Table of contents for 2024-04-12 in Star

AIRPORTS Company South Africa (Acsa) has confirmed it is talking with relevant parties in a bid to resolve the ongoing tax dispute between fuel suppliers and the SA Revenue Service (Sars), which could potentially impact supplies of jet fuel at OR Tambo International Airport. Business Report (BR) reported on Monday that the busiest airport in Africa could face yet another fuel supply challenge in the coming weeks if the dispute between fuel suppliers and the tax revenue collector over duties was not resolved speedily. According to sources close to the situation, stocks of jet fuel at the Acsa fuel farm in Kempton Park noticeably declined in the past week to below the acceptable benchmark of five-days supply. In a statement to BR yesterday, Acsa said that it was asked to…

THE COMPLAINT by commercial airlines Airlink and Global Airways Operations to aviation authorities to level the playing field with their competitor Safair Operations over the latter’s suspected majority foreign ownership of 74% could possibly be withdrawn if parties reach an agreement. Airlink and Global – the co-owners of the domestic airline Lift – have lodged a formal complaint to the International Air Services Council and the Air Services Licence Council, saying that foreign investors and shareholders predominantly owned Safair, the owner of FlySafair, thus breaching the Air Services Licensing Act and the International Air Services Act. Safair’s lead advocate, Thembeka Ngqukaitobi, told the International Air Services Licensing Council yesterday that they were requesting a postponement of the hearing, which had been set for yesterday at the headquarters of the South…

MANUFACTURING production in- creased by a higher than expected 4.1% in February compared with the same month a year before. Statistics SA data showed the biggest positive contributions came from wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing, as well as petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products. Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production, however, decreased 0.3% in February compared with January 2024. This followed month-on-month changes of 0.4% in January 2024 and -0.6% in December 2023. FNB senior economist Thanda Sit- hole said this decline was disappointing, particularly given the subdued quar- terly gross domestic product (GDP) growth regime. She said a mild decline in March would cause the manufacturing sector to drag quarterly GDP growth in the first quarter, and the manufacturing PMI reading for March was not encouraging…

In the recent revenue announcement, made by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) on April 2, 2024, announcing preliminary revenue collection outcome for the 2023/24 fiscal year, Sars announced that its total tax collections were R1.741 trillion with an unexpected surplus of R10 billion. One of the main reasons for this better-than-expected tax collection was accredited to its compliance efforts. As part of its compliance efforts, Sars has a litigation strategy that seeks to provide certainty and clarity for taxpayers through the courts on tax and customs laws and when justifiable, to make non-compliance hard and costly. This strategy has been implemented over several years and is continually producing better results, each fiscal year. According to Sars, in this fiscal year, 110 judgments were handed down in which…

STOKVELS continued to demonstrate South Africans’ tenacity and commitment to saving, despite the prevailing tough economic environment, FNB says. This as the bank saw a 15% increase in net deposits, surpassing the R9.6 billion mark in total member contributions over the past year, it said in a statement yesterday. Himal Parbhoo, the CEO of FNB Retail Cash Investments said: “Being a member of a stokvel is one of the most popular ways for South Africans to develop a savings culture. However, the challenge has always been in ensuring that the stokvel savings are managed efficiently while yielding the desired outcome to meet the stokvel groups’ goals.” A stokvel is a type of credit union in which a group of people enter into an agreement to contribute a fixed…

SOUTH Africa’s mining productivity is still suffering from elevated policy uncertainty and infrastructure challenges such as water, electricity, rail and ports bottlenecks, dimming investment prospects in spite of the 9.9% rise in mineral output in February. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday showed that the country’s year-on-year minerals output surged by a significant 9.9% in February, driven largely by iron ore, chrome and coal. StatsSA’s principal survey statistician, Juan-Pierre Terblanche, said iron ore was the biggest contributor to the overall mineral output surge for the month, growing by 42.9%, while coal production was 14.6% stronger. “Chromium ore output was up 20.6% and contributed a percentage point to South Africa’s minerals production rise during the period under review. “After 16 consecutive months of year-on-year decline, diamond production turned positive in…

