Table of contents for 2022-12-01 in Star

TRANSNET Freight Rail (TFR) has pinned hopes of increasing volumes of agricultural produce on its Cape Corridor on accelerated implementation of third-party access to privately-owned train operating companies in a bid to boost economic activity. This comes as TFR conditionally awarded slots to Traxtion Sheltam on the Kroonstad to East London route on the Cape Corridor following a successful completion of the first stage of the evaluation process to operate on the advertised parts of the TFR rail network. Traxtion Sheltam is a cargo, freight, locomotive hire and repair company based in Port Elizabeth, and has been delivering rail solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa for more than three decades. TFR’s contract with Traxtion is expected to start on April 1, 2023, after the private operator has completed the rest of…

CO-OPERATIVE banks, company service providers, a wider category of credit providers, high-value goods dealers, the South African Mint Company, crypto asset service providers (CASPs) informal money or value transfer providers and payment clearing service operators will soon be included in Schedule 1 of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FIC Act). This after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday amended the Schedules in the FIC Act in an effort to enhance anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and countering proliferation financing supervision and monitoring, which comes into effect from December 19. The FIC said yesterday in a statement that in the first 18 months from the date of commencement of the amendments, the FIC and supervisory bodies would focus on entrenching the FIC Act risk and compliance provisions and implementation among…

Subtitled in English, SpongeBob SquarePants in Zulu offers a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to learn and be entertained in a local language by the funniest sponge under the sea. Set to premiere on December 5 at 3pm on NickToons, SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the most loved, most watched and most recognisable animation characters of all time, on TV and online. Nickelodeon tested interest in a Zulu-dubbed version of the popular cartoon on the animated character’s birthday in July and the resonance was clear. Monde Twala, senior vice-president and general manager, Paramount Africa and peer lead at BET International, said: “Paramount Africa and Nickelodeon are committed to playing a pivotal role in promoting diversity, creativity and edutainment for African youth. “Through Nickelodeon Africa’s dubbing of SpongeBob SquarePants into…

The South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) have dumped President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the crucial ANC elective conference this month. This was a major shift from the alliance partners, who are known to have thrown their weight behind Ramaphosa at the 54th conference in 2017, where he narrowly defeated Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. Although these partners have no voting powers, they wield a big influence on their respective members, who are also ANC members. Speaking to The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News exclusively yesterday, both ANC alliance partners said this time around they had decided not to endorse any party candidate because the working class and poor people have not benefited from previous endorsements. Cosatu KwaZulu-Natal secretary Edwin Mkhize said…

The Automobile Association (AA) says petrol prices will increase by between 23 cents and 33 cents a litre this month. Diesel will decrease, with the AA saying fuel prices for December will be adjusted next Wednesday. The association said that in the case of both grades of petrol, the movement of international product prices was adding between 60c and 71c a litre to the rising costs. “But the stronger showing of the rand against the US dollar, especially in the second half of November, is softening those increases by around 37c/l. Currently the price of 93ULP is expected to increase by around 23c/l and the price of 95ULP by around 33c/l,” said AA. Diesel prices will, however, decrease by around R1.55/l while illuminating paraffin is expected to decrease by 49c/l.…

With the festive season fast approaching, millions of consumers are expected to purchase sweets and food that is high in sugar. During this time, producers allegedly employ an aggressive marketing strategy that draws consumers to excessively spend on processed foods. The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) is an organisation that promotes healthy eating. “The festive season is a key time where consumers fall prey to aggressive advertising campaigns by large food companies promoting foods that are full in flavour but low in nutritional value. “That is why we strongly encourage consumers to focus on eating real, unprocessed foods over the upcoming holidays,” said Nzama Mbalati, programmes manager at HEALA. “Over the past 30 to 40 years, highly processed and unhealthy foods have become increasingly accessible and affordable, leading to a global…

