Table of contents for 2023-11-09 in Star

It will also put the company in a position to supply excess energy to the SA power grid FORD MOTOR Company South Africa, which yesterday announced plans to produce the first-ever Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle as part of its 100-year legacy in South Africa, also plans to operate purely on its own renewable energy in future, as well as provide electricity to the grid. Andrea Cavallaro, operations director, Ford International Markets Group, said yesterday in Pretoria that their Silverton plant in Tshwane was already home to more than 30 000 solar panels that were capable of providing 13.4MW of power, which is capable of operating its entire assembly plant during the day. He said the world was moving to electric vehicles and Ford had been part of…

A2X MARKETS, a South African stock exchange that operates an alternative trading platform for listed securities, said yesterday that it had successfully grown its trade value from just R657 million in trade value in its first year in 2017, to more than R75 billion six years later. The original bourse – the JSE – has been given a run for its money by industry participants, such as the A2X Markets and Cape Town Stock Exchange. A2X is an authorised stock exchange that offers a complementary platform where companies can secondary list their shares for trade and provides a company’s shareholders with the opportunity to save money when they transact by taking advantage of the platform’s low fee structure, narrower spreads and increased liquidity. A2X CEO Kevin Brady said:…

ROUGH diamond sales by Anglo American division, De Beers, plummeted in the ninth sales cycle of the year to $80 million (R1.5 billion) amid numerous micro-challenges. This was 82% lower compared with $454m in the ninth cycle of 2022. The diamond miner sold $200m in the eighth cycle of 2023, making the sales 60% from the previous month. The provisional rough diamond sales figure quoted for Cycle 9 represented the expected sales value for the period between October 4 and November 3 and remains subject to adjustment based on final completed sales, Anglo said. Al Cook, the CEO of De Beers, said: “Macro-economic challenges continue to affect the diamond sector. The retail recovery in China remains slow. And the voluntary import moratorium on rough diamonds into…

SERIAL entrepreneur and founder of the popular Sorbet beauty brand in South Africa, Ian Fuhr, is lending a helping hand to The Laser Beautique (TLB) to get its franchising business off the ground. This comes after TLB, which was established in 2018 under the leadership of power couple Tzvia and Neil Hermann, is now planning to franchise the brand. This expansion is being driven by a combination of innovation and the expert guidance and coaching of Ian Fuhr, who is a renowned figure in South Africa’s business landscape. The Beautique group has not only launched its state-of-the-art, cost-effec- tive laser technology, but has also introduced its skincare brand, Scientific Skincare, dedicated and proven to deliver results. “The franchise also offers a fully integrated and customised website and point-of-sale system which…

ADIDAS said yesterday that it had raised another €350 million (R6.87 billion) from the latest sell-off of Kanye West’s Yeezy shoes that it was saddled with, after ending a tie-up with the rapper.The funds were raised in the third quarter from Adidas’s second sale of Yeezy products designed with the US rapper.Together with a first sale earlier in the year, the group has now earned a total of €750m from offloading the goods.Adidas has faced a turbulent period since ending its lucrative partnership with rapper West – now known formally as Ye – in October last year after he made a series of anti-Semitic outbursts. The group ended its production of the successful Yeezy line, and was left with unsold stock worth €1.2 billion. No new sale of…

TRANSNET told Parliament yesterday that it was to focus on rail network rehabilitation as the logistics group posted a 4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) decline over 2022/2023. This comes as it also aims to improve service delivery, improve rolling stock quality, deploy digital solutions for greater efficiencies and client responsiveness and address security-related incidents amid the challenges and constraints experienced by the freight rail division. Presenting its financial report for 2022/2023 before the portfolio committee on public enterprises in the National Assembly, Transnet said in the next financial year, it intended to optimise commercial returns through reviewing cost allocations, leverage private sector participation models to raise capital, enhance volumes and improve utilisation and align to rail reform requirements. Transnet’s irregular expenditure of R2.2 billion, which decreased by R561…

