Table of contents for 2024-04-05 in Star

THE SHOPRITE Group has paid out more than R500 million to employees through its Shoprite Employee Trust in South Africa, barely two years after the trust was established. Valued at R8.9 billion following the conclusion of the transaction in May 2022, the trust was established on a non-vesting, evergreen basis with 40 million Shoprite Checkers shares. Its aim is to ensure the group’s valued employees benefit from its ongoing success via the trust. Under the scheme, permanent employees with two years or more of service benefit from distribution payments every six months, in line with the group’s dividend payments. The largest retail group in the country said yesterday its trust had surpassed the R500m mark in payouts to eligible employees, following the fifth distribution payment. The trust was…

MINISTER of Communications Mondli Gungubele says the restructured SA Post Office will be “lean, agile and cost effective”. Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, he said the business rescue process currently being carried out was a costly exercise, but way better than liquidation of the entity. In the 2023 Budget, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated a R2.4 billion bail-out to the Post Office. Gungubele said government’s aim was to save the entity and ensure it continued as a business. In this regard, turning the Post Office into an effective, innovative and financially viable entity remained the foremost priority of government. “It is important to note that the Sapo remains fully operational and committed to delivering essential services to the people of South Africa. “Despite the current challenges, the public…

WINE IS ONE of the key strategic industries prioritised in the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan to address economic growth, competitiveness, job creation and inclusivity. South Africa is among the top ten global wine producers and exporters. According to South African Wine Industry Information and Systems, globally, the South African wine industry ranks sixth (accounting for 4.1%) in terms of wine exports and eighth (accounting for 3.9%) in terms of wine production volumes. The domestic wine industry is vital to the economy, because it contributes to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), creates employment and generates foreign earnings. In 2022, the industry contributed R56 billion (0.9%) to the country’s GDP, with more than 270 000 people employed in the entire wine value chain (of which more than 85…

DURING the April 2024 South African Revenue Service’s (Sars’s) revenue results announcement media conference, Sars commissioner Edward Kies- wetter brought to light concerning observations regarding non-compliance and delinquent behaviour by tax practitioners. By drawing a direct correlation between non-compliant tax practitioners and their “clients (who) are equally delinquent”, his remarks underscored the critical importance of taxpayers to carefully assess the quality and compliance of the professionals they engage to handle their tax affairs. Tax advisers setting the wrong example Kieswetter revealed a troubling trend – a significant number of tax practitioners are themselves non-compliant with tax regulations. He disclosed: “(W)e have identified 53 tax practitioners who remain non-compliant in their own taxes, which explains in part how they advise their clients and why their clients are equally delinquent”. This revelation…

JSE-LISTED Harmony Gold said yesterday it had concluded a landmark five-year wage agreement that ensures stability and continued certainty on its fixed labour costs for the next five years. The deal for the period July 1 to June 30, will take effect on July 1 and is in respect of increases to wages and other conditions of service with Harmony’s five labour unions – the National Union of Mineworkers, Uasa, Solidarity, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa. “This agreement will result in an increase of approximately 6% per annum over the five-year period, which is within Harmony planning parameters,” the company said. Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp said: “For the first time in our 73-year history, we have concluded a five-year…

DJ Lag’s single Hade Boss is enjoying all-round success. Not only has the gqom song gone viral on social media platform TikTok, but the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) has just certified the single gold. It has also received a nod from the 2024 Metro FM Awards in the Best Kwaito/Gqom category where it will compete against Skyes and DJ Kotin. Hade Boss features Mr Nation Thingz and KC Driller. “It’s about talking to his boss, telling him that he wants his annual bonus now that it’s December because he wants to go party and have fun. “He wants to experience the summertime and play with the other kids,” said the DJ about the track. The song has received over half a million views on TikTok, and 6 million…

PEARL Thusi started the year with a bang and is thrilled to be adding yet another feather to her cap. The media personality has joined Gagasi FM, where she will be a resident DJ from this month. Taking to Instagram, she shared the exciting news with her followers and encouraged them to tune into her new weekly radio show. In the post, she wrote: “LIVESTREAM!!! Or tune in!!! So exciting!!! My very first RADIO MIX – GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!” Fans have since taken to her comments section to congratulate her on her latest gig. @ayabongamemela who wrote: “I’m happy for you mama, keep winning.” @jamain_d added: “Congratulations and here’s to many more.” @sipho_sewze3 wrote: “Ahh you went hard on this one.” Thusi’s foray into the music industry began in…