As South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of its first democratic elections, the team at Carte Blanche have set out in search of stories that reflect the journey. In a special 90-minute episode, set to air on April 28, viewers will get to see and hear ordinary people from all walks of life share their realities, dreams and hopes for South Africa’s future. Waldimar Pelser, head of Premium Channels at MultiChoice, said rather than being an episode of the history of post-apartheid South Africa or apolitical assessment of South Africa’s destiny, the investigative journalists took to highways, streets and back roads to speak to individuals in their homes. “From a Sandton chef to a rural chief, a Durban street artist to a medical student, and a lawyer to a taxi…

IF YOU want to eat a little healthier this year, it does not require completely changing your diet. In many cases, you can make a few substitutions with the foods you enjoy and will have lower-fat foods that are tasty and nutritious. Here are some healthy food swops that use superfoods. If you are unsure what superfoods are, health expert Maria Ascencao notes that superfoods are exceptionally nutrient-dense foods. Ascencao says they are usually high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can help prevent disease, lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, help improve immunity, and decrease inflammation. “No single superfood can provide all the nutrition, health benefits, and energy needed to nourish the body. “However, superfoods, incorporated into a healthy diet (which excludes processed foods and those high…

Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Tommy Mthombeni has revealed that Soweto is battling with high levels of contact crimes, property hijackings and cash-in-transit-inspired ATM bombings. Yesterday, the recently appointed provincial commissioner launched Operation Shanela at Orlando Stadium ahead of the elections, which he said needed everyone to collaborate for effective policing. “We are working together with the provincial government on the issue of elections and that is why we must club together our efforts and ensure that we are ready for elections as we do not want to see instability,” he said. Mthombeni was accompanied by his deputy, Major-General Fred Kekana, and deputy provincial commissioner Crime Detection Major-General Mbuso Khumalo alongside senior officers of SAPS in Gauteng, officials from the Gauteng Community Safety, and CPF members. Mthombeni also commended the police…

I arrived at the Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill on the opening night of The Provenance II and it was already packed. Guests lined up to get a glass of Moët while others were browsing through art on display. Judging by the fashion, you could tell it was an event of one of South Africa’s most prominent designers, Lukhanyo Mdingi. I shot straight to the exhibition room on the right, and as I entered, “The Provenance II” was written in bold on the left side of the wall. As I scanned the room, I saw old Xhosa literature books and a dining room display which looked like most vintage black households’. During the ’90s and early 2000s, most black households had a sideboard used to store plates and cups reserved…

SATELLITE television channel Moja Love has reacted to the allegations of assault against Xolani Maphanga, presenter of Sizok’thola, who maintains he did not assault anyone while filming. Allegations are that Maphanga assaulted an elderly woman while filming an episode. It was said that Maphanga handed himself over at the Soshanguve police station on Wednesday along with a member of the security detail. They were remanded in custody until a bail hearing. A statement detailing the events leading to the arrest reads: “Leading to (Wednesday’s) events, the police from Tshwane met with the executive of the channel and said they wanted to charge him and the bodyguards with assault GBH, but upon handing themselves in, the charges had changed to attempted murder and trespassing.” The channel said it respected Maphanga but…

I am saddened by the death of veteran South African actor Chris April. Our first encounter was at the popular night club Swingers, in Wetton, where he amazed onlookers with his jazz dance prowess. April carried his age extremely well and was well into his sixties when he graced the dance floor, often with a beautiful lady on his arm. I recognised him from the TV ads he had appeared in, but he accepted the adoration with absolute modesty. Occasionally I’d see him in the Lansdowne area, always displaying a broad smile. We shall miss Bra Chris who rubbed shoulders with great actors such as Forest Whittaker, John Kani and Adam Sandler. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and may his dear soul rest in peace.…

SUZUKI Auto South Africa bust through its 50 000 sales barrier for the first time in April as local consumers increasingly chose its many modern, value-for-money models in the tough economic environment, where vehicle sales at an industry level are falling. The brand said yesterday it had received its final sales figures for the financial year to end-March 2024. It showed 51 969 new Suzuki models were sold in the 12 months, setting a new all-time record. Suzuki, which supplies the local market with vehicles built in India, is one of a handful of brands that have managed to grow sales and market share in a sharply declining market – in March the new vehicle market fell by 11.3% over the same month the previous year, the eighth…

IN A GOOD first step the government, through an accelerated depreciation allowance, would promote the production of electric vehicle (EV) in South Africa, Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) CEO Mikel Mabasa said yesterday. He said in an interview with Business Report that the investment allowance was particularly generous, considering the state of the fiscus and local economy and that there were a great deal of competing needs for government support. In the National Budget in February, an investment allowance for new EV investments was announced. Set to commence in March 2026, the allowance will see businesses and investors involved in EV production claim 150% of their qualifying investment spending in the first year. He said although the number of EVs was growing fast, they amounted to about less than 1…

