Table of contents for 2024-07-25 in Star

Financially constrained consumers have their hopes raised that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will begin cutting interest rates after headline consumer inflation fell to its lowest in six months in June. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday showed that the annual inflation rate eased to 5.1% in June, edging lower from 5.2% in May, mainly driven by the decline in food prices. Though consumer prices remained above the 4.5% midpoint of the SARB’s target range of 3% to 6%, this was the lowest inflation reading since December last year, when it was 5.1% again. Stats SA’s chief director of price statistics, Patrick Kelly, said inflation has remained within the 5% to 6% range for the past 10 months. Kelly said the annual food inflation was the lowest in…

Eskom is forging ahead with plans to build renewable energy baseload capacity, including nuclear and battery storage, which will replace the coal-fired power stations in Mpumalanga when they get decommissioned in the years to come. Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom’s group executive for generation, said yesterday that the power utility was looking at building small 100MW modular nuclear reactors as part of its build programme at decommissioned coal sites. Nxumalo said this was part of the ministerial determination for the procurement of 2 500MW of new generation capacity from nuclear, which was announced by Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in December. He said Eskom would need some levels of baseload, in addition to the small reactors, before it goes ahead with the decommissioning of the Komati Power Station in a…

Currently, we are faced with a daunting unemployment landscape in South Africa, where the youth unemployment rate (individuals aged 15-34 years) sits at a concerning 44.3%, according to Statistics South Africa. Now, many young South Africans with innovative ideas are taking charge by launching their own businesses. However, this path to success is not without hurdles. This July, during National Savings Month in South Africa, it’s even more important to recognise how financial literacy empowers young people to build sustainable businesses. One of the key struggles faced by South African entrepreneurs is limited access to capital. Financial institutions are often wary of lending to young businesses with a lack of financial history. Here’s where financial literacy shines. Understanding financial concepts allows entrepreneurs to present a compelling case to potential investors…

Mzanzi Wethu’s hit telenovela Sibongile & The Dlaminis will be shaking things up in the new season with the inclusion of several new characters from Monday. Actor Ntando Zondi, who played young Prince Shaka on Mzansi Magic’s Shaka Ilembe will enter the show as Themba. Themba is Njengaye and Nomfundo’s 16-year-old love child. “Themba is looking to be a full and legitimate member of the Dlamini Clan,” read a statement from the channel. During his upbringing, Themba had a strong bond with his mother and a strong desire to spend more time with his father. Viewers will be introduced to Themba when a family member brings him to the Dlamini home and reveals his identity. After being welcomed into the family, Themba fights for validation, which impacts his mental and…

Renaldo Gouws, the suspended DA member of Parliament, has been appointed deputy spokesperson for two portfolios – Tourism and the auditor-general – while investigations continue into racist remarks he made years ago. This was revealed in a list of portfolio spokespersons that the DA released on Monday. Last month, the DA suspended Gouws from party activities after establishing that an exposé by IOL in which he uttered racist comments was legitimate and not AI or fake as they initially suspected. In the video, Gouws can be heard saying: “Alright so there’s a couple of things I want to say. Kill the f**ing k*****s, kill all the f***ing n*ggers. That’s all I gotta f***ing say.” But the DA came to his defence, saying his suspension won’t stop him from fulfilling his…

A shake-up in the composition of the executive of the City of Johannesburg is imminent as parties in the Government of Local Unity (GLU) agree that the current mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, is not living up to his responsibilities. A source of The Star, who is part of the GLU, told the publication that the coalition partners share ActionSA’s position. “It is inevitable that Gwamanda will be demoted to being an MMC when (the ANC’s Morero) Dada takes over in a preferred ANC government. In fact, the partners have the same sentiments as ActionSA about Gwamanda – that he is an absent mayor,” the source said. The source added that they couldn’t fight the decision of the ANC to remove Gwamanda as both parties had agreed that the position belonged to…