LABOUR and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi has promised over 700 000 jobs for unemployed South Africans through the launch of the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF’s) Labour Activation Programme (LAP). Speaking at a media briefing in Hatfield, Pretoria, yesterday, Nxesi alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the acting director-general of his department, unveiled the official launch of LAP. He said through the programme, training for employment and entrepreneurship programmes would be conducted through the collaborative efforts of a number of stakeholders, in particular, private businesses. The first rollout will kick off in Gauteng at Nasrec tomorrow, with the remaining provinces to follow suit, also during the month of April. Phase one of the project starting in Gauteng will see the launch of 55 projects, pegged to create as many as 500…

A youth seminar to empower those from disadvantaged communities was held in Menlyn yesterday by the Public Works Department, Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala and Deputy Minister Bernice Swartz. The seminar is part of the department’s initiative aimed at bridging the skills gap. The platform aims to foster an open dialogue between industry stakeholders, the department, and burgeoning talents within the young professional cohort. Zikalala said the Young Professionals programme aimed to address skills shortages in the built environment industry and to build skills capacity for the industry. During the seminar, a wide range of training disciplines pertaining to the built environment were covered, including engineering (civil, structural, transport, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and hydrology), construction management, quantity surveying, architecture, landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, property studies, and interior design. Zikalala…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has told his side to prepare for another Premier League title race that goes all the way to the last day of the season. Reigning champions City have been playing catch-up this term in a three-way clash with Arsenal and Liverpool. City maintained their charge by drawing level on points with second-placed Liverpool, and moving just one behind leaders Arsenal, with a commanding 4-1 win at home to Aston Villa on Wednesday night, featuring a hat-trick from England midfielder Phil Foden. Liverpool, however, had a chance to regain top spot when they played their game in hand against bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United last night. Guardiola continues to insist his side are only third favourites to lift the Premier League trophy, as they seek to be crowned…

When the names of David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Anrich Nortjé and Quinton de Kock were missing from Cricket South Africa’s national contract list, there was an uproar in the country. CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe, in conversation with Independent Newspapers this week, dived deep into the criteria they followed in the contracting process. Nkwe cited performances and CSA’s prioritising of forthcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) events, including the T20 World Cup this year and Champions Trophy next year. “The number one priority will always be the performances of players,” Nkwe said in an exclusive interview. “There’s World Cups every single year until 2031, so those are some of the things we looked at. If we could, we’d contract 30 or 40 players but at the moment, we can’t do…

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (Dalrrd) said yesterday that it was assessing the severity of the El Niño-induced drought and its impact on crop yields and financial status on farmers. This was as Zimbabwe declared a state of disaster on Wednesday over a devastating drought that is sweeping across much of southern Africa, with the country’s government saying it needed $2 billion (R37.5bn) for humanitarian assistance. In a statement, Dalrrd said the recent Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) showed that South Africa’s 2023/24 summer grains and oilseed production could fall by 21% year-on-year to 15.2 million tons. “This will still be sufficient for domestic needs, but the neighbouring countries in the regions have been hit hard and may experience food insecurity. “There are also emerging…

ON MARCH 1, the national minimum wage increased by 8.5% from R25.42 to R27.58 per ordinary hour worked. But is it enough? It is definitely a step in the right direction, but still doesn’t allow workers to live a dignified existence. While 8.5% might sound a lot, you need to consider that it translates to just R2 more per hour. I am a staunch promoter of the living wage concept that is gaining popularity in many countries. I recently returned from India where I attended meetings with living wage proponents from around the globe. Among these were members of the International Labour Organization (ILO), whose governing body just endorsed living wages as central to economic and social development. It means that ILO employer, government and worker representatives agree that living…

SUSTAINABILITY is back on the agenda of business and finance after the Covid-19 pandemic assigned it to the backburner for a few years, and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) is concerned about associated risks to consumers of financial pro- ducts that need to be addressed. Last week the FSCA published its Sustainable Finance Consumer Risk Report and Roadmap 2024, outlining the risks and its proposals to counter them. Sustainable companies are those that prioritise long-term goals beneficial to the communities in which they operate over short-term profits for shareholders, taking into account their impact on the environment. Investors can assess a company’s sustainability efforts by how well it scores on ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors. Younger generations of investors in particular are attracted to sustainable companies, and the…