THE locally developed BMW 325iS is one of South Africa’s most iconic and sought after-cars, and now an example that’s said to be in mint condition is heading for auction. This 1991 E30 325iS EVO2 is set to go under the hammer at the Creative Rides showroom in Johannesburg on December 3. The vehicle is being auctioned with no reserve and the auctioneer believes it could set an auction record for this model. But how much is this Gusheshe really worth? With such a rare model it’s difficult to tell. There is currently only one listed on Autotrader and the asking price is R1 million. Creative Rides recently auctioned an example for R750 000, but it apparently wasn’t as neat as the new one being auctioned in December. This EVO2,…

Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Mohammed Ouseb has says his former club do not need to dip into their pockets for a striker in the next transfer window as they have enough firepower up front. With the domestic league on hold for the World Cup, clubs are already compiling their January transfer window wish lists as they look to bolster their squads for the second round. Amakhosi’s head coach Arthur Zane did not rule out activity in the upcoming transfer window, and stated that his team would analyse and make the necessary acquisitions if they are required. While Caleb Bimenyimana has starred on occasion, his injury in the latter stages of the opening stanza left Chiefs’ frailties bare as Khama Billiat struggled for goals and Ashley du Preez continued to misfire.…

AN invigorated Tunisia claimed a famous victory over a French team made up mostly of back-up players last night but their 1-0 win over the reigning champions was not enough for the North Africans to progress to the World Cup knockout stages. Tunisia, who needed to beat the already-qualified France and hope for Denmark to avoid defeat against Australia in the other Group D game to advance, roared onto the pitch to challenge a disjointed French side featuring nine changes from the side that beat the Danes. But their win against the 2018 World Cup winners failed to see them through to the next stage after Australia defeated Denmark 1-0 and clinched second place in Group D. Tunisia thus keep their unwanted record of not progressing from the group stage…

A high number of goalless draws in the group stage of the Qatar World Cup has seen playmakers squeezed out by defensive solidity and organisation, closing down the spaces that the world’s most creative players usually thrive in. The four scoreless draws in the first 16 games in Qatar quickly eclipsed the one such stalemate in the group stage in Russia in 2018, as teams string five men across the back to protect themselves from the likes of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Croatia’s Luka Modric and Denmark’s Christian Eriksen. “There’s a lot of teams out there who are saying, ‘We’re not going to lose this game, we’re going to have to put in a very solid defensive structure’. Those playmakers generally need that space,” said ormer Australia international Alex Tobin. “They…

FAF du Plessis will warm up for the inaugural SA20 with a stint at the Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Big Bash League next month. The former Proteas captain was originally set as one of the 12 marquee players for the BBL, but was overlooked at the draft in August due to his commitments with the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 which starts on January 10. However, the Scorchers required a replacement after Englishman Laurie Evans’ positive result in an anti-doping test. Evans, who was the Player of the BBL Final last year, faces a ban of up to four years. The defending four-time BBL champions have therefore relooked their initial decision and opted to call up Du Plessis. The 38-year-old is currently on his book tour after releasing his…

Allegations about ‘kickbacks’ relating to the sale of the Pharma division ASCENDIS Health’s chairperson Harry Smit, who last year gathered a group of shareholders to oust the previous management and put the wellness product company on the road to financial health, was voted off the board at the annual meeting yesterday after raising questions about corporate espionage. The annual meeting was held at 10am yesterday morning, and at about 5.30pm, the prior evening, Smit said a board director Bharti Hari had called him to tell him that if he raised questions about his allegations of corporate espionage at the meeting, he would be voted off the board. Smit said in a telephone interview after the meeting yesterday that he had laid the complaint relating to “corporate espionage” at the Financial…

SENTIMENT in the construction sector in South Africa ended the year on a subdued footing as three sectors recorded sharply higher confidence while the other three saw a marked decrease in sentiment. The FNB/BER Building Confidence Index slipped to 33 points in the fourth quarter, from 34 points in the third quarter, meaning it remained broadly stable at a historically low level for much of the year. The index is compiled using surveys conducted by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at Stellenbosch University, on behalf of FNB, and it can vary between 0 points, indicating an extreme lack of confidence, and 100 points, indicating extreme confidence. FNB said the sub-sectors that comprise the composite index all registered significant changes in confidence compared to the third…

