Star2023-09-06的目錄

SHOPRITE said yesterday 2023 was extraordinary as the retailer gained record levels of market share, and increased profits and dividends despite footing a hefty R1.3 billion diesel bill amid unprecedented levels of load shedding. In its group results for the 52 weeks ended July 2, 2023, South Africa’s largest grocer said headline earnings per share from continuing operations of 1 166.2 cents in the year ended July 2, from 1 063.9 a year earlier. Shoprite said it gained record levels of market share as sales of merchandise increased by 16.9% to R215bn, underpinned by its core Supermarkets RSA segment. Supermarkets RSA sales of merchandise increased by 17.8% to R173.6bn The board declared a final dividend of 415c, compared to 2022’s 367c per ordinary…

OVER TIME the hefty fuel price increases South Africa faces would definitely dent the number of vehicles being sold, National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) executive director Renai Moothilal said yesterday. South Africans today face another massive petrol price increase that will push the price of all petrol grades above the R24 mark. This as petrol prices went up by R1.71 per litre, and diesel increased by between R2.76 and R2.84 a litre from Wednesday. Moothilal said they already saw shifts in consumer preferences on vehicle ownership in general and high fuel prices were adding to this. “Consumers may find more value in concepts like ride sharing and car pooling, in addition to existing public transport options,” he said in an email interview. If consumers found…

ORION Minerals has announced it has awarded a six-month trial mining contract to P2 Mining, a subsidiary of South African mining contractor Newrak Mining Group, to undertake the early works trial underground mining programme at the Prieska Copper- Zinc mine in the Northern Cape province. In a statement, Orion said Newrak would operate a trial fleet of integrated tool carriers (ITC) equipment with a full conventional mechanised mining fleet to compare efficiencies during the trial mining phase. Newrak Mining Group is an experienced South African contract mining company with 28 years of operating history. “Newrak will operate both with a fleet of conventional load, haul and dump loaders and with an innovative continuous loading machine which has recently been introduced to the South African market and secured by Orion on…

THE JSE YESTERDAY issued a censure of AYO director, Khalid Abdulla, despite a forthcoming hearing, this after the South Gauteng High Court ruled in an urgent interdict brought by Abdulla, in which it suspended a proposed fine of R2 million. In a statement issued yesterday, the JSE said: “We await the outcome of Mr Abdulla’s Reconsideration Application, which the JSE has opposed, and which will be heard by the Financial Services Tribunal (FST) on September 15, 2023.” Abdulla was claimed by the JSE to have breached AYO’s listing requirements regarding related party transactions and for his role in allegedly instructing adjustments to AYO’s 2018 interim financial statements. When approached for comment, AYO said it was awaiting the outcome of the FST hearing on September 15. Abdulla was appointed as…

THE CENTRAL Energy Fund (CEF) yesterday called for women to step up to the plate, collaborate and look at business opportunities available via its R67 billion projects pipeline, especially those who owned small companies. The CEF – which contributes to the security of energy supply of South Africa and the region through exploration, acquisition, development, mar- keting and strategic partnership – yesterday hosted a networking session in Johannesburg, titled, “Fuelling the future: women in the energy sector”. Ayanda Noah, the chairperson of the CEF, said women often failed to take up opportunities in the energy sector due to mental barriers and the lack of confidence, but one must just say: “I’m going to go and apply”. Opportunities were advertised on the supply side and not just in the facility…

Viewers will be transported to the bustling streets of Mamelodi in Mzansi Magic’s new show, Kokota. The drama delves into the amapiano genre as four friends defy all odds to make a name for themselves in the industry. The gritty drama features dancer and actor Thato Dithebe in the lead as Tshepang, a preacher’s son, who has dreams of conquering the amapiano music scene, despite his parents’ disapproval and them saying he is “bringing shame to the family and church name”. Tshepang, his brother Tshepo (Thabang Lefoa) and their band of misfits embark on a journey to realise his dreams of becoming an amapiano star while navigating the dangers and trappings of the music industry. Will it pay off? The cast also includes Gomora stars Obakeng Kgwedi and Leera Mthethwa,…

