Table of contents for 2025-02-04 in Cape Times

Despite setbacks in platinum and diamonds, sectors like chrome and coal showed resilience The South African mining industry remained under pressure in 2024 as lower non-gold commodity prices resulted in lower profitability among miners and caused some 12 000 job losses, Minerals Council economist Hugo Pienaar said. Speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town on Monday, Peinaar said the sector was also impacted by logistic sector problems, and that the challenges in the sector were diluted to some extent by the positive impact from the absence of mining load curtailment by Eskom since end-March 2024. This meant that from depressed levels in 2023 there was only a marginal improvement in real mining production during 2024. He said there were low basket prices in platinum…

US President Donald Trump’s early Monday morning announcement that he would stop providing aid to South Africa following the signing into law of the Expropriation Act towards the end of last month sent the rand into a tailspin. In an address to the media, Trump said he was singling South Africa out on the continent due to the new law. “Terrible things are happening in South Africa ... they're confiscating land and actually they're doing things that are perhaps far worse than that." The rand went through R19 to the dollar at midnight on Monday, before settling somewhat at the top end of the R18 to the dollar range. The local currency regained ground and was pegged at R18.74 to the dollar at 6pm. Anchor Capital’s CEO, Peter Armitage, speaking…

Concern has been raised about the agricultural impact in South Africa following US President Donald Trump announcing across-the-board tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) said on Monday that they expect an impact on the agricultural sector due to Trump’s tariff announcement. Oxford Economics said that the latest set of tariffs will lead to weaker gross domestic product growth, higher unemployment, higher interest rates, and higher inflation this year in Canada, Mexico, and the US than in their January baseline forecast. “It will also cause us to raise our trade-weighted US dollar forecast.” Oxford Economics said that to quantify the potential changes to the February baseline forecast, we leaned on our tariff scenario that included 10% tariffs on China and 25% blanket tariffs…

Vodacom is forecasting a stronger performance in the second-half of the 2024 financial year after group revenue grew 1.6% to R39.5 billion for the quarter ended 31 December, up from R38.9bn during the same period a year ago, impacted by a stronger rand. South Africa’s largest telecommunications group by market share reported Monday that group service revenue growth accelerated to 11.6% on a normalised basis, above its medium-term target. Vodacom said South Africa service revenue growth improved to 3.2% supported by prepaid while Egypt grew service revenue 44.3% in local currency, with Egypt financial services revenue up. The improved Vodacom South Africa performance was underpinned by a variety of factors including successful seasonal campaigns, improved consumer environment in the prepaid segment and a 40.6% increase in data traffic. Service revenue…

Whether it’s baby boomers blaming millennials’ love for avo toast for the housing crisis or Gen Z giggling at our so-called “bougie” breakfast, the humble avocado has become a cultural punching bag. But let’s take a step back. Is avocado toast really worth the hype? More importantly, should you be eating it? To answer this question, let’s dive into the avocado’s journey, its benefits and whether it really deserves a place on your plate. Whether you’re slathering them on bread, tossing them into a salad or eating them straight out of the peel with a sprinkle of salt, avocados are everywhere. Avocado toast has become synonymous with millennial culture, a symbol of “bougie” living and Instagram-worthy breakfasts. Its global popularity surged in 2013 when wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow published a…

A NEW foal, born just three weeks ago, has joined the De Hoop Nature Reserve’s small but vital population of Cape mountain zebra. The latest arrival is an exciting addition to the herd and for the conservation of this once-endangered species. It is particularly fitting that the stripy youngster arrived in time for International Zebra Day, on January 31, in an important reminder of the need to protect all zebra species and their habitats. “The population recovery of the Cape mountain zebra is a worthwhile cause for optimism but also serves as an ongoing reminder of the challenges these animals still face,” CapeNature said. Last year, CapeNature conducted an aerial game survey over De Hoop and the neighbouring Overberg Test Range (OTR) to assess population numbers. The survey was made…

Cape of Good Hope SPCA Inspector Ayanda Ngcofe didn’t hesitate to intervene when he saw a small pony practically buckling under a load too heavy to cart and insisted that the overburdened animal be detached. “Not only had the pony been forced to cart a broken vehicle without an engine, four passengers had also sat inside it,” the organisation said, detailing a recent incident. The absurdly heavy load pushed against the pony’s hindquarters and she had struggled with every step. As the pony was lame and in distress, Ngcofe called the SPCA’s Horse Care Unit for help to transport the pony to the SPCA. “By now, realising the seriousness of the matter, two of the men tried to flee, but Law Enforcement officers quickly apprehended them,” the SPCA said. An…

