Table of contents for 2024-04-25 in Star

ONE OF CHINA’s cities, Shenzhen, has expressed a keen interest in partnering with South African companies to promote innovation and entrepreneurship to create a better future. This is according to the director of the development and reform commission of Shenzhen municipality, Guo Ziping. Guo told the Shenzhen-South Africa Investment Promotion Conference yesterday that there was so much that Shenzhen could offer to South Africa, especially when it came to technology and innovation. “Shenzhen has changed from a small sleepy fishing village in 1978, when it became China’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), to a wealthy modern metro by embracing innovation and entrepreneurship, which is why it is home to more than 300 of the Fortune500 companies,” she said. Shenzhen has a population of 18 million, far less than South…

DR IQBAL Survé, the chairperson of Independent Media, yesterday welcomed the move by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) to take banks to task for bank account closures over reputational risk, but said the organisation was failing in its duty to protect South Africans from banks. The FSCA commissioner, Unathi Kamlana, in a speech to the Banking Association of South Africa’s Banking on Ethics Conference last week, highlighted that the financial sector was taking proactive measures to prevent breaches of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) measures due to South Africa being greylisted. But Kamlana emphasised that closing bank accounts on reputation risk put banks on shaky ground. He said: “However, some of the actions of the banks which have been particularly contentious in this area…

JSE-LISTED Copper 360’s share price surged 19.2% to R3.10 per share after it achieved landmark production of the commodity from the Northern Cape province, producing 136 tons of concentrate over a period of three weeks. The AltX listed firm reported first copper production from Nababeep in the Northern Cape, a day after it said there were suspicious trade transactions in its shares. It has asked the Financial Sector Conduct Authority to investigate the “unusual and uncommercial trades” in its shares, which had resulted in a drop in its share price. However, the share price soared yesterday after Copper 360 reported the remarkable achievement which saw it record concentrate grades in excess of 30% during commissioning of the Nama Copper plant which it recently acquired. Copper 360 is also the…

IT’S NO SECRET that entrepreneurs are the driving force behind economic growth and job creation. Most economies in the world are powered by entrepreneurs who, in turn, create between 60 and 90% of jobs in their various countries. For entrepreneurs to have the freedom to prosper, they need a robust ecosystem that supports their efforts. A vibrant and inter-connected system, great support networks and an open economy system help entrepreneurs succeed. This year marks a significant year for South Africa, as it celebrates 30 years since the country had its first democratic elections, thereby eliminating the apartheid era that marginalised most of the population. Since then, the government has put in place various measures to enable the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. Several interventions have been im- plemented…

The average take-home pay fell marginally in March due to various market and economic factors that have placed financial constraints on companies and pressure on salaries. According to the BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI) released yesterday, take-home pay fell due to the weak level of the rand exchange rate and higher fuel prices, among others economic factors. Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica’s head of stakeholder engagements, said salaries in March declined below levels recorded the same month in 2023. “The average real take-home pay, adjusted for inflation, tracked lower at R14 236 in March and slightly below year-ago levels,” Naidoo said. However, the average salary moderated slightly in nominal terms to reach R16 043, still 5.0% up compared to a year ago, and 3.6% up on December’s R15 484.…

Actress and producer Nambitha Ben-Mazwi has landed her first lead role, in the upcoming Showmax series, Empini. The actress is well-known for her performances in TV shows like The Queen, The Estate, Netflix’s Savage Beauty and How to Ruin Christmas as well movies like Happiness Ever After and Black Mirror. And although she has received accolades for her acting, this is the first time she will be leading a series. Ben-Mazwi is set to star alongside multi-award-winning actor Siyabonga Thwala as she takes on the role of Ndoni Themba, a deeply troubled private security bodyguard in search of answers. Thwala will play Khaya Bhodoza, Themba’s mentor and a prominent businessman and political stalwart. Ben-Mazwi said her team had been working for the past two years to land her a role…