Some student residents of Epozini South Point Student Accommodation were afraid to occupy their place of residence after a fire damaged a section of the building yesterday afternoon. At least five people were injured after an Egoli Gas truck caught fire on the corner of Bertha and De Korte streets in Braamfontein, in the latest gas explosion to rock Johannesburg. Officials of the gas company were said to be conducting maintenance services on one of their pipelines when the explosion happened. The fire then spread to the student digs. City of Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba said that emergency services responded to a call informing them of an explosion just after 3pm, saying an eGoli Gas truck was on fire. “I can confirm that five people…

THE poverty plea by the SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu) is highly misleading as the union is one of the country’s richest unions with a multimillion-rand investment with Sekunjalo companies and an even bigger investment in Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI), with about R4 billion in shares. Also, claims by Sactwu general secretary Andre Kriel that he was misled into signing a subordination agreement may hold no water, as Kriel repeatedly told the court that he did not read the documents thoroughly. Kriel all but admitted in court last week that he had signed off on a R150 million subordinate agreement without fully understanding what the repercussions would be. Testifying before Acting Judge Michelle O’Sullivan in the Western Cape Town High Court, Kriel said he relied largely on the…

A man who was close friends with accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi, one of the five men accused of brutally killing Senzo Meyiwa, testified that his friend cried bitterly when he told him that he had been arrested for murder. Msizi Jack Buthelezi testified in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday. Msizi said he met Ntanzi at an initiation ceremony in 2008. He said after that, Ntanzi left his job and came to work with him in the mines in Rustenburg, and they lived together at a hostel. Ntanzi’s employment ended, but Buthelezi said he helped him get another job at Impala Mines. “During lockdown, I received a call saying that Ntanzi was arrested. I was back at home at that time. “The following day, Ntanzi called me and told…

For six years, John Philane Masilela portrayed himself as a prophet of God and the pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Suncity KwaMhlanga, all the while using his influence to rape young people who looked up to him as a spiritual guide. He would pray for his victims by touching and fiddling with their private parts under the pretext of preventing them from leading immoral lives. He told the victims that he could see their future and had received instructions from God to pray for them in that manner. He also told them that if they refused, bad things would happen to them. On Monday, he was sentenced to 55 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of four counts of rape and seven counts of sexual assault. The National…

THE DA in Tshwane have vowed to take on the ANC over threats to haul the capital city under administration over a series of service delivery disruptions and council’s failure to meet. According to the DA, whistle-blowers brought it to the attention of the media that senior government officials have been meeting with Premier Panyaza Lesufi to discuss plans to put the city under administration. The city has been thrown into disarray in recent weeks due to strike action by municipal workers, who have been demanding a pay increase, resulting in about 122 employees being issued with dismissal letters. Despite the city changing mayors in abundance in recent months, Tshwane council has also been failing to sit to discuss pertinent issues, including the strike, service delivery and its finances. On…

Question: Why did Luis Rubiales specifically choose Jenni Hermoso for his dastardly and uncalled for deed? This outrageous kiss will probably scar her for life and plunge her into bouts of depression that will need constant psychiatric counselling. Will she ever recover from this horrific ordeal? The team has also been mortified by his despicable act and will definitely need months of counselling. The entire world is shocked and devastated. Massive violent demonstrations, involving thousands, are sure to follow. Will the Spanish nation ever recover from this heinous attack on a woman’s rights? Already the image of Spain has been dented. Tourism will definitely suffer. Sanctions and boycotts could be levelled against the country. Sports teams will refuse to participate against Spanish teams, or even take part where they are…