METAL infrastructure continues to be stolen, while the volume of scrap metal that is being exported has been falling. The volume of exports is at its lowest level in almost 10 years, according to SA Revenue Service (Sars) statistics. What the two issues have in common depends on who you ask, or which way you look at it. This year, the Cabinet has considered and approved a comprehensive package of measures to address the damage caused by metal theft to public infrastructure and the economy by restricting and regulating trade of waste, scrap and semi-finished metals. And according to a media briefing in Parliament yesterday, the implementation of the policy measures will proceed along a three-phased approach. This follows the publication in the Government Gazette, in August, of Draft…

While the alleged hit men on trial for killing Mmakau SAPS constable Solomon Lucky Sebati and his entire family contradict each other about who pulled the trigger, fingerprints found on the family’s stolen vehicle tell a different story. According to the confession statement of Kagiso Mokone, one of the alleged hit men behind the killing of Sebati and his family on the night of December 6, 2016, he was the getaway driver responsible for driving a white Chrysler vehicle of the officer. Kagiso Mokone detailed how his cousin and co-accused, Tumelo Mokone, went into the family house and shot Sebati, his wife, daughter and young son, while he stayed outside to prepare their getaway vehicle. This was in contradiction to his cousin’s confession statement read out in court on Tuesday,…

The Western Cape High Court has overturned a Wellington magistrate’s judgment granted in favour of a couple who had sought a protection order against a neighbour they accused of harassing and threatening them. It all began when Berto and Sonja du Toit, directors of transportation company Berto du Toit Vervoer, bought and moved into a property in Lady Lock Road, Wellington. Once they took over the property, their trucks which transported cattle manure would be brought to the property to be cleaned. This upset their neighbours, particularly ANC MP Kenneth Jacobs, who confronted them on the issue, complaining that the business caused the neighbourhood to stink. Jacobs, who has lived in the area for 28 years, did everything he could through legal means to stop the Du Toits from running…

Miss South Africa 2022, Ndavi Nokeri, has selected her home province of Limpopo to announce a new partnership, which forms part of her Ed-Unite campaign, as pupils from Mashooro Secondary School become the first beneficiaries of her campaign. Ed-Unite by Nokeri, in association with Miss South Africa, has also merged with the Imbumba Foundation and Forever New to assist in ending period poverty through the Imbumba Foundation’s ambitious Caring4Girls programme. The programme raises funds for infrastructure and facilities in schools, scholarships and bursaries, medical and menstrual hygiene support, as well as sports and training. In implementing her Ed-Unite campaign, the Miss South Africa title holder plays the role of convenor, linking like-minded groups to act in concert as they redress the inequalities of the past. She acts as a link…

RAPPER Refiloe Phoolo, aka Cassper Nyovest, is counting the days to his much-anticipated Fill Up Mmabatho Stadium concert in his home town, Mahikeng, in North West, on Saturday. The star, who promised to put on a great show, has sparked fans’ excitement by sharing his preparations for the event. In the spirit of giving back, Nyovest has also bought 100 Root-of-Fame sneakers and donated them to his home town. Sharing with his social media fans he said: “Special gratitude goes to the honourable mayor for taking his time to being with us, the volunteers that constantly give their hearts out in helping the children and the Department of Social Media Development for going the extra mile in helping us identify these homes. It feels great to be able to come…

HAVING been an Alfisiti for as long as I can remember, and having spent many hours behind the wheel of various models over the years, every announcement of a New Alfa Romeo is always greeted with enthusiasm. Mostly it gets it right, especially when it comes to design and sometimes things go a bit awry, but then it wouldn’t be an Italian car. Which brings us to the new Alfa Romeo Tonale that sits just under its bigger Stelvio sibling, with one big difference – it’s a mild hybrid and the first Alfa Romeo to come out with this drivetrain. Yes, I know, a mild hybrid as opposed to a traditional Alfa ICE mill that has had people enthralled (and sometimes disappointed) for generations. And, of course it’s an SUV,…

