Inhoudsopgave van 2024-02-29 - Star

First-of-its-kind public-private partnership announced to improve rail transport reliability in SA SASOL has thrown Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) a five-year lifeline to ensure the survival of the freight rail sector in moving bulk chemicals to a number of companies within the mining, agricultural and manufacturing industries. The petrochemical giant and TFR yesterday announced a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to improve rail transport reliability in South Africa. Under the five-year agreement, Transnet will deliver ammonia from Sasol’s Secunda and Sasolburg facilities to the company’s customers through a dedicated fleet of 128 ammonia tankers. Sasol Chemicals produces and sells more than 540 000 tons of ammonia annually. Ammonia is mainly used to make a variety of fertilisers and industrial chemicals for the agriculture, mining, textile and metalworking industries. In return, Sasol will…

THE TAKEOVER Regulation Panel (TRP) has ruled that Vivendi’s Canal Plus (Canal+) acquisition of shares to a 35.01% stake in MultiChoice has triggered an immediate mandatory offer by the French media group. Writing on X , TechCabal (@TechCabal), a pan-African publication on tech developments on the continent, said that with MultiChoice’s board having initially rejected the Canal+ offer, the TRP’s ruling meant Canal+ could make a tender offer directly to shareholders. On February 5, MultiChoice was notified by the French media company that it had acquired an additional interest in MultiChoice, so that it controlled 35.01% of the local pay-TV’s shares, from 31.67% previously. Canal+, the biggest shareholder in MultiChoice, had offered to buy the rest of MultiChoice shares that it did not already own at an offer price of…

KAP LIMITED had become good at operating in the difficult environment and most of its businesses performed well in the six months to end-December, CEO Gary Chaplin said yesterday. The diversified group with industrial, chemical and logistics businesses saw a 2% decline in revenue to R15 billion. KAP’s share price gained 3.65% to close at R2.27 on the JSE yesterday, but this was 33% below the price at the same time last year. There has been recent media specu- lation that KAP might sell its logistics business Unitrans. Chaplin said that they had “received interest in Unitrans and have responded by exploring it in a structured manner to determine if it will enhance shareholder value and if it will be beneficial to our key stakeholders. I don’t think that…

RETAILER Woolworths’s resilience against plummeting economic conditions in South Africa helped its revenues for the interim period to end December 2023, although its Australian and New Zealand operations suffered from depressed consumer sentiment as shopping trends shift away from spending on goods and services. Woolworths’s turnover and concession sales for the half-year quickened by 5.4% to R38.1 billion, it reported yesterday. Shares in Woolworths closed 5.34% lower at R63.42 on the JSE yesterday. However, profits before tax were 14.2% softer, with the grocer’s headline earnings per share falling by 7.5% to R2.33 per share. The company faced a “challenging macro environment and a high prior-year base” for the period under review. These were exacerbated by energy and logistics crises that continued to “to impact both business and consumer” confidence.…

American actor and film-maker Tyler Perry wanted to “modernise” thrillers with his new Netflix film. The 54-year-old actor wrote the script for Mea Culpa – which stars former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland as a legal defence attorney who defends an artist accused of murder. After recalling watching many films of its kind with his mother, Perry admitted that was he “ready” to take on this project, while that is not always the case. He told Screen Rant: “My mom and I used to watch all those thrillers back in the day, man, I used to love those movies and I thought, let’s modernise a story. “Let’s tell a story from a different point of view, right? And then its character, Mea, started showing up in my head as…

DETAINING people convicted of violent crimes in South Africa has not served its intended purpose of rehabilitation. That’s the view of the president of the South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (Sapohr), Golden Miles Bhudu, who said the perception that correctional facilities were enjoyable places where prisoners relished a break at taxpayers’ expense was untrue and misleading. “I thought we were long past that boring statement, mentality, and ideology. It is almost 30 years in democracy and we have heard this 30 years ago. “What must be done to take away that perception that our prisons are either holiday inns or hotels? It is not true.” Bhudu was speaking to broadcaster eNCA in Boksburg at the national conference on the integrated criminal justice system and review of the Criminal…

VODACOM South Africa aims to fight back against the ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and the order to pay almost R20 billion to “Please Call Me” creator Nkosana Makate. The telecoms giant, valued at R194bn, issued a statement on the JSE Stock Exchange News Service yesterday in which it said it would be lodging an application for leave to appeal against the judgment. The judgment, if upheld, would have a vast and wide-ranging impact on both Vodacom South Africa and the Vodacom Group, as well as the attractiveness of South Africa as an investment destination, the telecoms giant said. After various court battles, the “Please Call Me” case ended up at the SCA, and earlier this month it ordered that Vodacom must use the models that Makate’s…