Despite the call heard aross the world, commanding the global business community to divest from fossil fuels and shrink their carbon footprints in the name of net zero emissions, international oil companies (IOCs) recognise Africa as their next frontier. As detailed in the African Energy Chamber’s recently released report, The State of African Energy Q2 2023 Outlook, oil and natural gas exploration in Africa remains strong. Following the massive Namibian discoveries in 2022, 2023 has been another banner year for African exploration, with half a billion barrels of oil equivalent (bboe) in recoverable oil and gas reserves found around the continent to date. Namibia’s Orange Basin continues to hold centre stage with Shell’s July announcement that drilling for the Lesedi-1X, the company’s fourth exploration well in the region, had reached…

Al Wahda coach Pitso Mosimane says his club are not trying to buy Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Gaston Sirino because he has no price tag. There has been much speculation regarding the future of Sirino in the last few seasons, after he fell down the pecking order at Sundowns following the departure of Mosimane to Al Ahly in 2020. Initial reports linked him with a reunion with Mosimane at Al Ahly, while he caused public stir after donning the Red Devils’ jersey after a fixture with Sundowns in Egypt. But that didn’t come to fruition. Mosimane, speaking at the handover of his multi-purpose court to Lofentse Girls’ High School in Orlando yesterday – courtesy of Orlando Pirates winning the Nedbank Cup in May – explained why. “When I was at Al…

ongamagcwabe@icloud.com Yes, the Proteas have eight ODI World Cup debutants in their 15-man squad, one senior player has already made retirement plans and the coach is still in search of combinations less than a month from the start of the tournament – but this team can still be deadly on their day. Since Rob Walter took over as coach of the Proteas white-ball teams, the biggest conversation has been about establishing a team identity that goes hand-in-hand with their style of play. Be it Walter, captain Temba Bavuma or any member of the team, they have all come out and said they want to play a positive brand of cricket. And so far, they have tested themselves in five matches against the West Indies and Netherlands respectively. These two opponents…

EELECTRICITY Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has defended the intensified philosophy maintenance programme at Eskom in spite of the power utility implementing heightened load shedding. Eskom yesterday ramped up load shedding to stage 6 due to the loss of a further two generation units amid an increase in generation planned maintenance. Ramokgopa said the reason for the deterioration of the generating capa- city was that Eskom had not been sticking to its philosophy maintenance for many years, which had led to generation units frequently breaking down. The Minister said this had to do with the fact that Eskom’s balance sheet was severely compromised and there were very little resources to invest on maintenance. He said part of the National Treasury’s recent R254 billion fiscal relief was to ensure that…

THE NEWLY launched SanlamAllianz joint venture will provide insurance and financial services in 27 African markets, creating a R35 billion pan- African non-banking financial services company, Sanlam said yesterday. Sanlam said that all the conditions for its proposed transaction with global integrated financial services group Allianz SE had now been met. On May 4, 2022 Sanlam and Allianz SE had entered into agreements for a long-term joint venture arrangement regarding their operations on the African continent, outside of South Africa. Sanlam and Allianz would contribute their African operations into a new joint venture company. The initial shareholding split of Sanlam and Allianz in the JVCo was agreed at 60:40, respectively, although there were provisions for post-closing adjustments for a final split. Sanlam’s operations in Namibia would be contributed to JVCo…

SOUTH African private sector activity grew for the first time in six months in August as improved demand led to firms boosting output, a survey showed yesterday. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 51 points in August from 48.2 points in July. A reading above 50 points shows growth. Overall business costs rose at the slowest rate since January, leading to a slower increase in firms’ output charges, the survey showed. “The August South Africa PMI pointed to an encouraging turnaround in the private sector economy … as companies reported an increase in output … and demand conditions were broadly steady,” said David Owen, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. However, Owen warned that domestic factors such as rolling power cuts…