The unavailability of the influential JD Schickerling is a significant setback for the Stormers as they prepare for a must-win derby against the Bulls in Cape Town this week. The big lock has been one of the better Stormers players this season and up until their match against Leinster, he had rescued their line-out. Schickerling rejoined the Stormers in the off-season last year after a stint in Japan and has consistently excelled. The 29-year-old was injured in the loss to the Dublin team and defence coach Norman Laker says “it will be a while” before Schickerling returns. The silver lining to the cloud is that the Stormers are blessed with good depth in the second row and a combination of Springbok Salmaan Moerat and the under-rated Ruben van Heerden is…

A group of 34 players have completed day one of the Springbok Women’s second alignment camp of the year, as the national team’s preparations for the World Cup in England in August picks up pace. Bok Women coach Swys de Bruin and assistants Laurian Johannes-Haupt, Franzel September and Bafana Nhleko, took the squad through their paces at Loftus Versfeld. The players return to their home unions on Wednesday for the third round of the Women’s Premier Division. De Bruin was pleased with the first camp in Stellenbosch in January and again applauded the provincial unions for their willingness to avail their national players while the Women's Premier Division is underway. “Their buy-in was crucial as we look towards the World Cup in August and September,” said De Bruin. “This camp…

Shares in Tiger Brands slumped by 2.63% on the JSE yesterday after the company said it had reached an agreement to compensate individuals affected by an earlier outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa. Between 2017 and 2018, South Africa was rocked by an outbreak of listeriosis that may have resulted from meat products produced by Enterprise Foods, a division of Tiger Brands in Polokwane. The outbreak affected about 1000 people, with 216 deaths suspected to have emanated from the outbreak. On Monday, Tiger Brands said it had reached an agreement with Richard Spoor Inc and LHL Attorneys representing those affected by the listeriosis outbreak in a class action “for advance payments” to be made. The payments will be made to persons who are seeking interim assistance to address urgent medical…

There has been widespread concern from experts and different economic sectors following Elon Musk’s comments on X that the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the main US agency for foreign aid, is a criminal organisation that is being run by radical lunatics. Musk further added that he was considering the future of US AID. International relations expert Dr Noluthando Phungula from the University of KwaZulu-Natal said it would be catastrophic if USAID was stopped. “And this is on multiple fronts including but not limited to public health, humanitarian efforts and even economic development across the globe. Cessation of assistance would be a major setback, undoing much of the progress made. The USAID funds the majority of health programs in the underdeveloped world.” Phungula added that South Africa also…

US tech giant OpenAI on Monday unveiled a ChatGPT tool called "deep research" ahead of high-level meetings in Tokyo, as China's DeepSeek chatbot heats up competition in the AI field. Artificial intelligence newcomer DeepSeek has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with its supposed low cost and high performance prompting calls for US developers to go faster. OpenAI, whose ChatGPT fronted generative AI's emergence into public consciousness in 2022, said its new tool "accomplishes in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours". "Deep research is OpenAI's next agent that can do work for you independently -- you give it a prompt, and ChatGPT will find, analyse, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to create a comprehensive report at the level of a research analyst," it said in…

Pepkor Holdings on Monday delivered strong results for the three months ending 31 December 2024, with group revenue from continuing operations climbing by 12.1% to R26.7 billion. The surge in performance has been attributed to robust sales growth and market share gains in traditional retail, complemented by significant advancements in the group's fintech segment. The company's sales performance during the quarter reflected a 9.5% increase in total group sales, while like-for-like sales saw a notable rise of 7.3%. Notably, in Southern Africa, excluding PEP Africa and Avenida, like-for-like sales achieved an increase of 9.6%. However, challenges were evident in regions outside Southern Africa, where like-for-like sales rose by 4.4% in constant currency but fell by 14.6% in rand terms. The quarter commenced with rapid sales growth during the seven weeks…