The issue of insufficient legal representation and consultation with his client has caused the postponement of a pre-trial conference involving Thabo Bester and eight co-accused once again. The matter was postponed to July 31 for another attempt at a pre-trial conference and for accused three, Senohe Matsoara, and six, Tieho Makotsa, to be assessed for legal aid purposes. Yesterday, Bester, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and seven others briefly appeared in the Bloemfontein High Court. Arguing for his client, Bester’s legal representative, the sixth since the start of the hearing, advocate Lerato Moela, revealed that he had not consulted with his client until yesterday. Convicted killer and rapist Bester’s efforts to have his incarceration conditions relaxed proved unsuccessful when the court refused to hear an application from his legal representative yesterday. Moela…

The EFF has hit back at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement, saying he failed to address “pressing issues” they had brought up during the opening of Parliament debate. The Red Berets’ response follows Ramaphosa’s argument that EFF leader, Julius Malema, is not a political fundi, and should be schooled in the history of politics instead of using personal vendettas to attack during debates. On Monday, Ramaphosa reprimanded Malema for insulting his father, saying he was a policeman during Apartheid. “You and I need to sit down and talk about politics, especially about apartheid-era politics, which I think confuses you. Some two years ago, you once stood here and insulted my father and me, saying that he was a policeman. I am proud to be the son of a policeman, a very…

EDUCATION activist Hendrick Makaneta has called on Pretoria High School for Girls to encourage dialogues on race to uproot racism in some schools across the country. This follows the suspension of 12 learners accused of racism. Makaneta said: “Racism has long-term effects that can be devastating and, at times, can lead to depression and anxiety among victims. “Some of the victims of racism also have suicidal thoughts. “The government must find a way to come up with systemic changes by offering diversity training for staff, policies and consequences for racism. “Disciplinary action alone is not enough to root out racism in schools. We need to hold schools accountable for not doing enough to encourage empathy and mutual respect among learners.“ He said the department should establish clear guidelines and…

Now that President Joe Biden has decided to throw in the towel, the focus has shifted to the Democrat nominee to oppose Donald Trump. Many Democrat lawmakers, including Biden, have opted for Vice- President Kamala Harris, while some top-level Dems have not yet voiced their opinion. After lying dormant for three years Harris has suddenly come to life. If Harris was nominated, it would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. She has certainly not covered herself in glory as vice-president. In her tenure of three years, she has failed to sort out the immigration problem to which she was assigned. When asked why she had not visited the US border, she replied: “And I haven’t been to Europe. I don’t understand the point you’re making.” Huh! The…

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has been named as the new leader of the Audi Formula One project, the German constructor announced this week. Audi is set to debut in F1 from 2026, after taking full ownership of the Sauber team earlier this year. As of August 1, Swiss-born Italian Binotto will replace Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl – the man originally named as the head of the future Audi team. “I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia Binotto for our ambitious Formula 1 project,” said Audi CEO Gernot Doellner. “With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in Formula 1, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi.” The 54-year-old Binotto makes his return to F1 less than two years…

Lexus has just transformed its LBX compact crossover into something of a baby bombshell with the release of the “Morizo RR” performance model. Sadly, it appears that this little firecracker will be yet another object of JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) envy, as for now Lexus is only building 100 of them for its home market. Further to that it’s available only through a special lottery that will ultimately determine who gets to buy one. Of course, there’s a lot more to the LBX Morizo RR than just a shouty body kit. The Japanese luxury brand has dropped the Toyota GR Corolla’s 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol engine into the engine bay to create something that’s somewhat unique in its class. Paired with either an “intelligent” six-speed manual (IMT) or eight-speed automatic gearbox,…

IN a series leading up to the Paris Olympics, we at Independent Newspapers catch up with former South African Olympians to regale their unique experiences. Today, we speak to 100m sprinter Mathew Quinn... Mathew Quinn: Athletics (100m quarter-finalist, Sydney 2000 “That’s the magic of the Olympics. After you go through security and then get your accreditation, when you walk into the Olympic Village, that’s incredible, because that’s the heart and soul of the Olympics. All the different nationalities and flags. That’s when you realise that you are at the Olympic Games. It’s extremely special and quite emotional.” What goes through your mind when you are sitting in the blocks waiting for the gun to go off? “You try and go back to what you practice, and that’s all about getting…

