of the CGA, the Citrus Secondary programme provided an opportunity for learners to achieve a…

Just weeks into the new year, Emtee is already topping the trends list on social media. The award-winning rapper recently took to X to cuss at another artist’s hard work. “Who gives a f***?”, he said in response to a post which shared details about Flash Ikumkani’s upcoming new album. Ikumkani previously featured on Emtee’s album Logan, but now the two artists don’t see eye to eye. It is assumed that the beef started after Ikumkani was meant to sign with Emtee’s record label, Emtee Records, a few years ago but backed out. Now Ikumkani is signed with Soldistro. Despite the long-standing beef, social media users roasted Emtee for not supporting his “brother”. @MthintiSan2002 commented: “But honestly speaking this is wrong. Stop hating bro, people will say you hate…

By flashing a perfect smile, online beauty influencers have proven adept at convincing their young followers that they too can have blindingly white, perfectly aligned teeth for very little money, time or effort. But the teeth whitening or straightening products these influencers are promoting – often via sponsored ads on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok – can be dangerous if used incorrectly, dentists have warned. And some companies pushing these inexpensive, at-home products have fallen short of their promises. The US-based firm SmileDirectClub aggressively advertised online for its “clear aligners”: plastic braces worn daily to straighten teeth. However, the firm filed for bankruptcy in December, leaving many customers in the lurch. Chantelle Jones, a 32-year-old Briton who paid the firm £1 800 (about R43 000), only had her top…

The Multi-Party Charter yesterday revealed a plan to tackle SA’s high levels of poverty and unemployment. Speaking in Durban, the coalition of opposition parties said it would focus on creating a conducive environment for economic growth, while at the same time growing the country’s skills base. Besides reducing unemployment and poverty, their strategy further aimed to increase global competitiveness. | Sipho Jack…

In the past five years, the number of learners who have drowned during school-related excursions has continued to grow, the latest being a Grade 7 learner from Laerskool Queenswood in Pretoria. The learner, 12-year-old Latoya Temilton, reportedly died on Saturday while on an approved one-day trip to the Wag ’n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen, Olifantsfontein. The Gauteng Education Department reported that the learner reportedly drowned during the excursion. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane’s spokesperson, Xolani Mkhwemte, said the police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the district and school having visited the learner’s family to convey their condolences. Mkhwemte said Chiloane had recommended that an independent investigation be conducted. During an interview with radio personality Anele Mdoda, a local journalist who spoke to some of the parents of…

The cash-strapped City of Tshwane is on the brink of forfeiting millions of rand to the National Treasury after it failed to spend a huge chunk of its conditional grants meant for capital projects such as water supply and upgrading of informal settlements. This came to light during yesterday’s ordinary council sitting at Tshwane House, where the City’s capacity to spend grants allocated by the Gauteng provincial government came into question. ANC councillor Floyd Thema remarked that failure by the municipality to utilise conditional grants and other subsidies meant it faced the bleak prospect of returning them to the National Treasury. He said: “Failure to spend conditional grants may result in decrease of funds in the following year. It can negatively impact the quality of services received by residents.” Thema…

Dear Mr Reuben Brigety How does it feel to have to continually justify the lethal and political support your country is offering Israel? Do you feel triumphant about the carnage that your ally, Israel, with your country’s support and encouragement, continues to wreak on the people of Gaza? About 25 000 dead, and the number is rising daily. Men, and according to the UN, mostly women and children, including babies, slaughtered in their thousands in the blood-crazed Benjamin Netanyahu’s murderous pursuit to “eliminate Hamas”. Who cares? All parties are forced to admit it “isn’t feasible”. Mr Ambassador, why continue this senseless massacre? The logical outcome is that to eliminate Hamas, Israel would have to kill every person in Gaza. Is that what the US has signed up for? Do you…

