Inhoudsopgave van 2024-06-20 - Star

GEMFIELDS, the emeralds and rubies miner, has reported $68.7 million (R1.26 billion) in revenue from an auction of gems it conducted during the period June 3 to June 18. Under the company’s mixed quality ruby auctions for the month of June, Gemfields managed to sell rubies worth 217 044 carats, earning $68.7m. The average realised price of rubies sold by the company under its latest auctions amounted to $316.95 per carat. The June 2024 auctions have brought the total auctions undertaken by the company since June 2014 to 22 auctions. This has also pushed up the total revenue from gemstone sales since June 2014 to $1.1bn. “This (June 2024) auction marks the 10th anniversary of Gemfields’ first auction in June 2014 of rubies from the Montepuez Ruby…

THE FRESH produce sector has called for visible commitment to the implementation of the various recommendations by the Competition Commission’s inquiry into the fresh produce market value chain, but noted shortfalls in its haste towards publishing the explosive report that indicted players in the space. In its provisional report launched on Tuesday, the commission cited major retailers Spar, Woolworths, Food Lover’s Market, Shoprite; seed company Starke Ayres and JSE-listed entities African Rainbow Capital and agrochemicals giant Bayer South Africa. The commission found these companies as all being separately and collectively implicit or responsible for price distortions, cartel behaviour, enforcing barriers to new entrants, and manipulation of the product gene pool among other indictments in South Africa’s more than R53 billion fresh produce industry. Some industry insiders yesterday observed that…

WHILE there are no clear timelines for when the new National Health Insurance (NHI) Act will be implemented or how it will be funded, what is clear is that the medical fraternity is prepared to take legal action where necessary. However, a legal resolution could take at least three years. The health industry is more than prepared to sit down with government to find an outcome to implementing NHI without killing the private sector, which would have the unintended consequence of adversely affecting public facilities. Yet, delegates at the Healthcare Funders Association (HFA) NHI Scenario Planning Symposium heard yesterday that several umbrella bodies were gearing up for legal action. Elsabe Klinck, managing director of Klinck & Samuels, said at least two challenges had been filed, including one by the Board…

SOUTH African customers are up against a barrage of challenges. Among the greatest of the challenges is the financial pressure caused by the rising cost of living and the high unemployment rate. In this tough economic climate, small businesses are faced with high levels of competition and increasing price sensitivity. To gain traction and market share, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to focus their efforts on winning customer confidence, because in a difficult economic environment, your customer base is your business’s most valuable asset. Friedrich Meisenholl, the regional investment manager at specialist SME financier firm Business Partners Limited, shared three tips business owners can follow. “Business owners are constantly chasing leads, finding ways to convert those leads and grow their cus- tomer base. But while these perform- ance metrics…

SOUTH African actress and mental health activist Nomvelo “Mvelo” Makhanya recently added DJing to her skills. Taking to Instagram, she wrote: “Starting something new is always so scary especially because everyone ALWAYS has an opinion but the past six months of constant practice & gigging has been amazing & so fulfilling. shout-out to everyone that’s been in my corner.” The award-winning actress is known for her role as Lindiwe in the soapie Scandal. Mvelo has also made appearances in stage plays including The Bald Prima Donna, African Reflections and Maybe This Time. She has also starred in TV shows such as Isibaya and Soul City. In 2022, she won her first SA Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film, for her role in the Netflix…

GNU deal ‘not for South Africa but for Ramaphosa and his fellow beneficiaries’ WITH the Phala Phala farm scandal cloud over his head, President Cyril Ramaphosa took his second oath of office yesterday and promised to serve and protect the Constitution he allegedly violated during his first term of office. Ramaphosa pledged before the world during his swearing-in by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo: “On this day we assert by solemn oath the will of the people of this land. On this day, we affirm our unwavering fidelity to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which is based on the enduring vision and values of the Freedom Charter. “As the leadership of this diverse nation, we have a sacred duty to unite the people of South Africa … We…

