Table of contents for 2025-09-25 in Cape Times

China has signaled its readiness to fast-track zero-tariff access for South African goods, opening the door for more local products to enter its vast consumer market under favorable terms. Speaking at the South Africa–China Trade and Investment Promotion Conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng said the initiative forms part of Beijing’s broader commitment to deepen economic cooperation with Africa. “In June this year, President Xi Jinping announced that China is ready to expand zero-tariff treatment for 100% of tariff lines to all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China,” Wu said. “More than 30 African countries have already signed the framework agreements. China is prepared to work with South Africa to implement these measures as soon as possible.” The announcement comes as…

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) has come under fire from the steel import industry after proposing the use of national security provisions to tighten controls on steel imports. Industry players fear that ITAC’s move to invoke Article 21 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) — traditionally reserved for situations of war or terrorism — could be used as a blanket restriction on imports, even where no genuine security concerns exist. Presenting XA International Trade Advisors’ seventh Import Duty Investigation Report on Tuesday, CEO Donald Mackay warned that “import control is creeping in under the guise of national security,” raising suspicions that government may be attempting to bypass its GATT obligations. “By invoking the national security concern, government is hoping to bypass the obligations…

South Africa’s furniture sector has received a significant boost as leading retailer Coricraft expands local production of upholstered seating at its Epping facility in Cape Town, reducing reliance on imports and supporting more than 500 jobs. Backed by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF), the initiative has shifted tens of millions of rand worth of furniture production into the local economy. Coricraft has already achieved nearly 10% growth in productivity and a 38% improvement in efficiency by adopting lean manufacturing practices, real-time monitoring, and new planning tools that allow it to respond more quickly to market demand. According to Shani Naidoo, group director responsible for Coricraft and The Foschini Group (TFG) Home business, the initiative represents more than just operational improvements. “By producing more locally at Coricraft, we are securing jobs,…

Green hydrogen has numerous applications across multiple industries, from decarbonising steel to fertiliser production, fuelling heavy transport, storing renewable energy for grid stability, and supplying cleaner feedstock to refineries and chemical plants. However, beyond these use cases, it also has the potential to provide a clean energy source to power future technology, with far-reaching implications for both industry and society. Technology driving energy demand Technological innovation is accelerating at a rapid pace, from cloud computing to generative AI, robotic-assisted healthcare and autonomous vehicles. While each breakthrough is a potential revolution, it also comes at an increased cost in terms of electricity consumption. Data centres are multiplying across the world, consuming vast amounts of power to support AI training and applications. Hospitals are adopting robotics, mixed reality neurosurgery, and AI-driven diagnostics,…

African Bank has raised R700 million of 3- and 5-year social bonds enabled by its first Sustainable Finance Framework (SFF) that aims to drive inclusive growth in South Africa through the financing of small to medium enterprises. The bonds were well subscribed, with more than R1 billion in bids received, African Bank said on Monday. The SFF was instrumental in enabling the bank to raise capital through Green, Social, and Sustainability bonds and loans, in support of projects that deliver measurable environmental and social impact. Several other South African institutions have issued these bonds, such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Nedbank, and the City of Cape Town. These bonds typically fund initiatives like affordable housing, education, healthcare, and employment creation. African Bank's SFF outlines eligible criteria for SME…

THE Patriotic Alliance (PA) has welcomed an investigation that cleared Kenny Kunene of any wrongdoing related to his controversial visit to the Sandton residence of controversial businessman Katiso Molefe in July. The high-profile probe, led by leading law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), found “no evidence or witness testimony that refutes the version” given by Kunene, who had maintained that his presence at the residence was solely for journalistic purposes. According to the CDH report, Kunene had facilitated an exclusive interview between journalist Jabulani Binase and Molefe for Africa News Global (ANG). The investigation included interviews with all key parties - Kunene, Binase, a facilitator referred to as “Jabu,” and ANG Editor-in-Chief Steve Motale - and examined media content, documents, and public records. The visit, which attracted widespread media attention,…

A Northern Cape man, Stefaans Dickson, will remain in prison following a failed appeal against his conviction and life sentence for the rape of an 11-year-old family member. The Northern Cape High Court in Kimberley upheld the original findings of the trial court, reinforcing the gravity of the crime and the strength of the evidence against him. On January 12, 2019, Dickson, a repeat offender with prior convictions for both rape and murder, was found guilty of luring his young relative into his home under the pretext of retrieving a lighter. In a harrowing account presented during the trial, the victim testified that after being sent to collect the lighter from his grandmother, he was coerced into entering Dickson’s residence. It was there that he endured a traumatic assault that…