It APPEARS that the holiday season will not be a hive of activity for rapper and television host Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye, whose court case was yesterday postponed to December despite a request to reschedule it to a different date. Maarohanye appeared briefly in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on charges of rape, attempted murder, and assault. His bail was extended until his next appearance on December 11. Magistrate Betty Khumalo said a warrant for his arrest would be issued if he failed to attend the next hearing. The NPA’s Phindi Mjonondwane said in July that there were four complainants associated with the matter dating from 2006 to 2010. Maarohanye was ordered to hand his travelling documents to the investigating officer and he is also not permitted to make contact with…

Police are searching for suspects who shot two people dead outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, said a man and a woman were shot and killed at the court at about 7am. “It is reported that the victims were walking towards the Randburg Magistrate’s Court when they were approached by the suspect who shot at them. “The victims were certified dead at the scene.” Masondo said it is further reported that the suspects were driving in a black Mercedes-Benz. “The motive for the killing cannot be confirmed at this stage. A case of murder is being investigated,” he said. Police are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or can assist in the apprehension of…

The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) has ordered the education department in the Eastern Cape to reimburse an employee who used her own money to pay Rhodes University after the department failed to pay for her tuition fees through a bursary. A. Human is employed by the department as an Education Psychologist. She furthered her studies through Rhodes University after receiving a bursary from the department. In 2022, the department failed to settle her fees for that year and she ended up paying the institution R20 334 as interest had accumulated; however, she only sought a refund of R20 000. She approached the ELRC after facing challenges with getting the money back from the department. She argued that it was an unfair labour practice and she was unfairly treated regarding…

The City of Tshwane has paid employee salaries that were withheld due to the unprotected strike that gripped the capital in recent months. The Labour Court had ordered the municipality on October 26 to pay the more than 60 employees who had their salaries docked. This comes after metro workers who are members of the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) were only paid 75% of their salaries. Municipality spokesperson Selby Bokaba confirmed to the “Pretoria News” yesterday that the salaries had been paid. “Yes, the withheld salaries were paid on the day that the court set a deadline (October 27) for payments to be processed. “The City reinstated the salaries docked for the period that the employees were on strike in one deduction. The Basic Conditions of Employment…

ACCLAIMED South African actor, author, director and playwright John Kani has been awarded a UK honour in recognition of his services to drama. On behalf of His Majesty King Charles III, Antony Phillipson, British High Commissioner in South Africa this week announced that Kani has been made an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Kani said he was moved by the honour. “I started working in the UK and Ireland in 1972. I have always been amazed and delighted by how my work has been received by critics and audiences. In 2021, I was awarded the Pragnell Shakespeare Birthday Award for making Shakespeare accessible to many communities and when the Royal Shakespeare Council celebrated its 60th Anniversary my latest play, Kunene and the King, was…

The impact of an internal memo that placed a moratorium on the hiring of white applicants at Dis-Chem has been released and it cost the company millions. The controversial memo was written by former CEO Ivan Saltzman in October 2022 and noted that Dis-Chem would not appoint or promote any white person within the group. Last week, the company released its interim condensed consolidated financial results for the six months ended August 31. The company stated that “in ”financial year 2023) FY23, the softer second-half performance was largely attributable to the impact of negative publicity, which was carried forward into the first quarter of (financial year 2024) FY24. “As a function of being a high-growth business, investment in resources to facilitate growth is necessary but does introduce the risk of…

Let’s look to Boks’ winning ways The Springboks brought the Web Ellis Rugby World Cup trophy home. A day later, load shedding resumed. This is the South African reality. That’s why we vacillate between hopeful optimism and peak pessimism. South Africa is in a crisis. Our post-apartheid history is littered with failures. The bankrupt state-owned enterprises, many dysfunctional municipalities, load shedding, high unemployment, and pervasive crime, are some of the outcomes of a government that squandered the “Madiba magic”, and the “democracy dividends”, and plunged the country into its deepest crisis since 1994. Many experience daily hardship, in particular our youth who face an uncertain and diminishing future with fewer employment prospects, a moribund economy, and high levels of crime. The medium-term Budget speech by Finance Minister Enoch Gondongwana on…