THE Government of National Unity (GNU) is going to collapse before Christmas, says the president of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Kenneth Meshoe. Meshoe said he bet his last penny that the newly sworn in President Cyril Ramaphosa would not be occupying the West Wing of the Union Buildings by December. Meshoe said yesterday: “We didn’t want to send a contradicting message to our voters that we are in support of this government. We are South Africans and love our people. They have suffered a lot due to a lack of service delivery. “I would be surprised if Ramaphosa is still in office before Christmas. His Phala Phala case is waiting for him in Parliament. The matter will be part of the agenda in Parliament, and he will have…

NEWLY elected Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba has retained embattled former Vhembe mayor Florence Radzilani in her executive committee. Radzilani was demoted to the Department of Social Development from the Transport and Community Safety position. A cloud has been hanging over her head in relation to the looting of the VBS Mutual Bank in Thohoyandou. Ramathuba announced her executive committee this week, leaving out ANC provincial heavyweights such as Thabo Mokone, Rogers Monama and Nkakareng Rakgoale. However, she retained Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu in the same position while moving former Arts and Culture MEC Nakedi Sibanda to Agriculture and Rural Development. Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya retains her Education portfolio. Among the new appointments are little-known Dieketseng Masesi Mashego, who replaces Ramathuba as Health MEC, Jerry Maseko becomes…

THE much-anticipated Tshwane inaugural energy summit, which started at the SunBet Arena in Menlyn yesterday, has been hailed as a crucial platform for crafting solutions to challenges of electricity supply in the City of Tshwane. This was shared by speakers on the first day of the two-day summit hosted by the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (Teda) in collaboration with the City. Prominent role-players in the energy sector, including representatives from the Tshwane business chamber, black business council, potential investors and government officials were in attendance to deliberate on energy challenges confronting the municipality. The chief executive of the municipal parastatal Teda, Dr Lardo Stander, expressed hope that the high-level delegates at the summit would deliver valuable inputs to secure energy security for the city. “We are happy to host you…

A Ruyterwacht man received an unusual Father’s Day gift this year after discovering an old motorcycle buried two metres deep in his backyard. Waheed Mulder, 47, said he got the shock of his life upon discovering the motorcycle covered in concrete and buried face down on Sunday morning, on his property of 18 years. He made the find after digging a grave for Simba, the family boerboel that died following a lengthy illness. “After digging the hole I saw the tyre and thought it was a water pipe or something, but when I dug more I saw the rim,” Mulder said. “It was more exciting – and also what if there was someone buried with it? Because who in their right mind would bury a motorcycle?” Mulder and his family…

The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) celebrates the opportunities green economies offer for young people during World Environment Month, which is also observed during Youth Month. According to the institute, unemployment among young people in South Africa reached 43.4% in 2023, and this rate was made worse by poverty, inequality, and unemployment. This suggests that sustainable energy technologies could be a viable solution for tackling youth inclusion. Faith Mkhacwa, general manager of SANEDI for Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management, breaks down the discussion surrounding the green economy and states: “The green economy is not just about jobs; it’s about empowering young people to be the architects of a sustainable future. “SANEDI is ensuring that the pathway to a low-carbon economy through cleaner, sustainable energy sources is just…

Democracy is a system which is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it gives everyone the right to vote as an expression of the egalitarian ideal that we are all equal. Therefore, the vote of the privileged class is worth the same as the vote of ordinary individuals. This is the nature of democracy which we all support principally. It also creates situations where the leading party does not have the majority threshold and therefore can be outvoted democratically through parties with smaller vote support who get together and obtain the 51%. As we accept the one principle, so too should we accept the second one. Hence, please allow me to remind the Government of National Unity (GNU) that this will be the second time South Africans will be…

IN AN epic weekend of racing at the Le Mans 24 Hours, Toyota Gazoo Racing finished on the podium in a hard-earned second place in the 92nd edition of the famous race, the fourth round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. The current world champions fought throughout the 24 hours with constantly changing weather conditions that ranged from sunshine, slight drizzle and pouring rain that necessitated an almost five-hour safety car in the early hours of Sunday morning. In a 23-car Hypercar field (and a total of 62 cars on the grid) that saw the #7 GRO10 HYBRID start at the back of the class after an unfortunate incident during qualifying, José María López, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries made a remarkable comeback to secure second after pushing…