THE INAUGURAL Africa Climate Summit, which taxied off in all earnest yesterday in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, heralds yet another historic moment for our rich yet impoverished continent. “We are on a climate crisis treadmill and we need to keep pace. The Summit symbolises a new era of climate leadership in Africa and the world, but equally it represents an empowering crisis for Africa to meet the cardinal sustainable development goal of the eradication of global poverty, as with the case for a rapid response to climate change,“ according to the World Resources Institute, at the opening of the round-table on Adaptation for Finance in Africa. A continuum of disastrous events across Africa reminds us that it is the poorest and most vulnerable segments of our population that continues to bear…

SOUTH Africa is one of the few countries that developed from the interior towards the coast, with Gauteng’s prosperity built around mining activity, the steady supply of water from Lesotho, and the availability of energy from the rich coal fields of the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. But there is now a potential to complement the political economy with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Energy Summit approaches. A good topic for the Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Siboniso Duma, would be to discuss the geopolitical potential of Richards Bay, so that the port city can become South Africa’s Houston. LNG that consists primarily of methane gas (CH4) is often referred to as The Transition Fuel, because of the commodity’s ability to be used as a…

Media personality Clint Brink has released his latest single, Promise. Brink, 42, told Independent Media that the song was inspired by his wife, Steffi Brink. “My producer, David Mutanda, sent me an Afrobeat beat a few weeks after I released Hold on to lo ve, which I also co-produced with him. “I took about two days to listen to similar styles from male artists including some dance hall, ragga and reggae. “Once I was certain which route I wanted to take, it took me less than an hour to write. My wife is obviously an inspiration for what I wrote.” He added: “David and I started working on the single a couple of months ago but, in the interim, life happened. I lost my friend and colleague, Bradley Olivier, and…

For the past 12 Sundays, the historical drama, Shaka Ilembe, has been keeping fans glued to their TV screens. With the airing of the final episode on Sunday comes the announcement that the second season is in development and will be “coming soon”. Mzansi Magic shared the news on social media platform X. With its rich visuals, excellent performances, respectful authenticity and outstanding entertainment, Shaka Ilembe has received rave reviews and topped X trends lists on Sunday nights. Season one showcased the origins story of the African king, culminating in a victorious Shaka returning to take the Zulu throne. Season two will pick up with him beginning his long-prophesised reign. Produced by Bomb Productions, season one starred Nomzamo Mbatha, who played Nandi. Vusi Kunene, Senzo Radebe, Dawn and Thandeka…

A Hollywood-type television production city is headed for Jozi, and writers, actors, producers, directors, designers and make-up artists may find significant job opportunities. This is the plan of Economic Development MEC Tasneem Motara, who is making inroads to bring US-based production houses and studios to Gauteng. The production city will house some of Hollywood and Nollywood’s blockbusters in Gauteng, creating work for local creatives and supporting staff. Motara’s brainwave came after UK-born actor Idris Elba and athletics icon Usain Bolt bought land in Maropeng, slightly outside of Krugersdorp, to set up a production hub. Motara then started meetings with international studio brands such as Universal Pictures to convince them to set up bases in South Africa and in Gauteng in particular. The driving interest would be that South Africa has…

Minister of Electricity Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the current Stage 6 load shedding the country is experiencing is due to power utility Eskom’s failure to adhere to its planned maintenance schedule. Ramokgopa provided an update on the performance of the electricity grid yesterday as the country plunged into Stage 6 load shedding, which the power utility said would last until the end of this week. He said the intensified blackouts were partly because Eskom had to start maintenance on the long-neglected units. Ramokgopa said Eskom hoped to minimise the impact of load shedding before planned maintenance and the loss of two generation units, which has constrained the system, resulting in Stage 6 load shedding from yesterday morning. “We’ve taken a view that part of the reason why we are where…

Ingredients 1kg oxtail 45ml butter 10ml seed and extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 250ml Arborio rice 80ml white wine 500ml beef stock 250ml fresh cream 125ml grated hard cheese Parsley, to serve Salt and black pepper, to taste Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Remove the oxtail from the plastic and place in the foil tray. Heat in the oven for about 30 minutes. In a large pot on a moderate heat, add the butter and olive oil. Fry the onion and garlic for about 4-5 minutes while stirring. Add the Arborio rice and allow to toast for about 3-4 minutes while stirring. Add the wine and lower the heat to a low heat. Stir constantly and allow the liquid to…

