Table of contents for 2024-04-18 in Cape Times

CONSUMERS should brace for a prolonged period of elevated cost of living as the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is unlikely to temper its monetary policy after headline inflation remained stubborn on the back of rising education fees. Data from Statistics SA (StatsSA) yesterday showed that the rate of annual consumer price inflation (CPI) softened to 5.3% in March, down from 5.6% in February. StatsSA said core inflation recorded a modest decline, from 5% to 4.9% in March. This disinflation trend in the headline was better than the expected decline of 5.5%, and is expected to continue as the year progresses, albeit at a slower pace. StatsSA said the categories with the highest annual price changes in March were miscellaneous goods and services, education, health, and housing and utilities. StatsSA…

THE SOUTH African Revenue Services (Sars) has remained adamant that it had not defaulted on paying its electricity bill to the Tshwane Municipality as lights went off due to more than R800 000 arrears incurred at the office it occupies in Pretoria. This comes as the Metro confirmed yesterday that the revenue collector had since paid its arrears amount after it was cut off as part of the “Tshwane Ya Tima” operation aimed at collecting R4 billion a month in arrears revenue. In response to Business Report, Sars said it could not confirm the reported R838 000 arrears for electricity supply which had resulted in the Metro switching off the lights in the ongoing Tshwane Ya Tima, partly as a result of unpaid service charges. “Sars does…

UN SECRETARY-General António Gu- terres yesterday called for action from the Group of Twenty (G20) to mobilise the financial and technical resources that developing countries needed to ensure the energy transition. He said this at the official opening of the14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 14th Irena Assembly presided over by Rwanda, gathered more than 1 300 participants from 144 countries, including ministers, industry leaders, and CEOs to chart a strategic way forward across countries, regions, and the world, in light of the findings of the first Global Stocktake at COP28. Guterres said developing countries must deliver on their COP28 finance commitments as it would be “simply impossible” for developing countries to transition to clean energy…

EARTH Day marks a time for reflection and decisive action concerning conser- ving the environment, with 2024 initia- tives aimed at reducing the usage of plastics. The first Earth Day was commemorated on April 22, 1970, as a way of rais- ing awareness around the importance of environmental conservation. Since that pivotal day in world his- tory, Earth Day has become a movement that represents a growing call to action for global citizens everywhere, to work together in safeguarding our planet and building a sustainable future. Businesses, both big and small, have an imperative role to play in taking up this mantle and promoting a people- and planet-first philosophy at every level of the workplace and to extend the impact into homes and communities. The call for green funding The…

ANGLO American’s diamond producing unit De Beers yesterday said diamond sales for its 2024 third cycle which closed on April 16 grew by 3.2% to $445 million (R8.42 billion), compared to sales volumes for the second cycle. Diamond prices on world markets have been muted although producers of the gems believe the market is now on a recovery path. “Anglo American plc announces the value of rough diamond sales (Global Sightholder Sales and Auctions) for De Beers’ third sales cycle of 2024, amounting to $445m,” it said yesterday. For the previous cycle, De Beers sold $431m’s worth of diamonds. Its latest sales performance is, however, below the $542m attained over the same period a year ago. “The provisional rough diamond sales figure quoted for Cycle 3 represents the…

300g chicken breasts, sliced 30ml oil 1 yellow pepper, julienne sliced 1 red pepper, julienne sliced 1 green pepper, julienne sliced 200g mushrooms, sliced 45ml Rajah Mild & Spicy Curry Powder 10ml crushed black pepper 500g noodles, cooked 5ml salt 5ml pepper to taste 10ml chopped chives Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts. Season with Rajah Mild & Spicy Curry Powder on both sides. Preheat a pan on medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the chicken on a pan and sauté. Add all the peppers and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles and mix well. Add salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well and make sure they are all cooked. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle over the chives.…

Internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning The King of Broken Things is coming to The Baxter. Presented by Theatresmiths, the production will be performed at the Baxter Studio from May 1-18. The King Of Broken Things received a prestigious Gold Ovation Award at the 2023 National Arts Festival and most recently, a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People. The production is a journey into the broken heart of a young boy, a journey of discovery through his experiments, projects, and creations. He teaches audiences that the rehabilitation of broken things includes people and hearts, and that all things, seen and unseen, can be mended. The King Of Broken Things is performed by Cara Roberts, conceptualised, written and directed by Michael Taylor-Broderick, with Set…

Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe said that helping his home town club to finally win their first Champions League title is a matter of pride for him after he scored twice to help guide his side to a 4-1 comeback win at Barcelona and into the semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate victory on Tuesday. Mbappe, who is set to leave PSG in the summer – with Real Madrid as the favourite to sign him – told reporters that his future is not in his mind, and that his focus is totally on bringing glory to the French capital. “I have the dream of winning the Champions League for Paris,” Mbappe told reporters at Barcelona Olympic stadium. “I’m proud to be at PSG since the first day. It’s not because there are…