Vodacom Group grew its revenue 1.5% to R36.2 billion in its first quarter to June 30, but revenue growth of its financial service offerings across Africa was much stronger. Group service revenue increased 10% on a normalised basis, above a medium-term target. South Africa service revenue grew 1.8%, supported by an improved prepaid performance, the group said in a trading update yesterday. CEO Shameel Joosub said they celebrated Vodacom’s 30th birthday in the first quarter, having signed up its first customer on June 1, 1994, when the network was switched on in South Africa. “Three decades later, the group serves more than 200 million customers across DRC, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania, a footprint that covers more than half a billion people and is almost 12…

Market investors are trading cautiously before the outcome of US elections and a US rate cut, says Mike Keenan, the chief fixed income and currency strategist at Absa. “We have to keep our thinking caps on because there could be watershed moments that push us in different directions from where we’ve been,” he said in an interview. Investors had been treading water for the past several quarters due to the restrictive global interest rate cycle, characterised by high interest rates “that became very restrictive”. The US was moving closer to a rate cut, which had critical implications for the dollar and commodities. But now US elections could impact the timing of a rate decision. He said that if a Trump administration came into power, it would probably be more supportive…

Effective cash flow management is the most vital ingredient to long-term success in a small business. As such, being financially savvy and literate as a business owner is imperative. Numerous studies and surveys have in fact found a clear correlation between financial literacy and small business sustainability. Among the many principles and practices that comprise what it means to be financially literate, being good at saving is one of the most critical. Want to know if you fall into the category of a savings-smart entrepreneur? These are the given boxes you need to tick: Saving for a rainy day Let’s start with the basics. Small business owners who are good at saving either have or are working towards having a prudent reserve. This is also commonly referred to as an…

What do you get when you cross Apollo 13 with a Rock Hudson/Doris Day romantic comedy? Wait, why would you even try? Fly Me to the Moon is a platypus of a movie. While it definitely has its charms, bizarro and otherwise, you may be more fascinated by the baling wire holding it together than what’s actually in it. Still, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum at odds and in love – how can that not be a good deal in the on-screen chemistry department? And it is, even if the two stars have to swim upriver against contrived dialogue and some unflattering costume and hairstyling choices. The year is 1969 and Nasa is fighting a rearguard action to launch the Apollo 11 spaceflight in an America exhausted by war, assassinations…

As the 45th Durban International Film Festival comes to a close, the organisers have selected to screen a poignant documentary that highlights corruption and the courage to speak truth to power. The Showerhead delves into the extraordinary journey of intrepid award-winning satirist Zapiro, real name Jonathan Shapiro. It will make its world premiere at Africa’s largest film gathering on Saturday, at Suncoast Cinecentre, as the festival’s closing night film. Directed by Craig Tanner and produced by Anant Singh of Videovision Entertainment, The Showerhead follows Zapiro from his beginnings as a political prisoner and liberation artist during apartheid, to his emergence as an advocate for freedom of expression through his candid assessment of the complicated political environment that exists in South Africa today. The documentary examines the beginnings, applicability and significance…

Despite having lost 76 rhinos due to poaching at the Kruger National Park (KNP), the dehorning of the animal has made an impact at the world- renowned tourist destination. The park embarked on the project of dehorning the animals from 2021 as a means to counter illegal hunting. Between 2022 and 2023, the park reported about 180 cases of rhino poaching, a 45% decrease from previous years. The park’s Cathy Dreyer, speaking on the sidelines of a media excursion to the park this week, told The Star that the dehorning project was in phases, initially focusing on animals that were around the border of the park. “Animals were right along the fence and very easy to access and it was very difficult for us to counter poaching … so we…

THE multimillion rand Townlands social housing project in Marabastad, officially launched in April, was celebrated during the second instalment of the residential investment & development (Reside) awards. City of Tshwane MMC for Human Settlements, Ofentse Madzebatela, said the recognition showed the City’s commitment to create housing for low-income earners who now have homes closer to economic opportunities. He congratulated a municipal parastatal, Housing Company Tshwane, being the recipient of the gold award under the category for Best Social Housing Development of the Year during the awards ceremony in Sandton. Urban Status Rentals, based in Cape Town, was named the winner, taking the platinum award. The housing development was recognised for its inclusive approach, offering low rental costs and community-enhancing amenities, supporting diverse income groups and vulnerable populations. Madzebatela thanked…

