Table of contents for 2026-04-02 in Mercury

South Africa’s manufacturing sector showed tentative signs of stabilisation in March, but rising costs, weakening demand and declining business confidence continue to cloud the outlook. This is according to the latest Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) and sponsored by Absa, released on Wednesday. The headline PMI increased by 1.6 points to 49 in March, up from 47.4 in February. While the uptick suggests some improvement in activity, the index remains below the neutral 50-point mark, indicating that the sector is still in contraction territory. The modest recovery was largely driven by a slight improvement in business activity and a sharp rise in the supplier deliveries index. However, economists caution that the latter may not be a positive signal. Because the supplier deliveries…

Sars Commissioner says improved revenue collection underscores recovery in tax administration The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has achieved a historic milestone, collecting more than R2 trillion in net revenue for the first time since the dawn of democracy, underscoring a significant recovery in the country’s tax administration capacity. Announcing the preliminary results for the 2025/26 financial year yesterday, Sars confirmed it had collected R2.01 trillion, marking an 8.4% increase from the previous year and exceeding earlier projections by R24.7 billion. The outcome reflects steady growth in collections over the past seven years, supported by improved compliance, administrative reforms and targeted enforcement efforts. Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter described the achievement as the result of sustained institutional rebuilding and the dedication of thousands of employees. “Collecting over R2trln is not an…

Tinley North Beach, north of Durban will benefit from over R6 million in infrastructure investment as part of the Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari development, with Collins Residential. The investment will allow members of the public to access the beach for the first time in decades. Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari on Wednesday said that with increased local and international visitation expected, the upgrades ensure the beach is equipped to accommodate both residents and visitors in a safe, structured and sustainable way. “The investment which includes the development of formal public parking, structured access routes, boardwalks, ablution facilities and beach safety measures represents a meaningful change in how this stretch of coastline is accessed and experienced. Importantly, it shifts the site from historically restricted and informal…

At a business conference I attended recently, I sat in a room full of founders, investors, and ecosystem builders, all confident in their credentials. They spoke fluently about entrepreneurship, social development, economic transformation, and building businesses that matter. Then a speaker opened the floor with a prompt that felt almost too simple to be serious: “Do you know where the core inputs for your product or service actually come from, and who was involved in making them?” The room did not fall apart. But it went quiet in a way that said enough. It was not confusion. It was something closer to recognition, a shared awareness that, for all the fluency in building and growing businesses, there remains a significant blind spot. There is a strong familiarity with how ventures…

In a demonstration of its commitment to the South African market, popular automotive company, Chery South Africa, has announced plans to establish a local manufacturing plant. The decision was unveiled at the sixth annual South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC 2026) in Johannesburg, marking a transformative step for the automaker, which has already established itself as a formidable player in the local automotive industry. Four years after re-entering the South African automotive arena, Chery has consistently ranked among the top 10 car brands, achieving impressive annual sales of around 50,000 units. The announcement was made by Charlie Zhang, Vice President of Chery Auto and Executive Vice President of Chery International, who emphasised the investment as a "vote of confidence" in South Africa, acknowledging the robust support from customers and the dealer…

There was a time when naming your child felt like a quiet, almost sacred ritual, a whispered decision between two people, maybe a nod to a grandmother, a saint, or a season. Now? It feels like a full-blown creative pitch deck. Somewhere between TikTok trends, soft-life aesthetics, and a little bit of chaos, baby names have entered their most experimental era yet. At its core, this shift isn’t random. It reflects a deeper cultural pivot: identity is no longer inherited, it’s curated. According to global naming data from parenting platforms like Nameberry and BabyCenter, there’s been a steady rise in “unique” and non-traditional names over the last decade, with parents increasingly prioritising individuality, phonetic beauty, and emotional meaning over convention. Translation? We’re naming babies like we’re naming luxury brands: memorable,…