Motorists in South Africa have been warned of three new hijacking methods which are adding to the country’s crime statistics. Bobby Petkov, the Group CEO of Mit-Mak Motors, speaking on a podcast with Penuel Mlotshwa, said the first new trend emerging was called the ‘blockage method’. “So hijackers will block you at a fast food place like a KFC or McDonald’s or one of these establishments where a car will block you from the front, as well as the back,” he said. “You’ll be identified as a target vehicle… They’ll block you and then obviously they have closed the space. They will point you with a gun and tell you to get out of the car. “You can’t reverse because there’s a car behind you, you can’t go forward because…

TOP-PERFORMING learners from across the country, especially from rural areas, will now be a step closer to realising their dreams with a mentorship programme that will assist them step by step. The mentorship programme aimed at addressing access to higher education for rural learners in South Africa has been launched by the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority. The Siyakhulisa Mentorship Programme will identify 90 top-performing learners from remote areas, who will benefit from hands-on mentorship while at high school and thereafter, as well as funding for their tertiary studies. “There are numerous barriers to access to higher education for rural learners. Beyond just the challenges of their geographical location, there are also socio-economic barriers and sometimes a lack of information about the career opportunities available and how…

A former employee of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) is in hot water for her involvement in the issuing of medical cannabis licences. Sahpra said it was made aware that a former employee, Pam Mohlabe, was still acting as if she was an employee of Sahpra, despite being fired in 2021 for issuing medical cannabis licences. “She is purporting to represent Sahpra in an official capacity and also issuing cannabis licences, and this is an illegal practice which Sahpra will pursue through legal channels,” the regulatory authority said. Sahpra spokesperson Yuven Gounden said an investigation was under way. Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, Sahpra CEO, said Mohlabe’s conduct would not be allowed to continue. “This unethical and unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated, especially when it can compromise safety.…

Although the Springbok scrum has been utterly dominant in the lead-up to the World Cup, the reigning champions cannot afford to rest on their laurels ahead of the battle with Scotland in Marseille on Sunday (kick-off 5.45pm). With two South African-born props in their squad, along with Pieter de Villiers – a former Springbok assistant coach – as scrum coach, the Scots will look to this crucial battle up front to possibly uproot their opponents at the Stade Velodrome. The Boks used their overpowering scrum to subdue Wales and the All Blacks in the last two warm-up matches before the tournament and will rely heavily on it in their Pool B opening match. It's the platform from where the halfbacks can set the backline running but also a vital part…

Carlos Alcaraz surged into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday night as upsets dominated the women’s draw, with Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula becoming the latest highly-ranked players to go crashing out. Defending champion Alcaraz, who has only dropped one set on his journey into the last eight, produced a dominant display to overwhelm Italian World No 61 Matteo Arnaldi, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 57 minutes. “I think the intensity from the beginning until the last ball, I played a really solid match, less mistakes,” said Alcaraz. “I’m really happy with the performance in general.” Alcaraz had strapping around his left thigh for the first time in the tournament but the top seed allayed any fears he was struggling with injury. “It’s really tough…

This comes as the real GDP had expanded by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2023 THE ECONOMIC outlook in South Africa has remained bleak for the rest of the year as intensified load shedding dwindles activity, in spite of gross do- mestic product (GDP) rising for the second consecutive quarter. This comes as the real GDP expanded by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2023 ending in June after a 0.4% expansion in the first quarter ending in March. This was better than market forecasts of a 0.1% increase in part due to easing rolling load shedding, but the second quarter GDP remained lower than the peak reached in the third quarter of 2022. Statistics…