IN A decisive ruling, Judge Michelle O’Sullivan of the Western Cape High Court has handed down a judgment that reverberates throughout South Africa’s media landscape. The case, brought by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) against Sekunjalo and Independent Media, has been firmly dismissed, marking a significant legal triumph for the defendants. The lawsuit, centred on a contentious R150 million investment made by Sactwu in 2013 into the Independent Media Consortium (IMC), now known as the Sekunjalo Independent Media Consortium (SIM), was ultimately deemed unsubstantiated by the court. What was initially characterised as an investment was later reclassified by Sactwu as a “loan”, sparking a protracted legal battle. Sekunjalo has hailed the court’s decision as a validation of its stance, emphasising that Sactwu General Secretary Andre Kriel…

Police in Limpopo have arrested a 38-year-old man in connection with kidnapping and attempted murder. The suspect was arrested on Monday at about 10pm, according to Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba. “Reports indicated that the suspect allegedly assaulted and stabbed his girlfriend with a sharp object in February 2024 in the Mokwakwaila policing area. The suspect had been on the run since,” said Ledwaba. Law enforcement officials, comprised of police officers from the Limpopo provincial Vispol task team and Mopani tracking team, received information about the suspect who was spotted driving a red Volks- wagen Polo Vivo along Bolobedu main road. Ledwaba said the suspect, 38, was followed and, “the information was accurately followed and the suspect was apprehended”. Meanwhile, the provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant…

TSHWANE Council speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana handed over computers and chairs at Winterveldt High School yesterday. The speaker was partnered by the Tshwane North College, Telkom Foundation, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the school governing body and Eskom. The partnership saw the handing over of 31 computers and 34 chairs to learners at the school. This partnership is in line with the speaker’s vision to see many learners in the City of Tshwane being tech-savvy and empowered in the forever-changing world of technology. “As the Office of the Speaker, our people come first. The learners at Winterveldt High School are part of the generation that will lead this country. It’s important that they are equipped with all the necessary tools to further advance themselves,” Ndzwanana said. “I’m pleased…

The National Centre for Child Protection yesterday visited the Laerskool Wonderboom-Suid special school to motivate and teach children about their capabilities. During this initiative, which took place during Autism Awareness Month, the learners were encouraged to take turns pulling their school bus to demonstrate their strong willpower and capabilities despite the physical challenges they faced. Danie van Loggerenburg, CEO of the National Centre for Child Protection, said this demonstration symbolised that, no matter how heavy a load is to carry, there will always be others to help them carry their load. The children were also taught about the importance of taking care of their well-being. Van Loggerenburg said the initiative with the special school learners was to motivate them and let them know just how special they are. “You are…

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to probe the mismanagement of government buildings which has resulted in unsafe working conditions. The union has also criticised the lack of consultation over the relocation of its police members following the recent closure and evacuation of the unsafe old Telkom Towers building in the Pretoria CBD. The building, which housed the SAPS head office, has been flagged as being “unsafe and unfit” for human use. Police officers and other personnel were evacuated recently due to safety concerns. Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya said the union and other stakeholders should have been consulted, and the union included in decision-making processes. “The recent events at Telkom Towers have severely disrupted the terms of employment for those…

Ford SA with long-standing Rally-Raid partner Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) have ripped the covers off their new-generation off-road racing bakkie for 2024. Featuring a bold new look and numerous under-the-skin enhancements, it replaces the SA Rally-Raid T1+ Ranger that drove Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer to their 2023 championship win and recent Dakar debut. Lining up alongside the reigning champions in the new FIA-sanctioned Ultimate class (previously T1+) are Lance Woolridge and Kenny Gilbert as well as privateers Wors Prinsloo and André Vermeulen. The first thing you’ll notice about the new vehicle is that it features the styling elements of the latest-generation Ranger bakkie. But there’s more to it than meets the eye as the NWM team from Pietermaritzburg have adopted a glut of aerodynamic, cooling and packaging enhancements. Those…