Are you tired of blending in with the crowd? Is upgrading your wardrobe on your to do list? Fear not, because I’ve got the perfect hack to transform your style and elevate you to fashionista status. Enter the wrong shoe theory – a revolutionary concept that flips traditional fashion on its head. Instead of playing it safe with matching shoes, this trend encourages you to pair unexpected footwear with your outfits. Picture it: an elegant ensemble paired with sneakers, or a tracksuit paired with heels. It may seem daring, even risky, but trust me, it’s a game-changer for your wardrobe. This innovative approach was coined by stylist Allison Bornstein, who recognised the power of wearing the wrong shoe to add intrigue to any look. Bornstein’s insight highlights the importance of…

THE City of Tshwane has begun maintenance operations of cemeteries as part of an urban management plan to provide service delivery for residents. According to the metro, the clean-up of cemeteries followed concerns about the safety of residents and criminal activities happening in the cemetery grounds. On Friday, the metro visited and carried out maintenance of the Atteridgeville cemetery and another in Pretoria East, cutting grass, patching potholes, marking roads, fixing streetlights and clearing dumping sites. The maintenance was undertaken by the urban management teams across various parts of Tshwane after residents had raised concerns about poorly maintained grave sites in the past months. Mayor Cilliers Brink said that over the past week he had been on the ground supporting urban management teams as they worked to restore basic services…

THE new Lethabong School of Specialisation in Soshanguve has been hailed as a game-changer and an institution with potential to equip learners with skills to operate in the automotive industry in future. This was the sentiment expressed yesterday by different speakers at the official launch of the school marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday. The school will specialise in teaching maths, science and information and communication technology. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane remarked that Lethabong was initially not part of 35 schools in the province earmarked to be transformed into schools of specialisation. “We don’t just take any school,” Chiloane said, adding that underperforming schools don’t meet the criteria to be turned into schools of specialisation. “Schools of specialisation are our flagship schools in the province as the department. These…

A PRETORIA woman who wanted to keep the house she once shared with her cheating ex-husband for herself, didn’t get her way after the court found his misconduct was not enough to order a forfeiture of the joint estate. The former couple were married in community of property in April 2002 and had two sons. The ex-wife testified that while they were still married, in November 2009, she found her then husband in bed with another woman in their matrimonial home. He left the home that same day. She instituted divorce proceedings in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in June 2023, after 14 years of living separately. For the past five years, the ex-husband had been making payments of R8 000 towards spousal maintenance and he completed payments on…

Charles Darwin is regarded as the father of evolution. Darwin theorised that all species have evolved from a common ancestor over millions of years. Through evolutionary mechanisms of adaptation and specialisation, new species were formed. There are seven distinct stages observed during human evolution, ranging from Dryopithecus, about 12.5 million years ago, to about 650 000 years ago when the first Homo sapiens arrived on the scene. Could one claim that humans have also evolved socially? Is proof of this the social skills we’ve developed and fine-tuned during the ages? Did this social evolution bring an end to a practice where a male could satisfy his own sexual desires by taking control of any woman? Were rules crafted to outlaw such uncivilised and seemingly barbaric behaviour? After World War…

It's been a while since Honda had a significant volume driver in South Africa, but the new Elevate could end up doing to the brand’s local fortunes exactly what its name implies. Honda recently ruffled some feathers by launching its new CR-V with an audacious million rand price tag, but the Indian-built Elevate plays at a much friendlier end of the budget spectrum. Although it doesn’t directly replace the WR-V, which is being discontinued in Mzansi, it definitely fills a void for the brand in the compact SUV market. The Elevate is available in twoiterations, with the 1.5 i-VTEC Comfort manual model priced at R369,900 and the identically-engined Elegance CVT flagshipping the range at R429,900. This puts the new compact SUV right into the heart of the compact SUV market…

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena waxed lyrical about Brazilian star Lucas Ribeiro after his hat-trick heroics against AmaZulu. The Brazilians surged closer to another DStv Premiership title by beating Usuthu 3-0 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Tuesday night, thanks to Ribeiro’s second-half haul. In what looked to be a difficult match for the Chloorkop-based outfit against a resolute AmaZulu, the 23-year-old proved decisive with a memorable hat-trick in the second stanza. Sundowns’ latest win moves them 12 points ahead of second-placed Cape Town City, having now gone 16 games unbeaten in the campaign. Ribeiro, who arrived at the start of the season, also moved to the top of the league scoring charts with 10 goals. Mokwena was happy to see Sundowns win a league game following three consecutive draws.…