AYO TECHNOLOGY Solutions (AYO) and Mustek Limited yesterday alerted shareholders to “certain irregular expenditure” that occurred in the year to August 2023 in Sizwe Africa IT Group (Sizwe) – both AYO and Mustek are major shareholders in Sizwe. Sizwe is a 55% held subsidiary of AYO and the effect of the irregularities on AYO’s earnings per share and headline earnings a share (Heps) was expected to between 6.05 cents and 7.39c, based on 343.8 million in issue, AYO said yesterday in a statement. Mustek said the effect on its earnings per share and Heps would be between 30c and 40c, based on 58.5 million shares in issue. Mustek’s Heps came to 221.74c for the six months to December 2022. AYO and Mustek said the irregular expenditure had…

IN SOUTH Africa, we need to be led by brave leaders. Our liberation struggle was abandoned halfway to its victory. Today, our leaders are timid and afraid to fight for their people’s needs. To quote renowned Brazilian author Paulo Coelho: “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” It is said that Pope Francis’s experiences of poverty while growing up has shaped his views. He believes that economic injustice is at the heart of world conflicts. The cause of world conflicts is driven by politics through economic injustice and human suffering. How do laws and acts affect the lives of ordinary South Africans? What is the impact of bills, laws and acts of Parliament to South African citizens. Who has the right to make laws or change any law? Electricity…

Professor Anton Eberhard estimates that as of June 2023, households and businesses have installed 4 412MW of rooftop solar. Not only is this double the capa- city of Eskom under its four previous Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (Reippp), but nearly a 350% increase of the installed capa- city by households and businesses since March 2022. However, there remains a funding gap that still requires government intervention. On August 8, 2023, the National Treasury launched the Energy Bounce Back Loan Guarantee Scheme (EBB). The EBB aims to alleviate the country’s existential power crisis that impacts small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and households with the generation of 1 000MW of additional generation capacity over the coming year. The EBB provides for a government guarantee by the SA Reserve Bank…

The residents of Vannin Court in Hillbrow, one of the hijacked and dilapidated buildings in the area, said they would not allow city officials to move them to shelters. This comes after two of the City of Joburg’s Members of the Mayoral Com- mittee (MMCs), Kenny Kunene for transport and Dr Mgcini Tshwaku for public safety, visited the city centre yesterday for yet another inspection of hijacked and dilapidated buildings. Kunene and Tshwaku employed the help of law-enforcement agencies as they assessed the levels of dysfunction of Vannin Court, an eight-storey building on Pietersen Street. According to the residents, the building has been without electricity and water for almost a year, even though they are forced to pay rent. A mother of six, who declined to be named, told…

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s hopes of returning to office yesterday were dashed when President Cyril Ramaphosa warned her not to report for work as she remained suspended pending the finalisation of removal proceedings. Although Mkhwebane arrived at the Public Protector South Africa offices in Pretoria, she did not enter the premises. Instead, she tore into Ramaphosa and Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka and suggested that her police protection had been withdrawn. “I am going back home because I am told I am not under any protection. If anything happens to me, the police won’t protect me,” Mkhwebane told the media. The drama started on Monday when Mkhwebane took to social media announcing her return to office based on Ramaphosa’s presidential minute that had stated her suspension was pending the…

Multiple life-saving organ transplants at Groote Schuur and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital are undoubtedly saving lives. The organs of a deceased individual made it possible for organ recipients on the waiting list for kidneys and livers to benefit from surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) just a few weeks ago. Nangamso Liwani, 32, was a recipient of a kidney transplanted at Groote Schuur Hospital, where she is employed. She recalled experiencing dizziness at work in 2016. “My vision became blurry, and I was advised to seek medical help from our nursing staff. During the consultation, my blood pressure was examined, and it was very high. I was immediately sent to the emergency unit where bloods were drawn, and I was admitted.…