Bulls scrumhalf Zak Burger says the Ospreys’ shock defeat of the Stormers last week is a perfect example of what can happen in the scramble for the top eight positions in the United Rugby Championship. The Welsh team travel to Pretoria on Saturday (3pm kick-off) and will back themselves to beat a Bulls side that are hurting from their surprise 27-22 loss to Munster at Loftus Versfeld last week. “Nobody expected that result in Cape Town, but that shows the mind space the Ospreys are in,” Burger said. “They are in the race for the top eight, and they are holding nothing back. They are among 11 teams stuck in a tight logjam. “For those sides, every game is a must-win if you are going to make the quarter-finals. There…

The Dolphins received a major boost ahead of their Cricket SA T20 Challenge semi-final against the Warriors at Kingsmead today (6pm start) after opening batter Bryce Parsons was passed fit. Parsons was in prolific form during the early stages of the competition, with the attacking left-hander blasting 284 runs at an average of 47.33. The run spree included a maiden T20 century against the Titans at Kingsmead, which was one of only three tons struck in the entire competition. Even more significantly, Parsons’ runs have come at a world-class strike rate of 151.06. To emphasise the 23-year-old’s importance to the Dolphins side, he remains the team’s leading run scorer despite not playing in the past five league matches due to injury. But while Parsons’s availability is undoubtedly a fillip for…

ARCELORMITTAL South Africa (Amsa) has been caught up in a global protest action due to allegations of environmental pollution and degradation by the international steel giant, which is accused of lacking transparency and dragging its feet to attain standard carbon emission reduction targets. Amsa is a large steel manufacturer in South Africa that has threatened to close some of its operations owing to infrastructure inefficiencies to do with electricity, rail and ports. While it has battled a worsening operating environment, Amsa has now found itself in the cross waves of a global protest action for environmental harm at some of its South African operations. The Fair Steel Coalition, representing affected communities from areas where Amsa has steel manufacturing operations in South Africa, Liberia and elsewhere, will be staging protests at…

IT IS THE end of April and millions of cartons of citrus are heading to our ports as export season starts. Last year, South African growers packed 165.1 million 15kg cartons for foreign destinations. South Africa is the second largest citrus exporter in the world. Roughly 55 million cartons of that total – meaning, one third – went to Europe. Without the continued stability of that enormous market, the viability of citrus farms would collapse for most growers. For many years, citrus growers have been facing an increasing threat: unnecessary, excessively restrictive and unscientific phytosanitary (plant health) trade measures imposed by the EU on exports of South African citrus fruit. To its great credit, the South African government has acknowledged and addressed this trade threat on an international…

FAMILY-owned businesses play a crucial role in the economy. It’s estimated that 80% of South African companies are family-owned and provide jobs for 90% of the workforce. In a country with high unemployment, the success and endurance of family-owned businesses are vital. However, as the businesses mature, so do the founders. ! Whether it’s a family member or non-family member poised to take over the reins, having the right structures, a strong culture and a purpose in place are key. Founded 25 years ago by owner and managing director Mervyn Ewertse on a shoestring budget, Bed King boasts 16 outlets nationwide, with its 17th store opening in Johannesburg this April. Thanks to Mervyn’s enterprising spirit and ability to identify an opportunity in a sea of sameness, where every other bed…

JSE-LISTED Zeder Investments expects economic uncertainty and volatility to persist in South Africa, although it has declared a special dividend. The company yesterday appointed PSG and Rabobank to act as joint advisers on potential disposals of some of subsidiaries within the group. Despite Zeder’s net asset value per share for the year to end February 2024 declining by 4.6% to R2.48 billion compared to a year ago, the agribusiness investor will be paying a special dividend for the period under review. Shares in Zeder slumped by 5.41% to close at R1.75 on the JSE yesterday. “Shareholders are advised that the Zeder board has approved and declared a gross special dividend of 10 cents per share from income reserves, subject to the required South African Reserve Bank approval being…

LOOKING in the rear-view mirror and taking South Africa’s current political and economic landscape into consideration, it is easy to be despondent about the JSE’s return prospects. But it’s important to get the full picture, and not be swayed by headlines over facts. Shares listed on the JSE are cheaper today than they were a decade ago, and the Allan Gray Equity Fund is still finding several attractive opportunities, such as Mondi and Sappi. Even though there have been very few places to hide, with 26 out of the top 40 stocks down in nominal terms over the first quarter of 2024, we are still finding opportunities. However, the opposite is true of many American listed companies. JSE: A disappointing decade In 2023, the FTSE/JSE All Share Index (Alsi) returned…