The Stormers would have celebrated the return to fitness of Hacjivah Dayimani and Ben-Jason Dixon this week, but what’s the best loose trio for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Ospreys at Cape Town Stadium (7.15pm kick-off)? The Stormers are in fifth spot on the log with 39 points, and can’t afford to slip up if they want to host a quarter-final, semi-final and final. Coach John Dobson would have been a relieved man to see all captain Salmaan Moerat and loose forwards Dayimani and Dixon back in the mix after they sustained concussions in the Champions Cup last-16 loss to La Rochelle a few weeks ago. But now Dobson faces a selection conundrum in the loose trio for what will be a serious test of their abilities against…

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez berated the referee and said his performance cost Barcelona a chance to fight for a place in the Champions League semi-finals after they lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and were knocked out of the competition on Tuesday. After winning 3-2 in Paris and taking a 1-0 lead with an early Raphinha goal in the quarter-final second leg, Barca were down to 10 men just before the half-hour mark after last man Ronald Araujo was shown a red card for a foul on Bradley Barcola. Xavi complained bitterly to referee Istvan Kovacs and ended up being shown a red card himself, which did not stop him going back to the pitch at the final whistle to voice his frustration again at the Romanian official after Barca’s 6-4…

They may still have five league games to go, but the Bulls are already viewing Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Munster at Loftus Versfeld (5.05pm kick-off) as a knockout game. That was the word from loosehead prop Gerhard Steenekamp, who has been one of the stalwarts for the Pretoria side this season. After getting a taste of Test rugby for the Springboks last year during the build-up to the World Cup, the 27-year-old from Potchefstroom has put his hand up again for higher honours with a series of impressive displays. In tandem with new recruit Wilco Louw at tighthead prop, Steenekamp has been at the forefront of a dominant Bulls pack in the scrums and tight-loose. The two big men were certainly missed in last week’s Champions Cup quarter-final…

THE AUTOMOBILE Association (AA) has warned of another petrol price hike in May that will push the cost of living even higher for financially-constrained consumers, as inflation also remained sticky above 5% in March. The AA yesterday said that current unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) indicated the petrol price would again increase by 37c/litre in May, pushing the price close to R25.15/l from the current R24.78/l. The transport index on the headline inflation print rose by 2% between Feb-ruary and March, mainly due to a monthly rise of 5.3% in fuel prices in March, when petrol increased by R1.21/l, and diesel by R1.06/l and R1.19/l, respec- tively. South African fuel prices have reached record-high increases over the past three years, despite the government not increasing the General…

THE FUTURE of a decarbonised mari- time footprint took a step closer on Monday after Greece announced that it had joined the Clean Energy Marine Hubs Initiative (CEM-Hubs) and become its seventh member. The initiative is led by Brazil, Canada, Norway, Panama, the UN and Uruguay. Nelson Mojarro, the head of innovation and partnerships for the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), speaking on Monday at the 14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, welcomed Greece joining the initiative and highlighted how the maritime sector was set for major disruption in the pursuit of clean energy. The initiative, which was launched last year, brings together the private sector and governments across the energy-maritime value chain to transform maritime transportation and production hubs for…

A RECENT SME survey has shed light on purchasing patterns and influencing factors expected for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa during the remainder of this year. According to the results, the global economic environment, characterised by inflation, fuel price hikes and a weakening rand, is giving SMEs every reason to seek out more affordable purchasing options, possibly favouring suppliers who can offer competitive pricing or bulk purchase discounts to offset the financial strain caused by these macroeconomic challenges. Rising operational costs could mean limited SME purchasing power, prompting cost-cutting measures at many businesses. The survey conducted by Lula, a leading local B2B credit partner and SME banking service provider, reveals that SMEs are prioritising investments in crucial areas such as technology, energy efficiency, and operational assets, despite…

UNITED Airlines has recorded lacklustre results in the quarter ended March 31, 2024, after taking a body blow from the delayed delivery of its fleet of Boeing Aircraft following the manufacturer’s turbulent recall issues. United, which predominantly flies Boeing aircraft, yesterday said it would alter its strategy to meet the output of manufacturers, and expected to bring fewer aircraft into its fleet this year after the US government grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 jets and placed limits on their production. The US airline said it had reworked its orders on other aircraft and had agreements in place to lease a few dozen more jets from Airbus. The company had a pre-tax loss of $164 million (R3.1 billion), a $92m improvement over the same quarter last year;…