GROWTHPOINT Healthcare real estate investment trust (Reit) has completed the R106.4 million acquisition of Johannesburg Eye Hospital in Northcliff, which has become the ninth asset and the second specialist healthcare facility in its portfolio. The Johannesburg Eye Hospital has a 20-year history specialising in eye surgery and laser eye procedures. The transaction includes the Medwedge Stepdown facility. Launched in 2018 as South Africa’s first unlisted Reit focused exclusively on healthcare real estate, Growthpoint Healthcare Reit has R3.8 billion of assets under management. After two-plus years of lost growth due to the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on the healthcare sector, the Reit was asset-hungry, with cash on hand to invest. Growthpoint Healthcare Property invests in licensed healthcare facilities that include acute, day and specialist hospitals, laboratories and biotechnology –…

The internet keeps buzzing with bizarre debates and people enthusiastically participating. At the moment, people are debating over the right way to eat a sandwich. Be it breakfast, mid-day snacks, evening munchies or even dinner, sandwiches can never disappoint you in any way. Filled with healthy veggies and finger-licking sauces, you can also easily customise this snack by experimenting with different ingredients and dressings. But the question stands, how do you actually eat these tasty yet filling snacks? According to social media users, the way you bite your sandwich tells others a lot about your personality. The dispute started when the TikTok account @foodporn uploaded a video that included a photo of a half-eaten sandwich along with the seemingly innocent question: "Which one would be ur next bite?" Various parts…

As THE upcoming general elections draw closer, fears of rigging, errors and cheating are growing among political parties and analysts. Earlier this year, former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule warned that there would not be any “vote rigging” now that he would be contesting the upcoming elections under the banner of his own party, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT). Magashule had raised questions over the credibility of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). He alluded to there having been a history of vote rigging in South Africa. “We are going to win elections, we’re very confident. There is not going to be any rigging of elections. Our eyes are open because we know. I’ve been part of the ANC, we know what’s going to happen,” Magashule said at the…

THE country’s more than 50 political parties contesting the elections set for May 29 have pledged to uphold the law and the rules governing the hosting of free and fair elections. Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperson, Mosotho Moepya, urged political parties to ensure they abided by the rules of conduct governing the elections during a signing ceremony at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand yesterday. The ceremony applied to political parties and independent candidates contesting the 2024 national and provincial elections, including the ANC, DA, EFF and ActionSA. “The rule of law is essential for the functioning of a democratic society, as it ensures equality, protects rights, limits government power, provides legal certainty, facilitates access to justice, preserves democracy and promotes social cohesion,” Moepya said. The ANC was represented by its…

THE Tshwane metro police’s road safety campaign was taken to Mamelodi township where many motorists were slapped with fines. Part of the operation targeted businesses that were found to have flouted outdoor advertising municipal by-laws. Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) spokesperson, senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba said the road safety operation was carried out by the department’s by-law unit from Region 6 and other law enforcement agencies. During the operation the metro police members issued 61 Aarto 01 infringement notices amounting to R53 300 to motorists who broke road traffic laws. Mahamba said: “A total of 23 Section 56 infringement notices were issued to business owners for business compliance, amounting to R15 300, and illegal advertising boards were removed.” In a separate operation this week TMPD K9 Unit recovered two stolen…

TSHWALA Bam, a smash hit song, has dominated the local Top 100 and international Top 200 charts for three weeks. The Amapiano hit song by Tito M and Yuppe, featuring S.N.E and EeQue, has received over three million streams in just four weeks, with a staggering 855 000 streams in just the last week alone. It has also sparked an exciting dance challenge that has enthralled passionate dancers all over the world. Imithandazo by Mthunzi and Kabza De Small is hot on their heels, featuring a powerhouse collaboration of Young Stunna, DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine and Umthakathi Kush at #2. Tyla’s Water drops slightly to #11 on the local top 100 but rises four spots to #15 globally. Tyla’s self-titled debut album, which features 14 tracks, has received positive reviews.…

The plethora of Banyana Banyana players plying their trade abroad has helped to raise the standards of the national women’s team and that will be in evidence again in today’s Olympic qualifying clash against Nigeria. The Paris Olympics is Banyana’s next target, and two matches against arch-rivals Nigeria (home and away) are standing in the way of South Africa’s Sasol-sponsored team. Banyana’s ever-improving ability is reflected in the statistics, which show the South Africans have won four of their last five meetings against Nigeria, the 11-time African champions. And another significant pointer to the team’s growing status is Banyana’s dramatic 3-2 Group G win against Italy at the last Fifa World Cup to reach the round of 16, just over a year ago. One of Banyana’s heroes that day was…