It was a tough weekend for Toyota Gazoo South Africa (TGRSA) in the Outeniqua 400 fourth round of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), which took place in the scenic Langkloof Valley between Oudtshoorn and Uniondale in the Western Cape. Good start They started well from Louvain Guest Farm, where rally HQ was situated, with Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet setting the fastest time over the 38-kilometre prologue, just one second ahead of teammates Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena, in an identical GR Hilux IMT Evo. First setbacks Despite their pace, several setbacks put the team on the back foot by the time the dust had settled after the technical 80-kilometre loop at the end of the day. Botterill and Mena first suffered a puncture, and then had to deal…

Two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was hailed by US teammates as an explosive X-factor, gladiator and showman on Tuesday as controversy erupted around him at the Ryder Cup. It began when the 32-year-old LIV Golf star, whose interview session at Bethpage Black was postponed to today after the opening ceremony was advanced to yesterday, fired the latest verbal salvo in a war of words with Europe star Rory McIlroy. “Just his golfing ability alone is an X-factor for our team, but also, he's a really fiery player,” US captain Keegan Bradley said of DeChambeau. “We have a lot of calm, mellow guys so we need the energy from Bryson and he brings that every day in practice rounds, the team room and hopefully in the tournament.” At the Masters,…

Flyhalf Manie Libbok has been at the centre of the Springboks’ best and worst performances in the Rugby Championship this year. Their lowest point came at Ellis Park, after racing to a 22-0 lead inside 20 minutes, they lost 38-22 to Australia in their tournament opener. Their high point, by contrast, was the 43-10 win over the All Blacks in Wellington, where they simply blew their fierce rivals off the park in the second half. Libbok, speaking during a Bok press conference ahead of Saturday’s crucial Test against Argentina in Durban (5.10pm kick-off), spoke about the Wellington match as if the clash against Australia was responsible for the way they went about their business against the All Blacks. In Johannesburg against the Wallabies, Libbok and the Springboks were accused of…

The average cost of a household food basket dropped marginally in September, but civil society groups have warned that South Africans continue to face rising food insecurity and hunger. According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s (PMBEJD) Household Affordability Index, released on Tuesday, the basket cost fell by just R1.20 (0.0%), from R5 380.62 in August to R5 379.42 in September. On a year-on-year basis, however, the index shows a sharp increase of 2.4% or R123.74, up from R5 255.68 in September 2024. Mervyn Abrahams, director at PMBEJD, said 21 of the 44 tracked food items increased in price last month. Key hikes of 5% or more included chicken gizzards (5%), beef liver (7%), butternut (13%), green peppers (9%), and bananas (8%). Smaller but notable increases were seen…

Mining has done so much to build South Africa’s economy but for too many people living in mining communities, that wealth has not translated into dignity, opportunity, or security. My mother works in mining, and our family has lived in various mining communities over the years, so I know first-hand what it means when decisions taken in boardrooms thousands of kilometres away shape the lives of ordinary people. The timing of Anglo American’s merger with Canada’s Teck Resources tells a damning story that South African leaders appear determined to ignore. Just as CEO Duncan Wanblad’s restructuring promises collapse spectacularly with a $3.8 billion coal sale dead, the Woodsmith polyhalite project delayed until 2027, and losses ballooning to $1.9 billion, suddenly Vancouver beckons as the new headquarters. How convenient. For most…

Ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, countries that are parties to the Paris Agreement will submit their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2030–2035, as states acknowledge that climate change is a “common concern for humankind” for both present and future generations. When planning and implementing climate action, states must respect, promote, and consider intergenerational equity, which simply means equity means fairness among generations, with an equitable and just distribution of benefits and risks. Drawing from the open and frank arguments in the Commission, Commissioner Louise Naudé aptly reflects, “I don't know whether to wish that my son would have a child, or to hope that he won't. With the critical decade for climate mitigation action flying by and the dishearteningly slow and limited mitigation action underway, it seems any child…

The world economy will grow more than previously forecast this year after absorbing the shock of US President Donald Trump's tariffs, but their full impact remains uncertain, the OECD said Tuesday. In June, the Paris-based organisation had cut its forecast from 3.1 percent to 2.9 percent, warning at the time that Trump's tariffs would stifle the world economy. But in an updated outlook on Tuesday, it raised the projection to 3.2 percent, saying the economy "proved more resilient than anticipated" in the first half of 2025. The OECD said "front-loading" - companies rushing to import goods ahead of Trump's tariffs - "was an important source of support". The economy also got a boost from strong AI-related investments in the United States and government spending in China. The updated figure…