THE highest loss to a commercial property is a loss in the region of R10 million, as a result of the adverse weather in the Western and Eastern Cape over the past two months. Santam head of Non-Motor Claims, Rowland Ramalingam, said they had received a total 4 000 claims related to severe weather in the Cape. Ramalingam said: “We received approximately 3 000 claims as a result of the storms that occurred in the Western Cape from July 2 and over 1 000 claims as a result of the storms that occurred in the Eastern Cape from June 1.” He added that most of the damages reported were because of flooding affecting to the interior of houses, which resulted in claims for ceilings, carpets, cupboards and contents. “We also…

Limpopo police are warning community members of a fraudulent scam in which victims are contacted by the perpetrators, who claim that they were paid to kill them (as inkabi or hitmen), and they demand money to spare the victims’ lives. In some incidents, three public servants reported similar cases. Police said in other cases, two businessmen also received calls from a person purporting to be a member of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks. The callers tell the unsuspecting victims they were investigating their cases, before demanding money from the victims to avoid prosecution. “The police appeal to all community members to guard against these scammers,” said Limpopo provincial commissioner of police, Lieutenant- General Thembi Hadebe. “The police advise to rather verify caller identity by…

There is something a bit strange about having an on-road experience in a car destined to arrive in local showrooms only in two years’ time but Volkswagen, globally committed to electric vehicles, is running a series of trials with the SUV-styled ID.4. Part of this strategy is allowing local media the chance to drive it, along with selected fleet customers and private buyers who have already expressed an interest. The chairperson and managing director of Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA), Martina Biene, says: “This is not a new thing for Volkswagen and we previously placed some of the ID.3 models into the market as a gauge of public opinion. “From that, we found there was very much a preference for SUV-type vehicles and decided the ID.4 would be a better fit…

“I AM broke as f**k!” That’s two-time Olympic skateboarder Dallas Oberholzer’s simple message to new Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie. Oberholzer, 49, was at Cape Town International Airport yesterday preparing to leave for his second Olympic Games, after also competing in Tokyo three years ago. The oldest member of Team SA’s Olympic squad does not have a bitter bone in his ageing body, though. Each day that he is able to get onto his skateboard and “live the dream” is a blessing. Instead, he wants McKenzie and the national government to support his efforts of helping the next generation of skateboarders. “I embrace any challenge ahead of me,” said Oberholzer, who heads up non-profit organisations such as the Indigo Youth Movement and Indigo Skate Camp, which runs after-school skate programmes…

South Africa’s export estimates on oranges for the 2024 season were further adjusted downwards following the Orange Focus Group of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) meeting held on Tuesday to review the export estimates on oranges for the 2024 season. Justin Chadwick, chairperson of the CGA, said yesterday that the downward adjustment was made for navels while the category for Valencia oranges received its biggest projection cut of the season, mostly driven by recently reported extreme weather in key growing regions. “The projected number of 15kg cartons of navel oranges expected to be exported is now 21 million, continuing the downward trajectory that was started in May when the season opening estimate of 25.7 million was reduced to 22 million,” Chadwick said. “This latest review brings the…

BHP, Glencore and Anglo American have been trading weaker on the JSE in the past seven and 30 days, and analysts attributed this to the exposure they have to minerals and commodities whose prices are under pressure from geopolitical tensions and shifting investor focus. Anglo American will report interim financials today against indications that it is making progress with the disposal of Amplats and reported plunging earnings in Kumba Iron Ore. The dual-listed company opened yesterday’s trade session on the JSE marginally weaker before overturning the share losses into a 1.70% increase, strengthening to R526.79 a share in the afternoon. However, Anglo American, which is placing increased focus on copper production, has been trading 8.2% and 10.1% weaker in the past seven and 30 days respectively. BHP, which abandoned a…

