Table of contents for 2024-05-21 in Star

THE COMPETITION Commission has slammed a proposed merger between Vodacom, Vumatel, and Dark Fibre Africa as being “anticompetitive and having the potential to create a pivotal shift in the telecoms sector, taking the industry backwards”. The proposed merger will effectively result in a new company Maziv being created through the combination of Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa – making Maziv the largest fibre infrastructure player in South Africa. Maziv will be partially owned by Vodacom, while South Africa’s largest mobile operator will simultaneously hold on to its mobile business, long-haul fibre assets, and retail ISP business. Advocate Daniel Berger, SC, delivering his opening statement on behalf of the Competition Commission yesterday at a Competition Tribunal hearing, argued strongly that the proposed deal be prohibited, because “the merger, if allowed, will…

THE AFRICAN Truck Drivers’ Forum and Allied South Africa (ATDF-ASA) has mobilised its own inspection teams, drawn up a list of defaulting companies countrywide, and is holding daily virtual meetings across all provinces to monitor the government’s commitment to attending to its grievances as a condition to withdrawing the national shutdown which was slated for yesterday. This is as the forum on Sunday held an emergency meeting with officials from the departments of Home Affairs, Transport, Labour, the Presidency and the SAPS to avert the shutdown that had been planned barely a week ahead of the national elections. ATDF-ASA secretary-general Gugu Sokhela yesterday said the forum had acquiesced to the request to temporarily suspend the shutdown after the government entities undertook to intensify physical inspections on the list of companies…

The LARGEST agricultural event in Africa took place from May 14 to 17, 2024, at Nampo Park in Bothaville. Every year, hundreds of thousands of agricultural role players get together to discuss all things agriculture. This year, more than 25 500 people attended the event, a new record by numbers. This included Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza, representatives from other countries, fertiliser and seed companies, technology developers, agricultural financiers, biotechnology companies, insurance companies, and agricultural retailers. To a greater extent, businesses are able to demonstrate new advancements in their industry and connect informally with customers and possible partners. Transactions for millions of rand are done on various purchases. From the perspective of stakeholders, Nampo provides an opportunity to engage informally on issues affecting the…

FRANCE will host tech executives and political figures, among them former US secretary of state John Kerry, EU industrial chief Thierry Breton and ex-Google boss Eric Schmidt, this week as it looks to assert Paris’s role as an artificial intelligence (AI) hub. The “Viva Technology” conference will put French innovators front-and-centre as attendees tackle key questions around AI, including its potential impact on upcoming elections and climate change. Paris-based LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group, has also thrown its weight behind VivaTech as a founding partner of the event. Its chairperson and CEO Bernard Arnault, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, is expected to draw crowds during his visit to the group’s sprawling stand, featuring new tech from prestigious brands like Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer and Dior. Over the past…

Sean “Diddy” Combs has been slammed by his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura’s legal team over his apology for beating the singer. The rapper-turned-business mogul, 54, said he was “truly sorry” for the incident, two days after a video was released by CNN showing him launching a brutal attack on 37-year-old Ventura at a now-closed Los Angeles hotel – but hours later her lawyers said it was a self-obsessed display. The American musician, whose full name is Sean Love Combs, didn’t mention Ventura by name in his apology video, which was released on Instagram, and used it to say it was hard for him to talk about “dark” times, before telling his followers he went into therapy and rehab and sought God’s help after he battered Ventura. Meredith Firetog,…

The South Africa Refugee-led Network (SARLN) has called on the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to broaden its investigations into organisations claiming to provide services to refugees but instead exploiting their vulnerability. The request comes against the backdrop of the SIU raiding all five refugee centres in South Africa recently. While the network commended the efforts of the SIU to finally address the long-standing allegations of corruption of organisations and departments purporting to be assisting refugees for the past decade, they said they believed more still needed to be done. Martin Mande, SARLN secretary- eneral, said the organisation and others dealing with immigrants applauded the recent raids as the “crippling corruption” of organisations involved the illicit sale of asylum and refugee documents by officials within the Department of Home Affairs, which…

THE premium food and beverage market in Africa is expected to reach $44 billion (about R800bn) by 2025, with top trends revolving around ethical, local and organic produce. About dmg events – South Africa dmg events is a leading organiser of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines and information services. Our aim is to create dynamic marketplaces to connect businesses with the right communities to accelerate their growth in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. With a presence in over 20 countries and organising more than 90 events each year, dmg events is a global leader in the industry. Attracting over 425 000 attendees and delegates annually, we organise events in the construction, hospitality, interiors and design, energy, coatings, entertainment, food and beverage and transportation sectors. To better serve our…