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has indicated that his department will not withdraw the permanent residency status of Cape Independence Advocacy Group’s Phillip Craig because MPs dislike him for his political views. Schreiber’s stance comes as Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia stated that the actions of the Cape Independence Group “could not be deemed a risk to national stability”. This also comes a week after the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee resolved to ask Schreiber and Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode to clarify the options to revoke Craig’s permanent residence status after receiving a legal opinion that Makhode has the power to revoke Craig’s permanent residence. There have been calls to revoke Craig’s permanent residency status for advocating the secession of the Western Cape, which some deem to pose threat to…

Transnet has welcomed the arrest of 17 suspects in separate incidents nationwide, as an indication of the firm commitment to reducing vandalism and the theft of essential infrastructure across their network. SAPS and Transnet security personnel executed a multi-pronged security and intelligence operation that led to arrests in six separate incidents between September 9 and 10. “These arrests demonstrate our strong resolve in curbing the prevalence of vandalism and essential infrastructure theft within our network. It is also indicative that our focused approach towards enhancing our stakeholder collaboration and holding our security service providers to a higher performance standard is beginning to yield positive results,” said Transnet group chief executive Michelle Phillips. In Swartkops, Gqeberha, security officers reported five suspects in the vicinity of several locomotives. SAPS and the Rapid…

Those of us in the industry have always maintained that for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) to increase their market share in South Africa, it needs to be a small and affordable car that can attract the masses. Chinese Manufacturer BYD has now done exactly that with the launch of the compact hatchback Dolphin Surf, aimed directly at the vibrant urban market with two variants, both priced under R400 000. As the country’s most affordable BEV, the Dolphin Surf comes in two variants: the Comfort and the Dynamic. Power and range The Comfort model features BYD’s 30kWh Blade Battery with a WLTP combined range of 232 kilometres, powered by a 55kW front-wheel-drive motor with a maximum DC charging rate of 30kW. The Dynamic model is equipped with a 38.8 kWh Blade…

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has named a 45-man preliminary squad for the final two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month, with Zimbabwe and Rwanda the opponents. South Africa will first take on Zimbabwe at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on October 10 before hosting Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on October 14. While the extended list offers Broos plenty of depth, several notable names have once again been overlooked despite good form and proven pedigree. Independent Media takes a closer look at five players who missed the cut: Thembinkosi Lorch The 32-year-old winger has rediscovered his spark since moving to Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic. Lorch recently stood out on the global stage at the FIFA Club World Cup and has carried that momentum into the new season. Just last…

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal's bid to end their trophy drought will not be ruined by his tactics after claims the Gunners boss is guilty of being too cautious. Former England stars Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher accused Arsenal of playing with the handbrake on following Arteta's controversial team selection for Sunday's 1-1 draw against Manchester City. Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze dropped to the bench, despite Martin Odegaard's absence, with Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino forming the midfield trio again after they flopped in a 1-0 defeat at Premier League champions Liverpool in August. Arteta's tactics were in danger of backfiring after Erling Haaland gave City an early lead at the Emirates Stadium. It was only when Arteta sent on Eze and Bukayo Saka at half-time that Arsenal finally…

Transnet reassures investors of commitment to R127bn capital expenditure plan over five years Transnet has reassured investors of its commitment to an ambitious R127 billion capital expenditure plan over the next five years as it works to modernise South Africa’s rail and port network, tackle theft and vandalism, and open the system to private operators. This comes as the State-owned freight and logistics operator continues to ramp up volumes after moving nearly 160 million tons of freight in the year ended 31 March 2025 compared to 151 million tons the previous year. Freight volumes had been in steep decline since Transnet’s peak year in 2017/18, when it moved well over 200 million tons. Speaking in a wide-ranging discussion on the company’s turnaround efforts at the 5th SA SOC Investment Summit…

South Africa’s agricultural exports to the United States surged by 26% in the second quarter of 2025, reaching $161 million (R2.7 billion), despite ongoing concerns over potential tariff hikes and market access. Data from the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) on Tuesday showed that the increase was driven largely by citrus, wine, fruit juices, and nuts—products that traditionally dominate South Africa’s shipments to the US. Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz chief economist, said the surge may reflect exporters taking advantage of the 90-day pause on higher tariffs. “It appears that some exporters may have taken advantage of the 90-day pause on the higher tariffs and exported more volume than usual during that period,” he said. “The fact that South Africa generally has a large fruit harvest also contributed to this…