The man is ready – now it is time for the machine to catch up. That was Brad Binder’s assessment this week, while speaking to Independent Media as he prepares for the 2024 MotoGP season, which starts in early March. Now, on the cusp of the pre-season and with a shakedown test in Malaysia on the horizon, the 28-year-old Binder and Red Bull KTM are busy searching for solutions for minor oojamaflips that could have a major impact on their performances. Last season, Binder found himself in the thick of the action, battling for the most part at the front end of the grid. This ensured five podiums, two sprint race victories, a fourth-place finish in the world riders’ championship, his best performance in the elite class, and a second-place…

PPC, THE CEMENT and related products group, said yesterday its wholly-owned subsidiary PPC International Holdings had successfully concluded the disposal of its 51% stake in Rwanda-based Cimerwa to National Cement Holding for $42.5 million (R804m) cash. “All conditions precedent to the disposal have been fulfilled and the proceeds received. Approval by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Competition Commission, which is not required before implementation of the disposal, is anticipated to be received within 120 days,” the cement manufacturer said in a statement. As a result of this, the effective date of the disposal was January 25, 2024. PPC’s directors said the group was net cash positive following receipt of the proceeds of the disposal. PPC’s recently appointed CEO, Matias Cardarelli, said in a statement: “I am…

The RICHARDS Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) continued to operate viably despite challenges with Transnet’s freight rail performance, CEO Alan Waller said yesterday, although it was unlikely the terminal will significantly bump up its capacity. RBCT, which handles coal shipments from Thungela, Optimum Coal Terminal, Umcebo Mining and Glencore, among others, has design capa-city of 91 million tons on a 32 trains a day basis, but is managing nearly half this. In 2023, the company said about 48 million tons of coal were railed to the terminal, levels last seen in 1992. Nonetheless, “the terminal has remained reliable and has remained efficient”, Waller said. “We have not allowed any noise to impact on how efficiently the terminal is run. Whether it be from a safety point of view, whether it…

SOUTH African producer price inflation (PPI) slowed to 4% year-on-year in December, from 4.6% in November, a favourable reading led by lower food and fuel prices. Economists were expecting the figure to be higher. On a month-on-month basis, the PPI was at 0.6% in December, the same as the previous month, Statistics South Africa data showed yesterday. Investec economist Lara Hodes said the result was below Bloomberg’s consensus forecast of 4.3%. Nedbank’s Economic Insights unit said they expected PPI to remain relatively subdued at around 6% this year, with downward pressure mainly from Brent crude oil prices, which would be subdued by weak global demand, and which would translate into lower fuel prices. Food prices would also start to moderate faster as the impact of the temporary supply shocks in…

TWO RECENT court cases concerning divorce and maintenance should be of interest to couples contemplating going their separate ways. The first is essentially about fairness in how our courts deal with families that are breaking up; the second is about the law allowing access to retirement savings to settle maintenance obligations. Separation application In the case MV versus EV (née VS), concluded on December 14 last year, a farmer applied to the Western Cape High Court to separate the granting of a divorce decree from issues that are normally dealt with in the divorce proceedings: spousal maintenance, child support and the distribution of assets. The proceedings had been going on since mid-2020, about three-and-a-half years. Such an option is open to divorcing couples if it can be shown that separating…

MR PRICE’S share price surged more than 8% yesterday morning after it said third-quarter retail sales growth was more than double the same period a year before and much higher than its competitors. Retail sales of its value clothing, homeware and telecoms products increased 9.9% to R13.2 billion in the quarter, versus 4.1% sales growth over the same period a year before. The comparable market’s sales, measured by the Retailers’ Liaison Committee, grew 3.4%, CEO Mark Blair said in an update yesterday: “We anticipated a shift in momentum once we successfully navigated the disruption of our ERP System change and the installation of load shedding back-up power facilities in all our stores.” The share price was trading 7.3% higher at R172.35 yesterday afternoon, and ended the day at R170.86…