IT’S been described as “strong”, “a beast”, and “massive”. At 7 462 metres, the Blair Atholl Golf & Country Estate course that hosts this week’s Investec South African Open is the longest in DP World Tour history – and it is certainly going to be a worthy adversary for this star-studded field. Considering it was designed by Gary Player, the winner of a record 13 of his national Opens, it is perhaps only right that the field this week should expect a test worthy of the 112th SA Open. When PGA Tour campaigner Dean Burmester, one of the longest hitters in the game, says it’s a long course, that is also enough of a warning to the rest of the field ... “It’s long. You’ll see quite a few long…

BRAZIL might be fretting about the state of Neymar’s ankle, but if a successful World Cup campaign is built on a solid defence then the foundations are there for Tite’s side to win the title in Qatar. Two games into Brazil’s bid to win a record sixth World Cup, the Selecao have not conceded a goal and have not even given up a shot on target in victories over Serbia and Switzerland that saw them clinch qualification for the last-16 with a group game to spare. It is early days, and Brazil always tend to start strongly at the tournament – they are now unbeaten in a record 17 matches in the World Cup group stage – but the signs for Tite are good and there is no need to…

ERNIE Els will lead an incredible field of Major winners and former champions of the Alfred Dunhill Championship (ADC) when the €1.5-million tournament is played at Leopard Creek Country Club from December 8-11. Els, a four-time Major champion and former world No 1, returns to Leopard Creek as the winner of the 2005 ADC and runner-up in 2007. The South African will be joined in this Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament by former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who is a record four-time winner of the ADC and also has four runner-up finishes in the tournament. Schwartzel also holds the record for the biggest margin of victory in the tournament with his 12-stroke triumph in 2012, as well as the lowest tournament total of 24-under par that same…

INDUSTRY players yesterday welcomed the announcement that a grower-led consortium of all Tongaat Hulett-supplying growers had submitted a proposal to acquire the ailing business’s sugar assets. In a statement, the consortium said it had submitted an expression of interest to Tongaat Hulett’s business rescue practitioners to buy its South African assets, including the operating mills at Maidstone, Amatikulu, and Felixton, the mothballed factory at Darnall, the Huletts refinery, Voermol animal feeds, and all associated brands and trademarks, the consortium said. “The offer is made on behalf of growers delivering more than five million tons of sugar cane to the Tongaat Hulett mills in the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal to ensure the survival of these farming operations, the thousands of livelihoods they support and socio-economic stability for the greater region,” the…

AYO TECHNOLOGY Solutions’ com- munications, managed services, software and consulting divisions performed well in the year to August 31, helping the ICT technology investment group to lift revenue by 3% to R1.8 billion. “The increased revenue demonstrates AYO’s capability to deliver on its professional mandate despite the enormous challenges we faced and that we are well-positioned to take advantage of the swing to a more digital-centric living and working world. AYO has continued to build on its turnaround plan, which is expected to return it back in the black by 2024,” chief executive Howard Plaatjes said yesterday. In the past year the headline loss per share decreased by 10% to 60.25c and the overall dividend for the year doubled to 60c. Prioritising shareholders’ interests, whose beneficiaries include the Government…

As South Africa observes World Aids Day today, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said it was concerned about the high number of young people, including those in high school, who were becoming infected with HIV/Aids. TAC chairperson Sibongile Tshabalala told The Star that more than 60 000 young people were exposed to HIV/Aids annually in South Africa. Most concerning was the high number of high school learners who were getting infected. World Aids Day is observed annually around the world to show solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV and to raise awareness about the pandemic’s current status in order to encourage HIV prevention, treatment and care. Tshabalala said the TAC had learned that young people as young as 16 were getting exposed to the disease but were…

THE quick action of correctional services officers prevented Gauteng ANC and SACP supporters from storming the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre with the aim of pouncing on Polish immigrant Janusz Walus – killer of former SACP general secretary Chris Hani. The drama unfolded yesterday at the main entrance of the maximum security prison, when some of the protesters rushed to the gate with the clear intention to open it and allow fellow protesters to gain access. They were clearly baying for Walus’s blood, after the Constitutional Court ordered that Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola release him on parole. Walus has spent 29 years incarcerated at the centre following his role in the murder of Hani on April 10, 1993. But their plan was quickly foiled, as correctional services…