THE City of Joburg (CoJ) has instructed its legal team to approach the courts to stave off the arrest of city manager Floyd Brink and the abuse of any other city officials exercising their duties. The instruction came after Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda condemned the harassment of Brink by political actors using the courts to compromise and prevent him from exercising his duties. The comments came after reports surfaced that the sheriff was set to arrest Brink in connection with a case that stems from a water disconnection dispute. The arrest – which follows a court ruling against Johannesburg Water for unjustly disconnecting water, resulting in the significant escalation of an electrical business’s bill – was reportedly delayed due to a typographical error in the arrest warrant. Gwamanda said that…

West Rand residents embraced United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa and sang nothing but his praises during the party’s door-to-door campaign in the area yesterday. The West Rand is the UDM’s second-biggest region in Gauteng, led by Joburg. Ernest Monongnong from Kagiso said Holomisa was one of the few leaders who embodied true humility, honesty and integrity. “The UDM is the party that I am going to vote for in these coming elections – its party leaders always talk sense whenever they make a point in Parliament. “I like it for its stance on anti-corruption and it is forever exposing the rot that is in our government,” added Monongnong. While engaging with community members, Holomisa told them that the UDM was the only party that remained true to…

Eskom says sustained electricity generation capacity and sufficient emergency reserves have been the key drivers to more than 29 days without load shedding, but energy analysts say there are also other reasons at play. Eskom said in response to BR questions that load shedding remains suspended until further notice – the utility would hold a briefing tomorrow – owing to sustained generation capacity and adequate emergency reserves. And in contrast to some fears that the utility might be relying on its more expensive diesel-powered Open Cycle Gas Turbines to keep the power on, Eskom said its OCGTs had predominantly been used through peak demand periods through April, in line with the OCGT design parameters. Although Eskom does not disclose the price it pays for diesel, it is less than…

South Africans spend over one-third of their income on food, and growing costs have a significant impact on their finances. This is according to the FinScope Consumer South Africa 2023 survey. FinMark Trust launched the probability survey in 2003 to understand end users’ experiences with financial services and products. Living expenses, such as groceries, energy, transportation, and communication, make up approximately 85% of monthly income. Groceries account for 30.4% of expenses, followed by energy (11.5%), transportation (9.1%), communication (8.8%), and basic household maintenance and rental rates (8.5%). According to the report, rising expenses limit access to education and insurance, as well as hinder debt repayment. The March 2023 Credit Bureau Monitor report by the National Credit Regulator also shows that 23% of clients missed instalment payments, underlining their financial vulnerability.…

The TEARS Animal Rescue has urged pet owners to have their animals vaccinated against the infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) disease. According to the organisation, there has been an increase in laboratory-confirmed cases of ICH and a 95% death rate in unvaccinated animals or if they receive the treatment too late. ICH, which does not affect humans, is a fatal disease affecting dogs. It is caused by canine adenovirus 1 (CAV-1), which occurs worldwide and is most commonly found in the environment because it can last up to three months in ideal conditions. The organisation urges pet owners to speak to their local vets regarding the risks to their pets and confirm if their vaccinations are up to date. Head veterinarian at TEARS, Dr Tania Heuer said: “While vaccination has been…

THE North West Housing Corporation held a sod-turning ceremony for the Mahikeng Student City Development Project, led by Acting Premier Nono Maloyi, at Lokaleng road near the Mahikeng Campus of the North West University last week. The event marked the official launch of the project aimed at providing high quality accommodation for 10 000 students in the vicinity of the provincial capital. The Mahikeng Student City is not merely a housing endeavour, it is a holistic vision for student living, Maloyi said. Plans for the development include a state-of-the-art fitness centre, modern amenities, convenient access to transport, and health facilities. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the student experience and foster a thriving community. Maloyi emphasised the significance of the project in his address, highlighting its potential to generate both…

