Star2024-02-01的目錄

FROGFOOT Networks and Vox Tele- communications insisted yesterday that confidential information about market share and pricing submitted to the Competition Commission in its determination against Vodacom’s acquisition of Maziv, which controls Dark Fibre Africa and Vumatel, was accessible to the merging parties. The Competition Commission has decided against the merger of Vodacom and Maziv on the grounds that the deal combines one of South Africa’s largest fibre infrastructure players, Maziv, and its largest mobile operator, Vodacom. The commission, after investigations and hearing submissions from other telecom players, also concluded that the would result in foreclosure of competitors post the merger. Now, Vodacom and Maziv who are the parties to the merger deal, want access to confidential information that Frogfoot and Vox submitted to the commission. Yesterday, the Competition Tribunal heard…

TROUBLED sugar producer Tongaat Hulett’s future once more hangs in the balance. This after the group’s business rescue practi- tioners (BRPs) yesterday alerted “affected persons of Tongaat Hulett” on the JSE Stock Exchange News Service (Sens) that an urgent application was launched in the High Court of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Local Division, Durban, that the company and the BRPs be interdicted on an interim basis from implementing or taking any further steps relating to the implementation of the Vision Business Rescue Plan. Last month Tongaat Hulett’s lenders voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Vision Consortium’s bid to take southern Africa’s biggest sugar producer out of business rescue, ending a period of uncertainty for the more than 100-year-old company and its employees. The Vision Consortium is made up of entrepreneurial…

SONY MIDDLE East and Africa says the pan-African region and South Africa are very important to the business and its expansion ambitions. This comes as Sony, which produces electronic goods, expects the consumer electronics industry to grow with market volume growth of 1.2% this year in the Middle East and Africa, according to Jobin Joejoe, the deputy managing director at Sony Middle East and Africa. In an interview with Business Report, Joejoe said popular products included smartphones, televisions, home appliances, and gaming consoles. “We are also expecting to see growth in technology innovations such as AI advancements, IOT, 5G, growing demand for smart home solutions and sustainability as a focus. “Consumer electronics businesses are changing their relationship with the environment by combining innovative technology with the continuous reduction of environmental…

SMALL BUSINESSES in South Africa last year found it tough to operate amid the many economic challenges faced. This was according to Garth Rossiter, the head of credit and chief risk officer at Lula. Lula is a fast-growing Business 2 Business digital credit and capital provider in the country. Rossiter said that 2023 was a difficult year for SMMEs, marked by fluctuating market dynamics. “The results of our recent business performance survey are sobering. Nearly 68% of businesses did not meet their own goals, with close to 40% of respondents reportedly falling significantly below their business and growth expectations,” Rossiter said. More than 609 South African SMMEs responded to a survey promoted by Lula in December 2023. The survey ran from December 21, 2023 till January 5, 2024…

IMPALA Platinum Holdings said 13 employees had tragically lost their lives, and 73 were injured in an accident on a conveyance cage at Impala Rustenburg’s 11 Shaft last November in what has been described as one of the worst mining accidents in South Africa in two decades. In an update on the incident yesterday, the mining group said several of the injured staff were receiving ongoing rehabilitation, care and support from the company. In the last big industry disaster, 12 miners were killed in an explosion at Beatrix Gold Mine in the Free State in 2001. “The in loco inspection was conducted and associated instructions from the Department of Mineral Re- sources and Energy (DMRE) were received in December 2023, with the 11 Shaft site returned to Implats to…

PORTFOLIOMETRIX, a global investment management firm, listed its first Actively Managed Exchange Traded Fund (AmetF), the PortfolioMetrix Active Income Presci- ent AmetF, on the JSE yesterday. The fund aims to provide investors with a high level of income and to prioritise the preserva- tion of capital. The fund managers invest in interest-bearing securities typically not easily accessible to JSE investors. Philip Bradford, PortfolioMetrix’s head of investments, said in a statement: “With a current gross yield of 11.8%, the fund is positioned to do well in a falling interest rate environment, which we expect to be the case over the next few years.” “Current bond yields of over inflation +6% creates the potential for equity-like returns going forward, but with much lower risk,” he said. The PortfolioMetrix Active Income Prescient Amet…