FRESH headwinds emanating from depressed commodity prices and low agricultural productivity expected would likely suppress consumer demand this year, Zimbabwe beer brewer and soft drinks maker Delta Corporation said yesterday. This was said as Zimbabwe readied new measures to try to fix a distorted monetary sector. Delta has changed its functional and reporting currency to the US dollar as its sales volumes are now 70% in foreign currency. The company has been hit by new taxes on sugar content in its non- alcoholic beverages products, which include carbonated soft drinks. Faith Musinga, company secretary for Delta, said in the quarter to the end of December, Zimbabwe’s economy continued to be characterised by economic headwinds. These were translating to shifts in monetary and fiscal policies as authorities respond to the currency…

Reverend Frank Chikane has called for families and young mothers to be vigilant against “snake” helpers and neighbours who target young children for their nefarious acts. This comes after the death of Keeya Mbulawa who is alleged to have died after being abducted, strangled and placed inside a suitcase by a known neighbour, Lindeni Nonhlelelwa Matsebula, who the Mbulawa family knew for more than two years. Matsebula, believed to be a Swati national, is reported to have stayed in the same yard with the child and her mother in Protea Glen, Soweto. Speculation has been rife that this is yet another muthi-related killing which has become a common occurrence in the township following the mysterious disappearance of children. The family has been on record saying the woman who abducted Keeya…

Entities in Economic Development have long been used as a shelter for corrupt cronies and the current MEC has also been under attack regarding many corruption and fraud allegations over the years regardless of the department that she is in, DA spokesperson Nicola Du Plessis said on Wednesday. Du Plessis was reacting to the appointment of Meloney van Eck to the audit and risk committee of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), despite her being found to have fake qualifications. “The DA stands firmly behind fair processes for appointing board members. “We have an extensive process where we govern to ensure we have people who focus on bringing dignity through real and sustainable economic development,” said Du Plessis. She said her organisation did not believe that being in a…

Two foreign nationals, Knowledge Komichi, 24, and Chrispin Taona, 26, were remanded in custody by the Vaalbank Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for robbery and kidnapping a shopkeeper in Mpumalanga. When the accused duo appeared in court on Wednesday, their case was rolled over to yesterday following the incident, which took place on January 14. The two allegedly abducted the shopkeeper after violently breaking into a tuck shop, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks) said. “They were arrested by the Hawks’ Middelburg-based serious organised crime investigation (unit) together with Mmametlhake crime investigation services, KwaMhlanga, and Themba crime intelligence for house robbery and kidnapping which took place on January 14 at about 2am at Mmamethlake policing area,” said Hawks spokesperson,Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi. “It is…

SUSPENDED Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Makhubele eventually took the stand to present her case before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal into a misconduct complaint against her. Judge Makhubele said she is a “very respected” and “respectable” person and will prove that she did nothing wrong. She took the stand yesterday before the tribunal and represented herself in her fight not to possibly be impeached. This is after her senior legal team earlier told the tribunal that they can only represent her at the end of February. The tribunal refused to grant the postponement. Judge Makhubele this week indicated that she might launch urgent court proceedings against the refusal of a postponement, but she nevertheless took the stand yesterday. The tribunal is investigating a complaint by civil society…

The Powerball jackpot for today is a whopping R120 million, guaranteed. According to National Lottery operator Ithuba the Powerball has rolled over for the 19th time, “leading to the creation of this extraordinary jackpot sum”. Ithuba CEO Charmaine Mabuza said: “We are beyond excited to present our participants with the opportunity to win an awe-inspiring R120m. “This jackpot stands as a symbol of our unwavering commitment to enhancing the National Lottery experience and making dreams come true for our players.” Last year, another Powerball of a similar magnitude was won by two people on October 17. The R128m Powerball jackpot was won after 20 consecutive roll-overs. Two people picked the winning numbers, and each walked away with an amount of R64 460 746.18. Both winners purchased their tickets via the…

After my third trip to the World Economic Forum (WEF), I remain convinced that there is nothing like it. Presidents, global business leaders, innovators and more are all brought together in snowy Davos to engage, resulting in fascinating conversations that can shape the global economy. This year focused on AI+, Climate, and Africa. There is simply no denying that the future revolves around the topics, and here is why: Artificial Intelligence As Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, rightly said, GPTs have paved the way for the mass adoption of AI. ChatGPT has become a common tool and many others have started building their own GPTs or interacting with AI in various forms. Bill Gates framed AI as the tool with the potential to impact every household and to create…