A victory for Orlando Pirates against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday could very well launch the first chapter of the story that coach Jose Riveiro wants to write in the league. Riveiro had a debut season to remember at Pirates as he guided the team to the MTN8, Nedbank Cup and a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership. But while that appeased The Ghost, the team’s back-to-back losses to Chiefs in the Soweto derby took the gloss off the Spaniard’s start to life at Pirates. Not all is lost, though. Pirates will have a chance to avenge themselves in this season’s first edition of the biggest sporting event in the country at the FNB Stadium on Saturday. Kick-off is at 3.30pm. This is a match that both teams will…

It’s the week of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and Europe’s Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood – the winner of the last two editions of ‘Africa’s Major’ – is gunning for a hat-trick of wins at the plush Gary Player Country Club at Sun International’s playground, Sun City. The tournament will get under way this morning and as usual, golf enthusiasts are preparing for what is known as the best weekend of golf, festivities and entertainment. Nedbank and Sun International go out of their way to make it a memorable one, and with the line-up of stars participating, it looks like it’s going to be one for the books. Englishman Fleetwood, who has taken a liking to the Gary Player design layout after his past two wins, will go for…

Victory has so far eluded the Lions in the United Rugby Championship – frustratingly so – but there can be no doubt that the Joburgers are building a noteworthy foundation to launch themselves towards an eventual triumph. Their set-pieces have been rock solid thus far, despite losing narrowly to the Stormers, Edinburgh and most recently Benetton. Indeed, as they head towards their URC fourth-round encounter against Scarlets on Saturday, they enjoy a 96% success rate in the line-outs, having lost only two of 47. At scrum time, they are yet to lose when packing down, winning all 16 of their inputs. In their first three games, they have also won six tightheads and five penalties. Accordingly, they are rated second and first in the tournament in each department. Converting that…

AS SOUTH African platinum group metals miners cut jobs and their Zimbabwe units scramble for capital to sustain productivity and expansion, weaker commodity prices and growing transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is casting doubt over sustained demand for the precious metal that is mainly used in internal combustion engine catalytic converters. South Africa has the world’s largest reserves of platinum and is home to the biggest producers of the metal in Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), Sibanye-Stillwater and Impala Platinum (Implats). Although Sibanye-Stillwater has made a good case to transition its investments into battery metals such as lithium, South African platinum group metal (PGM) companies are big employers in the country and in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where they also have large mining operations. “South Africa holds about four-fifths of the world’s known…

SOUTH African telecom groups may be facing currency upheavals in other African markets, but Vodacom remains unfazed by this problem in its Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) market, believing that ongoing engagement with the authorities have set the groundwork for a settlement to its protracted tax dispute. Last year the DRC government locked up offices of Vodacom and prevented telecom executives from leaving the country over a tax dispute to the sum of $245 million (R4.5 billion), but now reduced to $165m following an audit of its accounts covering the period 2016 to 2019. Rival operator, MTN, is also battling to contain a bitter fall-out with Nigerian authorities who recently slapped it with a bill of $72.6m in overdue taxes. Khalil Al Americani, the Vodacom Congo CEO, said…

SHARES in JSE-listed AVI leapt after its chairperson Mike Watters provided an update on trading conditions, saying consolidated operating profit growth for the quarter was pleasing. The update followed the annual general meeting of the South African food producer and fashion retailer held yesterday morning. The shares closed 4.32% higher at R74.18 on the JSE yesterday. "The domestic macro environment has remained challenging. Group revenue for the first quarter ended September 2023 increased by 5.2% over the same period last year,“ he said. Volume performance across AVI’s categories was mixed in the quarter and impacted by the later phasing of festive season deliveries to certain customers, he said. I&J's revenue was lower due to poor catch rates impact- ing sales volumes in international markets and an unfavourable sales mix…