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (Dalrrd) has alerted importers and exporters of live animals of stricter regulations they need to follow. This will reassure South Africans who were horrified in February after livestock carrier Al Kuwait, dubbed the “death ship”, transporting around 19 000 livestock from Brazil to the Middle East, docked at Cape Town harbour, causing a stench across the city and an outcry from animal rights groups. In February, the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) said it had learnt with concern of bulk animal carrier Al Kuwait. Allegedly, the situation on the ship was horrendous, with animals lying down and unable to get up, manure lying very…

RESILIENCE remains a fundamental enabler of business strategies in 2024, as many of the economic, geopolitical and humanitarian events that shaped 2023 will continue to evolve this year, and new trends will emerge, creating more challenges as well as opportunities, according to Alicia Goosen, head of commercial risk and chief broking officer at Aon South Africa. Her comments came after Aon South Africa launched its 2024 Insurance State of the Market Report. The report aims to provide global and South African insurance market insights. Goosen said challenging and unpredictable market conditions have refocused insurance buyers on the value, structure and overall cost of their insurance programme. The makeup of risk transfer is also evolving. “In most cases, buyers will be faced with decisions around how to manage an ever-expanding and…

SOUTH Africa’s largest used-vehicles seller, WeBuyCars, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) main board yesterday with a higher-than- anticipated opening price of R20 a share. Pegged initially at R18.75 for the public offering, the first few minutes of the WeBuyCars listing raked in 84 590 shares, considered a high volume. JSE’s head of trading operations, Martin Koch, said at the listing event in Sandton that there was a considerable demand for the used-car business shares. “This is some of the busiest activity we have seen in years. Traders were willing to buy at the market’s price,” he said. WeBuyCars was the second among 10 expected listings for 2024. WeBuyCars parent company, Transaction Capital, raised about R900 million in capital ahead of yesterday’s listing. The number of ordinary…

Jonathan Majors has been ordered to attend domestic violence counselling after being found guilty of assault and harassment. The 34-year-old actor was found guilty of two charges – third-degree assault and second-degree harassment – in December, and he’s now been ordered by a judge to attend one year of domestic violence counselling. During a hearing in New York, Judge Michael Gaffey said: “Jail is not necessary.” Majors has, instead, been told to complete a 52-week in-person batterer’s intervention programme, while he also continues with his mental health therapy. The Hollywood star has been told he must provide the court with updates on treatment, and if he fails to comply with the court ruling, he could face up to 364 days in jail. Grace Jabbari, the actor’s ex-girlfriend, has been granted…

Leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping and people are searching for autumn-themed foods and drinks to satisfy their cravings. There is something about a chilly autumn day that makes you instantly hungry for good seasonal food. Why not attract autumn food lovers by adding some delicious new dishes to your menu? Not to mention, ingredients tend to be cheaper when they are in season, so you will increase your profit with a small change. As such, here are some amazing autumn menu ideas for restaurants to try. Drink menu Autumn is the time diners are searching for cosy drinks and also fun season-inspired twists. Your drink menu is a great easy way to make your restaurant an autumn-friendly hot spot as it can be much easier to implement new…

Can you resist mouth-watering delicacies such as pies, fries, burgers, samoosas, pizza and doughnuts? Well, most of us cannot. They are not only tempting but addictive as well. Hunger pangs can strike at any time and it’s easy to give in to cravings for junk food during those moments. However, excessive consumption of these foods might lead to issues such as digestive disorders, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. If you know of these facts and still struggle to avoid junk foods, read on to find out how to stick to healthier alternatives instead. Start with simple swops It’s never too late to develop healthy eating habits, but don’t feel you have to go all out to start. The unhealthy habits we create do not appear overnight, so cut yourself some slack…

Anga Makubalo taps into his romantic element as he makes a thrilling return to screens with a much-anticipated romantic drama, Smart Casuals, which will premiere on Netflix globally today. The whole film was shot on location in Joburg, showcasing the various facets of this bustling economic hub, where the spirit and drive of the original gold diggers live on and where everything seems possible. Set against the backdrop of Africa’s most cosmopolitan city, Smart Casuals is an honest examination of romantic relationships and all of their variations as two couples travel equal and opposite paths in their search to find love. Makubalo portrays Taki, a mid-thirties photographer who has decided to postpone entering into long-term relationships for the time being. Up until he meets Tumi, who drastically changes his viewpoint,…