THE Islamic Republic of Iran cultural office in Pretoria has reached out to South Africans to bolster more understanding about the nation’s way of life. Iran recently joined intergovernmental organisation BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. From early this year, the organisation extended its membership to what is now known as BRICS+, which includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Titled “Exploring Iranian culture and connectivity”, the country’s cultural wing hosted the media in a meet and greet on Friday as efforts to join the two countries in understanding one another’s cultures. Addressing the media, Iran’s cultural counsellor, Seyed Mostafa Daryabari, spoke on a range of issues including the glaring intervention of his country in the Israeli and Palestine conflict. Last year, Israel attacked…

Malva pudding: 200ml granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3 tbs butter, melted 1 tbs apricot jam 1 tbs white vinegar ¾ cup milk 1½ cups cake flour 1½ tsp Royal baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda Macchiato sauce: 1¼ cups cream 3 tbs granulated sugar 1½ slabs Cadbury Dairy Milk Macchiato Serving suggestion: Whipped cream Method Preheat the oven to 180°C non-fan assist and grease a medium baking dish, 20x28cm. Whisk the sugar and eggs until light and airy. Add the melted butter, jam, vinegar and milk and carefully mix it through the egg mixture using a spatula. * Chef’s Tip: Mix carefully so as not to lose any air in the egg mixture. Sieve in the flour, Royal baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and carefully mix it…

The Springboks do have demographic targets they must hit according to the Strategic Transformation Development Plan 2030 (STDP 2030) of SA Rugby, but the double World Cup winners’ performance won’t be compromised to reach it. A report by weekend newspaper Rapport suggested that the Bok side that won the 2023 tournament was too white and that certain provincial teams are also still not hitting their transformation targets in line with the STDP 2030. An internal report by SA Rugby reportedly criticised these sides, which include the Lions and Bulls alongside the national side, for failing to meet these targets. But yesterday, the president of rugby’s governing body in South Africa, Mark Alexander, hit back at the reports saying they are happy with the progress they’ve made when it comes…

The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari dented Red Bull’s aura of dominance for the second week in a row this past weekend. Max Verstappen’s weekend might have been capped with a win at the Emilia Romagna GP, but the McLaren challenge cannot be ignored any longer. Round 2 of Verstappen versus Norris did not disappoint, with only 0.725 seconds separating the two drivers, who are now slowly setting up what could be an exciting battle at the front. Verstappen, for the first time in three years, uttered the words “I had to work for that” because, for the second race in a row, the English-based team showed they are not just a buzzing fly next to the ear only to be brushed aside, but carry a real threat. The cracks…

THEBE Investment Corporation has remained cautiously optimistic that the dispute over the evaluation of its 28% stake in Shell Downstream South Africa (SDSA) will be resolved within the next three months by arbitration as the two-year period after which its notice to sell its shareholding would have lapsed. This comes as the 22-year relationship between the British multinational oil and gas company and its South African empowerment partner has hit rock bottom, following Shell’s decision to divest its downstream operations. Shell will divest its majority shareholding from the South African downstream unit and leave more than 600 forecourts after operating in the country for more than 120 years, following a comprehensive review by Shell of its businesses across all regions. However, it also coincided with the dispute over the value…

IMPALA Platinum (Implats) has picked up Siyanda Resources and Bokamoso Consortium as black economic em- powerment (BEE) partners for its Rustenburg and Bafokeng operations in a transaction worth R9 billion that will also include community and employee share-ownership schemes. Post the empowerment transaction, Implats will retain 87% in Impala Rustenburg with the Community Share Ownership Trust (CSOT) holding 4%; the existing employee share-ownership trust company gaining a similar 4% control; and the Bokamoso Consortium holding a 5% stake in the Rustenburg operations. Concurrently, Impala Bafokeng Resources (IBR) will retain a 50% stake in the Bafokeng operation while community, employee share-ownership schemes and the Bokamoso Consortium will have similar 4% and 5% interests, respectively. IBR is a subsidiary created by Implats after Implats acquired Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) last year,…