Some 284km south of Treviso, in Florence, Michelangelo’s sculpture of Lorenzo de’ Medici — Pensieroso — adorns the Duke of Urbino’s tomb within the Church of San Lorenzo in a pensive pose. Much like the famous thinking Italian statesman from the 1400s, you’d expect that there has been a lot of thoughtful stroking and holding of the chin this week from the Lions management and players. Notwithstanding a frustrating loss to the Ospreys last weekend, which will have given the squad much to masticate on, the Joburgers will have to carefully consider their selections for this weekend’s round-of-16 clash against Benetton in the Challenge Cup play-offs. The conundrum is this: selecting the strongest team possible for tomorrow’s clash (6.30pm kick-off, SA time) and beating Benetton will extend the Lions’…

After a six-game winning streak, the Bulls came back to earth with a thump against Leinster in Dublin last week. But co-captain Marcell Coetzee has urged his team to put that 47-14 defeat behind them if they hope to beat Lyon in tomorrow’s Champions Cup last-16 play-off at Loftus Versfeld (1.30pm kick-off). The Pretoria side actually made a strong start at the RDS Arena last Friday, particularly in the scrums, and led 14-12 at half-time. But it all went pear-shaped in the second half as the experience off the bench saw the Irish province score a few quick tries to end the match as a contest. So, the Bulls have been warned sufficiently that they can’t afford to switch off after half-time against Lyon. “The whole week’s preparation going into…

Shares on the local bourse have tracked the price of the yellow metal to its latest high GOLD SHARES on the JSE are shining on the back of bullish gold prices, which rallied to more than $2 300 (R43 111) per ounce yesterday, the highest selling point for the precious metal and safe haven. Prices retreated towards the end of the day, although analysts believe there is still momentum for a carry through. Spot gold was down 0.3% at $2 291.88 per ounce as of 4pm, after hitting a record high of $2 304.09 earlier in the day, according to Reuters. Gold shares on the JSE ended stronger yesterday on the back of firm bullion prices. AngloGold Ashanti’s shares yesterday ended the day 2.42% higher at…

DAYBREAK Farms, a leading poultry producer owned by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), is planning a R250 million debt deal to stabilise the company and optimise its operations and balance sheet. This follows a recent successful restructuring programme and the appointment of new executives. Last year, led by CEO Richard Manzini, Daybreak Farms was restructured and a new executive team was recently announced to support the company’s growth plans. The company holds about R1.2 billion in assets and was acquired by the PIC in 2015. Manzini, previously from the PIC, was appointed in January, having overseen the turnaround of Daybreak in his capacity as a board member before being appointed CEO. In 2022, the PIC overhauled the board in light of reports of multimillion-rand irregularities and it also appointed…

CLAY MINING and brick manufacturer Corobrik says it has no intentions of venturing into coal mining after drilling activities unearthed deposits of the energy mineral, sparking widespread concerns over possible environmental hazards. Environmentalists had been concerned that any coal mining at Corobrik’s operation would have resulted in environmental hazards, with the possibility of acid mine drainage into the nearby Rietvlei Nature Reserve. Green Peace is currently circulating a petition against the proposed coal removal from Corobrik’s Rietvlei operation. According to Birdlife Northern Gauteng, the approval for coal-mining activities was granted despite the fact that “the acid mine drainage into the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, the dam and wetland may have a serious adverse impact” on birds and other fauna relying on the wetland. Yesterday Corobrik CEO Nick Booth said the brick…

Award-winning DJ and businesswoman DJ Zinhle has been topping trend lists for singing her hubby’s praises. In a video making the rounds on social media, the Thula hitmaker shared how blessed she is to have married award-winning musician, Mörda. “I’m in my man’s dark room because I missed him and this room smells like him, so I decided to sleep here,” shared DJ Zinhle. She asks fans and followers whether they have dated someone who they knew was “above your league”. “Like people you never thought you’d get with and then, suddenly, they are accessible and they actually like you.” She speaks about how this was the case with her and her DJ, record producer, singer and dancer husband, Mörda, whose real name is Bongani Mohosana. “My husband is a…

A judge has approved actress Christine Quinn’s request for a temporary restraining order against Christian Dumontet and ruled that he must vacate their Hollywood home. Dumontet has also been ordered to hand over login information for the home’s security systems and he has been forbidden from coming within 91 metres of Quinn, her home, vehicle, job or their son Christian jr.’s “school or childcare”, according to People. The order is in effect until a hearing on April 17. The couple made headlines following an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this month. Quinn recently filed for divorce after five years of marriage and, in court documents obtained by PageSix, she alleged that when she initially broke up with Dumontet, he started yelling at her, throwing floral arrangements and urinating on the…