SOUTH African DJ and record producer Kabza De Small just flipped the script and made history by completely slaying the game at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City, in Johannesburg. This is the first-ever collab in South Africa between the legend himself, Kabza De Small (also known as the one and only Kabelo Motha), the incredible Ofentse Pitse, and a full-blown Symphonic Orchestra. Talk about a power-packed line-up. Additionally, his latest project Rumble In The Jungle is basically a love letter to Amapiano, celebrating pan-African melodies. The Banyana EP has gone double platinum, and Rolling Stone crowned Kabza De Small as one of the most-streamed musicians. He took to social media, overwhelmed with gratitude as his show sold out in 5 hours – pretty impressive. De Small took to…

South Africans are spoilt for choice when it comes to crossovers, compact SUVs and mid to large SUVs. Regardless of your budget, you will most likely find several options to choose from. This brings us to the Kia Seltos, which finds itself competing with various similar offerings from different manufacturers. This mid-life cycle refresh sees several exterior and interior styling improvements, technological upgrades along with the addition of a new engine introduced to the line-up. The Kia Seltos is a good-looking vehicle that doesn’t try too hard with its styling. The improvements begin up front where it receives a new iteration of the tiger nose grille. Flanking the grille is a set of newly designed headlamps with LED technology. The front bumpers have also been revised, with the fog lamps…

The third-generation Nissan Qashqai was hardly boring, but the newly revealed facelift makes the mid-size crossover unashamedly bold. The Qashqai’s edgy new face appears to take inspiration from the Ariya electric crossover. The new grille, with its sharp triangular edges, was inspired by the patterns of ancient Japanese armour scales, Nissan says, featuring dozens of high gloss three- dimensional elements. The grille incorporates matching comma-shaped daytime running lights that encircle the main headlight lens. At the back end, the tail lights retain their familiar shape, but red lighting elements now also echo these front grille “commas”. Eighteen-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels are now standard from the mid-grade upwards, while flagship models feature 19” and 20” rims. Nissan also boasts of three new colours in the form of Pearl White, Pearl Black…

Liverpool have lined up Feyenoord coach Arne Slot as the successor to departing manager Jurgen Klopp, and have opened negotiations with the Eredivisie club, Dutch media reported yesterday. The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper said Liverpool made contact with Feyenoord yesterday morning. Slot was heavily linked with a possible move to Tottenham Hotspur last year, but opted to stay at Feyenoord and signed a contract extension with the Dutch side until 2026. Reports added that Liverpool will have to pay an undisclosed sum to Feyenoord for Slot’s services. He has been widely praised for his innovative, attacking football with Feyenoord, winning the league title in the last season, as well as the KNVB Cup on Sunday. In his first season at Feyenoord, he also led the Rotterdam club to the inaugural…

NEDBANK has flagged an unstable coalition government that would undo the current framework on Public- Private Participation (PPP) post the May 29 election, as well as the possible election of Donald Trump as US Presi- dent in November, as two major risk events to investor confidence. This comes as surveys and analysts continue to forecast the ruling ANC’s loss of majority support at the polls, which would force the governing party to seek support from minority parties to form a government. Nedbank Group senior economist Isaac Matshego yesterday said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration had done so much to restore investor confidence by shifting towards a partnership between the public and private sectors. Among others, Matshego highlighted a strong investment in renewable energy by the private sector, new Transnet management, and…

THE BUSINESS rescue practitioners (BRPs) acting on behalf of the Post Office yesterday said it had entered into a collective agreement with three unions. The BRP said that the agreement with Sapwu, Depacu and the CWU was reached after consultations were finalised on March 22. The BRPs said: “Despite the finalisation and that retrenchment notices had been issued to relevant employees, the negotiating parties continued exploring alternatives to limit the effects and the number of employees affected by the retrenchments. “In an attempt to limit the number of employees affected by the retrenchments, the negotiating parties approached the Department of Labour’s Single Adjudication Committee in a final attempt to pursue its application for the Temporary Employer, Employees Relief Scheme (Ters). The Ters application commenced during the provisional liquidation status of…

