Table of contents for 2025-05-05 in Cape Times

The automotive industry in South Africa demonstrated resilience in April and increased new vehicle sales for the month by 11.9% in spite of the global economic landscape continuing to shift under escalating uncertainty. The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Friday said the aggregate domestic new vehicle sales reached 42 401 units, up from the previous year's figure of 37 899 units. This surge reflected the industry’s structural depth, export capabilities, and ability to pivot within a shifting global economy even as external headwinds strengthened. Even though export sales decreased by 2 266 units, or 6.6%, to 31 822 units in April compared to the 34 088 vehicles a year ago, vehicle exports for the year to date were still 6.3% ahead of the same period last year. Naamsa CEO, Mikel…

April proved to be a challenging month for South Africa’s manufacturing sector as the latest Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), conducted by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) and sponsored by Absa, reported a significant decline, dropping to 44.7 points from March's 48.7. This latest survey reflected mounting concerns among industry participants, underpinned by global trade tensions and a turbulent local political environment. Manufacturing businesses across the nation faced deepening challenges, most notably illustrated by the sharp decrease in both business activity and new sales orders. The business activity index nosedived from 48.3 to a concerning 40, whilst new sales orders fell even more dramatically by 12.8 points to a subdued 36.1, indicating waning demand both domestically and internationally. The BER highlighted worrying trends, noting that the index tracking export sales…

The 2025/26 Budget marks a turning point in South Africa’s young democracy. It is up to us whether this is for the better or worse. The processes to pass the Budget are messy but we should not lose sight of the positive signs of a government that listens and is willing to adapt when society demands change. Cosatu has opposed taxes such as a VAT hike as these would make the lives of working-class families already struggling to cope with the rising costs of living, supporting unemployed relatives, drowning in debt and battling to make ends; even more difficult. We are pleased government humbled itself and heeded the cries of society to withdraw the proposed VAT hike. That is a moment to be applauded. We remain a society…

The Port of Maputo plans to double its container terminal capacity following a $165 million (R3.04 billion) expansion by a key operator of the port, the Dubai-based DP World. The Port of Maputo is operated under a concession by the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), which includes DP World, JSE-listed Grindrod, and Mozambique’s state-owned railway operator. Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Jorge Matlomb attended a ground-breaking event to mark the commencement of the expansion project, a statement from DP World said on Friday. The project will significantly enhance the capabilities of the port and position it as a trade and logistics hub for Southern Africa, and open a gateway for larger container ships. The expansion is expected to meet growing global trade demands, create thousands of new jobs,…

It is not an exaggeration to say that we are obsessed with our pets. The American Pet Products Association projects that total U.S. pet industry expenditures will be $157 billion in 2025, up from $104 billion in 2020. And all that stuff we buy for Archie or Ladybug needs to be cleaned and maintained. The good news is that most of your pet’s belongings are machine washable, making caring for them as easy as doing a load of laundry. Doing your pet’s laundry helps keep them healthy, most importantly, but it can also extend the life of their toys, outfits, beds and other belongings, saving you money and reducing waste. Crucially, regular washing will also keep those pettish odors at bay so that your house doesn’t smell like a…

Mushroom coffee is currently trending among health enthusiasts and coffee drinkers, leaving many curious about this unique blend of coffee and fungi. Before you picture mushrooms floating at the top of your cuppa, it's simply a refined powder. According to a study on chemistry, nutrition and health-promoting properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane) mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelia and their bioactive compounds, mushrooms were used as a coffee substitute in Finland during World War II, when coffee beans weren’t available. There’s also an extensive history of culinary and medicinal use of mushrooms in Asian countries, specifically for Chinese medicine, for their nutritional and health benefits. Advocates are claiming a variety of health benefits associated with mushroom coffee, including improved sleep and enhanced energy, but is there more to it than…

The phased withdrawal of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops from the war-prone eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marks a significant new chapter in regional peace-keeping efforts. This was according to Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, who provided an update on the phased withdrawal of the SANDF during a media briefing in Pretoria yesterday. She explained that the withdrawal was a structured process, designed to ensure the safe return of both troops and equipment was not compromised. The soldiers were deployed in the DRC in December 2023 as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and UN peacekeeping deployments. Fourteen SANDF members have been killed and several injured during intense combat with the M23 rebel group near Goma. Motshekga…

UCT graduate Dr Mapheyeledi Sibindlana, has completed a groundbreaking PhD that critically examines how violence is understood and represented in the context of student protest. Awarded in 2024 by UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences, her study – Understanding violence within protest: a case study investigation of the Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) Movement at the University of Cape Town (2015–2016) – challenges dominant narratives around protest violence, and explores how these interpretations often obscure underlying power structures within universities. Sibindlana’s research draws on decolonial theory to interrogate how the label of “violence” is applied in protest settings, often without fully acknowledging the conditions that drive dissent. She argues that these interpretations can serve to delegitimise protest and protect institutional authority. RMF was a movement initiated by campus-wide protests for the removal…