While Gauteng cops were the best performing when it comes to the average response times from police to calls to 10111 call centres, the data has raised questions about how incidents are prioritised. DA MP Okkie Terblanche, who is a member of the portfolio committee on police, had asked Police Minister Bheki Cele for the average response time for SAPS first responders to calls emanating from 10111 calls and dispatch centres in each province. In reply, Cele said the average response times with police stations linked to 10111 command centres were broken down into three complaint categories: Alpha, Bravo and Charlie. Policing consultant with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), David Bruce, said Alpha complaints were deemed very urgent, Charlie complaints the least urgent and Bravo complaints somewhere in between.…

After the hullabaloo around having to use several different flights to get to Northampton, the Bulls are set to field a much-changed team in tomorrow’s Champions Cup quarter-final at Franklin’s Gardens (9pm kick-off, SA time). But director of rugby Jake White is not resting most of his Springboks out of spite towards SA Rugby, who eventually managed to get most of the tour party business-class seats for their journey to the East Midlands of England. In a briefing with the media in Pretoria this week before jetting off to London, White said that it is a two-fold approach taking into account the fact that the Bulls will only get back to Pretoria on Monday at various times, which means they cannot train on that day, and the importance of…

THE Cricket SA T20 Challenge is reaching the business end, and with the rampant Warriors’ momentum stalled by the Titans, the rest of the pack still have a bone to pick with each other. The Lions have slowly shown why they are the kings of the jungle as they edge closer to their best form. The top four sides are starting to pull away from those in the middle of the pack. There could still be a few twists ahead, but you just can’t shake the feeling that the fat lady will surely be making her presence felt very soon. The Rocks, in desperate need of points, will visit the Titans at SuperSport Park in Centurion this evening (6pm start). The Pretoria-based side let a golden opportunity pass them…

LABOUR unions have blamed poor leadership and management of Siban- ye-Stillwater for failing to turn around the company’s struggling shafts after it announced plans to begin consultations that could affect about 4 000 employees from its South African gold mining operations. The multinational mining and metals processing group yesterday said that it would enter into consultations in terms of section 189A of the Labour Relations Act (s189) with organised labour and other representatives of affected non-unionised employees, regarding the proposed restructuring at its South African gold operations and its southern Africa region services functions. Further worsening the retrenchments by Sibanye at its South African gold mining operations is a rationalisation exercise for its southern Africa services. Sibanye’s spokesperson, James Wellsted, said this was further to previous restructuring, which was…

SOUTH Africa’s largest and oldest crypto asset service provider, Luno, has secured a licence from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) to operate as a financial services provider. Luno is the first dedicated crypto asset service provider in South Africa to be awarded its financial services provider licence, following the FSCA’s declaration of crypto assets as a financial product in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS). In 2022, the FSCA declared crypto assets to be financial products and said they needed to be regulated in order to protect financial customers from risks and prevent money laundering and terrorism financing. Roughly 60 crypto platforms are set to be licensed in South Africa. The FSCA said last month more than 300 crypto-asset providers had sought approval. Christo de…

NU-WORLD, the branded consumer goods importer, assembler and distributor with subsidiaries in Australia, Brazil, Dubai and Hong Kong, said yesterday that attributable profit fell 5.3% to R31.49 million in the six months to February 28. Total revenue for the group that deals in durable products that includes appliances large and small, consumer electronics and electric scooters, fell 2.8% to R969.53m. Headline earnings per share fell 5% to 147.1 cents from 154.9c. Net asset value increased 4.8% to 7 258.3c. Its directors said sales came under pressure locally, however international sales managed to show a 6.6% growth in turnover. Margins locally declined due to increasing cost pressures, high interest rates, high shipping costs, devaluation in the rand, load shedding and fuel costs. Business confidence continued to remain subdued,…