IN THE PAST six months the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) has initiated the lowest number of tariff investigations brought by the private sector in 21 years, which has a dire economic impact, according to XA International Trade Advisors. In its fourth import duty investigation report launched yesterday, XA warned that the delays by the Itac and the government in completing import tariff investigations hurt the economy. Tariffs are an important policy instrument as they protect local companies from being negatively affected by cheap imports of the goods they manufacture while also raising funds for the national fiscus. In 2013, Itac revised the timelines to complete investigations on import tariff applications from 12 months to nine months for trade remedies, and from 12 to six months for normal tariff investigations…

CASHBUILD, a southern African building materials retailer with 321 stores maintained market share in the difficult cash-paying consumer market and lifted turnover 2% to R5.8 billion in the six months to December 24. Industry data during the period for general retail sales of hardware, paint and glass products sales had fallen 6%, while peer Build It’s turnover was up 0.5%, and Italtile’s sales fell 2%, said Cashbuild operations director Shane Thoresson in a telephone interview. He said that while the interim results were not that great from a financial perspective, the balance sheet remained strong and the group did well considering the macroeconomic challenges. The half-year dividend was 19% lower at 325 cents per share. Revenue for the 312 stores opened prior to July 2022, grew by 1%.…

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the Budget in what can best be described as a depressed economy. There is no doubt that the perfect storm of stagnant growth, the high cost of borrowing and price pressures putting strain on consumers, is forcing all businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to cut costs. This is a predictable reaction to what can best be described as the natural biorhythm of the economy. When times are good and there’s an abundance of opportunity, businesses tend to invest in growth and resources. When the wheel turns, they pursue an efficiency model that most often results in cutting jobs. This is a misunderstanding of efficiency. SMEs are missing a huge opportunity by perpetuating the status quo. Efficiency, at its core, means using resources more…

HARMONY Gold is maintaining a long-term outlook on South Africa, where it has just approved an expansion project, but would consider acquisitions in other jurisdictions when necessary, finance director Boipelo Lekubo said yesterday. The gold producer, which is also diversifying into copper, yesterday announced board approvals to kick-start a life-of-mine extension project at its flagship Mponeng mine in the West Wits region. The life of mine extension at Mponeng will add about 3 million ounces of mineral reserves to the Harmony Gold portfolio. This will help ramp up production from the mine to an estimated 260 000 ounces per year at recovery grades of more than 9 grams per ton. “Harmony has always been pro-South Africa; we have been operating for more than 17 years and we will…

POLICE confirmed yesterday that they have arrested a seventh suspect in connection with the February 2023 murders of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, outside the Wish Restaurant in Durban. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the suspect, 30, was arrested yesterday. Five suspects will appear in court today, while the other two are being held in eSwatini while their extradition process gets under way, he said. Crime experts yesterday welcomed the arrests and praised the police. KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said on Tuesday night that the “mastermind”, two gunmen, two spotters and “the organiser of firearms and vehicles” were all in police custody. Some of those arrested were linked to separate murder cases, he said. The SAPS worked with Interpol and eSwatini law…

Rise Mzansi premier candidate Vuyiswa Ramokgopa has accused Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi of “feeding Gauteng residents lies”. In a letter to Lesufi, Ramokgopa said the premier’s government has repeated- ly failed the people of Gauteng. “Twice in a row, in your State of the Province Address (Sopa), you fed residents lies about your intention to scrap the e-tolling system. Yet, year after year, Gauteng residents are left grappling with the same expensive, unwanted scheme. “Your government has mastered the art of giving false hope, by presenting e-tolls as a solution for road infrastructure development while ignoring the decay of our roads. E-tolls serve only to line the pockets of the corrupt at the expense of Gauteng residents. “The hypocrisy of your government knows no bounds,” Ramokgopa said in her scathing…

MORE than 200 scientists worldwide will gather at the Kruger National Park for an annual conference to share research with park management. The 21st annual Savanna Science network meeting, which is widely regarded as the premier international savanna science conference, is scheduled to take place in Skukuza, Mpumalanga, from March 3 to 7. The 208 delegates will represent 80 different scientific and conservation organisations from 25 countries. South Africa will be represented by 99 of the delegates speaking for about 30 institutions, ranging from national and provincial government departments, academic institutions, research, NGOs and conservation agencies. The Savanna Research Unit general manager, Cathy Greaver, said the experts would cover topical issues in ecological and social sciences over the four days of the conference. Among the topics that would be covered…