Jason Statham kicked off 2024 with a literal bang as he appeased the appetites of action movie fanatics with The Beekeeper. Currently showing in cinemas worldwide, the action thriller flick sees a welcome return to the big screen for the British actor affectionately known as “The Stath”. Statham has dominated the action movie genre over the years, with roles in the Transporter movies, The Italian Job, Crank, The Mechanic, as well as some of the Fast & Furious movies. But his latest appearance in The Beekeeper comes following widespread criticism for his roles in recent projects including Expend4bles, which was a notorious box office under-performer and went on to receive the most nominations at this year’s Razzie Awards, a parody award show which honours cinematic failures. Statham’s other recent film,…

The South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara) led by former Cope member Colleen Makhubele has accused Rise Mzansi of destroying its election posters across the Gauteng province. On Tuesday, Sara spokesperson Sonia Mokheseng said in a statement that the party would be approaching the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to report the matter. She said that instead of smaller parties coming together, some of the parties were tearing one another apart. “We should all be worried when new parties engage in political manoeuvring and chicaneries like the old guards who have mastered the art of election interference and unfair practices, including violence. Sara posters which were splashed all over Gauteng and other provinces have been clandestinely taken down and replaced with Rise Mzansi posters,” Mokheseng said. She said all of…

IN A touching tribute to their daughter, the Tembe family opened the Anele Tembe Library at Durban Girls’ College on Tuesday. The previous library at the school was refurbished. Anele Tembe died after falling from the 10th floor of a Cape Town hotel in 2021. Anele was a Durban Girls’ College alumnus who loved reading and acquiring new knowledge. Her father, businessman Moses Tembe, praised the school for helping develop Anele and for contributing to world-class leaders across various fields. Tembe said Anele had spent five happy years here and “this phenomenal institution” played a critically important role in her development. Tembe said family members were determined to honour her memory and preserve the mark she left on them. He said they came together as a family and took the…

Twin sisters, separated and sold at birth, have been reunited almost two decades later, thanks to social media. Amy Khvitia and Anno Sartania met for the first time in 19 years after they were separated as babies and sold to different families. The girls have also been reunited with their biological mother, Aza Shoni, who was told that her daughters died shortly after birth. BBC.com reported that Aza went into a coma after giving birth and when she woke up, nursing staff told her that her babies had died. According to the Deccan Herald, the girls’ father, Gocha Gakharia, decided to sell the girls to separate families. Sartania grew up in Tbilisi, and Khvitia in Zugdidi, less than 400 kilometres apart in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. The identical…

With Volvo aiming to offer a 100% electric vehicle (EV) line-up by 2030, the XC90 T8 Recharge proves to be an ideal stepping-stone into the world of full electrification, especially for South Africans. Labelled the most powerful Volvo ever, it combines an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. We recently spent time with the premium family-hauling SUV. Sitting at the top of the local line-up, the Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge employs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a 107kW electric motor on the rear axle. The former produces 233kW, resulting in a combined total system output of 340kW and 709Nm of torque. Power is equally sent to all four wheels, with smooth shifts taken care of by an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge also makes…

The Springboks will have a solid foundation to select players from for the incoming Tests against Ireland and Portugal in July, and the Rugby Championship later this year, thanks to good performances by the local franchises in Europe. Independent Newspapers began a series that looks at the options at the disposal of coach Rassie Erasmus. We looked at fullback, where Damian Willemse is a certainty and Willie le Roux the cover, and right wing, where Cheslin Kolbe will look to keep hold of the jersey. Today, jersey No 13 is the focus. The incumbent: Lukhanyo Am How good will it be to see Am, a star during the 2019 World Cup triumph, back in the Springbok No 13 jersey after he missed the 2023 tournament due to a knee injury…

South Africa’s economy is being stifled by logistical bottlenecks due to Transnet woes SOUTH Africa’s government has admitted that improving the efficiency of the struggling national ports will be key to the success of the African Continen- tal Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement as the country has commenced prefer- ential trade under. This comes as South Africa’s economy is being stifled by logistical bottlenecks as Transnet is struggling with weeks of backlogs caused by in- adequate equipment at the ports and railway lines. President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday officiated the launch of the first shipment of manufactured products to Ghana via the Port of Durban under the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative (GTI). The shipment was of grinding media from Grinding Media South Africa, a Germinston-based company that manufactures forged grinding balls…