Despite significant progress in science, medicine and technology in recent years, the problems in modern society have continued to grow. Although life’s journey is filled with uncertainties, we seek out dreams and destinations to find meaning and purpose. Yet, unexpected struggles may arise along this route that could impede our journey. We often find that what we perceive as unexpected struggles or bitter trials along this route that impede our journey are blessings in disguise. Despite being overlooked or even feared, struggles are designed to engineer success and provide us with the seeds of greatness. To realise our potential, it is important to confront challenges instead of resisting them, as explained in this article. In doing so, we cultivate the resilience needed to unlock the doors to ultimate success. Living…

THE statistics are something of the past, and Saturday will start a fresh rivalry between the Springboks and Wales when they clash on neutral ground in London. It’s always a fierce rivalry when teams coached by Rassie Erasmus and Warren Gatland lock horns on the rugby field, and Erasmus expects nothing less this weekend when his side open their 2024 season against the Red Dragons at Twickenham (3pm SA time kick-off). There’s no love lost between the two coaches, especially after the Springboks’ series win over the Gatland-coached British & Irish Lions a couple of years ago. The spat has been pretty public, with Gatland even warning England during last year’s World Cup semi-final to be wary of the “dark arts” of Erasmus. In 2018, it was Gatland’s Wales who…

RICHARDS Bay retained their top-flight status in style as they thumped Baroka FC 4-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium in uMlazi yesterday. The Natal Rich Boyz ensured their place in next season’s DStv Premiership and top spot in the PSL play-offs mini-league with eight points, with Baroka in last place (two) and the University of Pretoria second (five). Somila Ntsundwana opened the scoring by grabbing his second goal of the play-offs with a wonderfully taken overhead kick in the 36th minute. The big attacker again benefited from fine work by Yanele Mbuthuma, who ghosted in behind the Baroka defence before setting up Ntsundwana to smash home from close range. Baroka were sinking quickly under the pressure, and were soon two goals down through a deflected Sanele Barnes free-kick three minutes…

ECONOMISTS remain hopeful that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will ease the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) concerns over delivering the first interest rates cut in three years before the end of the year, in spite of consumer inflation remaining unchanged in May. What gave economists confidence was that the markets have responded positively to the formation of the GNU as the JSE All Share Index surged by more than 2% yesterday to around 81 100 points, hitting an all-time high buoyed by resource-linked sectors, financials, and industrial stocks, while the rand also dipped below the R18 mark to the dollar, hitting R17.96 for the first time in more than 10 months. Data from Statistics SA yesterday showed that the annual headline consumer price inflation stood at a…

THE catastrophic collapse of a near- completed building under construction in George in May 2024, which resulted in at least 34 fatalities and many more injured, has shone a spotlight on the need for compliance. This includes health and safety compliance as well as industrial relations (IR) and human resources (HR). The tragedy has highlighted critical issues surrounding employment dynamics across various sectors, prompting a deeper examination of labour practices within different industries. Compliance should never be about ticking boxes For many businesses, compliance has become an exercise in simply ticking boxes, but the reality is that every piece of compliance legislation is there for a reason – often the well-being of the workforce. When the building in George collapsed, more than 80 people were trapped, but at the…

THE WORLD Economic Forum (WEF) said the sub-Saharan Africa region has had a 10% energy transition growth over the past decade, which is the strongest performance across all groups of its peers. This comes even as the global energy transition momentum has been slowed by setbacks in energy equity, driven by rising energy prices, while energy security continues to be tested by geopolitical tensions. According to the WEF’s Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2024 report released yesterday, global average Energy Transition Index (Eti) scores reached a record high but have been checked by the slowdown in the pace of the global energy transition, first identified in 2022, that has intensified in the past year. The report indicates that 83% of countries achieved lower scores than last year on at least one…