Energy poverty in South Africa remains acute. Research from the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) shows that more than half of households live below the upper-bound poverty line, with a significant share on the food poverty line. This is the context in which affordability and food-versus-energy choices are made at kitchen tables every day. Free Basic Electricity (FBE) was designed to ease this burden, but delivery is uneven across municipalities and coverage limited. Stats SA’s 2023 General Household Survey found that only about 14% of municipal electricity consumer units received FBE. This shortfall undermines access to affordable electricity at levels sufficient to drive socio-economic development and improve food security. Meanwhile, municipal finances are under severe strain, with arrears to Eskom approaching R100 billion. In response, National Treasury has launched a…

Remgro, the JSE-listed investment group with well-known South African businessman Johann Rupert as its major controlling shareholder, has declared a 200 cents a share special dividend, bringing its total payout to shareholders to about R3.09 billion for the year. The special dividend for the year to June 30 followed the disposal of the interest in British American Tobacco and strong performances from nearly all Remgro's investee companies. The special dividend is in addition to the total dividend for the year, which increased by 30.3% to 344 cents a share compared with the previous year. Remgro's intrinsic net asset value per share increased by 16.5% to R292.34 at June 30, from R251.01 at June 30 a year before. The closing share price at June 30, 2025, was R158.20 (2024: R136.09), representing…

ON a vessel en route to Gaza, the late Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla, marked Heritage Day by following in his grandfather’s footsteps, travelling to the same place the former president visited in 1995. During that 1995 visit, Mandela voiced solidarity with the Palestinian cause, saying “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people". “This is where I celebrated Heritage Day this year,” Mandla said. “And the struggle for freedom is my heritage.” Speaking from the Global Sumud Flotilla, Mandla told IOL it was an honour to carry the baton passed down by his grandfather. The Global Sumud Flotilla is a coalition of civilian vessels seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. “My grandfather was never overwhelmed regardless of the enormity of the…

Municipalities must not be reduced to 'political footballs'; they must be safeguarded and entrusted with the dignity of its people. These were the words of the South African Local Government Association's (Salga) Xolani Sotashe during their presentation before the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration in Knysna on Tuesday to solicit opinions on the attempt by Local Government MEC Anton Bredell to dissolve the Knysna Municipality and place it under administration The National Council of Provinces will have a special sitting tomorrow where a decision will be made. Bredell wants to appoint an administrator to take over the duties of council, followed by fresh elections within 90 days to install new political leadership, citing service delivery issues. However the municipality has maintained visible progress is being made and…

A DRAFT amendment bill is undergoing consultation with the intention of making the National Register of Sex Offenders (NRSO) accessible to members of the public, says Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi. Kubayi was responding to parliamentary questions from Build One South Africa MP and deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster. Hlazo-Webster asked whether the department had sought a legal opinion after Kubayi committed to test the constitutionality of making the National Register for Sex Offenders accessible to the public. The register is currently not open to the public, but is available for the public and private sectors to vet whether someone is suitable to work with children and other vulnerable groups. Kubayi previously said they were advocating for amendments to the confidentiality and disclosure clauses of the Sexual Offences and…

When Mihiar Ayoubi joined BMW three decades ago, he entered a world obsessed with precision engineering and the pursuit of the ultimate driving machine. Currently, as the head of BMW Driving Experience, he talks about the transformation of driving itself – from purely mechanical systems to intelligent, connected platforms and, now, to a completely new electric era. “For 30 years I’ve lived through the evolution of driving dynamics, and with this Neue Klasse platform we’ve been able to take everything we’ve learned and start fresh – something that comes once in a century,” he said during an interview after the global reveal of the BMW iX3 in Munich. Three decades of transformation Ayoubi describes the journey of BMW’s driving dynamics in three distinct stages. “The first decade was mechanical,” he…

WHEN Cricket South Africa announced the return of wicket-keeper/batter Quinton de Kock to the international white ball space on Monday, the whole country was sent into a frenzy, as fans were engulfed by the excitement of watching the left-hander in the green and gold once again. De Kock had announced that he would retire from One-Day cricket following the conclusion of the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup, and went on to score four centuries in that tournament. With the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup less than two years away, the 32-year-old's availability has certainly strengthened South Africa’s chances of achieving something special, winning the elusive trophy for the first time, on home soil. De Kock will step straight into international cricket when the Proteas play Namibia in the T20I match…