COSATU has welcomed the reopening of Optimum Coal Mine, saying that it will boost Eskom’s generation as it has potential to produce 13.5 million tons of the energy commodity. Cosatu’s acting national spokesperson, Matthew Parks, said the reopening of Optimum would also add to restoring employment for the more than 500 workers at the mine as well as pushing up exports of coal. The mine was at one time operating as the third-largest opencast operation in SA and supplying thermal coal to domestic and export markets. “Its return to operation will boost Eskom’s coal supplies and badly needed export earnings for the economy,” Parks said. “The reopening marked by the first shipment of coal exports through Richards Bay Port is a further injection in the port and a boost…

BET Africa’s upcoming new daily drama, Queendom, is coming to screens on April 22. The new show with a star-studded cast was announced in February, and as viewers sit and wait for its debut, it seems that drama was brewing on set. According to a report, the cast and crew had to stay home due to non-payment from award-winning production company Clive Morris Productions. According to ZiMoja, an insider at the company said they received letters saying payments were delayed. Communications director Natalie Mdladla confirmed to Lifestyle that the actors were paid: “The actors were all paid, but their payments were a bit late.” A launch event is slated to happen in Johannesburg, and hopefully, the entire cast will be in attendance. Queendom explores themes of cultural heritage, tradition, fate,…

Veteran actor Dingaan Khumalo is at the helm of Ha Molefi, a new drama set to air on Mzansi Magic in June. Best known for his role as James Motsamai in the ever-popular SABC2 soapie Muhvango, the actor steps into the role of Ntate Molefi, a newly widowed father, who has to navigate grief while raising his queer teenager, Thabang Molefi – played by TJ Mokhuane. Mokhuane is no stranger to TV either. The actor, motivational speaker and radio presenter has previously secured roles in 1Magic’s award-winning telenovela The River, where he played Tshepo, as well as in SABC2’s Lithapo as Thabang. The new show will see the father and son duo forced to confront their differences after a tragedy in the family. “Together they set off on a…

The South African government's decision to forbid plant-based foods from using names that sound like meat has sparked outrage among makers of alternative meat. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) announced on June 22, last year, that names such as “veggie biltong”, “plant-based meatballs”, and “vegan nuggets” won't be allowed anymore. According to the department, these names don't match the definition of "processed meat" according to the country's guidelines. It argues the names could be confusing for consumers. In a notice sent to companies involved in making, importing, and selling meat alternatives, the government said these products cannot have names typically used for meat items. Furthermore, the notice demanded that the Food Safety Agency (FSA) remove any plant-based products with such names from stores. This move…

Three months after being released from prison, convicted killer Oscar Pistorius is sweeping church floors as voluntary work. Pistorius was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013. He was sentenced the following year to 13 years behind bars. During court proceedings, Pistorius had said he heard a noise in the night in the bathroom, and believing Steenkamp was an intruder, opened fire through the door, killing her. The New York Post this week reported that Pistorius had reached out to members of the International Paralympic Committee asking for work in any capacity. “He’s too toxic to work with now,” one of the members told The Post, adding there was nothing for him there anyway. They added that he was doing light maintenance and…

THE majority of the players in the current University of Pretoria team would have been pretty young back in 2009, when AmaTuks reached the final of the country’s premier club knockout competition, then called the Absa Cup. But as they look to emulate their predecessors, their coach Tlisane Motaung has the players watching tapes of matches from that great run and feeding them stories of players who went on to become big stars – at big clubs and the country as well. It has to work as motivation, right? The knowledge that your life and career can change for the better through one match? Bet on them therefore to be fired up when they trot out onto the Lucas Moripe Stadium pitch for arguably the biggest match of their fledgling…

AMAZULU midfielder Ben Motshwari says he and his teammates are not short of motivation ahead of their Nedbank Cup clash against Orlando Pirates. Usuthu will welcome the Sea Robbers to Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow at 6pm, looking to get revenge for their 2022 MTN8 final defeat. The Buccaneers have held long-standing dominance over this fixture in both league and cup competitions, having won three of the last five meetings between the two teams, with the other two ending in draws. Motshwari, who spent five years at Pirates, spoke to the media at the AmaZulu training base in Durban ahead of the visit by his former club. The 33-year-old said the occasion and level of opposition that AmaZulu are coming up against has lit a fire in their bellies as they…

THE Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology next season to speed up decision-making after the clubs unanimously agreed on the move at a shareholders’ meeting yesterday. The technology has been in use in major tournaments and helps limit the need for long waits for VAR (video assistant referee) reviews – where match officials manually check if a player is offside or not – while also reducing the margins for error. “The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks,” the league said in a statement. “The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking,…