THE GLOBAL Startup Ecosystem Report 2024 (GSER 2024) powered by Startup Genome and Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) was released on June 10, 2024. Now in its twelfth year the report offers a detailed ana- lysis of start-up ecosystems around the world, providing insights into the challenges, opportunities and shifts swaying the entrepreneurial landscape. Data from 4.5 million start-ups across 300 global ecosystems inform the findings, making the report a key tool for policymakers and entrepreneurs. In 2023, the global start-up economy faced mixed outcomes despite easing inflation and unexpected global GDP growth, with the tech sector experiencing prolonged stagnation in exits and funding, far from the pre-covid levels. GSER 2024 reveals that the top three startup ecosystems have remained the same for the last 4 years, with Silicon Valley…

LIBSTAR Holdings is on track to finalise the simplification of its operating structures in the new perishable pro- ducts and ambient products super- categories, by the end of 2024. The food company said in a pre-close trading update yesterday, for trading during the year to May 24, that its five value- driving initiatives to improve the group's cost-competitiveness, earnings quality and return on invested capital, remained fully in place. The share price closed up by 5.11% at R3.91 on the JSE yesterday. Category growth initiatives, launched during 2023, had yielded benefits as the dairy and wet condiment sub-categories performed strongly relative to the prior period. Against a backdrop of subdued local consumer demand, Libstar’s export channel outperformed, benefiting from a renewed business development focus initiated in 2023. Plans to reduce…

South African music sensations Major League DJz have teamed up with American rapper Wiz Khalifa for the hit single, Mine For The Night. The new release by the twin brothers, real names Bandile and Benele Mbere, and the world-renowned musician, real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was released on Friday and is already making waves in the industry. It coincided with the amapiano stars’ visit to New York City on Saturday, where they gave a live performance of their acclaimed Balcony Mix Africa series. Curated by Major League DJz, the Balcony Mix events showcase the essence of African dance music and its ability to command stages across the world. The series, which got its name from originally being performed live on the balcony of an apartment complex in Johannesburg during the…

A shocking new video has emerged of Renaldo Gouws, a DA Member of Parliament, appearing to spew hate speech. In the video first published to his YouTube channel, Gouws says: “Alright so there’s a couple of things I want to say. Kill the f***ing k*****s, kill all the f***ing n*****s. That’s all I gotta f***ing say. Kill all the k*****s! Kill all the f***ing n*****s!” Asked for comment, Helen Zille said: “I have contacted Renaldo. He says he has no recollection at all of making a video with such vile language and says if one exists, it could be AI generated.” Zille went on to say that “Renaldo is denying flat out that he ever made this video. I am sending it for testing.” The video was retrieved from…

The inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria unravelled a serious need for the fashion police – it was a fashion mayhem. However, as a self-certified fashion guru, I forgive the attendees. They are politicians who hardly have the time to consult with esteemed fashion designers. A basic dress, Marabastad wig, foundation for make-up, and a black suit and white shirt is what they call “dress to kill”. The seventh administration fashion parade had more worst dressed, compared to those who actually put in an effort and respect for the fashion gods. Dressed in a marula-brown dress, a satin doek screaming “real housewives of national government” and leopard boots, former president Kgalema Motlanthe’s wife, Gugu Motlanthe, is the epitome of “stylish politics”. Another lady, who could…

Ingredients Salt and milled pepper About 1.5kg beef short ribs Glug olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 cups beef stock 2 sachets hearty beef stew cook-in sauce 2 bay leaves 3 sprigs rosemary 4 medium potatoes, quartered 1 packet mixed vegetable express Method Season the beef short ribs. Heat the oil over medium heat. Brown beef on both sides. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Set aside. Add the onion to the same pot and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the stock, cook-in sauce, bay leaves and rosemary, and stir. Return the beef to the pot and simmer covered for about 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Tip in…

AGAINST the backdrop of the National Youth Day commemoration, statistics revealed that the unemployment rate of young people between 15 and 34 years of age has soared to 45.5% from 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024. According to Statistics SA, youth with some form of experience were much quicker in transitioning from inactivity into employment between quarters, which was between the rates of 12.3% and 7.4%. Sharing his hardships of being unemployed, Ntuthuko Mabaso, a Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), Human Resources Management Degree graduate, said that after completing his studies he faced the harsh reality of a job market with a staggering 45.5% unemployment rate for the youth. “To cope, I adopted several strategies to keep myself productive and marketable. First, I continued expanding my knowledge and skills…