MINING behemoth BHP must overcome major hurdles to salvage its faltering pursuit of rival Anglo American, analysts said yesterday as a midweek deadline over the seismic takeover bid approaches. UK-based Anglo American has already knocked back two attempts by the Australian giant, which has until 5pm London time on Wednesday to up its offer, walk away or launch a hostile takeover at enormous risk. Any deal between two of the world’s largest resources companies would fundamentally reshape the sector, with far-reaching consequences for commodities markets and the global energy transition. The latest bid sits at $43 billion (R795bn), which would rank as one of the largest mining deals ever seen. MineLife analyst Gavin Wendt said Anglo American’s disinterested board had kept the larger competitor at bay for now. “Firstly,…

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the under-explored intersection of the venture capital (VC)-backed tech start-up economy and the traditional business world. As if on cue, one of the highlights of the recent Africa CEO Forum annual summit in Kigali, Rwanda, was a panel featuring Aliko Dangote, the founder, chairperson and CEO of the Dangote Group, and Patrick Pouyanné, the chairperson and CEO of TotalEnergies, moderated by CNN International correspondent Larry Madowo. During their conversation, Dangote and Pouyanné revealed that Total- Energies, one of the world's seven major oil companies, has struck its first fuel supply deal with the Dangote Group’s Dangote Refinery. Founded by Dangote in 1978 with a $3 000 (R56 195) loan from a kind uncle, the Dangote Group is now West Africa’s largest multinational conglomerate.…

Astral Foods saw the benefits from initiatives to recover from last year’s load shedding and bird flu come home to roost, with half-year operating profit up a massive 461.2% to R550 million, which was at the upper end of its profit forecast range. However, significant risks remain for the rest of the year. The group had embarked on a “Re-Set, Re-focus and Re-start” campaign (Project 3R) after last year’s poor performance, which had proven successful so far and which aimed to reinforce Astral’s best cost poultry producer position and improve profitability, CEO Chris Schutte said yesterday. He said the big improvement was expected to continue into the second half as the brunt of the load shedding and bird flu costs were in the 2023 second half. However, bird flu…

American musician Doja Cat caused a stir online when she recently updated her X bio to label her South African father, actor Dumisani Dlamini, a “deadbeat”. “My dad’s a deadbeat but I did well,” her updated bio on the social media platform reads. A deadbeat is referred to as a father who neglects his responsibilities as a parent, especially one who does not pay child support. Many of the Demons hitmaker’s 5.6 million followers noticed her updated bio. Doja Cat, whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, has never shied away from speaking about her non-existent relationship with the Sarafina actor. In a 2019 interview with Leah Henry on the Quicksilver Show, the musician revealed that she’s never met her father and that she doesn’t have a relationship with…

A new trend is emerging in the international music world. In recent months, some of the biggest artists from the 1990s and 2000s have re-entered the scene after being away for many years. I’m talking about the likes of Justin Timberlake and Usher, who have released bangers which has seen them hold their own in an industry full of newcomers and established stars. Meanwhile, The Spice Girls reunited briefly while performing at Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party last month. Fans went into a frenzy when Posh Spice’s football legend husband, David Beckham, posted a video on Instagram at the London bash which showed her performing the group’s ’90s hit single, Stop, alongside members Geri Horner, Emma Bunton, Mel B (Melanie Brown) and Mel C (Melanie Chisholm). In another musical throwback,…

Voting has wrapped up for hundreds of locals living abroad and for many, it was a chance to catch up with fellow South Africans, bond over what they miss most about home, and dance to Brenda Fassie songs and of course, South Africa’s ‘unofficial official national anthem’, Sister Bethina! Speaking to IOL, a former Newlands East, Durban resident, now living in London, Sherwyn Cupido-Weaich, said he and his hubby, Ryan Cupido- Weaich, stood in a queue for four hours so they could make their mark. “It gave me home affairs vibes. Normally I would never queue, but every vote counts,” he said. “It ended up a vibe, we made friends, danced and all shared biltong, chips and stories about what we miss about home.” Kerzia Chettty said she had an…

Ingredients: Curry sauce: Glug vegetable oil 1 onion, puréed 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbs grated fresh ginger 1 tsp each garam masala, curry powder and ground cardamom 5 cloves 3 tbs tomato purée ½ cup water Salt and milled pepper 400g coconut cream 2 packets (200g each) coconut curry tofu, broken into chunks 3 tbs cornflour 1 tbs garam masala For serving: Tomato and onion sambal Rotis, naan or rice Method Heat oil in a pot and sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic, ginger and fry for a minute until fragrant. Stir in all the spices and fry for another minute. Add tomato purée and water and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Season. Mix cornflour and garam masala, and toss…