Following the conclusion of what was a successful 2023 Indian Premier League for Faf du Plessis – which saw the experienced batter finish second on the run scorers’ list with over 700 at an average of 56 – there were high hopes from the Joburg Super Kings camp that the second edition of the SA20 would be a fruitful campaign. However, the Super Kings captain consulted an orthopaedic surgeon after the IPL, and went for elbow surgery a few months before the start of the SA20. Two days before the start of South Africa’s premier T20 competition, during the captains media day in Camps Bay, Du Plessis hinted that there were concerns about his form after the operation. The 39-year-old mentioned how he wanted to focus on easing himself back…

There is no doubt that since 1938, when the Bulls broke away from their elder union, the Lions, the two teams have been eye-balling each other with a bit of animosity and plenty of respect. Since that fateful year, the rivalry has divided families, friendships, the Transvaal, then the PWV and finally Gauteng, because you are either in the one camp or the other. Pretoria is unabashedly for the Bulls, while in the greater Johannesburg metropolitan area, it can be a bit more tricky. The East Rand, “they” say, belongs to the men with the Barberton daisy embroidered on their chests, while the south, West Rand and northern suburbs are populated by Lions fans, with a splattering of verraaiers that support the Sharks, Stormers and Gautengers’ second-favourite team – the…

The total volumes are still fairly small, but the trajectory is quite interesting TOYOTA Motors South Africa (TMSA) CEO Andrew Kirby said yesterday that South Africa was seen as a very competitive car market as evidenced by the number of new entrants that entered it last year. Kirby said South Africa was becoming one of the most competitive markets in the world in terms of the number of derivatives, models and brands compared to the total size of the market. Kirby was talking at a TMSA event yesterday, which was hosting the seventh instalment of the State of the Motor Industry (Somi) report. He said there was a 65% increase in new energy vehicle sales sold in South Africa in 2023 compared to 2022, with most of them being battery…

THE FOREIGN exchange market faces a year where growth is predicted, but it does not come without its challenges. This was according to Bianca Botes, a director at foreign exchange experts Citadel Global, who said this week that risks were mounting for forex clients. Botes had made four predictions for forex risk trends in 2024, from elections and geopolitical risks to investment declines and more ups and downs for the rand. Recently released research indicates that the global forex market size, for North America, Europe, UK, Switzerland, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, South America, China and Japan combined, is projected to grow by $516.48 billion (R9.77 trillion), accelerating at a compound annual growth rate from 2023 to 2028. Geopolitical and environmental risks are mounting in 2024 “The local forex…

GOLD MINING firm Harmony said in a statement yesterday that it remained on track to meet the higher end of full-year production guidance. Total gold production for the six months ended December 31, 2023, of financial year 2024 was between 820 000 ounces and 835 000 ounces – an increase of between 12% and 14% compared with the prior comparative period. As a result, all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) for the first half of the financial year would be between R830 000/kg to R855 000/kg, which was below the guided AISC of R975 000/kg. Harmony said the production increase was driven by the South African under-ground recovered grades exceeding the upper end of the guided 5.60g/t to 5.75g/t in the first half, driven mainly by its…

As any SOUTH African investment adviser worth their salt will tell you, everyone should hold at least a portion of their portfolio offshore. That’s because a combination of factors – a weak rand, low economic growth, and underperformance from the JSE, among other things – have meant that anyone investing solely in South Africa isn’t getting the returns they should be. In fact, according to a 2022 investment note from Allan Gray, investors would have been worse off by 8% a year if they’d invested exclusively in South African equities than if they’d invested entirely offshore. Of course, there are several other reasons why you should hold some of your portfolio offshore. These include diversification, access to investment opportunities and the greater stability offered in some markets. No matter what…