Compiling a list of the world’s best-selling vehicles is no easy task, but the studious data gatherers at Jato Dynamics have managed to collate the figures and estimations for 151 markets across the globe. And the winner, which you might have seen coming if you’ve been following electric vehicle (EV) news of late, is none other than the Tesla Model Y. Jato says the electric crossover model managed a global volume of 1,223 million units last year, placing it ahead of the Toyota Rav4 (1.075 million) and Honda CR-V (846 000). The Toyota Corolla and Corolla Cross models took fourth and fifth spots, respectively, but if you decided to view them as a single nameplate, then it would take the top position by a huge margin – 1.51 million combined…

Post the elections last month, many South Africans look forward to a new governance that will prioritise efforts to rid the ills of our society and develop one that functions on good governance and principles of ethics and humanity. Communities and organisations have numerous challenges that require urgent intervention strategies and development programmes to alleviate these challenges. Employment instability and precarity have been on the increase in an unstable economy in recent years. The lack of jobs, numerous retrenchments in all sectors and the prevalence of acute and chronic scenarios of job insecurity have encouraged South Africans to opt for many other avenues for survival. A growing popular and lucrative means of employment has been the possibility of many South Africans earning through becoming background actors. This short-term contract work…

A 184-RUN stand between centurions Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp saw the Proteas Women fall tantalisingly short of what would have been a world-record 326-run chase in the second One-Day International against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru yesterday. Ultimately, the South Africans went down by just four runs to lose the three-match series 2-0. Wolvaardt and Kapp did an incredible job rebuilding the innings, having lost Tazmin Brits (five) in the fourth over of the run-chase, Anneke Bosch (18) in the 12th and Suné Luus (12) three overs later. However, Wolvaardt and Kapp displayed the fighting spirit that South Africa is known for across all sporting codes as they absorbed the pressure from the India attack and transferred it back when they found their groove. Wolvaardt played…

THE Glasgow Warriors’ maul is so good that their hooker Johnny Matthews was the leading try-scorer in the league stage of the URC this season. So, just how can the Bulls stop the Scottish club’s drive in Saturday’s final at Loftus Versfeld (6pm kick-off)? Perhaps by throwing their locks into the air to contest the opposition throw-ins. In the two Ruans, Vermaak and Nortjé, the Bulls have two of the better jumpers in South African rugby who have made a number of steals in the line-outs. They have some seriously tall timber in the loose trio as well in the shape of Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom, who are both agile enough to disrupt the much-coveted ‘tail’ ball in the set-piece. But considering that Glasgow also have some serious jumpers…

FOOTBALL clubs in and around the Eastern Cape are set to experience Engen Knockout Challenge fever as South Africa’s largest youth football competition makes its way to the province for the first time this year. The nationwide youth football competition will take place in Gqeberha where Engen, alongside its ambassadors Brighton Mhlongo and Akhona Makalima, are expected to be present at the tournament set to take place at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Saturday and Sunday. Proudly living up to its theme for the year, “It’s Your Moment”, players, coaches and referees will be looking forward to seizing the moment, and making use of the opportunity created by Engen when the tournament heads their way this weekend. The official draw for the Eastern Cape leg of the competition was…

ASCENDIS Health directors have been accused by the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) of acting in concert and illegally with a consortium, headed by the firm’s CEO, Carl Neethling, that is trying to buy out the shareholders and delist the group. Shareholder activist Albie Cilliers, one of four who had complained to the TRP about the takeover offer to shareholders, said on X yesterday that the TRP investigation had found Ascendis’s non-executive director Theunis de Bruyn, through his association with the firm Calibre Holdings, to have acted in concert with Neethling’s consortium. Shareholder activist and former Ascendis chairperson Harry Smit told Business Report the ruling had vindicated his assertions that the takeover offer and delisting was unlawful due to insider trading. Smit said that it was the first time that…