EFF leader, Julius Malema, demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa take decisive action against Rwanda, including closing the Rwandan embassy in Pretoria after South African soldiers were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ramaphosa has vowed to continue providing support to the DRC, despite growing calls for the withdrawal of SA troops from the conflict-torn region. The decision comes amid escalating tensions with Rwanda, which has been accused of backing rebel groups in the DRC. "The embassy of Rwanda should be closed with immediate effect because we cannot share the soil with the people who have the blood of South Africans on their hands," Malema said during a media briefing in Johannesburg yesterday. “It is unacceptable for our soldiers to be caught in a conflict where their presence does…

THE Gauteng high court has found that a magistrate could not be faulted for expressing scepticism about a defendant's fainting spell in the witness stand in a damages claim. The magistrate had questioned whether “this was just an act” after the woman “fainted” in the witness box, which necessitated a postponement of the matter. The issue arose after a magistrate, Hein Louw, claimed damages for alleged defamation against defendant, Zelda Steenkamp. Her lawyer withdrew from the case after Steenkamp wanted a postponement of the matter and the magistrate refused. He called Steenkamp to the witness stand to explain to the court how she was now going to proceed with her case. But Steenkamp “fainted” in the witness box, necessitating a postponement of the matter. The magistrate doubted whether the fainting…

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) is treating 19 penguins affected by an oil spill along the West Coast. One penguin died before being brought to the organisation. Last Friday, SANCCOB said they had been alerted to the oil spill. Oil was discovered on the afternoon of January 30 on the main beaches in Strandfontein. SANCCOB said they are in communication with authorities including the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), but that at this stage the situation is still developing, and they are awaiting more information. SAMSA did not respond to a request for comment. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment is also investigating the matter. SANCCOB said: “The spill has been detected just south of the Ultra Galaxy, a vessel that ran…

As the saying goes, 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ...' After seeing France implement Rassie Erasmus's 'Bomb Squad' on Friday to defuse Wales, South Africans would've been snickering at the marvel from foreign fans when Fabien Galthie put on an almost fresh forward pack in the first round of the Six Nations Championship. While the Les Bleus replacements were not as effective as the original 'Bomb Squad' of the double World Cup-winning Springboks, especially when the influential Antoine Dupont left the field, there is something magical when five or six forwards run onto the field at the same time. Of course, there was praise for the French and Galthie after their Bok copy stunt. Meanwhile, the Springboks were crucified for it time and again, with pundits and former…

The Proteas were basking in the afterglow on Monday of a perfect opening weekend in the Netball Nations Cup, where they picked up a 70-45 win over Uganda and hard-fought 61-59 victory over the hosts at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena. The South Africans top the standings in the four-team tournament. They have the week to prepare for their clash against Malawi at the Copper Box Arena in London on Saturday. “The mood in the camp is positive and energetic and inspiring at the moment,” Proteas head coach Jenny van Dyk told Independent Media Sport exclusively from the UK. “It’s great to have two good wins against two strong teams, so even though we know it’s far from done, it’s a step in the right direction for us. We just spent a…

The Automotive Business Council (naamsa) on Monday released vehicle sales data for January 2025. naamsa said it expressed optimism that the positive momentum of the fourth quarter of 2024 continued into the first month of 2025, as the industry recorded a gain of new vehicle sales of 10.4% year on year. “We are absolutely confident that an improved economic outlook, coupled with higher business and consumer sentiment, will support the new vehicle market in 2025. “Aggregate domestic new vehicle sales in January 2025, at 46 398 units, reflected an increase of 4 375 units, or a gain of 10.4%, from the 42 023 vehicles sold in January 2024. Export sales increased by 5 803 units, or 29.7%, to 25 348 units in January 2025 compared to the 19,545 vehicles exported…

As the political landscape in the US continues to spark debate, two leading property experts have shared their perspectives on President Donald Trump and his impact on the property sector. With Trump’s deep-rooted ties to the industry and his business-centric policies, opinions among property executives remain divided. Some view his tenure as a period of economic growth and deregulation, while others highlight concerns over volatility and policy uncertainty. Here’s what these two industry leaders had to say about Trump and his influence on the property market. Adrian Goslett the regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa: As the world reflects on the political and economic implications of Donald Trump’s presidency, questions arise regarding the ripple effects on markets far beyond the US. In South Africa, the…

Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team on Monday warned that is has detected a new malicious campaign targeting Android users with a fake wedding scam. It uses fake wedding invitations to lure victims into installing a malicious application that was labelled by Kaspersky as the Tria Stealer. “It forwards content from text messages and emails, along with other data to the attackers, hijacks device owners’ WhatsApp and Telegram accounts to ask for money from friends or family. With the interception of SMS messages, attackers also have the opportunity to gain access to accounts in different apps or services (for example, online banking) by requesting OTP login codes from these services and reading them in the intercepted SMS messages,” said Kaspersky, which is a technology leader in developing security software…

The Botswana government and De Beers announced on Monday that they have established a new sales agreement for De Beers’ rough diamond production, after more than five years of negotiation and within 100 days of the election of a new government in that country, The agreement, to be signed officially within a short period, and on conclusion of the award of mining licenses, is in alignment with the Heads of Terms agreed on September 30, 2023, and the long standing negotiations were concluded on Friday, Botswana Minister of Mineral and Energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo said yesterday at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town, Debswana is a 50:50 joint venture between the government of Botswana and De Beers and operates several diamond mines in the country: Jwaneng, Orapa,…

RMH paid CEO Brian Roberts and CFO Ellen Marais R18.7 million and R10.1m, respectively, in total remuneration in 2024, with the company seeking to retain its top executives although there was no adjustment to the executive directors’ fixed pay. RMH did not pay short-term incentives offered while executive directors did not receive annual long-term incentives. However, due to the special dividend paid in January 2024, it offered replacement awards in compensation of value lost by participating directors on historically awarded awards. Roberts’ salary for the half year to September 2023 amounted to about R2m while for the full year to September 2024 he was paid around R4m. RMH has shifted its financial year-end from 31 March to 30 September. Roberts’ total compensation for the year to end September 2024, including…

The City of Tshwane’s bid to push for the blacklisting of companies linked to businessman Edwin Sodi from doing business with the government appears to have hit a snag. This is after the National Treasury disputed recent claims by Mayor Nasiphi Moya that a revised request for blacklisting parties implicated in a tender for refurbishing Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant had been submitted to the Treasury. The City had awarded a contract to a joint venture, CMS, NJR & Blackhead to upgrade the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Works, but it was terminated in 2022 due to intermittent delays to the project. Last year, the City launched a process to restrict Sodi or his affiliated companies from doing business with the government by submitting a request to the National Treasury to endorse…

The Durban Magistrates Court granted Darren Govender R200 000 bail but his brother, security boss Ferrel, will have to remain behind bars. The brothers are accused of gunning down Shailen Singh, a Durban businessman at Meridian Drive in Umhlanga on December 29. The State alleges that Singh was shot by Ferrel for having an affair with his girlfriend and that Darren assisted him. Fourteen spent cartridges were found at the crime scene. Before the court handed down the bail judgment, the brothers walked into the dock, with Ferrel clutching a black rosary. Throughout the proceedings, he held on to his rosary. Prior to Magistrate K. Broughton delivering the bail judgment, he replied to Darren's request to have his bail listed under schedule five of the Criminal Procedure Act. This was…

It would be naive to look at Paarl Royals' two losses at the backend of the round-robin stage and doubt their ability to win Tuesday night’s first qualifier against the in-form MI Cape Town at St George's Park. After all, this Royals side is the same team that had previously looked almost unbeatable earlier in the tournament. Having been without captain David Miller last week, due to a groin niggle, the Royals look an even stronger unit. The 35-year-old addressed the media on Monday with positive news about his injury. "It's feeling good," he said. "After fitness tests, it seems to be going well, but we'll see how we pull up (Tuesday) morning." Despite the losses, Miller emphasised that the team is not concerned. The experienced left-hand batter highlighted his…

The SA women’s indoor hockey team were held to a 4-4 draw by Thailand in their opening FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 at the Zatika Sports Centre in Porec on Monday. The South Africans missed the chance to grab a late winner when a Kayla de Waal flick struck the upright with the clock winding down. The Asian champions caught the South African women napping with a goal in the opening minute after an attack down the right and cross into the D that wasn’t cleared. The early setback seemed to stun SA in a jittery opening, but they had a chance to settle the early nerves with a short corner. Despite a great injection the trap was not controlled and the chance went begging. They would make…