NEXT WEEK WILL mark the 16th anniversary of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Each year, the GEW, powered by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, has been helping millions of people across the world unleash their ideas to start and scale new businesses. GEW 2023 is a call to action for societies to be resilient and come together to leverage the power of new concepts and innovation for the bene- fit of all. Dubbed the largest annual celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation, GEW sees 10 million people in 200 countries gather to build connections and promote their work to their local ecosystems. Start-ups and small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) get to network with one another, and various institutions use the work to provide grant funding through pitches to entrepreneurs. Policymakers also…

AIRBNB yesterday announced new upgrades to its booking platform to make it more competitive with hotels, such as revamping its ratings and reviews pages and highlighting “guest favourites”, or homes with a near-perfect rating. The San Francisco-based company said by creating a more reliable experience for travellers it can capture more demand as consumers continue to plan vacations despite the higher cost of travel compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic. “Airbnb is pretty big. For as big as we are, almost 10 times as many people stay in hotels,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in an interview. The company reported last week that 113.2 million nights and experiences were booked in the third quarter, a 14% year-over-year increase. The company launched “guest favourites”, a collection of 2 million…

In a shocking turn of events, crime fighter Xolani Khumalo will not be returning as the presenter of the popular show Sizok’thola on Moja Love. The channel released a statement last week confirming that Khumalo will not be returning as the show’s presenter. The statement read: “Moja Love TV Channels has terminated its relationship with Mr Xolani Khumalo, presenter of one of the channel’s leading shows, Sizok’thola. The channel will not be commenting on any matters relating to Mr Khumalo at this stage.” Khumalo is facing a murder charge in connection with an incident during the show’s taping. It occurred in July when the show’s crew confronted an alleged drug dealer, who died. This led to concerns about contamination of crime scenes, failed prosecutions of known drug lords and other…

FORD MOTOR Company celebrated its 100-year lega celebrated its 100-year legacy in South Africa at its Silverton, Pretoria plant yesterday with the announcement of a R5 billion ($272 million) investment in its local operations to produce the first-ever Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Ford also marked 100 years with the announcement of a vastly expanded model range that will soon be available for its South African customers. Ford Motor Company would invest R5bn in the Silverton Assembly Plant to start producing the Ranger Plug-in Hybrid in late 2024. Neil Hill, Ford Motor Company Africa president, said it was the first time a vehicle manufacturer in South Africa had introduced nine new vehicles to the South African market in 18 months. “The additional investment in the Silverton assembly…

Professor Shabir Madhi has been appointed as an honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by King Charles III. The Wits Professor of Vaccinology led the Oxford University-sponsored Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials in South Africa. Madhi received the Order in recognition of his services to science and public health in a global pandemic. Despite now owning the prestigious title of CBE, Professor Shabir Madhi admits that the title doesn’t exempt him from his daily household chores. “I was reminded that whatever the title CBE stood for, I was still expected to take out the trash and do the dishes,” Madhi says as he giggles away. Nonetheless, his family is proud of him, after he was recently acknowledged by King Charles III of Britain. “Deep…

PLANS are afoot to address the backlogs of service delivery in the City of Tshwane as the dust begins to settle after the unprotected strike for the past three months. Mayor Cilliers Brink expressed the intention by the municipality to have newly-appointed senior managers roll up their sleeves and sort out problems of service delivery created by the strike. Brink said he held discussions with municipal manager, Johann Mettler, about service delivery priorities that needed to be implemented in the coming weeks, saying that keeping the municipality afloat was top of the list. “The financial rescue mission is our important task,” he said. “After this unprotected strike” the city was in a bad position, he said, compounded by recent rainfall causing more potholes. “Our immediate task is going to be…