FOR every conscious step that a business takes to become environmentally more sustainable, the positive impact is so much broader than the business itself. Environmental awareness and habits practised in the workplace are likely to spread to the households of the workers This makes the community of business owners one of the most important constituencies of the environmental movement. Earth Day, celebrated globally on every April 22 for over half a century, is a good starting point for business owners who want to take their first step towards sustainability, or for those who want to consolidate their progress. Becoming sustainable need not be an all or nothing affair. It is a process that all business owners will have to go through along with the rest of society. There are nine…

QUILTER, the UK multinational wealth management company that also has a listing on the JSE, said yesterday first quarter flows had demonstrated continued strong business momentum. “We are pleased to report that our first quarter net flows are running at double the level experienced last year, reflecting the momentum in our business, actions we have taken and tentative signs of improving market sentiment,” CEO Steven Levin said. Group assets under management and administration (AuMA) increased 5% to £111.6 billion (R2.63 trillion) at the end of March 2024 compared with December 31, 2023 levels. This was due to better net inflows and higher equity markets, partially offset by rising bond yields that reduced the market value of bond portfolios, the group said in a trading statement yesterday. Average AuMA…

CONVICTED author Jackie Phamotse has announced that she will be releasing another book as part of her Bare series. Phamotse has been using her time under house arrest constructively and has completed the manuscript. The Randburg Magistrate’s Court sentenced the explosive author to a two-year sentence for defaming media moguls Romeo and Basetsana Kumalo after she published a tweet alleging that Romeo had engaged in a sexual encounter with another man. Phamotse’s Bare series explores the flashy, yet dark side of slay queens, blessers and human trafficking – all relevant topics in South African society. The popular author shared on Instagram that the manuscript was done after her readers requested another book and in her caption, seemingly threw shade at the legal battles she has been facing. Phamotse tweeted:…

THE presiding officer in the murder trial of Senzo Meyiwa, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, has ordered police to provide advocate Thulani Mngomezulu with protection after two men came to his house with the intention to harm him. The details were revealed yesterday in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. After proceedings were done for the day, Judge Mokgoatlheng addressed the court over safety concerns raised by Mngomezulu. “There’s a disturbing message I got from Mr Mngomezulu which he suspects arises from the fact that he is counsel in this matter. It appears that two unknown persons visited his home in the morning with very suspicious movements; fortunately, when they tried to enter his home, the dogs barked. “Mngomezulu suspects they were out to harm, injure or kill him, because this is what…

THE Gauteng Department of Health has sent its condolences to the family of the suspended CEO of Tembisa Hospital, Dr Ashley Mthunzi, who reportedly died on Tuesday. It is not clear what caused his death, but on Tuesday Mthunzi’s family posted on social media that his funeral would be on Saturday in Winchester Hills. On Tuesday, his wife, Lerato Mthunzi, who is the general secretary of the Health and Allied Indaba Workers Trade Union (Haitu), posted on her Facebook page: “It is a great sadness to announce the passing of Dr Mthunzi.” Reacting to the news, the provincial department said it mourned his passing and extended its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. A source close to the family said: “The family is currently very sensitive to the media…

TRUE to its name of building a united South Africa, Build One SA (Bosa) has welcomed the support of seven parties under its banner to mount a united challenge to the current ruling class in the upcoming elections. Speaking outside the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) offices in Pretoria yesterday, party leader Mmusi Maimane said recognising that no one party could stand alone and represent in Parliament the will of many vastly diverse communities across the country, Bosa had decided to take smaller community-based and community- biased groupings under its wing. The parties represent communities spread across Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, the Free State, Northern Cape and Limpopo. The parties – the Mopani Independent Movement (MIM), Lentswe La Batho, Abantu Integrity Movement (AIM), Moretele Independent Civic…