ASTRAL Foods swung back to profit- ability in the quarter to end December 2022 on the back of a stronger performing poultry division although the JSE-listed company has expressed dismay at poultry import rebates gazetted by the government last week, saying contingency plans across the industry had staved off shortages. For the year to September, Astral Foods’ operating profit decreased by 143% to a loss of R621 million on the back of load shedding, water supply constraints, bird flu related costs that amounted to R2.1 billion and net cash outflow of R1.1bn. A rebound in the poultry sector is now expected to lift up the company back to profitability. Astral Foods said yesterday that it expects Astral expects per share earnings and headline earnings per share for the…

SALARIES and private pensions performed slightly better last year than in the previous year as the average nominal take-home pay among approxi- mately 4 million salary earners in South Africa lifted, according to the BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI). The index tracks the average nominal take-home pay among approximately 4 million SA salary earners. Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica’s head of stakeholder engagements, said the average nominal take-home pay was 5.6% higher at R15 409 in December last year compared to the R14 596 recorded in December 2022. However, the average nominal take-home pay last year was only slightly better than the averages noted in 2022 and 2021, suggesting a sideways movement over the past three years. With inflation on the rise during this period, salary earners were…

LAST YEAR, small businesses in South Africa faced a hard year. The most recent Business Partners SME Confidence Index (SME Index) saw increases and decreases in business confidence on several fronts. With 2024 beginning to gain momentum, expectations remain high that this will be a year of progress for SMEs. Jeremy Lang, the chief investment officer at Business Partners, says that although the outlook for 2024 is positive, SMEs will be keeping their eyes on the key developments and hope to see their 2024 wish list come to fruition. These include: 1. More government support and a conducive operating environment According to the most recent Q2 2023 SME Index, the biggest increase in small business confidence was seen in the realm of government support. At 59%, SMEs’…

PPC SUBSIDIARY, PPC GPCO South Africa Proprietary, had repurchased 46 612 939 of the group’s ordinary shares, representing 3% of the issued shares, during the period from September 6, 2023, the PPC said yesterday. In a statement, it said the shares were repurchased for R143.85 million, funded out of the group’s available cash resources. The repurchases were made under the general authority granted by shareholders at the annual general meeting (AGM). During the prohibited period before publication of its 2024 interim results, which were published on November 20, 2023, the group repurchased 10 105 498 shares at an average of R2.94 per share, totalling R29.74m. The group may repurchase a further 108 763 524 shares up to a total of 155 376…

DIVERSIFIED investment group African Equity Empowerment Investments’ (AEEI’s) revenue increased by 21% to R2.8 billion in the year to August 31, mainly due to revenue improvement in the IT division and a robust 20% revenue increase from its fishing division. However, a pre-tax loss of R1.7bn arose mostly because of losses from other sectors under the IT division, accounting adjustments for the reduction in the fair value of the investment in British Telecommunication Services South Africa, and a loss from the unbundling of its IT division – AYO Technology Solutions (AYO). AEEI, however, continued to maintain a strong balance sheet, despite AYO’s unbundling, which represented about 65% of the group’s assets. Only 11 months of revenue from this division was included in AEEI’s results, as the unbundling took effect…

Former The Voice South Africa season one runner-up, Gavin Edwards, has been announced as Prime Circle’s new frontman. Edwards replaces Ross Learmonth, who announced in December, that he will no longer be part of the rock band due to “creative differences”. “At this juncture in my life, it’s time for me to move on. All relationships change and evolve, and unfortunately due to creative differences, Prime Circle and I will no longer be continuing this musical journey together,” said Learmonth at the time. Meanwhile, Edwards was signed to ex-Westlife boy band member Brian McFadden’s BMF Records and brings with him 28 years of global experience. “My life has been priming me for something bigger than myself, and this is that moment,” he said. In a press release, the multi-platinum…

Chief rabbi warns local criminal and international anti-terror laws may have been breached TWO of the country’s three top banks accused by the chief rabbi of South Africa, Warren Goldstein, of providing funding platforms for Palestinian militant group Hamas yesterday distanced themselves from the allegations. Following the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ’s) ruling last Friday ordering Israel to take action to prevent acts of genocide as it fights Hamas in Gaza in the case brought by the South African government, Goldstein publicly repeated claims first reported by The Jerusalem Post. The newspaper, citing research it had conducted, reported last week that banking giants Nedbank, Standard Bank and Absa were being used to channel funds to Hamas through the Al-Quds Foundation, which is under US sanctions and is outlawed in Israel.…