A study conducted in 2019 and 2020 by a team of experts at the University of Pretoria (UP), into the prevalence of food-borne pathogen listeria monocytogenes in beef and beef products at some abattoirs and retailers in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces, has produced some interesting outcomes with concerning implications for consumers. The research by UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute showed that, among other findings, 4.6% of chilled carcasses sampled at seven abattoirs in one of the provinces were contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This means that contaminated carcasses have the potential to enter the food chain as beef and beef products sold at retail outlets in the province. Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis, a life-threatening disease that could…

As you look for a new smartphone, you will likely focus on important aspects like a fast processor and advanced software. But do not forget about the design. It’s not just about looks – the way a phone is shaped and how comfortable it feels to hold are crucial, too, especially if you use it a lot. So, when choosing the right smartphone for your daily needs, make sure to consider its design as well. It plays a big role in how enjoyable and easy-to-use the phone will be in your hands. The HONOR 90 5G is a revolutionary new smartphone that has been making waves with its captivating design, drawing the gaze of thousands of users. Boasting a distinctive array of unique colours, an unparalleled texture, and an exceptional…

When news broke about the making of the historical drama series Shaka iLembe, it broke the internet, and viewers waited with bated breath. It is no secret that telling the story of a significant film such as Shaka iLembe comes with high expectations for delivery. Viewers often watch it with extreme alarm, from each cast member to the quality of the production and every little detail of the storyline. One episode of this series was enough to get a nod from scores of viewers who immersed themselves in its beauty. The announcement of the cast, including some of the local household names, added exhilaration to watching the drama series. In the past few months since it aired, it has stolen most viewers’ attention, and as a result, each week it…

The month of September is now upon us, which means that summer is around the corner in South Africa. Most people experiencing scorching-hot conditions will go to water resources like rivers, lakes and dams to cool off. Swimming pools and the country’s beaches will probably be crowded as recreational enthusiasts start enjoying the water during the hot weather. The Department of Water and Sanitation has, however, issued a warning to the public to be cautious around water resources. Many people have drowned during these recreational activities, be it at swimming pools or at our rivers. Beach rules and regulations should be always adhered to, whether on the sand or in the water. People are reminded to swim only in safe and supervised areas. Keeping an eye on children is crucial…

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter claims Quinton de Kock has “unfinished business” at the ICC World Cup in India next month. De Kock announced yesterday, ahead of the Proteas’ World Cup squad announcement in Bloemfontein, that he will be retiring from one-day international cricket after the global jamboree. The Proteas wicket-keeper/batter has, since making his ODI debut in 2013, gone on to play 140 matches and amassed 5 966 runs at an average of 44.85. The 30-year-old forms part of a rusted batting group of captain Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Reeza Hendricks, with youngsters Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis omitted yesterday. “A player himself knows when it’s the right time to step out. Quinny has been a magnificent player for South…

Pep Guardiola’s European champions Manchester City will face Club Leon of Mexico or Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds in the Fifa Club World Cup semi-finals in December in Saudi Arabia after the draw yesterday. In the other semi-final, the Copa Libertadores winners, yet to be decided, will face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, Auckland City of New Zealand or Egypt’s Al Ahly. The host nation’s champions, Saudi Pro League winners Al-Ittihad, will kick off the competition against Auckland City. Al-Ittihad will hope to repeat Al-Hilal’s run last year, when they became the first Saudi club to reach the final. They lost the decider to Real Madrid, the competition's most successful club with five titles. As yet, there are no previous holders in this year’s edition. Internacional of Brazil are the only previous winners…

Chile embark on their first Rugby World Cup on Saturday with a sense of excitement and a determination not to play the tourist. At number 22, Los Condore are the lowest ranked team in the tournament, but in spite of that, they want to leave their mark in France. They face 2019 hosts Japan this weekend in their Pool D opener before stepping out against an improving Samoa, former winners England and fellow South Americans Argentina. As many other smaller rugby nations have found at World Cups, it can get ugly against the big boys, but the Chileans are not folding just yet. “We know the teams we’re going to play. We’ve watched them on the television for a long time,” Chile fullback Inaki Ayarza told AFP. “For me, it’s…