Star 2022-06-22

After gaining years of experience in construction and tired of being seen as a “paper pusher” in the male-dominated industry, Kokeletso Moiloa decided to use her know-how to start her company, Blue Dot Consulting. Founded in 2015 and based in Johannesburg, Blue Dot Consulting is a construction company that focuses on building construction, building renovations, development, maintenance of infrastructure, engineering, and consulting quantity surveying. Moiloa told Business Report, “After working in the construction industry for a while, I saw that it’s one of the industries that are still not really welcoming for women to operate in it. “Women are just viewed as ‘paper pushers’ only suitable for roles in administration and finance. There are fewer women in managerial positions and other top positions within the industry,” Moiloa said. “The future…

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said on Tuesday it would be in the Labour court to defend the right to strike at Impala Platinum (Implats) mines in Rustenburg in the North West. Numsa said at least 4 000 of its members were on astrike, which started on Monday. “Workers employed by contractors at Implats are paid a fraction of what permanent workers are earning,” it said. Numsa said that, for example, a rock drill operator (RDO) at Implats earned a minimum R17 000 a month, with benefits like medical aid and a provident fund. “But a RDO who works for one of these backward contractors will earn not more than R5 000 a month with no benefits whatsoever. It is utterly disgraceful that workers are…

SOUTH Africa’s economy bounced back in May to reach the highest level since August last year, according to the latest figures in the monthly BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index (Beti). This after experiencing some moderation in the previous month. Shergeran Naidoo, the automated clearing house’s head of stakeholder engagements, said the Beti increased by a significant 9.9 percent in May 2022 compared to a year ago. The standardised nominal value of transactions reached an all-time high of R1.229 trillion in May. The number of transactions remained elevated at 132.9 million, the third-highest number yet recorded in a month and 15.7 percent higher than a year ago, Naidoo. “The May reading was also a substantial improvement on the 4.9 percent – revised from 4.5 percent recorded in April.” Following revisions to the…

All roads lead to Makhanda in the Eastern Cape this week, as the most anticipated National Arts Festival (NAF) makes a comeback with a full live format, after a two-year hiatus. The Jazz Festival, a highlight of the National Arts Festival, has suffered a major blow after the main sponsor of three decades, Standard Bank, has announced that they will no longer sponsor the event. Standard Bank will, however, continue its sponsorships of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards and the Standard Bank Ovation Awards for the next three years. “Our involvement in the arts is in line with our purpose of driving Africa’s growth. Through the partnership with the NAF, we have contributed (to) and continue to see the growth of the industry, its participants and beneficiaries,” says…

IF YOU’RE as tired of Drake as I am, you’re tired of being tired. Encountering the sweet-nothingness of his voice in any public setting instantly makes me wish the 21st century would leave me alone, and I really don’t want to feel that way anymore, because, like he taught us back in 2011, yolo. So once I got his last album – September’s unnecessary Certified Lover Boy – out of my system, I made a resolution: instead of waiting for the next Drake song to materialise against my volition like a rash or a robocall, I would try to recalibrate my listening. Instead of hearing redundancy, I would listen for commitment. Instead of hearing solicitousness, I would listen for generosity. Instead of hearing rap songs, I would try to listen…

A WEST Rand family has opened a criminal case following an alleged bullying incident at their son’s Krugersdorp school which left the Grade 8 learner with a concussion. On June 15, the Krugersdorp High School learner, who cannot be named, was walking with his friend to look for a teacher, who was supposed to look after his class for physical education, following an exam when they were approached by three other Grade 8 learners, who had allegedly threatened him the night before. He told The Star yesterday that the boys proceeded to push him and call him names before one took out his phone and started recording a video. “One of them started hitting me, and he slapped me on my face. When I tried to ask him what’s wrong,…