WHILE it remains to be seen what card former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe will play next after his impeachment, the EFF seems ready to welcome him to its trenches. The EFF has been at pains to defend Hlophe before his impeachment process and is in defence mode after he was impeached. Last week, Parliament voted for Hlophe’s removal from the Bench, by 305 votes to 27. Most of the votes in favour of Hlophe came from the EFF. His impeachment came after he tried to interdict the process. However, his efforts in the Western Cape High Court failed. Hlophe was finally impeached after he tried, in vain, to delay it for 15 years. Independent Media previously reported that in 2008, when he was the sitting judge president, he…

Ingredients 250ml lukewarm water 10g instant dry yeast 7.5ml salt 45ml vegetable oil 621ml (2½ cups) bread flour 250g Jan Braai Original Boerewors, cooked and cut into small pieces 1 sweetcorn, kernels cut off the cob 15 ml Chilli and Garlic Spread Method In a large bowl, mix the lukewarm water with the instant dry yeast and let it sit for five minutes or until the yeast has turned foamy. Combine the salt and oil with the yeast mixture. Add the flour one cup at a time and mix until it all comes together and a dough is formed. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, then add the boerewors and sweetcorn and mix for another minute. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise for about…

Now in its third instalment, the GR Cup, hosted by Toyota Gazoo Racing SA and sponsored by Netstar, is back and ready to test man and machine. This season is primed to be exhilarating and as usual, six motoring media personalities from various publications will be gearing up to compete across seven thrilling rounds with Toyota Gazoo Racing SA providing each media personality with a GR Corolla. The GR Corolla utilised in the championship showcases a standard model adorned with Powerbrake Big Brake upgrade, Ferodo track spec pads, a roll cage, an OMP racing seat with harness, Dunlop Direzza semi-slick tyres as well as lowered springs. The black branding gives the car a fierce look that matches the 221kW of power as well as the cutting edge GR-FOUR all-wheel…

Have you ever felt helpless after being harshly criticised in a world that appears unfair? That you are the constant victim of bullying or undermining, coupled with angry or loud speech? Imagine holding a remote control to your emotions and reactions, where you can press the mute button whenever you wish. Mute the aggressive words or actions from others, not physically but mentally. These insights delve into why this happens, the motive behind it and highlight how you can rise above it. Acquiring the skill of standing up for yourself is possible through practice while upholding your integrity. According to the saying, practise makes perfect. You’ll start to feel less nervous. You have the freedom to choose your response and deprive others of the satisfaction they crave. Recognise the negative…

Orlando Pirates are determined to stop at nothing to ensure that they move up the DStv Premiership table in their quest for a ticket to CAF Champions League participation next year. Currently fifth on the table with 26 points from 17 matches, the Sea Robbers trail Cape Town City and SuperSport United, their main rivals for the runners-up berth behind the high-flying Mamelodi Sundowns – who should be crowned champions once again – by four points. Fourth-placed Stellenbosch FC are a point richer than Pirates, with a game in hand. There are still enough matches in the campaign, though, for Jose Riveiro and his men to pull off a second-round upsurge, similar to the one that saw them come from behind to finish second last season. But they need to…

Forget about the impending Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs as the saucy clash of the coming month. After all, such has been the bromance between the two former giants of the local game in recent years that to still call theirs a rivalry would be an insult to the word. Now, our football has a new rivalry. There is a match that could well see heated exchanges not only on the pitch, but on the sidelines as well. This is a clash in which the word ‘respect’ is unlikely to feature. And it is happening next week. They better have television cameras and security galore out at Mbombela Stadium on the evening of Wednesday, March 6, when TS Galaxy host Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership…

Transnet acting CEO Michelle Phillips has been appointed as the CEO of the ailing State-owned logistics group Transnet, while Nosipho Maphumulo has been appointed as group chief financial officer (CFO), the Department of Public Enterprise said yesterday. These two executives will have their hands full in helping lead the turnaround of the ailing parastatal, with its major rail and port challenges that have paralysed the logistics of South Africa, losing the fiscus billions of rand. Phillips is the longest-serving executive who remained at Transnet following a number of high-profile resignations. She has held a number of crucial posts at the logistics utility that has committed to a restructuring that includes allowing third-party interests to operate some of its facilities. Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan said yesterday in a statement…