AS SOUTH Africa grapples with the complexities of coalition politics post-elections, the funding of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill emerges as a pivotal issue. The contrasting perspectives within the ANC-DA (dubbed Codesa 2.0) and ANC-EFF-IFP coalitions illuminate divergent ideologies on healthcare financing. This article delves into the financial intricacies of sustaining the NHI amid differing political stances, incorporating insights on equitable wealth distribution and capitalistic concerns from the online discourse surrounding these coalitions. Financial conundrum: ideological clash in healthcare funding The ANC-DA coalition reflects a pragmatic approach to governance with a capitalistic outlook on economic policies. In contrast, the ANC-EFF-IFP coalition embodies a more radi- cal stance, emphasising equitable redistribution of wealth to address historical disparities. These divergent ideologies shape the discourse on funding the NHI, raising questions about…

TENACITY, having a high standard of work ethic and determination are some of the attributes that Joe Hamman credited for his successful entrepreneurial journey. Having grown up in Germiston, Gauteng, Hamman began working at the age of 13 to help support his family. His early jobs included waiting tables and even a stint as a security guard at Ellis Park. He is now the founder and CEO of the media monitoring company, Novus Group. Hamman told Business Report that his early jobs taught him the value of hard work and the importance of taking control of one’s future. At the age of 20, Hamman met a successful stockbroker who offered him a job doing sales. Hamman said that he was not a very good salesperson. However, a meeting with one…

THE MINERALS Council of South Africa has said that mining companies in the country spent about R4.9 billion on social development programmes in 2023, in addition to tax and fiscal payments amounting to R135bn. This comes after the Minerals Council in April said South African mineworkers were the highest-paid industrial workers in the country, although labour unions disagreed with this. Mining is a key economic activity for South Africa, although there has been a fall in prices of some commodi- ties such as coal and platinum group metals (PGMs), resulting in retrenchments, the closure of some shafts and a cut in investment for some projects. Despite this, the Minerals Council said yesterday that its members made heavy investments in social and development projects last year. About 12 member companies…

FORTRESS Real Estate Investments continues to see strong demand for logistics space and has rolled out a number of developments in the year to end-June 2024. The group, which focuses on logistics and retail properties with assets in South Africa and Europe, yesterday forecast distributable earnings of about R1.73 billion for its 2025 financial year, while the 2024 figure was expected to be R1.7bn. “The buoyant demand for high-quality, well-located logistics space is evidenced by the development of 268 982m² of lettable area that we commenced or completed, of which over 90% is let with a weighted average lease expiry of approximately 10 years,” CEO Steven Brown said in an operational and trading update. The roll-out of the development pipeline was underpinned by strong fundamentals, healthy demand and…

Ishana Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers might make you rethink ever setting foot in the woods again. That said, much of the movie will leave you with more questions than answers. The daughter of the famed Manoj Nelliyattu “M. Night” Shyamalan makes her directorial debut in this horror, which explores themes of identity and the primal fear of being watched. Based on AM Shine’s novel of the same name, it begins with a prologue that will draw you in as it begins to showcase the director’s talent for creating palpable tension. The Watchers then picks up the pace with scenes of a terrified backpacker desperately attempting to flee the woods, but being dragged away by an unseen force. This sets the bar high for the suspense that fans of the genre…

AHEAD of the much-awaited announcement of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new Cabinet, cracks are starting to show in his political coalition as Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie and DA federal chairperson Helen Zille bicker over the make-up of the pact. On Tuesday, Zille, speaking on the SABC, said: “The ANC can’t bring people in they feel like bringing in. This is another thing that (ANC secretary-general) Fikile (Mbalula) doesn’t seem to understand, because it says ‘in keeping with the spirit of an inclusive GNU, it is agreed that the composition shall be discussed and agreed among the existing parties whenever new parties decide to be part of the GNU’.” For Zille, this meant that sufficient consensus had to be reached before parties could be invited into the GNU. “He keeps on…