JOSE RIVEIRO might not be one for individual acclaim, but there is bound to be a part of him that is looking to leave a lasting personal legacy on South African football, to add to the club ones he has already built. It is a record that Orlando Pirates can achieve before his three-year tenure with the Buccaneers comes to an end. It is a milestone that would put the cherry on top of the few he has already attained. And, given their 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs at the weekend, it is a feat you can safely bet on him achieving. The soft-spoken Spaniard could become the most successful coach in the Soweto Derby should he lead Pirates to defend their Nedbank Cup title at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium,…

The Aviation Co-Ordination Services (ACS) has celebrated its hold on the over multi-billion rand baggage handling monopoly after the Gauteng Division of the High Court dismissed the Airports Company of South Africa's (Acsa) appeal against an order that stopped it from procuring baggage screening equipment. In a statement on Friday, ACS welcomed the high court decision, saying it said confirmed that the critical replacement of aged Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) equipment may proceed at key international airports, which is crucial to ensure public safety and airport efficiency. The ruling upholds the High Court’s mandamus order of 5 November 2024, requiring Acsa and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to allow ACS to replace the relevant equipment at OR Tambo and King Shaka International Airports while a main review case…

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has ticked the right boxes in the appointment of an electricity advisory forum expected to help it navigate the robustly changing energy market, market commentators have said. This comes as Nersa last week announced its approval for the appointment of an advisory body, the Electricity Market Advisory Forum (EMAF), will advise Nersa on various matters related to the establishment of a competitive electricity market. In a statement on Friday, Nersa said the decision of the Energy Regulator recognised the profound changes anticipated in the electricity sector and the role of the Energy Regulator, heralded by the amended ERA, which includes the establishment of a competitive electricity market over the next five years. "The EMAF is a proactive move to involve stakeholders to…

Despite the continuous geo-political uncertainty in South Africa, given the budget-debacle around VAT and the vulnerability of the GNU, equity prices on the JSE, as well as the rand continues to recover strongly. The ALSI improved for the third consecutive week, as the index increased by 1.8%, ending once again a new record level of 92 333on Friday. The index is 9.32% up for the year and 20.5% higher than a year ago. Both the All Share industrial, and the Industrial 25 indices reached their highest level since February. The ALSI industrial index on Friday traded 2.8% higher than the previous Friday and by 9.8% since the beginning of the year. Resources contracted strongly last week, with the RES10 index losing 6.0, whereas financial shares as a proxy for domestic…

OPEC+ has agreed to accelerate oil production hikes for a second consecutive month, raising output in June by 411 000 barrels per day, the group said on Saturday, despite falling prices and expectations of weaker demand. Following an online meeting lasting just over an hour, the producer group announced the supply increase, saying the fundamentals of the oil market were healthy and inventories were low. Oil prices fell to a four-year low in April below $60 per barrel after OPEC+ announced a bigger-than-expected production boost for May, and as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs raised concerns of global economic weakness. OPEC+ sources have said Saudi Arabia is pushing OPEC+ to accelerate the unwinding of earlier output cuts to punish fellow members Iraq and Kazakhstan for poor compliance with their production…

The EFF has demanded Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana bear the costs associated with the R2.3 million wasted on his ill-fated Budget Speech in February. EFF MP Omphile Maotwe made the call almost a week after her party and the DA took Godongwana to the Western Cape High Court over his first attempt to increase the VAT. The minister settled out of court with the DA and the EFF on the issue to set the VAT hike aside, with the court subsequently ratifying the agreement. Maotwe, whose party had called for Godongwana to step down due to the Budget delivery fiasco, described the R2.3 million, which was spent preparing for the Budget, as wasteful expenditure. “All of this was avoidable had the minister simply listened to the millions of South Africans…

A PRELIMINARY report on the devastating head-on collision on the R63 in the Eastern Cape at the weekend that claimed 15 lives is expected in 48 hours, the Transport department says. “The department, through the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), is investigating the cause of the accident in collaboration with the Saps and provincial authorities,” the department said yesterday afternoon. Authorities were also in the process of identifying the 15 victims - eight men, six women and one child - who lost their lives in the horror crash involving a double cab bakkie and a quantum taxi. “A total of 15 people have died and five others sustained injuries in a head-on collision involving a fully loaded minibus taxi and a bakkie. The accident occurred on the R63 road between…

Chelsea bolstered their bid to qualify for the Uefa Champions League with a 3-1 win as Liverpool suffered a Premier League title hangover at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Enzo Maresca's side took the lead through Enzo Fernandez's early strike at Stamford Bridge. Jarell Quansah's second half own goal was followed by Virgil van Dijk's late reply for Liverpool. Cole Palmer's stoppage-time penalty condemned the champions to only their third league defeat this season. While lacklustre Liverpool had little to play for after winning a record-equalling 20th English crown, Chelsea had every incentive to secure a priceless three points. Hoping to return to the Champions League via a Top 5 finish, the Blues sit in fifth place, level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle after their 1-1 draw at Brighton earlier on…