EThekwini Municipality will be joining the City of Cape Town, which already has a planned water reuse project. There are about 35 international cities that have been listed as having implemented water reuse projects. An online report from last year under GreenCape detailed the proposed project for Cape Town. It said the Faure New Water Scheme will be a state-of-the-art water reuse project that will produce up to 70 million litres of drinking water daily. “The planned Faure New Water Scheme (Faure NWS) is a purified recycled drinking water scheme that includes a new advanced water purification plant that will supply drinking water to Cape Town. “The scheme will receive treated wastewater from the Zandvliet Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), which has recently been upgraded to modernise and improve its performance…

The ANC has formally postponed the KwaZulu-Natal provincial elective conference until after local government elections. The long-awaited conference was expected to be held at the end of April 2026, according to the party’s roadmap. However, the national leadership has formally asked the party’s provincial task team (PTT) to shelve it and focus on preparing branches and regions for the all-important local government elections. The postponement has long appeared unavoidable, given the PTT’s apparent failure to get more than 800 branches ready to elect new leadership. According to the latest roadmap, which had been revised several times, the party’s 11 regions were expected to elect their leadership by the weekend of April 7 (next week). However, several regional and branch leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity, previously raised serious doubts that…

Chinese brand JMC returned to South Africa in late 2025, kicking off operations with the older-generation Vigus bakkie range. But waiting in the wings was the new-generation model, which made its grand entrance at a glitzy event in Midrand last week, where the importer also announced the all-important pricing. Available in a single specification level, the new JMC Vigus starts at R399 900 for the 4x2 manual double cab and R459 900 for the automatic version, while the 4x4 auto is yours for R499 900. This makes it the least expensive double cab bakkie on the market, albeit tied with the Foton Tunland TL and JAC T8 Lux. It also undercuts the previous JMC Vigus by R40 000. The new Vigus is essentially the third-generation JMC Baodian in China. While…

Calls to urgently reopen South Africa’s largest oil refinery, Sapref, now under the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC), reflect a troubling continuity in the country’s energy governance: short-term energy security concerns are once again being prioritised over long-term environmental accountability. The push by Minerals and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe to restore refining capacity is framed around stabilising fuel supply and prices. While this is a legitimate concern, it obscures a far more pressing issue, one that remains unresolved despite years of public scrutiny: Who is responsible for the legacy environmental and social damage associated with Sapref in South Durban? In my previous work for The Conversation, I examined the controversial sale of Sapref, for what amounted to a nominal price to the state Central Energy Fund (CEF). This…

THE golden currency in football has always been goals – placing the ball in the back of the net and taking chances when they arise. At the moment, Bafana Bafana’s goalscoring stocks are trading at an all-time low. Despite impressive build-up work from the midfielders, the cutting edge in the final third has gone walkabout. The culpability does not lie solely with the admittedly out-of-form frontman, Lyle Foster, as the final ball through to t he No. 9 has not always been of the highest quality. Bafana held their own against Panama – who are ranked more than 30 places higher – across the two friendlies played in Durban and Cape Town. However, they could only come away with a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 defeat, respectively. Having suffered his…

The Sharks face a daunting challenge as they head into their knockout clash against Connacht (tomorrow 9pm kick-off), with hopes of another Challenge Cup run hanging in the balance. While the Durban-based side have shown flashes of quality this season, recent results and the squad at their disposal raise questions about whether they have what it takes to progress to the quarter-finals. Their record against Connacht at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway is far from convincing, with just one win in their last five meetings against the Irish side, and it does little to inspire confidence ahead of the clash. On top of that, the group that travelled to Ireland appears to lack some of the depth and experience for a tough away fixture. Playing in Galway is widely regarded…