PRESIDENT of the National Coloured Congress (NCC), Fadiel Adams, said his party’s top five priorities, should it be voted to power in the May 29 elections, will be employment, crime, education, health and land restitution. “We are here for the return of coloureds to their homes, the land where they were evicted. We are here for land restitution,” he said. “We want a guarantee in the new South Africa that a coloured child too has a place in the sun. We want to be included in every sphere of government,” said Adams in an interview with the Cape Times as part of a series of stories featuring premier candidates of various parties. Although the NCC has not named him as a premier candidate, Adams said: “We are not thinking of…

Audiences can expect three weeks of bite-sized Shakespeare plays as talented participants showcase abridged 30-to-40-minute plays of their choice, in innovative and inspiring ways at the 14th Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa (SSFSA). From Othello to Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet to A Midsummer Nights Dream and more, imaginations run wild, and the sky is the limit at the SSFSA from May 8 to 27 at the Star Theatre at the District Six Homecoming Centre in Cape Town. This year, in its longest season to date, the SSFSA will welcome 42 schools and drama groups to the stage, inviting them to embrace and explore the rich tapestry of Africa’s culture, uniqueness and diversity as they unlock Shakespeare's tales one story at a time. Under the 2024 theme “Liberating Our Histories”, the…

The decision to name Desiree Ellis as the ‘Moegoe of the Week’ simply because Banyana Banyana had back-to-back failures in Olympic qualifying is a callous one. ‘Moegoe’ is a South African slang word for a stupid person, coward or weakling, and Ellis is none of these. With their weekly feature, the Johannesburg-based Sunday World newspaper failed to acknowledge that the national women’s team have never enjoyed the support that a national team should. It also appears that the South African Football Association hierarchy, charged with the day-to-day running of the organisation, are oblivious to the importance of this support. At the outset of her tenure in 2016, Ellis realised this and called on outside help to present a strong case to Safa for basic support. She had taken over from…

Rory McIlroy denied a published report on Tuesday linking him to an $850 million move to LIV Golf, saying he plans to remain with the PGA Tour “the rest of my career”. McIlroy’s agent, Sean O’Flaherty, called Tuesday’s story in the London newspaper City AM “fake news”. McIlroy addressed the report with Golf Channel from the practice range in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the venue for this week’s RBC Heritage tournament. “I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy said. “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. “Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me. “It doesn’t mean that I judge people who have went and played over…

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says they are working hard to find the balance between the DStv Premiership and domestic cup competitions. Pirates have been cup specialists under Riveiro, and last Saturday, they qualified for the Nedbank Cup semi-finals for the fourth time in the last five attempts – with a 4-2 win over AmaZulu. The defending champions will meet Chippa United for a spot in the final, hoping to add to their Ke Yona Cup success and the two MTN8s under Riveiro. In the dress rehearsal for Saturday’s clash, Pirates hammered Golden Arrows 7-1 to keep their aspirations of finishing in the top two in the Premiership alive. Yet Pirates have been struggling to maintain their consistency in the league, unlike in the cup games. Hence, they trail log…

RETAIL activity in South Africa is expected to remain constrained after sales fell for a second month in February as elevated inflation continued to affect consumers’ disposable incomes. Statistics SA (Stats SA) yesterday said retail sales declined by 0.8% year-on-year in February, marking the second consecutive month of decreases in retail activity, following a 2% decline in January. Stats SA’s deputy director for distributive trade statistics, Raquel Floris, said three of the seven retail groups registered a fall in sales in February, with the clothing category being the largest negative contributor to growth. Floris said the retail print experienced significant drops in sales of textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods, and all other retailers as it fell by 6.8% during the month. “Hardware, painting, glass, and the miscellaneous group referred…

AGRICULTURE South Africa (AgriSA) said yesterday that the Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Act (Estaa), which was enacted at the beginning of this month, marked a significant milestone in the ongoing evolution of property rights in South Africa. Agri SA said Estaa represented a concerted effort to address long-standing issues within the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997, and would ensure sustainable land reform, enhancing and protecting property rights. It also said the Estaa refined key definitions within the legislation. “Through the introduction of key amendments and regulations, Estaa aims to enhance security of tenure while balancing the rights of both landowners and occupiers,” it said. “The inclusion of new definitions for ‘dependent’ and ‘family’ ensures that the rights of spouses, both adopted and biological children, parents,…

With the bitcoin halving just weeks away, an event widely expected to occur this month, and the price reaching all-time highs, crypto investors might consider previous halvings to see how it could affect the price, said Luno country manager for South Africa, Christo de Wit. “There are no guarantees and it is anyone’s guess whether the price will drop, rise or maintain after the April halving,” he said yesterday. “Bitcoin’s recent rally to a new all-time high has meant this cycle looks distinct from previous cycles – possibly driven by the recent institutional interest driven by the approval of bitcoin ETFs in the US,” he said. In rand terms, the price has been considerable over the past six months, more than doubling from R534 338.28 per bitcoin to R1 204…