After working many years in a corporate environment and, as retirement approached, a pair of entrepreneurs persevered through many challenges in setting up a successful pet-friendly lodge, a stone’s throne away from busy Johannesburg. Lorraine and Joe Spiegel told Business Report that they turned their property into a haven for travellers in 2004. Based in Magaliesburg, Woodlands Gardens Lodge is about an hour away from Johannesburg and offers a pet-friendly stay to those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Over the years, the two worked at creating a unique getaway for their guests by expanding the business and adding additions to their lodge. Lorraine said: “Preparing for retirement, we initially built two cottages for rental or family use. After talking with community colleagues, we…

It’s always such a pleasure when you switch on Netflix and find something that catches your attention. This was the case when I recently came across the South African romantic comedy, Lobola Man. Produced by Burnt Onion Productions and directed by Thabang Moleya, the movie follows Ace Ngubeni (Lawrence Maleka), a playboy of note, who doesn’t ever see himself settling down into marriage. However, his hustle contradicts his beliefs. Ace is a slick lobola negotiator, called on by families to help lower lobola prices for Zulu brides, for a fee, of course. Ace faces his toughest deal yet when, Mr Shy Guy, Duke Maseko, sneaks up on him to ask for his services. Duke, the developer of a famous dating app, is wealthy and can pay any price for his…

The embattled Mangaung Metropolitan City Manager Sello More find himself yet in the centre of controversy over his appointment as the city’s Manager. The Star has learnt that both More and Head of Departments at Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State had not received concurrence from the MEC of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) before their appointment. It appears as though More was imposed on the council even against better knowledge of the MEC. At the time the MEC Ketso Makume was Cogta MEC. More’s appointment and that of other senior officials raised concerns for the MEC prompting him to request a meeting with the Municipality’s Mayor Gregory Nthatisi to discuss the issues raised in relation with the appointment of the senior managers and the glaring “red flags”…

BACHELOR of Accounting Sciences in Financial Accounting (BCompt Financial) third-year students, under the College of Accounting Sciences (CAS) faculty at Unisa, are demanding venue-based examinations. The students urged Unisa to abandon hybrid exams, and reinstate full-time venue-based exams, because the Iris invigilating app continues to flag students, and they rarely have access to laptops and reliable wi-fi to write exams, which negatively affects their mental health and academic performance. *Mathew, a third-year student who cannot be named, said the Iris software was piloted last year for CTA (Competent in the Theory of Accountancy) third-year students. The software was chaotic, he said, to the extent that a memorandum was issued to the SA Institution of Chartered Accountants (Saica) to abandon hybrid exams. In the memorandum, CTA students detailed key issues for…

GAUTENG Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has welcomed the postponement of a Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, matter between the department and the Cancer Alliance. Last week, the department came out strongly against the Cancer Alliance’s court application to hold it accountable for its failure to spend millions allocated to fight cancer. The Star reported last week that the alliance had accused the department of failing to spend over R784 million allocated by the Gauteng Treasury in 2023 to address the radiation and surgical backlogs in the province. It is seeking an interdict to force the department to provide urgent cancer treatment as the delays were “unlawful and unconstitutional”. The spokesperson for the department, Motalatale Modiba, said on Tuesday that the department was not opposed to the postponement. According to Section27, which…

TSHWANE Mayor Cilliers Brink, who is facing threats to oust him through a motion of no confidence during today’s council meeting, is ready to fight off the move. The ANC is expected to table motion on the basis of deteriorating service delivery, including failure to spend capital projects grants and the exclusion of people from participating in the local economy. In a social media video clip, Brink said: “Whatever motivates this motion of no confidence we can confidently face it and say that things we are doing in the City of Tshwane now are the things that any government will have to do to build a city that works for all its people and we are already doing it.” Brink was installed as the executive in March last year to…