A sharp increase of more than R7 in diesel price has sparked widespread concern across South Africa’s transport, logistics and agricultural sectors, with industry leaders warning of rising costs, higher inflation and reduced economic competitiveness. The increase, which came into effect on Wednesday, saw diesel prices jump by as much as R7.51 per litre. While government moved to cushion the blow through a R3 reduction in the general fuel levy, industry players say the relief falls short of offsetting the scale of the increase. Tonny Molise, deputy president of the Trucking Association of SA (Tasa), said the hike would place severe pressure on transport operators. Fuel is one of the largest cost components in road freight, and such a sharp increase is expected to squeeze already thin margins. “It is…

South Africa is intensifying discussions around the creation of a sovereign wealth fund. Policymakers, economists and development finance leaders on Tuesday highlighted the fund's potential to unlock long-term investment, strengthen economic sovereignty, and accelerate infrastructure development across the country and the broader African region. Speaking at a high-level investment dialogue during the 6th SA Investment Conference, participants emphasised that while South Africa has long debated the idea of a sovereign wealth fund, the time has come to move from concept to implementation—anchored by strong institutional design and clear policy direction. A central theme emerging from the discussion was the need for a robust legislative and governance framework to ensure credibility and effectiveness. Panellists argued that without enabling legislation and strong oversight, a sovereign wealth fund risks failing to attract the…

Despite big increases in the fuel and diesel prices, the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular are gearing up for a bumper Easter weekend. Western Cape Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) said yesterday that they were preparing for a busy Easter weekend, with early indications pointing to strong domestic travel to the province’s most popular destinations, supported by a favourable weather outlook. “Local accommodation providers and attractions are expecting solid demand from South African travellers taking advantage of the combined public holidays and school break, particularly in established hotspots such as Cape Town and key coastal towns,” the DEDAT said. “The alignment of school holidays, the traditional appeal of Easter as a family travel period, and positive summer‑into‑autumn conditions are all underpinning a healthy domestic…

Eastern Platinum (Eastplats) has reported a marked improvement in its fourth-quarter performance for 2025, buoyed by stronger production and higher platinum group metals (PGM) sales, even as full-year losses widened due to project impairments and liquidity pressures. The company, which operates the Crocodile River Mine (CRM) in South Africa’s Bushveld Complex, on Wednesday said that revenue for the fourth quarter of 2025 rose 31.2% to $22.3 million, compared with $17.0m in the same period a year earlier. This growth was driven primarily by increased PGM production and sales, alongside improved operational efficiencies at its Zandfontein underground section. Mine operating income showed a dramatic turnaround, shifting from a loss of $7.9m in Q4 2024 to a profit of $6.3m in Q4 2025. Gross margins improved significantly to 28.2% from a negative…

To cushion consumers from a crippling fuel price increase, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe yesterday announced a temporary R3-per-litre reduction in the General Fuel Levy (GFL). The intervention (from Wednesday, April 1 to May 5, 2026) will see the GFL for petrol drop from R4.10 to R1.10 per litre and for diesel from R3.93 to R0.93 per litre. This temporary relief has been met with a mix of welcome and caution from key stakeholders across the political spectrum, civil society, and the transport sector, with many questioning the sustainability of the measure and urging for longer-term solutions. DA spokesperson on Finance, Dr Mark Burke, said the party had proposed a R3.17 reduction with a funded plan, and Minister Godongwana came close. “The DA…

Executive Chairman of the Sekunjalo Group Dr Iqbal Survé has strongly condemned recent articles published by News24 and Daily Maverick, describing them as defamatory and part of a “malicious propaganda campaign aimed at damaging his reputation and business interests”. The articles concerned a recent Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) matter relating to Sekunjalo’s historical relationship with the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU). Survé and the Sekunjalo Group have indicated their intention to issue summons for defamation and damages against the media houses and the journalists involved, citing what they describe as a pattern of false and misleading reporting, the company said in a statement released, yesterday. The statement set out the factual chronology relating to the 2013 acquisition of Independent Media (then IMSA) from its Irish owners.…