As technology develops at a rapid rate, robots are becoming a tool most corporates are looking at to ensure accuracy and speed in analysing data. The latest robot to come from the University of Pretoria, SmWoef, is at the 2022 World Engineering Education Forum and the Global Engineering Deans’ Council Conference being held in Cape Town. The International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (Ifees), based in Washington DC, hosts the conference in different locations each year and Cape Town is the first African host. The SA Society for Engineering Education (Sasee), as a member of Ifees, is co-hosting this event with the University of Pretoria and Central University of Technology, in conjunction with the SA Engineering Deans’ Forum. Professor Sunil Maharaj from the University of Pretoria is the general…

For the first time in its history, the final decision on the Oxford Word of the Year is in the hands of the public. Oxford University Press’s (OUP) expert lexicographers have narrowed the field down to three finalists, and are now asking English speakers around the globe to vote for the word they feel best represents 2022. The shortlisted words are: goblin mode Slang. A type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations; frequently used as “in goblin mode” or to “go goblin mode”. #IStandWith Used on social media posts to express solidarity with a specified cause, group, person, etc. metaverse A (hypothetical) virtual reality environment in which users interact with one another’s avatars and their surroundings…

Before there was Haval and Chery, there was Mahindra, presenting itself as a cheap alternative to the ever-increasing price of German and Korean vehicle offerings. Those first-generation Mahindra models to reach our shores were indeed cheap. However, as quality started to improve, so did their popularity. Today, Mahindra is a serious player in our market with a wide range of bakkies and SUVs. The latest being the Mahindra XUV700, which we recently drove. Pronounced “XUV seven double oh”, the newcomer replaces the XUV500. Mahindra has jammed all the bells and even more whistles into its latest offering which forms part of a trilogy. The XUV is for the business professional looking for a vehicle to complement their active lifestyle. The pending Scorpio-N is a more adventure-focused SUV and the Karoo…

Whenever Stats SA releases its usual quarterly figures (as it did yesterday) relating to unemployment in South Africa there is no fuss, no headlines. No serious labour experts are interviewed for proper analysis. It is just another day in Mzansi. Very normal indeed. Some fat cat politicians will shed a few crocodile tears. But that’s it. The looting of our youth’s future will just continue. The cruel reality, however, is that we are teetering on the brink of a national disaster when it comes specifically to youth unemployment. Our rate of unemployment is just under 35%. It is regarded as normal. During the Great Depression of the 1920s the highest level of unemployment was measured at 24.9%. The world was economically on its knees with daily misery visited upon millions…

GARETH Southgate says England will go into the World Cup knockout stage in better shape and with more belief than in their 2018 run to the semi-finals. Southgate’s side powered into the last-16 as Group B winners after a second-half blitz inspired their 3-0 victory over Wales in Doha on Tuesday. Marcus Rashford scored twice, either side of Phil Foden’s strike, to book a clash with Senegal on Sunday. After reaching the knockout phase as group runners-up to Belgium in the last World Cup in Russia four years ago, Southgate believes England are far more battle-hardened and confident this time around. “I think there is a different mentality. More belief. Our objectives are different. In Russia, we were just thinking, ‘Can we win a knockout game?’. Now there is more…

THE last time the Bulls faced Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship (URC), it was a night to forget for flyhalf Johan Goosen. With the visitors encountering the blue 4G pitch at Cardiff Arms Park for the first time, Goosen tried to change direction but went down in a heap. While the Bulls hit back from 16-3 down at one stage to pull off a remarkable 29-19 victory – with Chris Smith producing a solid display as a replacement – Goosen went off and had a scan, and the knee injury was the serious ACL one that ruled him out for about 11 months. To say he hasn’t been the same player since would be a real understatement. Goosen made his comeback in the No 15 jersey for the Bulls…