Zelda Venter AXED former State Security Agency (SSA) top spy and erstwhile South African ambassador to Japan, Thulani Dlomo, has lost his legal bid to have his axing overturned. Dlomo turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where he asked for an order declaring his dismissal by the SSA to have been procedurally and substantively unfair. He asked for an order that he be reinstated to his former position and be compensated retrospectively for the damages suffered “for the years” that he had been home “due to the unlawful and unfair conduct of the respondents”. The application was brought against the Director-General and the Ministry of the State Security Agency. Dlomo was employed by the SSA until September 27, 2019, when his employment was formally terminated. Although employed by…

Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini, a well-known political activist, discusses the necessity of creating platforms for men from all walks of life to come together, express themselves, and open up. Dlamini will be one of the speakers at the much anticipated Amatyma International Men’s Day, setting the tone for some crucial subjects that will be discussed. “It is very important to have this conversation because, in the absence of conversation, disaster is invited all the time. And if there is no communication, we have a problem because a small thing can manifest itself as a big problem simply because there was no communication. So it is important for us to create platforms for expression, communication, and discussion because out of that dialogue come solutions,” he said. Giving a preview of some of…

Ministers Naledi Pandor and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, have come out with bazookas blazing, condemning Israel for its ruthlessness in dealing with Hamas. The hypocrisy of the duo is noteworthy, as they lament the loss of Palestinian life, after the callous and ruthless attack on innocent Israelis by the diabolical Islamist forces of Hamas on October 7. Why is the world crying foul, including our esteemed ministers, as they pour out their grief at the loss of innocent lives? Is it any different to the loss of innocent lives perpetrated by the ANC before 1994, as it planted bombs in Wimpy bars and of other soft targets? Death, pain and destruction, the ANC’s aim, just like Hamas. I wonder what Minister Pandor would do if a hostile neighbour came into her happy…

SOUTH Africa has one of the worst driver accident and fatalities records in the world and the reasons are many, but one of them is certainly the inability to drive safely at night, with more than 55% of fatal accidents occurring in the dark. To this end Volkswagen South Africa, in partnership with its Advanced Driving academy at Zwartkop raceway, have developed ‘Night School’ (on site and online) as part of the effort to educate drivers on the challenges and risks associated with night driving. In a number of countries, you have to be proficient at night driving before you’re eligible for a licence, but here that doesn’t apply and no doubt that’s part of the reason for our woeful statistics. “As a leading passenger car manufacturer, at Volkswagen, we…

The long-awaited Suzuki Jimny 5-Door is set to launch in South Africa later this month, but pricing has already surfaced on the Duoporta website. The stretched Suzuki kicks off at R429 900 for the 1.5 GL manual, with the higher spec 1.5 GLX coming in at R457 900 in manual form and R479 900 as an auto. This means that GL models command a premium of R39 000 over the equivalent three-door Jimnys, while the GLXs cost an additional R41 000. Although the range largely mirrors the 3-Door line-up, there is no GL auto listed at this stage. The 5-Door does gain some specification over its smaller sibling, with the GL now sporting a touchscreen infotainment system and rear park distance control. Other standard features in the base model include…

Kaizer Chiefs interim head coach Cavin Johnson may have been presented with an opportunity to seal his job on a permanent basis in the forthcoming Soweto derby. The highly regarded clash against Orlando Pirates on Saturday at the FNB Stadium (3.30pm kick-off) has, for many years, been deemed the one match with the ability to make or break a player’s career on the South African football scene. In this regard, the 64-year-old Johnson could emerge as Chiefs’ saviour, and pioneer of an Amakhosi revival, or end up on the list of eight coaches fired in the past five years at the club. The Glamour Boys are focused on their meeting against their fiercest rivals this Saturday as they look to continue their league dominance in the fixture. Chiefs have not…