The South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA) party says it is concerned about the sub-human standards of the living conditions in hostels where women residents are packed in like sardines. In a statement yesterday, SARA President Colleen Makhubele said the party was concerned about this situation, saying South Africans and women in particular deserve a caring government. “South Africa needs a new kind of democracy, not a ‘voting democracy’ that only celebrates long queues every five years to only change the men on top! It’s not democracy if it is not an ‘income-earning and home-owning’ democracy. “The ANC just picked up on the apartheid government’s intention to subject black people to sub-human living conditions in hostels,” Makhubele said. She has accused the provincial government of failing women at Alexandra’s Madala Hostel,…

THE DA in Tshwane has shot down the assertion by the ANC that municipal manager Johann Mettler was in the wrong for acting against the five senior officials blamed for irregularly awarding a R295 million contract to upgrade the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant. Regional ANC secretary George Matjila this week criticised the process followed by Mettler before he suspended the implicated officials, insisting that he needed to have first consulted with the council. In a media statement, Matjila said the municipal council sanctioned and commissioned an investigation to look into a suspicion of misappropriation of project funds and its slow progress. As far as he was concerned, council was still awaiting the report to be tabled regarding the investigation outcomes “so that it can be able to apply itself to…

South African DJ a podcaster Macgyver Mukwevho, popularly known as MacG, has announced on his podcast that he is on the line-up for this year’s Cape Town international Jazz Festival. The DJ, music producer and podcaster who is the host of Podcast and Chill with Sol Phenduka, said he will perform at the jazz festival which takes place on May 3 and 4. MacG rose to fame in the 2000s as a child star when he hosted a youth programme called on e.tv’s Craze Kids channel. He went on to grow even bigger in the media industry and later became a radio DJ and presenter, where he was employed by YFM and later 947. After leaving radio, he remained in the broadcasting space and started his own podcast in 2018,…

Ingredients: 7 potatoes (about 700g), peeled and quartered 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 400g hake (no skin) Salt and milled pepper Juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon (or bottled lemon juice) Handful chopped fresh coriander + extra for serving (optional) ¼ cup (60ml) flour + extra for coating 2 eggs, whisked Vegetable oil, for deep-frying Lemon wedges, for serving Method Boil potatoes in salted water until cooked through. Drain and set aside to steam-dry. Sauté onions for 5 minutes, then add garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes. Season fish, place on top of onions in pan, add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Steam fish for 5 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Flake fish using a fork and…

Stellantis, the world’s third largest automaker, is currently experiencing significant momentum with multiple dynamic initiatives propelling it forward. Amidst this flurry of activity, two pivotal projects stand out, signifying a strategic shift within the multi-brand corporation. Firstly, Stellantis is orchestrating a monumental restructuring of its dealer network. Instead of disparate entities bearing individual brand identities such as Opel, Peugeot, Citroen, and others, the corporation is unifying them under the cohesive umbrella of the Stellantis brand. This consolidation aims to streamline operations and enhance customer service across diverse brand portfolios. Secondly, the company’s ambitious factory plans, announced previously, are materialising with remarkable speed. Coega, in the Eastern Cape, will soon witnessthe inaugural shovel dig. It will herald the inception of the production plant for the Peugeot Landtrek bakkie, including its eagerly…

Where do I begin? This is one of the hardest subjects to tackle because it deals with something deeper than anything else out there – the identity of an individual in conflict, in most cases, with themselves. How does a parent of the individual deal with this, especially when they are expected to support their daughter or son in the process of accepting the gender that the state assigned to them at birth? It is hard for the children and for their parents. When giving birth, the question society asks is: Is it a boy or girl? The answer depends on the genitals. That is how easy it is in the labour/delivery room. This individual, growing up, is confronted by emotions or feelings they cannot understand. They are then faced…

TS Galaxy may well be on their way to securing a sought-after finish in the DStv Premiership top eight at the end of the season, but it is their coach Sead Ramovic who has grabbed all the headlines. The Rockets are sixth in the standings, having played 22 games of the 2023/2024 campaign, and have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch throughout the season. In a period where there have been dramatic rivalries between coaches and consistent blasting of the officiating, Ramovic has been at the centre of it all. It has been just three months since his much-publicised spat with Mamelodi Sundowns head honcho Rulani Mokwena, and a few weeks after that he called out the media for failing to acknowledge his side’s good set…