AECI, THE CHEMICALS and explosives group in transition, lowered its final dividend 79% to 119 cents in the year to December 31, but its core mining division saw record results, and group debt reduction targets were met. Revenue increased 5.4% to R37.5 billion. Ebit (earnings before interest and tax) reached R2.57bn, up 25.6% over the prior year. Headline earnings per share fell 11.7% to 1 137 cents. Gearing fell to 35% from 45%. On ESG goals, scope 1 and 2 emis- sions, water consumption and water discharge elements decreased. The board and executive committee female representation exceeded the 40% target. “Aligned with our strategy of fortifying a resilient balance sheet, net gearing significantly improved to 35%, down from 45%, and firmly within our guidance range of 20%…

GENERATIVE AI was undoubtedly one of the biggest buzzwords of 2023. The user-friendly generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT was launched by OpenAI in late 2022. Since then, has nothing short of revolutionised the way people interact with AI technology. The release of ChatGPT brought AI out of the world of “fringe technology” and into the mainstream within record time. Like their global counterparts, South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are slowly learning how to leverage tools like ChatGPT to build more robust and efficient businesses. A recent report published by In On Africa states that although almost 60% of South Africans know that ChatGPT exists, only 38% use it. There are several reasons for this, including lack of access to digital hardware and low levels of trust in emerging technology.…

What would a romantic comedy be without a messy break-up scene, followed by a relatively large gesture of love to win back the heartbroken ex-lover? This is somewhat the case in Netflix’s newest local offering, A Soweto Love Story. And the South African production, which was released on the global streaming platform on Valentine’s Day, offered viewers not one, but three, love stories to get lost in during the “month of love” that ends today. To add to all this romance, the local flick also has a bit of humour, courtesy of one of South Africa’s most talented comedians, Skhumba Hlophe. He takes on the role of a henchman of a local loan shark in the movie. A Soweto Love Story has a star-studded local cast, with some new talents…

Just over a year after the death of iconic South African rapper, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, pictured, and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, police have announced that they have made significant headway into the murder investigation. In a police briefing on Tuesday at the KZN SAPS headquarters, Police Minister Bheki Cele and police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi revealed that six people have been arrested, including the “mastermind” who co-ordinated and paid everyone. They said police had constructed a strong case and had seized, among other evidence, four vehicles, a gun and cartridges which reportedly linked the group to the crime. Since the news of the arrests were made public, the hashtag “#JusticeForAKA” has been trending on X. AKA’s fans, known as “The Megacy”, took to X to express their hope…

Tensions arising from the behind-the-scenes mechanics of the deal by Harith Investment – trading as Takatso Consortium – to take over 51% of SAA have boiled over after Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s latest attempt to muzzle Parliament and its constitutionally entrenched oversight role. This entails an in-camera briefing and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) on documents from Takatso submitted as part of the acquisition process. Correspondence between Gordhan and Khayalethu Magaxa, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on public enterprises, through the Speaker of Parliament, and seen by Business Report, indicates that Gordhan has tried to strong-arm the committee into signing an NDA before accessing the documents. Gordhan has submitted to the Speaker’s condition to ensure that the NDA is signed, while Magaxa maintained the committee would follow its mandate. The…

EFF Commander In Chief Julius Malema says should his party get into a coalition with the ANC, they would not do so with Cyril Ramaphosa as president. Malema accused Ramaphosa of being a proxy for the Oppenheimers, adding that his loyalty was to them as opposed to South Africans. “They gave him money to establish a mine union, yet he has never been a mine worker. He went to do law and worked at the legal office of the Oppenheimers. While he was there, a commission was established to look into the condition of black workers which recommended that unions of black workers must be opened.” Malema said upon realising that unionised workers would cause a problem, they then sponsored the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). Malema said he found…

The 2024 academic year has recently started and many students continue to struggle to make ends meet while trying to enjoy their time on campus. In a statement encouraging students to save money and earn an extra income to lessen the financial burden, JustMoney, a platform that helps South Africans make better financial decisions, noted that higher education remained expensive, while economic growth was slow and inflation rising. “Whether a student is self-funded or state-funded, the cost of tertiary education, in addition to general living expenses, is increasing steadily,” said Sarah Nicholson, operations manager at JustMoney. The average cost of higher education will be about R107 600 a year by 2025, and is expected to increase to R254 700 by 2035, explained Marius Pretorius, the head of marketing:…