The day Gerhard Steenekamp received his Springbok call-up, he was on holiday fishing in Dullstroom. The 26-year-old may have worn the ‘Checkers’ jersey against Argentina in Buenos Aires – when he replaced Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop in the second half of the 24-13 victory – but it’s something that he will never forget. Despite missing out on the World Cup squad, the former Potchefstroom Gymnasium captain is eager to get back into the national set-up next season – and he knows that standout performances for the Bulls are the only way to do so. Steenekamp got a break last week as the Pretoria side beat Zebre 54-29 in Parma, with Simphiwe Matanzima wearing the No 1 jersey, while Dylan Smith was the reserve loosehead. But the 1.91m, 126kg giant…

The curtain has closed on an incredible Test career for Springbok strongman Duane Vermeulen, and what a way to finish his stint of 76 matches, by winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup. At 37, Vermeulen had one last hurrah with the Boks as they defended their title successfully in France, with the veteran becoming one of a select few men’s rugby players to boast back-to-back gold medals at the tournament. Plenty of pundits did not expect the former Pumas, Cheetahs, Stormers, Western Province, Toulon, Kubota Spears, Bulls and Ulster player to make it to the tournament, especially after missing out on some international action last year. But Vermeulen turned back the clock and proved them wrong as he played an influential role in the Boks’ triumph in France. Yesterday, SA…

THE RAND FELL by nearly 1% yesterday on the back of the US dollar extending its strength for a third day in a row after some US Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers left the door open to further rate hikes. The markets were gripped by ten- sion yesterday as investors awaited clues on the outlook of interest rates from a slew of central bank officials, including a speech from the US Fed chairperson Jerome Powell on the central bank’s future policy path in the evening. The sentiment across the market has been that the Fed will increase rates one last time before the year end by at least 25 basis points, which drove a sell-on to the greenback. As a result, the rand lowered 0.8% to R18.50/$1 by 5pm, weaker than…

ALEXFORBES’S shares yesterday fell after it announced the purchase of digital wealth platform OUTvest from a unit of subsidiary of OUTsurance Group Holdings (OGL) for an undisclosed amount as it continues to snap up acquisitions. Alexforbes said the acquisition accelerated its digital journey and supported its strategy of transforming into the most impactful provider of advice to retirement fund members. Alexforbes said Alexander Forbes Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, had concluded a binding agreement with OUTsurance Holdings Limited, an 89.8%-held subsidiary of OGL, for the acquisition of 100% of the shares in OUTvest, subject to regulatory approvals. The effective date of the acquisition was expected to occur towards the end of March 2024. Alexforbes shares slid 2.4% to close at R6.10, while OGL’s investors cheered the move, which…

Of all the internal and external market forces that affect the way small businesses operate, inflation argu- ably has the most significant impact. The past few years have seen inflation rocket, spiking to a 5.4% year-on-year high amid various intensifying pressures. With inflation directly impacting a business’s cash flow, small business owners need to have a thorough understanding of how it may influence their venture and find smart ways to mitigate the financial consequences. The unfortunate reality is that inflation is notoriously insidious – “inflation creep” refers to a gradual and sustained increase in the general price levels of goods and services in an economy over time. In this way, it erodes the purchasing power of the rand, impacting consumers’ ability to buy goods and services with the same amount…

ELECTRIC vehicles (EVs) have become somewhat commonplace in numerous countries. With its own, bona fide racing events such as Formula E and Extreme E, it’s safe to say the green technology has cemented its role in the automotive industry. In South Africa, the EV market is enjoying some encouraging awareness. However, lack of supporting infrastructure such as charging stations and ongoing power outages remain deal-breakers for some. Interestingly, EVs have the potential to address some of our country’s power supply problems. The vehicles have the ability to store a significant amount of power in their batteries, typically ranging from 40 to 100kW/h, depending on the car’s size and make. This is significant, particularly when you consider that cars are parked for hours on end, with their batteries fully charged and…