The 2023 National Reading Barometer indicates a concerning lack of literacy and reading skills, with nearly three in five homes lacking access to a single fiction or non-fiction book. It is also revealed that 65% of children under the age of 10 lack picture books, and many leave Grade 1 without alphabet knowledge. With this report, it is predicted that by 2026, 69% of 10-year-olds will struggle to read for meaning. It is said that South Africans express a desire to read, but more accessible and diverse African language texts could enhance children’s engagement and understanding of diverse material. Seago Maapola, an educational psychologist, reveals that poor literacy skills have significant academic, social, and emotional impacts, leading to frustration, low self-esteem, declining academic results and, ultimately, poor employment prospects. According…

A SIMON’S Town Primary School learner who walked 35 kilometres, trekking for around eight hours from his school to his home in Khayelitsha after he was not allowed to board a Golden Arrow Bus Service (Gabs) due to a lost ticket, is on the road to recovery amid pain across his body. The Grade 6 learner, Lifalethu Mbasana, 11, and his two younger siblings aged 10 and seven, take the Gabs bus at around 2.30pm to Makhaza, daily. But on Monday, after his siblings boarded the bus and it was his turn to present his ticket, he could not find it and he was told by the driver to disembark. When it was obvious that her son did not take a later bus and was not on the last bus…

While spending a week with the recently facelifted Kia Picanto, there were a few things that stood out for me. For starters, a small hatchback like this can be quite fun to chuck around. With its compact dimensions, agile handling and slick-shifting manual gearbox, you feel a connection with the road that is missing in many of the towering SUVs that many people opt for nowadays. But given that the Picanto is one of the smallest cars for sale in South Africa today, you also feel a bit dwarfed by everything else on the road. South Africans still have an appetite for compact hatches if they’re well priced, but sales figures show that the Suzuki Swift is about as small as most people are willing to go nowadays, while the…

The updated BAIC Beijing X55 luxury SUV is easing off the assembly line at the company’s impressive facility at Coega, in the Eastern Cape, putting to rest some speculation that it was just an empty shell. Although the 70 000m² was commissioned in 2016 and heading for completion, the Covid lockdown scuppered all those plans and the entire operation had to be restarted, delaying plans for actually getting the semi-knocked down units built and to local dealers. BAIC Automobile South Africa was established in 2016 as a joint venture between the China BAIC Group and the South African Industrial Development Corporation, in which the BAIC group owns 65% of the shares and the IDC owns 35% of the shares. In its current assembly-only status, the plant has a potential capacity…

The irregularities within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) are alarming, considering the dire need for funds to be directed into the education sector. The new debacle comes after numerous indiscretions at the onset of 2024. In February and March this year, many students were starving, left without shelter and unable to travel to educational institutions because funds were not dispersed timeously. In April, the Nsfas blamed the financial and technological platforms for the late funding distribution to students. The start to their educational year was rough, and this impacted students’ capacity to learn effectively. Three months later, a new debacle surfaces within the Nsfas. More than 400 students were awarded and received funding even though they did not qualify for financing. A special investigating unit has declared that…

Simone Biles will lead a US gymnastics squad eager to reclaim their team title at the Paris Olympics and put the memory of the tumultuous Tokyo Games behind them, coach Chellsie Memmel told reporters this week. Biles withdrew from several events three years ago in Tokyo due to mental health issues and the favoured US team were forced to settle for silver behind Russia. Since returning from a two-year break from the sport, the 27-year-old is once again dominating competitions, and is mentally and physically sound in the lead-up to her third Games. “Simone has been doing great,” said Memmel, the team’s technical lead. “She’s been solid in training since Katy, Texas and seems to be in a really great place. “She’s a great leader for this team, and together…

THE Springboks under Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus have scaled the highest peaks in world rugby, but the one challenge they cannot get their heads around is consistent success in Australia. The Boks are about to depart for Australia for Rugby Championship matches in Brisbane (August 10) and Perth (August 17), and the pre-tour talk will undoubtedly be about addressing South Africa’s appalling away record against the Wallabies. Kolisi had a great start in Australia when Jean de Villiers’ Boks smashed the Wallabies 38-12 in Brisbane, but that was an anomaly, and it has been mostly defeat Down Under ever since. The Boks’ last eight matches in Australia have produced six losses, a win and a draw. The Boks were last in Australia in 2022, and they were poor in…