Stephan Jacobs enters the Fortuner Challenge 2026 powered by Quartz Engine Oil as Independent Media’s competitor, bringing a mix of endurance sport experience and technical thinking, looking to make it a hat-trick of wins for Independent. “I first heard about the challenge through friends who entered last year, that’s where it started for me,” he said He has also drawn insight from last year’s Independent Media winner Hennie Terrblanche. “I’ve spoken to him about how to prepare, and he said it’s very difficult to prepare for something like this. They choose you based on your fitness level, and according to him, I’m completely ready.” “I grew up on a farm in the Free State and loved sports, farming and people,” he said. After school, he went to Stellenbosch University to…

When 25 families of victims of what has come to be known as the TRC cases and some survivors of the related atrocities successfully forced President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish a commission of inquiry into these cases, they understood that the road towards the justice and closure they seek was going to be very long. Indeed, it has been a long road since that major victory in January 2025, but it has also been bumpy, with one hurdle after another having to be surmounted. The TRC Cases Inquiry, otherwise known as the Khampepe Commission, began its public hearings in February on a poignant note with veteran journalist Lukhanyo Calata sharing the pain of losing his father, Fort Calata – one of the members of an anti-apartheid activist group known as…

Durban City captain Siphamandla Ncanana admitted their run to the Nedbank Cup semi-final has taken the squad by surprise, but conceded it is a reward for months of hard work. Speaking to the media yesterday ahead of Saturday’s clash with Casric Stars (kick-off 3pm), the 25-year-old centre-back reflected on a journey few outside the club would have predicted. Durban City’s route to the last four has been defined by grit, fine margins and an uncanny ability to hold their nerve at the death of a match. Their quarter-final clash against Golden Arrows perfectly captured that identity. Locked at 1-1 after extra-time in a fiercely contested KwaZulu-Natal derby, City once again found themselves staring down a penalty shootout – their third in as many rounds. They held firm to win 5-4,…

Few sporting institutions can lay claim to eight decades of continuous service to their community, but Northlands Bowling Club has done just that, celebrating its 80th anniversary with pride, reflection and renewed optimism for the future. Founded on March 22, 1946, Northlands began with just 20 members and no home green. Early bowlers travelled to the Victoria Park greens on Durban’s beachfront. It would take two years before the club’s first green was commissioned in August 1948, followed shortly by a second and, in 1954, a third. These facilities have since evolved into three immaculate greens that remain the heart of the club today. Eighty-years on, the club has grown into one of the largest in KwaZulu-Natal, boasting over 170 playing members and a vibrant, inclusive environment that reflects both…

It was a case of the good, the bad, and the ugly for Bafana Bafana as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Panama at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday evening. Coach Hugo Broos made a number of changes to the side that started against the same opposition last Friday, allowing several fringe players to stake their claim ahead of the Fifa World Cup in June. He also handed reserve goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner an international debut, with captain Ronwen Williams exiting the stage at half-time. The good Relebohile Mofokeng The Orlando Pirates star, nicknamed “Cocomelon” for his youthful exuberance, possesses all the silky touches and vision required of a high-level number 10. The 21-year-old was influential across both matches, sitting at the heart of Bafana Bafana’s attacking…

South Africa’s automotive sector delivered a strong performance in March, with new vehicle sales reaching their highest level for the month in nearly two decades, even as mounting global and domestic pressures begin to reshape the economic outlook. According to the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Wednesday, aggregate domestic vehicle sales climbed to 58,060 units in March, marking a 17.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Naamsa said this represents the best March performance since 2007 and underscores the resilience of local demand despite an increasingly uncertain macroeconomic environment. The strong domestic performance comes against the backdrop of the 2026 South Africa Investment Conference held on Tuesday, where government reaffirmed its commitment to investment-led growth, infrastructure expansion and industrialisation. Industry leaders are of the view that the policy…