As a MEANS of understanding Public Private Partnership (PPP) legislative concerns, Krumm (2016) introduces the concept of privatised Keynesianism, first proposed by Crouch (2009). Privatised Keynesianism was designed to ease the government off of its overall economic commitments. In South Africa, our faith seems to be in the recently formed National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom) and the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC), both of which are dominated by special interests. South Africa’s persistently anaemic economic situation can be revived through PPPs, even though they aren’t the panacea. It is vital that public sector representatives have the expertise and experience to negotiate with astute profit-driven private parties. Keynesianism, like PPPs, often has its roots in private enterprises before becoming privatised and evolving into a common good. Due to Agency Theory’s emphasis…

Elvis Presley might have died almost five decades ago but, to this day, he is renowned as the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll”. It has been 46 years since he died and yet Elvis remains the role model to modern day musicians and is still regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. But while much is known about the singer who revolutionised the music industry, Priscilla, Sofia Coppola’s biopic now in cinemas worldwide, has placed a new figure in the spotlight. The highly-rated movie centres on the “King’s queen”, Priscilla Presley, who met Elvis at just 14 years old at one of his parties and went on to become his bride at 21. The film is based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me…

Local government expert says Cape Town and Ekurhuleni are exceptions to the prevailing criminality “Most of the corruption in South Africa is in the local government sphere, happens mostly in the North West, Mpumalanga and Free State. Much of the corruption remains unreported and has the most effect on the government’s ability to create work and stabilise the economy.” This is the view of local government expert Professor Gerhard Bezuidenhout yesterday. Bezuidenhout agrees with head of the specialised crime unit (Hawks) Godfrey Lebeya, who gave Parliament a list of the most prevalent cases of municipal corruption. The municipalities that have, however, received flying colours for their stand against corruption, are Ekurhuleni and Cape Town. Ekurhuleni is believed to have cleaned out the rot since the appointment of Dr Imogen Mashazi…

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng expressed his disappointment after learning that a classified document might have been leaked to the five suspects accused of killing soccer star Senzo Meyiwa. This comes after Judge Mokgoatlheng on Tuesday ordered Sergeant Vusumuzi Mogane to bring the documents to court. The request was made after Mogane told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that he travelled with accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi, from the Sibanye-Stillwater mine in Westonaria on the afternoon of June 18, 2020, and only took him to his prison cell at 2.30am. Mogane said he didn’t return Ntanzi because he thought Ntanzi would be bored alone in his prison cell. Yesterday, after a short adjournment, Mogane asked to address the court, saying he saw the classified document he brought being read by the accused.…

As the festive season approaches, bringing with it a wave of celebrations and feasts, Dr Vinesh Padayachy, a prominent vascular surgeon from Durban, casts a spotlight on the potential health dangers lurking amid our holiday cheer. Speaking from his practice at the Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre, Dr Padayachy warns of the risks associated with the traditional surge in the consumption of sugary and carb-heavy foods during this time of year. “The festive season often encourages indulgence in rich foods and decreased physical activity,” Dr Padayachy said, identifying a combination that could lead to increased blood glucose levels and significant weight gain. With a particular concern for the pre-diabetic and obese populations, he notes that such indulgences could precipitate the onset of diabetes and exacerbate existing health issues. Dr…

An Eastern Cape daughter who orchestrated the murder of her mother by hiring two hitmen to carry out the killing has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Nolufefe Jongwana, 36, was sentenced this week in the Lusikisiki Regional Court for the murder of her mother, Nomonde Jongwana, 54, who was murdered on June 12, 2019. Nolufefe’s co-accused hitmen, Masixolo Darke, 28, and Ntsikayomzi Mpentsheni, 36, were also sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Nomonde was found stabbed multiple times on her upper body in her rented flat in Bambisana, where she was a teacher, in the district of Lusikisiki. “Police investigations led to the arrest of her daughter and her two accomplices on October 2, 2019 in Feni location,” said NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali. By the…