Cape Town City FC are teetering on the brink of disaster, with the dreaded PSL promotion/relegation play-offs staring them squarely in the face after a 2-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday evening. This Betway Premiership loss at the Cape Town Stadium deepened City’s woes and cast their position in the PSL into alarming focus. The club now sits rock bottom in the 15-team league with 23 points from 26 games – three points adrift of the cluster of teams above them on 26. The harsh reality is that either of their remaining two fixtures may not be enough to stave off the threat of the play-offs. Ironically, Saturday evening’s showing was one of City’s better performances of late, with the side creating several opportunities against the best team in…

In a recently published report by the Brenthurst Foundation, South African agriculture is depicted as resilient enough to navigate the challenges posed by the proposed tariffs from US President Donald Trump. Led by Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), and Tinashe Kapuya, a specialist in agricultural trade, the analysis asserts that with the right measures, South Africa can counteract the shock waves from this geo-economic upheaval. The report said that from a South African perspective, the upheaval of the global geo-economic and political landscape created heightened uncertainty, which demands a set of interventions that can effectively reduce risk, preserve economic interests, and continue to grow the country's economy through its export-led strategy. The report added that over the past two and a half…

Gold Fields is in “active discussions” with Gold Road Resources despite an earlier rejection of its offer to acquire 100% of the shares of the Australia mining group by way of a scheme of arrangement, the Johannesburg-based global miner confirmed in a statement Friday. The JSE and New York-listed Gold Fields has mines in South Africa, Ghana, Australia, Peru, Chile and Canada. Western Australia mining company Gold Road primarily owns 50% of the Gruyere Gold Mine in partnership with Gold Fields. According to Mining Weekly, in March, Gold Road had rejected an initial A$3.3 billion (R39.2bn) takeover approach from Gold Fields, saying the “extremely disappointing” offer had undervalued the company. Gold Road’s shares had since climbed by more than 20%. Gold mining company share prices tend to follow the trends…

Richards Bay Coal Terminals (RBCT), operated by Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), is experiencing a renaissance of efficiency, marking a significant milestone as it celebrates the handling of 30 million tons of cargo in the last financial year. In an interview with Business Report on Friday, RBCT managing executive Thula Dlamini highlighted the strategic initiatives that have propelled the terminal’s success. “This includes growing strategic commodities there such as chrome and magnetite much more than the volumes that we did in the last financial year. Coal we expected to do less as the market price faced challenges but we still ended up doing much more than we had budgeted for,” Dlamini said. “We're still using the same number of assets that we've used. I think we've just utilised our assets better.…

THE Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA) is the latest contentious issue that has divided the two major parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU). The DA is taking legal action over a section of the amended Employment Equity Act, claiming it creates race-based employment quotas that will exclude and harm certain segments of the population. On April 15, the Department of Employment and Labour published two sets of Employment Equity (EE) Regulations following the commencement of the EEAA on January 1, 2025. These regulations include: 1. General Administrative Regulations: These provide standardised forms and templates for equity analysis and planning, enforcement tools, and processes for obtaining or withdrawing an EE Certificate of Compliance. 2. Regulations on Sector Numerical EE Targets: These introduce five-year numerical targets for designated groups across…

The world of sport has seen its fair share of athletes fall foul of banned substances, and cricket is no exception. Over the years, several prominent cricketers have found themselves embroiled in drug scandals — whether performance-enhancing or recreational. With Kagiso Rabada admitting this past weekend to using a banned substance after a filled drug test, we look at six other players who’ve made headlines for the wrong reasons in recent memory. Kagiso Rabada Admittedly, the 29-year-old’s recent indiscretion doesn’t seem as serious as what will follow below, but it will unfortunately damage his brand regardless. KG is arguably South Africa’s most prolific bowler of the modern era. The Proteas paceman, who has taken 327 Test wickets and 168 in ODIs since his 2015 debut, returned early from the IPL…

Performances with the bat over the next two games in the Tri-Series between Sri Lanka and India will be crucial, if the Proteas Women are to progress in the short tournament. More than just progressing, a solid showing with the bat in the upcoming matches would also affirm the hard work the squad has been putting in during training. At present, however, the situation does not seem to be swinging in favour of the green and gold. The team is coming off two consecutive defeats, with coach Mandla Mashimbyi stating there were no excuses for the poor batting displays. The Proteas Women lost their first match of the series after being bowled out in the 49th over by India, falling short by 15 runs. A heroic effort by Tazmin Brits,…

South Africa’s four franchises are preparing for a Welsh invasion this coming weekend as the United Rugby Championship (URC) reaches its climax over the next two rounds. There will be a clear picture for the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers in terms of what they must do to maintain or better their positions on the official URC log. The Lions, though, will be scrambling and hoping for some miracles to come their way as they chase a first-ever knockout spot. One win away from getting a home play-off: Fourth – P16, W11, Pts 53 On Friday (7pm kick-off), the Sharks can secure their home quarter-final should they claim a win over the Ospreys. That is how simple the equation is for the Durbanites. They will be certain that Kings Park will…