SASOL’S share price notched up more than 3% yesterday after an update showed that business performance in the six months to December 31 was impacted by a volatile macro-economic environment, weaker oil and petrochemical prices, unstable product demand and inflationary pressure. However, full year 2024 production and sales volume guidance remained intact for all segments, except the Oryx GTL (gas-to-liquid) utilisation rate, the fuel and chemicals from coal group said in an update yesterday. A reactor coil leak was detected at the GTL plant in October, which brought forward a shutdown to the second quarter from the third quarter, and the repair was expected to require work into the third quarter. This meant the full year utilisation rate was revised to be 65% to 75%, below the previous guidance of…

Lerato Sengadi, the widow of Motswako legend Jabulani Tsambo, better known by his stage name Hip Hop Pantsula (HHP), is set to anchor the newest reality series coming to screens. The PR specialist and marketing professional is a part of Widows Unveiled, a 10-part Showmax Original that follows the lives of five women who were married to public figures who died. The series was produced by Passionlane Productions, the brains behind Mzansi Magic’s Safta-nominated hit show Uthando Nes’thembu. The reality TV show documents the journey of each woman, from pain to triumph, as they navigate the drama and scandal that followed the deaths of their husbands. The cast includes award-winning philanthropist, executive producer of Nkalakatha: The Life of Mandoza and stroke survivor Mpho Tshabalala, the widow of musician Mandoza; broadcaster…

Riley Auctions Africa is hosting an auction of redundant and obsolete motor vehicles, scrap, furniture and energy assets on behalf of the City of Tshwane on Tuesday at 10am. The auction will take place on-site at 30 Von Wielligh Street, Pretoria. Items going under the hammer include corrugated iron roof sheeting, traffic sign boards, concrete mixers, compactors, a TCM forklift and various scrapped vehicles including trucks, ambulances, bakkies and cars. Interested parties will also find steel Wendy houses, transformers and substations, and furniture such as tables, cabinets, desks, chairs and beds. Also on offer are printers, shredders, scanners and monitors, along with TVs, stoves, microwaves, fridges, air conditioners, bicycles and much more. Viewing is on-site on Monday from 9am to 3pm. For more information or to register to bid, call…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed the identity of the 29-year-old man who on Monday confessed to setting the Usindiso Building on fire as Lawrence Mdlalose. This week, Mdlalose confessed that he set the building alight to conceal the murder of another person, during his in-camera testimony at the commission of inquiry into the fire. This resulted in the police arresting him on 76 counts of murder, 86 of attempted murder and a charge of arson, following the blaze that claimed the lives of at least 76 people who lived in the hijacked Usindiso Building in Marshalltown, Joburg. On Monday, Mdlalose admitted he was responsible for the deadly fire in August last year. Spokesperson for the NPA, Phindi Mjonondwane, confirmed the confession was made before a magistrate on Wednesday,…

Library for the War-Wounded Monika Helfer Loot (R533) Bloomsbury “We called him Vati, Dad. Not Father, not Papa. That’s what he wanted. He thought it sounded modern. He wanted to present himself to us, and through us, as a man in tune with the modern age. Though he seemed to come from nowhere.” Josef was an illegitimate child, a charity case from Salzburg, schooled by a benefactor. He was drafted to fight in World War II while still at school and sent to Russia, returning with only one leg. He married his nurse, and brought his family to the high, idyllic slopes of the Austrian Alps, where he took a position as manager of a home for injured soldiers, a strangely suspended, deeply isolated place with a remarkable library.…

In the 2023 admissions, across a spectrum of courses including medicine, engineering, veterinary science, law, and actuarial science, the University of Pretoria (UP) stands out as the institution of choice for many high-achieving students. A remarkable number of admitted students secured exceptional scores of 95% and above, accompanied by outstanding performances of seven or more distinctions. Gauteng’s first, second and third top matric students have all chosen to study at UP, all with 96%+ averages. In this highly competitive landscape, the University of Pretoria continues to attract and nurture the brightest minds, reinforcing its commitment to academic excellence and cultivating future leaders. “UP positions itself on being a future-oriented university in all the programmes it offers,” said UP’s interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Themba Mosia. “We are ranked in the…