INSIMBI Industrial Holdings said yesterday that it expected its headline earnings per share to decline between 50% and 60% for the 12 months to end-February 29. Its results, expected to be released on May 31, were likely to show a similar decline in earnings per share between 11.17 cents and 13.97c compared to 27.94c earnings per share the prior comparable year. Insimbi provides resource-based supplies to a wide range of industrial consumers such as non-ferrous alloys, refraction and foundry materials, plastic moulding and recycle processes to national, regional and international clients. Insimbi’s share price fell 1.15% to 86c yesterday close to midday, a price that was 30.6% lower than a year, but which was much in line with the 84c it was trading at three years ago. “The decrease…

Rice paper is an underrated ingredient that has far more potential than just wrapping spring rolls. It can be creatively transformed into a variety of dishes, adding a unique texture and flavour. Rice paper is extremely simple to store. It just needs to be kept away from humidity, preferably in a resealable bag or airtight container, and then put away in a cupboard. It comes in all shapes and sizes, which allows some flexibility in how it can be used in cooking. When it comes to edible usage, this thin sheet is often used to make a variety of healthy foods. From wrapping fresh vegetables, such as cucumber and carrots, to making spring rolls, to wrapping fish or chicken for steaming; rice paper can also be used to make dumplings,…

An INDEPENDENT law firm has been appointed to probe the circumstances of the drownings of two teenage learners in the Hennops River near Centurion during a school excursion on Monday. The learners from the Daveyton Skills School in Benoni, aged 13 and 16, were attending a discipline camp held by NGO Rising Stars Generation, at Rock Falls Adventure Ranch. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited the school yesterday, expressing disappointment at yet another drowning of learners. “We have put in place a very clear process that guides trips and excursions, especially taking learners to water. If schools do not follow the guides, it puts us in a position where we have to come in. The sad part is that we come in because kids have drowned. “We have been clear,…

As the National Arts Festival commemorates 50 years, the Curated Programme reflects on universal themes that rang true at the founding of the festival and all subsequent editions, and interrogates the urgency of distinct challenges particular to the here and now. What started as a showcase of some 60 works in an attempt to preserve English culture and 1820 Settler heritage during the depths of apartheid, has transformed into South Africa’s longest-running and most diverse arts festival, featuring works across language and genre that attract an increasingly diverse South African and international audience. Selected through a process of application, and lengthy curatorial panel review, the National Arts Festival’s Curated Programme is a creative litmus test of society and a reflection of the artists’ lens on South Africa and the world.…

The ICC T20 World Cup kicks off in just under two months, and with limited cricket left to be played, Proteas coach Rob Walter will have plenty of choices at his disposal. However, he is faced with tough decisions following a summer of breakthroughs, especially in the bowling department. Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi returned to action for the Titans in the Cricket SA T20 Challenge recently, following his recovery from a lower back injury. He was injured while represent- ing the Paarl Royals in the SA20 competition earlier this year and has since missed out on the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Delhi Capitals. Delhi recently lost another key member when English batter Harry Brook left the tournament after the death of his grandmother and they roped…

Borussia Dortmund are relishing a rematch with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals after knocking out Atletico Madrid in a thrilling tie on Tuesday to set up a meeting with the French side they played in the group stage. Dortmund overturned a 2-1 deficit from their quarter-final first leg against Atletico to win 5-4 on aggregate, and will now renew their acquaintance with PSG, who beat Barcelona 6-4 over two legs to book their semi-final berth. Dortmund coach Edin Terzic feels his side, who won the Champions League in 1997, are now better prepared to face the French champions, after the Germans lost away and drew at home in the group stage. “Our first game against them wasn’t good. In the second game, we adjusted to them better and…

THE approach from the Sharks coaching staff is clear, yet tricky – use the United Rugby Championship (URC) to refresh the team by resting some players, but maintain the winning momentum ahead of the historic Challenge Cup semi-final in two weeks’ time. Resting players is always good, but is it still when you risk losing that winning confidence you’ve been missing all season long? The first test of that approach comes tomorrow night when the Sharks face the Glasgow Warriors in their URC match at Scotstoun Stadium (8.35pm kick-off, SA time), while the next one will be against the Scarlets in Wales next Friday. Unlike the Stormers, Bulls and Lions – who have had to make serious calls in the last two weeks on whether they go for the jugular…

A recent alum of tackle school, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, warned with a smile yesterday that his opponents better beware: he won’t be going soft when it comes to smearing them into the ground. “Ja,” said the prop, wryly, of his recent education. “I passed with an A.” Ntlabakanye copped a three-match suspension on March 24 when it was adjudged that he had made head contact with Connacht loose forward Conor Oliver in the 15th minute of their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash. Down to 14 men for the rest of the encounter in Galway, the Lions still managed to beat the Irish team 38-14 in what will arguably be remembered as their best match of the campaign. After attending tackle school while in Wales afterwards, Ntlabakanye’s suspension has been reduced by…