Mpumalanga police are investigating a case of murder after a 28-year-old male was assaulted and succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, said community members from Phiva took to the streets and reportedly torched some houses, and an office and a patrol vehicle of Sector Crime Forum. “These unlawful acts began with an incident in which a 28-year-old man was attacked after allegations that he was intending to steal on Tuesday. “After the man was severely assaulted, he was taken for medical treatment but sadly died on arrival at hospital,” Manamela said. Other community members mobilised more residents to help torch and burn some properties, she said, adding that was all done under the pretence of a revenge attack. Manamela called for calm to…

A Tshwane family that have been living in their home for over 60 years successfully won a case against a man who wanted to evict them, claiming that his father had bought their house almost 40 years ago. Lindi Ronsy Masilela and her three siblings had a rude awakening when a man, Koos Masilela, who they didn’t know and was not related to them, told them they had to leave the house, as his father had bought it from their late father. Lindi told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that Koos’s claims didn’t make sense because before her parents died, they had a lease agreement with the City of Tshwane, which was granted on December 14, 1983, and will expire on December 13, 2083. She said that the property belonged…

After 39 years of service with the SAPS, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela is set to hang up his boots. Retiring in the position of provincial commissioner in Gauteng, Mawela began his journey as a student constable in 1984. National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Mawela had uninterrupted, loyal and dedicated service with the SAPS. Speaking more to his illustrious career, Mathe said soon after joining the service in 1984, Mawela began serving in the Mamelodi policing precinct. “He then worked his way up in the ranks to the level of Lieutenant General in 2011,” Mathe said. “He has served in a number of senior roles and capacities, including that of deputy area commissioner of Pretoria, Component Head: Border policing, divisional commissioner: Operational Response Services (ORS) and Natjoints chairperson.” In…

The multiparty coalition governing the City of Tshwane has received scathing criticism from opposition parties for creating another lucrative political position that would cost the municipality nearly R2 million a year in salaries and perks. This comes after the coalition bloc recently installed ActionSA councillor Dr Nasiphi Moya in the newly formed position of deputy mayor amid much criticism from the opposition parties that the City could not afford it. This time the coalition partners appointed FF Plus councillor Sakkie du Plooy as full-time chairperson of the oversight committee. Opposition parties in council frowned on the move, saying it was a waste of taxpayers’ money and a way of appeasing a coalition ally in the FF Plus with a high-paying position. ANC chief whip Aaron Maluleka lambasted the coalition government…

With Valentine’s Day swiftly approaching, many people have begun making preparations to make it an unforgettable day for their loved ones. As millions of people celebrate this day of love, multi-award-winning singer Selaelo Selota, renowned for his soulful songs and compelling performances, is excited to share a taste of his new music with his fans. Selota’s much-anticipated album, Pelong, is set to be launched on Valentine’s Day at Level Seven Restaurant & Sky Bar, perched at the top of the Radisson Hotel in Kempton Park. He told The Star that he decided to launch on the day to ”follow and embrace the theme of love“. “Valentine’s Day has become one of the most significant days in my life. We live in a country that paints a worrying image of gender-based…

Until now the Mitsubishi Outlander has operated in the shadows of the midsized SUV market, but the local importer wants to change that with a newly expanded line-up. The latest generation Outlander, now based on the Nissan X-Trail, was initially available in just two flavours – GLS and Exceed – when it was launched locally in mid-2023. But now the range is being expanded to include the new entry-level GL, midrange GLS Plus and range-topping Exceed. All are powered by the familiar 2.5-litre normally aspirated petrol engine, paired with a CVT gearbox with eight programmed steps. The engine produces 135kW and 245Nm and power goes to all four wheels through Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control system. The new entry-level GL model ships with 18-inch alloys, synthetic leather and suede seat upholstery,…

Evolution has made it possible for the human species to step out from living in a cave. Survival requires us to adapt. Today, due to pressures similar to climate change, the situation highlights how crucial it is for all species to be able to sense change and adapt to it. Despite rising disruption and uncertainty, individuals can find inspiration in this unlikely parallel from nature to survive and thrive. To urgently cope in our ever-changing landscape, it has become crucial to learn skills that display quick adaptability. To overcome unexpected changes in our environment, it is essential to possess an adaptive mindset. This is relevant to a complicated relationship, career path, loss of a loved one or job, or our lifestyle choices. The ability to adapt quickly, to endure sudden…