THE Gauteng High Court, Pretoria has found Tumelo Mokone, 24, Kagiso Mokone, 24, and Onthantile Sebati, 21, guilty of four counts of murder, theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. This after the State was able to adduce that Sebati conspired with her two male friends to kill her family members while the family were at their home in Mmakau, on the north-western outskirts of Pretoria. On December 6, 2016, the two went to Sebati’s house to collect her father’s firearm. In the evening of that same day, they returned to the house. Sebati went outside pretending to dispose of water, but went to open the gate for the two and gave Kagiso her father’s car keys. Tumelo then proceeded to enter the house…

Jazz lovers familiar with the cultural tapestry that is the Newtown Precinct are preparing for the mother of all jazz festivals to cap the first month of the new year. Kicking things off at the Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival today will be the jazzy sounds of the likes of Katlego Phahlane & The Bart Band, the Lunga Gubelana Quintet, the Legacy Jazz Ensemble as well as the award-winning Sibongile Mngoma as the guest performer. Tomorrow sees performances from the Bokang Ramatlapeng Quintet with Bokang Ramatlapeng on vocals, Lex Futshane on the double bass, Mdu Mtshali on piano, Sidney Mnisi on tenor saxophone and Stanley Matlou on the drums with appearances from five international guest artists performing once more alongside Sibongile Mngoma. This gathering is a collaborative weekend-inspired jazz…

Prince Edward is picking up the slack after two senior working royals – King Charles and Princess Kate – dropped out of attending official engagements due to illness. The Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s children, dropped in at the OR Tambo Official Residence in Pretoria where he was welcomed by Deputy President Paul Mashatile. According to the Presidency, the duke was on a short working visit. It followed the successful state visit that President Cyril Ramaphosa undertook to the UK in 2022 at the invitation of King Charles III. During the courtesy call, Mashatile also held discussions with Prince Edward and his delegation on key areas in the bilateral relationship between South Africa and the UK. Geo.TV reported that Edward also visited Pretoria…

THE following is a response to article in the Cape Argus by Martin van Staden, “Provinces Should Conduct Own Foreign Affairs”, January 23: Civil society organisations, ordinary people and progressive governments across the world have applauded South Africa for having the audacity to present its case to the International Court of Justice that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. There has been more international support for South Africa’s position on the issue than perhaps any other foreign policy position the country has taken since the advent of democracy in 1994. Sadly, it is the reactionaries in our own country who fail to see the merit of our government’s actions, and their only pushback is to put forward nonsensical arguments that perhaps provinces should conduct their own foreign affairs. Of…

Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have continued to bolster their squad for what’s expected to be an intense second half of the season. Pirates announced the signings of Thabiso Lebitso and Thalente Mbatha yesterday, the two players putting pen to paper on loan contracts of two-and-a-half years and six months respectively. Lebitso has hogged the headlines over the past few weeks after Chippa United confirmed his abrupt departure from the club. The 28-year-old was an instrumental figure for the Chilli Boys in the first half of the season, missing only two games for the team in the DStv Premiership. But the reason for his departure seems to have been all but motivated by the interest from the Sea Robbers, who are happy to have him on board for the second…

He left, he faced off, and then he conquered. And just yesterday, South Africa’s first UFC middleweight champion, Dricus “Stillknocks” du Plessis (21-2-0), returned home to a hero’s welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Du Plessis captured the hearts of millions of Africans and MMA fans from across the globe when he made history by becoming the first athlete training out of Africa to earn the Ultimate Fighting Championship gold after he beat former 185-pound champion Sean Strickland of the US at UFC 297 at the Scotiabank Arena in Ontario, Canada last weekend. Thousands of fans gathered at Mzansi’s biggest airport yesterday morning, with Du Plessis’ flight scheduled to land at 7.30am. Thunderous applause erupted as Stillknocks took a corner, with cameras and flashing lights helping to…