The Johannesburg city council has recently voted in favour of a policy to allow councillors access to VIP protection. It is reported that this “adjusted” VIP Risk Management System policy would allow each of the 270 councillors and other committee members access to two VIP security guards without needing an SA Police Service (SAPS) risk assessment. Reports indicate that this will cost Joburg taxpayers over R54 294.29 per protector a month. On March 5, a draft of the policy was run through a Section 79 Public Safety Committee meeting, but all its members – including ANC councillors who form part of the Government of Local Unity (GLU, a coalition between the ANC, EFF and Patriotic Alliance) – rejected it. The DA said the policy was brought back to council nonetheless.…

WITH the May 29 elections approaching, the land question and amending Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation have still not been attended to. The ANC, EFF, PAC and ATM, with others, support the amending of the Constitution, while the DA and the Freedom Front Plus, with others, are opposing it. The IFP supports land expropriation but believes it should be paid for. However, former ANC chief whip and party heavyweight Dr Mathole Motshekga believes it could be detrimental if the matter was not resolved, saying it could cause a war after the country is attacked for its land. He was speaking at the “Podcast and Chill with King David Mashabela’’ earlier this year. “I know my party, the ANC, says we must create a…

AT A time when the country is heading to a crucial election, having over 500 000 IDs sitting uncollected at offices of the Department of Home Affairs is a painful reminder of the failures and inefficiencies of the current governing party. These concerns were raised by ActionSA yesterday, following the admission by Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi of there being many uncollected ID smartcards nationwide. According to the party, Motsoaledi had detailed this in a parliamentary question-and-answer session in November last year, where he stated that the primary driver was system downtime at the department. “Operationally, the department’s branches were down for a combined 15 289 hours between April and May 2023, while for the half year, the figure rose to 36 000 hours, with 57% of this due…

NEARLY three years after a deadly crash that cost the life of an elderly Brits man, the teenager who allegedly stole his father’s car for a joyride with his friends has appeared in court. Kgaugelo Masenya, 19, made a brief appearance in the Brits Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Patrick Jewell, 65, died nearly three weeks after the September 21, 2021, crash. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit represents Jewell’s daughter, Jacky Jewell, who approached the unit for help because of the police’s abject failure to investigate the case. The accused teenager’s father is a captain in the police’s VIP Protection Unit. It is suspected that the failure to investigate the case is an example of police officers covering for their colleagues. Masenya has been charged with culpable homicide and driving a vehicle without…

The newly appointed executive dean of the College of Accounting Sciences (CAS) at Unisa, Dr Moses Thabang Hlongoane, plans to increase the pass rate at the institution – and the mental health of students will be among his top priorities. Hlongoane emphasised that establishing a strong support system for students’ mental health would be a contributory factor to inspire a hike in the pass rate of accounting candidates, especially for their Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) board exams. “Our students are offered counselling services that include mental support. The additional support that we are providing to our students, if maintained, will take our students a long way,” he said. Hlongoane has cemented himself in the accounting profession. He rendered his accounting skills in various notable companies in the public sector,…

THE South African football world is mourning the loss of a bright flame following the death of Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs. The 24-year-old from Westridge, in Mitchells Plain, was shot and killed in a hijacking in, Honeydew, Joburg, at around 8.30pm on Wednesday. He was waiting in a red VW Golf 8 GTI for a petrol attendant at a garage on the corner of 14th Avenue and Hendrik Potgieter Road when two armed men pulled up in a white BMW 1 Series and confronted him. Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said the suspects pointed a gun at Fleurs, forced him out of his car, and shot him once in the upper body. “One suspect drove off with the victim’s car, followed by his accomplice. “The victim was taken to…

After being held to a draw by Soweto rivals Moroka Swallows on Wednesday evening, Orlando Pirates risk the grim prospect of failing to secure a CAF Champions League berth. The 1-1 stalemate was the second setback for Pirates in a matter of days, after they suffered a defeat to Sekhukhune United last Saturday. Striker Patrick Maswanganyi scored the equaliser in the second half, after Swallows took the lead through Lindokuhle Mtshali in the 27th minute. Failure to win their latest matches means Pirates (34 points) have slipped to fourth place in the DStv Premiership standings. Lesser-fancied sides Stellenbosch FC (38) and Sekhukhune (34) are now above them. However, Jose Riveiro, Pirates’ Spanish coach, feels the team still has CAF Champions League qualification as its priority. “We are going game by…