Fintech company, Paystack, which launched operations in South Africa in 2021, has been working on reducing redundancies on its transaction settlement platforms and has earmarked more payments platforms this year, in addition to expansion into more African countries. Joel Bronkowski, South Africa country lead for Paystack, said in an interview that the company’s investments in the country in 2023 focused on “building out redundancy” to ensure higher uptime and success levels for transactions on its platform. “South Africa has a much more competitive payments landscape compared to Nigeria. The regulatory and banking framework in South Africa is also quite different,” Bronkowski said. South Africa’s banking sector regulators have opened up to cryptocurrency payments and transactions while Nigeria still prohibits banks from facilitating cryptocurrency transactions. Even though, this does not always…

SHIPPING companies will heave a sigh of relief as the Ports Regulator of South Africa (PRSA) has rejected the Transnet National Ports Authority's (TNPA’s) inflation-related proposed tariff hike, opting instead for a zero increase for the 2024/25 financial year. This comes as shipping companies are facing rising costs due to extended waiting times at a number of South African ports as a result of the weeks-long backlog caused by the ports infrastructure and logistics systems. In September last year, TNPA applied for an effective average tariff increase of 4.98% for the period April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, which includes an amount of R1.2 billion retained in the Excessive Tariff Increase Margin Credit (ETIMC). PRSA CEO Johanna Mulaudzi yesterday announced that the regulator had concluded that an appropriate…

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted – those who succeed need a great deal of grit, resilience, and foresight, especially given the volatile environment the world finds itself in. Here in South Africa, the energy crisis and the flagging economy throw up additional challenges, and as the year rolls to a close, many are understandably feeling tired and frazzled. But small businesses are pivotal to South Africa’s economic growth, to job creation, and to servicing the country’s consumers. And they are an important part of our social fabric – think of the local restaurant or coffee shop where you bump into friends from time to time. Still, it’s stressful. Restaurant owners, for example, have faced multiple challenges – from staffing and cash flow issues to demanding customers. Those in the…

ANGLO American yesterday announced the value of rough diamond sales for De Beers’ first sales cycle of 2024 had amounted to $370 million (R7 billion) after particularly solid demand in the US. The figure compares well with the previous sales cycle between December 9, 2023, and December 19, 2023, of $137m, but is much lower than the $454m reported for the first cycle in 2023. De Beers CEO Al Cook said in a statement: “Solid consumer demand for diamonds in the US over the year-end holiday season has certainly helped to stabilise the industry and we are seeing polished diamond prices increasing again.” He said combined with the restart of rough diamond imports into India, this had led to demand for rough diamonds increasing substantially in the first…

OVERCOMING significant challenges no corporate should face in South Africa, JSE-listed investment holding company Ayo Technology Solutions (AYO) reported lower profit in the year to end-August 2023, but generated a strong 28% increase in revenue, boding well for the future of the group’s technology stack. The results were posted late due to several factors, not least of which was the need for the new management team to interrogate every aspect of the operations. CEO Amit Makan said: “As the new management team coming into AYO already six months into the financial year and during a major restructure, we wanted to ensure we spent the necessary time being thorough, to present to the market a set of audited results that can be relied on, and onto which we can set the…

The EFF has questioned the timing of the Western Cape High Court ruling regarding the suspension of six members of Parliament, including its president, Julius Malema, deputy president Floyd Shivambu and secretary-general Marshall Dlamini. This comes after the three and three other party MPs, Sinawo Thambo, Vuyani Pambo and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, were banned from attending the State of the Nation Address (Sona) next Thursday following the decision by the high court refusing its urgent application to stay their suspension. Yesterday, the party issued a statement questioning the timing of this suspension, specifically choosing February 2024 to exclude their members from the upcoming Sona, saying this was “particularly nefarious” and appears to be a move and a calculated attempt to ensure that President Cyril Ramaphosa could deliver his final Sona without…

A 52-year-old woman, Nombango Claudia Mogiba, was remanded in custody by the Calcutta Magistrate’s Court on Monday after she was arrested for possession of suspected stolen property – Eskom cables and Transnet tarpaulin. Mogiba was arrested by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based serious organised crime investigation, working with other units of the South African Police Service, according to spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi. “It is alleged that on Monday, January 29, 2024, at approximately 8am, information was received from Combined Private Investigations (CPI) regarding a house in Mkhuhlu where copper cables were kept to be transported late at night. The team followed up on the information and went to the said address,” she said. When the law enforcement team arrived at the house, the homeowner was not at home. Upon her arrival,…