World NGO Day, commemorated on February 27 (Tuesday), highlighted the importance of this sector in bringing about social justice and transformation. The Youth Employment Service (YES), in particular, is making a major impact in youth employment, having created 134 350 work placements in five short years. This programme has become a beacon of hope for the youth in Gauteng and other provinces. It was launched in 2019 in partnership with the private sector to provide experience for youth in order to bridge the gap between the years of experience employers are looking for. YES chief executive Ravi Naidoo said these programmes added value not only by providing income, but by also helping graduates network and make contacts that may lead to other opportunities. “The YES programme came to fruition in…

Joburg film and documentary lovers will this Sunday explore the life of photojournalist Sam Nzima, whose story of the 1976 Soweto uprising will be told in the documentary, Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens. The film premiered today at the Joburg Film Festival. A second screening is set for Sunday at the Rosebank The Zone Ster-Kinekor at 2.30pm. The film has been described as an “enthralling” documentary exploring the life of Nzima, renowned for capturing the iconic image of Hector Pieterson during the 1976 uprising. The documentary features interviews with Nzima, along with insights from his family, friends, colleagues and experts, complemented by rare footage and photos from his personal archives. It was directed and produced by Nhlanhla Mthethwa, a film-maker focusing on South African history and culture. Mthethwa…

Starting your first job can be exciting but receiving your first salary can take the excitement to the next level. Once necessary expense are taken care of, you are free to use the rest of your salary as you wish. Most people are likely to want to spend their money instead of saving it, which is not always best way to manage your money. Charnel Collins, CEO at National Debt Advisors, said without proper financial management, your salary can easily run out before you receive your next paycheck. Here are tips to manage your first salary properly: Drawing up a budget is the first thing that you should be doing before you start paying off your bills or buying groceries. If you are having trouble with getting started on your…

THERE’s no doubt that Volkswagen remains one of South Africa’s favourite brands. Whether it’s the entry-level Polo, top-of-the-range Touarag or Amarok bakkie, there’s pretty much something for everyone. The T-Roc 2.0 TSI 140kW 4Motion R-line isn’t for everyone but it’s a really good offering that sits on top of the T-Roc line-up that includes the 1.4 TSI 110kW Tiptronic and the 2.0 TSI 140kW 4Motion DSC. The T-Roc is positioned between the Taigo and the Tiguan in VW’s T SUV model range and it’s not hard to see why they have sold close to 5 000 of them since it was launched in those crazy Covid days in 2020. You can easily tell the R-line from its siblings with its sporty, more aggressive bumper design, LED headlamps and 19-inch Misano…

Max Verstappen looks set to cruise to a fourth consecutive drivers’ title with Red Bull as the dominant team again this year when the curtain rises on Formula One’s longest-ever season in Bahrain this weekend. Whatever the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations of controlling behaviour by team boss Christian Horner, Red Bull have built a crushing level of momentum and a stunning car that oozed potential in pre-season testing. With stable, unchanged regulations and no changes to the driver line-ups, a year of déjà vu is in prospect as the F1 circus embarks on a daunting and unprecedented run of 24 race weekends stretching to early December. Verstappen’s mental strength, the team’s well-oiled winning habit, the design genius of Adrian Newey and an overall sense of ambition and…

Being a Kaizer Chiefs fan has become truly stressful nowadays, and one wonders how much longer they can tolerate being objects of national ridicule. For the past few weeks, television cameras honed in on fans crying at matches. Not only were Chiefs losing games, their overall performances left a bitter taste in the mouth. On Sunday, at the famous Soccer City stadium, many Chiefs fans were left in tears because their team was knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by a lower-tier side, Milford FC. Once more, it was a bitter pill to swallow for the long-suffering Chiefs fans. After the match, many Amakhosi supporters swore on a radio show that they will no longer support the team. At least this time the fans did not go on the rampage,…

The Lions must use their United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks this weekend to ruthlessly smother any thoughts of doubt and contain any concerns regarding pressure that might be creeping into their game. A four-match losing streak in all competitions, punctuated by a poor outing against the Bulls a fortnight ago in a 25-10 defeat, has put a stopper on the any excitement around the Joburgers. Arresting the decline against the Sharks on Saturday at Ellis Park (3pm kick-off) will be paramount to setting the course right again before a three-match tour to Ireland, Wales and Italy. Yesterday, journeyman prop JP Smith touched on the sense of expectation and delivering on their promise as the need to win their remaining games becomes heavier. “Every game has pressure,” he admitted,…