THE Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison has embarked on a process of reversing all fraudulently acquired and issued licence discs, after it was unearthed that the province suffered “a huge loss”. Moeti Mmusi, spokesperson for the provincial department, said the losses were incurred between October 6 and 9 through corrupt and fraudulent activities. “This comes after the revenue management section of the department uncovered information that between October 6 and 9, the department suffered a huge loss of more than R35 million at KwaMhlanga and Siyabuswa licensing stations as a result of corrupt syndicates who fraudulently renewed licence discs and had illegally written (off) penalty fees,” he said. The revenue management section could not reconcile the licence discs issued with the actual revenue which flowed into the…

Slindile Mkhize, the 30-year-old wife of alleged cryptocurrency fraudster and presidential hopeful Sandile Shezi, on Tuesday appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, where she was released on R5 000 bail. According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, the woman was arrested on Monday in Fourways on charges of fraud and money laundering. “The arrest relates to a probe into an investment scheme where the suspect and her husband (Shezi) allegedly defrauded an investor of R600 000 in 2021,” Hawks Gauteng spokesperson Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said. City Press reported earlier this year that Shezi announced that he was running for president in South Africa’s general elections next year. In June, Sunday World reported that Shezi’s Vukani Ma-Africa had merged with Mpho Dagada's Arise South Africa…

Famous soccer star Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was murdered almost a decade ago in singer Kelly Khumalo’s house in Vosloorus, in what was believed to be a botched burglary. After a lengthy investigation, five suspects were arrested and put on trial. There seems to be no end in sight to the sensational murder case as it drags on for years. Postponements, delays, adjournments and even a trial-within-a-trial, the case continues to eat up valuable court time. But the court seems to be in no hurry to wind up the case. With twists and turns every other day, the case was even started all over again. As boring as the lengthy court process seems to be, it gets wide media coverage and continues to make for gripping viewing. The murder…

WHEN it comes to any discussion about the vehicle-manufacturing industry it’s impossible to have a conversation without the inevitable electrification of the future. Whether it’s weeping about the demise of the internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid options, plug-in hybrids, full battery electric vehicles or autonomous driving, things will never be the same. One issue that always comes up is range and range anxiety. Technology has vastly improved since Nissan introduced the first fully electric car 13 years ago in the Leaf and so has charging infrastructure. When the first generation was introduced to South Africa it had a claimed range of 175 kilometres and you could only charge it at certain Nissan dealerships and at home. As we know with manufacturers and companies like Grid Cars continually expanding the network,…

Eric Simons joked that he wasn’t tall enough to put his arm around Marco Jansen’s shoulder after the mauling the young fast bowler suffered against the might of India in his last outing. While Jansen’s chastening experience of conceding 94 runs in 9.4 overs was no joke – especially when Indian captain Rohit Sharma was having his way with the 2.06m tall fast bowler in the opening powerplay – Simons wanted to show that it was also not the end of the world. The 61-year-old bowling coach has seen many youngsters overawed by the occasion, and playing in front of 70 000 passionate Indian supporters at one of the most eminent sporting theatres in the world – Eden Gardens in Kolkata – certainly was a pressure-filled affair, but he has…

Kaizer Chiefs will go to the Soweto derby on Saturday with their tails up after beating Cape Town Spurs 3-2 at an empty FNB Stadium last night. Chiefs moved up to seventh spot on the DStv Premiership log with this victory, on 14 points, easing the pressure on the team that resulted in the sacking of coach Molefi Ntseki. But with the match played behind closed doors due to the fans being locked out after the acts of hooliganism of previous matches, it must have been a broadcaster’s dream as well. Apart from the 2-1 lead at half-time, via goals by Edson Castillo in the 15th minute and Ranga Chivaviro in the 25th, it was Chiefs all round as the development coaches – except for Vela Khumalo – doubled up…