WHILE there has been a general increase in vehicle hijackings, Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group, one of southern Africa’s largest security companies, affirms that there weren’t any notable nationwide surges in the number of vehicle hijackings during the holiday season. Bartmann, speaking about the prevalence of hijackings in South Africa, said there had been a decline throughout the festive season. According to statistics from the SAPS, about 6 000 cars were hijacked in South Africa between July and September 2023, or about 66 cars every day on average. Bartmann added that hijackings were more prevalent in January and February. “Fortunately, no spikes in hijackings were recorded from our perspective over the festive season. However, we are gearing up as the available data indicates that a spike in hijackings…

Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has welcomed the decision to suspend the auction of the late former president Nelson Mandela’s personal belongings, including his ID book, trademark shirts, hearing aid equipment, spectacles, shoes and 100 other items. Mandela’s daughter, Makaziwe, had reportedly initiated the auction with the New York-based Guernsey’s Auction House as far back as December 2021, in a bid to raise funds for the construction of the Mandela memorial garden in Qunu in the Eastern Cape. The decision to auction the items has been criticised by many South Africans, including Mandela’s grandchildren Mbuso and Ndaba Mandela. Mandela’s stepdaughter, Josina Z Machel, daughter of Samora and Graça Machel, along with Mandela’s daughter Ndileka, have described the auction sale as outrageous. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) confirmed…

Is your enjoyment of a good glass of red wine dampened by the headache that follows? Affinity Health has taken a closer look at why red wine is often singled out as a common headache culprit. Differentiating between a wine headache and a hangover, Affinity Health CEO Murray Hewlett said: “A wine headache, which occurs during the first three hours of drinking, is not the same as a hangover, which occurs later. Headaches can occur 30 minutes after drinking only one or two tiny glasses, rather than after a long session.” Here are some of the reasons why you get a headache after wine: Sulfites Sulfites are a preservative in many foods and beverages, including wine. While sulfites are generally recognised as safe for consumption, they can trigger headaches and…

Four years after the start of the Covid-19, some people are still working from home. According to BrandMapp data, just 47% of employed individuals have returned to their full-time jobs, while 54% are following the hybrid work trend or working permanently from home. “It seems that the pandemic gave many more people the opportunity to experience work from home, and a lot of them like it,” director of BrandMapp, Brandon de Kock, said. However, 2024 may finally be the year that workers return to the office. Returning to the office is anticipated to accelerate throughout the year as more organisations understand the detrimental impact that entirely remote working may have on workplace morale and productivity. This is the belief of the CEO of Contract Understanding, Norman Kretzmer. Kretzmer foresees the…

VOLKSWAGEN’S Taigo wraps up the company’s T SUV range and with its coupe-like lines and sloping roof, is probably the best looking when compared to the T-Cross, T-Roc, Tiguan Allspace and the Tourag, and in R-Line trim it looks even better. Our test unit was fitted with the optional Black Style Package with the mirror caps, radiator grille and tailpipe trim all finished in black with darkened side windows and rear window. Rounding it off are handsome 18-inch black Misano alloys giving it an almost menacing appeal. Like most VW products, the interior is meticulously put together and nothing feels out of place with the stylish cloth seats covers incorporating Alcantara inserts embossed with the R-Line logo. Soft-touch surfaces and black brushed aluminium trim in key areas abound and…

JLR South Africa has opened the order books for its 2024 Range Rover Evoque and Velar models, which have received subtle design enhancements as well as new cabin electronics. Pricing for the updated Range Rover Evoque ranges between R1 258 100 and R1 702 000, while the larger Velar will find its way into your driveway for between R1 670 000 and R2 202 700. There’s not much to tell the 2024 models apart on the outside, but JLR is offering new Pixel LED headlights with chiselled front and rear light signature graphics and new “super-red” rear illumination that offers increased visibility and reduced glare for other road users. Subtle updates have also been made to the grilles and bumpers of both models. The changes are more apparent inside the…

After a full week of the training camp that Netball SA hosted at the University of Stellenbosch, the federation announced that all the players invited to the training camp will be eligible to come back for another camp before the team is trimmed down to 15 after the new Proteas head coach is announced. Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane indicated that it would be an injustice to the team and the incoming coach if the selectors chose a team for her without her presence or input. “We felt that we needed to wait for the appointment of the head coach before a team of 15 can be finalised and announced,” Molokwane said in a statement yesterday. “It is the coach that will be working with the players, so it is…