ZIMBABWE’S ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, yesterday congratulated the government and people of South Africa on the peaceful transition to the seventh administration ushered in by the grand inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa. In the May 29 general elections, the ANC received its worst election result since apartheid ended 30 years ago in South Africa. The party garnered 40% of the vote, losing its absolute majority in Parliament. However, Ramaphosa is officially beginning his second term at the Union Buildings in Pretoria after his party formulated a government of national unity (GNU) incorporating its decades-old rival, the DA, and other smaller parties. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika at the Union Buildings, Hamadziripi said Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa had joined the festivities as a sign of the sisterly relations…

Residents from Xholoroa village outside Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape are reeling in shock after a boy, 3, was found murdered, allegedly by his mother’s boyfriend on Sunday. The 35-year-old man was arrested by police shortly after the discovery of the child’s body hanging from a tree. The suspect appeared in the Stutterheim Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and has been officially charged with murder. It is alleged the man had an altercation with his girlfriend and this led to him taking his frustrations out on the innocent boy. The provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, said the toddler was forcefully taken by the suspect in the early hours of Sunday. “The mother reported the incident to the police who searched for the suspect. He was later found in the…

Let’s talk about the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance. It seems everyone else is, especially on social media. And judging from the amount of chatter and the thousands of comments, the V8 C 63 should have been Merc’s best-seller by a large margin. The reason? Well, Merc has slotted in a four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine and turned it into a plug-in hybrid to give it a total output of 500kW and 1 020Nm, and in the process, dumping the V8. This has had the keyboard warriors up in arms, the likes of which not even the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and EFF supporters can compete with when it comes to a Government of National Unity. Traitors, sacrilege, C63 TSI (a reference to the VW Golf fitted with a 2.0-litre engine) and…

Young South Africans have traditionally gravitated towards hatchbacks, but the SUV craze has shifted the market dynamics in recent times. Crossovers and SUVs have overtaken hatchbacks as the most popular vehicle type among South Africans below the age of 35. According to Lightstone, crossover/SUVs and hatches collectively make up over 80% of new vehicle purchases among this age group in 2024 year-to-date, with double-cab bakkies in third, accounting for less than 10% of the market. “Double-cab pick-ups have dropped off in popularity over the last couple of years, while the MPV/Estate has moved up to fourth place in the ranking,” said Andrew Hibbert, auto data analyst at Lightstone. While hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Polo Vivo have been a staple for young South Africans for more than a decade now,…

AFTER relying on their bowling attack during the group stages to close out four consecutive victories, the Proteas batters finally came to the party in the opening T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against the United States at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium yesterday. And it was none other than Quinton de Kock (74 off 40 balls) who set the platform for a dominant Proteas batting display that led to an eventual 18-run victory. It was certainly required, for the US fought until the very end due to a magnificent 80 not out from 47 balls by South Africa-born opener Andries Gous that almost tore up the script in Antigua. But it was De Kock – who is playing in his last major international tournament – who would have heard…

GARETH Southgate must solve his Phil Foden conundrum as the England playmaker struggles to reproduce his brilliant Manchester City form at international level. While England can book their place in the last 16 of Euro 2024 by beating Denmark in Frankfurt tonight (6pm SA time start), Foden’s latest underwhelming display for his country has sparked a debate about Southgate’s use of such a sublime talent. Foden laboured to make any impact on England’s nervy 1-0 win against Serbia in their Group C opener in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday. The 24-year-old was voted the Premier League’s Player of the Year after playing a key role in City’s fourth successive title triumph with 19 goals and eight assists. Yet, in stark contrast to his excellence in a City shirt, Foden has never looked…

HAVING finished 10th in the DStv Premiership last season – their second- worst position in the past four seasons – Kaizer Chiefs are in search of redemption leading into the looming 2024/25 campaign. The mighty Amakhosi have reportedly signed Tunisian coaching stalwart Nasreddine Nabi, who is set to bring a wealth of experience, having coached in Morocco, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Despite this being an important step to restoring the respect and dignity at Naturena, many believe that Chiefs are one step away from setting themselves up for success in the near future, maximising on the transfer window that is set to open on July 1. Amakhosi legend Lucas Radebe believes Chiefs need not look elsewhere but in their development structures, which are known for producing quality players. Although…