Surely Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus can make a space for Edwill van der Merwe when he whittles down his squad for the forthcoming international season in the coming weeks. It was around the 51st minute in the Lions’ United Rugby Championship victory over the Glasgow Warriors that the incessant nagging regarding the 28-year-old – controlled for seasons by a ‘we will see what happens’ – emerged fully sprung from the mind and onto this tangible black and white medium. Trailing 14-8, and deep in their half, the Lions’ Quan Horn pounced onto a loose ball, popping the pill to PJ Botha. The hooker flung it wide to Francke Horn, Van der Merwe almost immediately calling for possession out on the wing. Francke – releasing the opportunity – obliged after a…

The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari dented Red Bull’s aura of dominance for the second week in a row this past weekend. Max Verstappen’s weekend might have been capped with a win at the Emilia Romagna GP but the McLaren challenge cannot be ignored any longer. Round 2 of Verstappen versus Norris did not disappoint with only 0.725 seconds separating the two drivers, who are now slowly setting up what could be an exciting battle at the front. Verstappen, for the first time in three years, uttered the words “I had to work for that” because, for the second race in a row, the English-based team showed they are not just a buzzing fly next to the ear only to be brushed aside, but carry a real threat. The cracks…

THEBE Investment Corporation has refused to state publicly how much its 28% stake in Shell Downstream SA (SDSA) was worth, saying it preferred to leave its valuation to independent experts. This comes as news reports emerged that Thebe was claiming the value of its stake in SDSA was worth R3.7 billion, as Shell’s local empowerment group seeks to sell its equity after 22 years. Thebe board member Dr Molefe Tsele told Business Report on Friday it would be premature to put a figure on Thebe’s stake, as many factors needed to be considered when doing a proper valuation of their investment. “No, we have deliberated on that question, and then we took advice to let’s allow arbitration to deal with that. Because the reality of the matter is that…

The TURNAROUND time for trucks exporting cargo to eSwatini at the Oshoek/Ngwenya port of entry in Mpumalanga has been reduced from 1 hour 42 minutes to just 10 minutes, and the import of similar cargo has seen the time spent at the border slashed from 42 minutes to 10 minutes. This is according to the Time Release Study (TRS) released yesterday which was conducted jointly by the South African Revenue Services (Sars) and the eSwatini Revenue Service (ERS). Officials of both entities yesterday said the study had helped identify bottlenecks which led to long delays at the border crossing, as plans were afoot to have a “one window” experience for truck drivers processing freight. The Oshoek border post was identified as the busiest port of entry in the Southern African…

NOW THAT THE National Health Insurance (NHI) is a law of the land, it’s time to focus on what will make it a reality. Many have focused on the financial side, however, there’s also a need to focus on the technology side. An overhaul of the national health system will be impossible without technology and digital health records. The National Digital Health Strategy for South Africa (2019 to 2024) demands such a transition. It may be difficult to understand why this is important when there’s so much negative noise about the NHI. To understand part of the need for a digital foundation you have to think about the health reality in South Africa and reflect on its future prospects. If you visited most hospitals, you would find piles and piles…

Balwin Properties experienced the toughest year in its 28-year history as escalating interest rates, higher fuel and food prices, and political uncertainty about the elections impacted housing demand. The group which develops apartments for the upper to middle in- come markets, reported a sharp 48% decline in headline earning per share to 47.94 cents for the year to February 29. This fall was also reflected in the latest Rode Report on the South African Property Market, which said both FNB and Lightstone’s house-price indices recorded the lowest growth rate for the past four years in the last quarter of 2023 – significantly, this period includes the Covid lockdown period. Balwin CEO Steve Brookes, said in an interview yesterday that the long period of high interest rates, combined with…

NETCARE Group said the signing into law of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week would not affect the final phases of their 10-year strategy to transform the way the group delivers healthcare, and it expected the strategy will enhance their future participation in universal healthcare. CEO of the private hospital and healthcare provider, Dr Richard Friedland, said at the release of results for the six months to March yesterday, that Netcare had always acknowledged that the inequities in healthcare access and delivery in South Africa needed to be addressed and it was fully supportive of universal healthcare. “The bill, however, was signed without addressing the fundamental areas of weakness. Furthermore, significant flaws in the bill and the legislative processes followed in pro- mulgating the…

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has dismissed continued reports that Eskom was burning more diesel on its Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) to keep the lights on. This comes as reports from some analysts and former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter attributing the now 54 day-long suspension of load shedding to burning of millions of rand in diesel, as well as generation capacity from renewables. However, Ramokgopa during his Energy Action Plan media briefing at Eskom’s Megawatt Park yesterday, said that the diesel usage in the period April 1 to May 16 was down 78% on the same period last year. “Eskom only spent R1.2 billion in the period April 1 to May 16 this year on diesel compared with R5.2bn in the same period last year,” Ramokgopa said. “I place these…

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has urged Western Cape residents to vote for the party in order for it to deliver on things it has promised. Mantashe said this while he was in George on the party’s campaign trail. “1994 was the start of our journey to a better life for all, a society based on the values of justice, peace, redemption and reconciliation. This journey is far from over. More still needs to be done to lift people out of poverty and ensure human dignity of all. “Faith-Based Organisations (FBO) played a critical role in the Struggle for freedom by opposing the injustices of apartheid. Our journey towards social cohesion, solidarity and national unity continues,” he added. In the next five years, the ANC would collaborate with traditional leadership…

The Lynnwood Ridge Primary School Hall buzzed with excitement last week when Act Studios presented a spectacular concert. 52 young actors from Grades 1 through 7 took to the stage, showcasing their dramatic talents in a series of captivating performances. These young actors, who participate in a weekly drama class, showcased their skills to a packed audience of parents, family, and friends. Under the guidance of two dedicated coaches, Chule Wakaba and Omogolo “Hoxy Love” Matshane, and supervised by the owner and principal of Act Studios, Debra Nel, the children delivered a series of enthralling performances. Their commitment and hard work were evident in each act, as they donned costumes and make-up to bring their characters to life. In the weeks leading up to the concert, the young thespians read…

Musician Luke Ntombela has stood firm on sexual allegations lodged against Mthokozisi “Dj Tira” Khathi, despite being ordered to retract them on her social platforms after they were deemed “unfounded” and “baseless”. Ntombela has continued to speak openly about alleged her ordeal, days after receiving a legal letter demanding that she withdraw her accusations. This comes after she alleged that at a meeting with the award-winning DJ, she was touched inappropriately, and demanded that he be open about the blurry events after she blacked out. In her recent posts, she has persisted in pleading for “closure” from DJ Tira, sharing more screenshots of their alleged communication. “Ngikhala nge closure ne healing, ngiqhubeke nempilo,” said Ntombela on Instagram. (I want closure and healing so I can carry on with life). The…

One of the important developments in the legal struggle to stop apartheid Israel’s genocide in Gaza is South Africa’s latest emergency application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Last week, South Africa launched another fresh attempt to the ICJ to immediately stop apartheid Israel’s military actions in Rafah, southern Gaza, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge due to apartheid Israel’s seven-month illegal onslaught and incursion on the besieged enclave. Apartheid Israel’s regime and military rule disrupts every aspect of daily life in occupied Palestine through a complex network of repressive and military laws. Sadly, Palestinians’ entire lives, including their right to basic services, are held captive by apartheid Israel. Since 1948, apartheid Israel dehumanises Palestinian lives through an evil system of occupation, dispossession and displacement, settler…

Former Bafana Bafana winger Siphiwe Tshabalala has thrown his weight behind national team head coach Hugo Broos and has praised his authoritative coaching style. After a turbulent first two years as the leader of the South African football side in which he divided opinions among supporters and publicly challenged Safa, Broos has become somewhat of a darling of the nation after his team’s exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Bafana were undoubtedly the surprise package at the Afcon as they ground out a third-place finish, their highest finish in the competition for over 24 years. The 71-year-old Belgian mentor has unveiled a new-look Bafana seemingly ready to run through walls at his command. Tshabalala, who made 85 appearances for the national team between 2006 and 2017 and…

They had to do some crowdfunding to ensure their Olympic dreams stayed alive, and now it is all systems go for the South African women’s hockey side as they continue to build up to Paris 2024. For one of their stars, Onthatile Zulu, it will be a second time at the global showpiece and she’s ready to take in the experience the same way she did as a fresh-faced youngster a couple of years ago. The South Africans recently returned from Asia where they had some tough preparation ahead of the Olympics, and while the team will have a short break, they know it’s still a long road as they continue getting ready for the Games starting at the end of July. For Zulu, the break means spending time with…