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has launched a process to identify international and local partners for the development of small modular reactor (SMR) technology, marking a significant step in South Africa’s efforts to expand its nuclear energy capabilities. As the country continues to explore diverse energy options, SMRs could play a pivotal role in balancing reliability, sustainability and industrial development in the years ahead. In a statement, Necsa announced the opening of an Expression of Interest (EOI) process aimed at attracting qualified organisations, consortia and technology providers to collaborate on the design, development and eventual deployment of SMRs in the country. The initiative aligns with the country’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025), which outlines the role of nuclear energy in South Africa’s future energy mix. SMRs, which are…

As South Africa's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) step into the second quarter of 2026, they find themselves grappling with a set of familiar yet intensifying challenges. Miguel da Silva, Group Executive: Business Banking at GoTyme Bank, provided a comprehensive outlook that underscored the need for SMEs to not only navigate but also harness opportunities amid the chaos. In recent months, the ripple effects of the ongoing conflict in Iran have added fresh volatility to an already fragile economic environment, with oil prices soaring and directly impacting local conditions. April alone witnessed a staggering rise in fuel costs: petrol surged by R3.06 per litre, while diesel prices spiked by R7.37 and R7.51 per litre. This reality is problematic for South African SMEs, particularly in an economy heavily reliant on imports,…

Southern Palladium has strengthened its development capabilities with the appointment of seasoned mining executive Mark Humphery as Project Manager for its flagship Bengwenyama Project in South Africa. The move comes at a critical juncture for the company as the platinum group metals (PGM) project, located on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex, transitions from study phases toward full-scale development. Humphery, a mechanical engineer with more than 28 years of global mining experience, will report directly to managing director Johan Odendaal. He will be based on-site near Steelpoort, where he will oversee and coordinate development activities. His appointment is widely seen as a strategic step to deepen the company’s execution capacity as it advances its Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) and prepares for construction. Southern Palladium indicated that Humphery’s experience across…

In a landmark announcement at the South Africa Investment Conference 2026, renewable energy powerhouse Mulilo pledged nearly R15 billion in a significant investment aimed at reshaping the country’s energy future. This bold commitment is not merely a financial injection, it is a testament to the growing confidence in South Africa’s economic recovery and its transition towards sustainable energy. The funds will go towards the immediate development of three large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects along with a state-of-the-art battery energy storage system (BESS). Together, these undertakings are set to contribute an impressive 716 megawatts of new export capacity to the national grid, directly addressing the pressing need for reliable and dispatchable power in the region. Seithati Bolipombo, chief commercial officer at Mulilo, expressed the company's excitement over this investment. Bolipombo said,…

In a corner of suburban Singapore, Betty Boon vaults a guardrail, crawls underneath a slide, executes forward shoulder rolls and scales a steep slope, finishing the course to applause. “Good job!” the 69-year-old’s coach cheers. This is “geriatric parkour”, where around 20 retirees learned to tackle a series of relatively demanding exercises, building their agility and enjoying a sense of camaraderie. Boon, an upbeat grandmother, said learning parkour has aided her confidence and independence as she ages. “When you’re weak, you will be dependent on someone,” she told AFP after sweating it out with her parkour classmates in suburban Toa Payoh, under the shadow of government-built apartment blocks. I feel more alive, it’s a whole new world.” The discipline has gained a devoted following of senior citizens in the city-state,…

EThekwini Municipality is embarking on a controversial and ambitious water-reuse project that seeks to convert wastewater into potable drinking water for its residents. The project aims to augment the city’s water supply and ensure water security. The eThekwini Municipality recently announced its plans to ensure water security, which includes treating effluent to augment the potable water supply. The water reuse project is drawing mixed reactions, with experts stating that this is the right strategy for the city, but it will require a great deal of trust to be successful. Ratepayers, however, have warned that the city does not have the capacity. In a statement, the municipality announced that its eThekwini Water Services unit is progressing in the development of water reuse projects designed to augment potable water supply through innovative…

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, says it is “very disappointing” that systemic weaknesses in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowed 822 deceased and thousands of ineligible students to continue receiving funding. This comes after a recent Auditor General report highlighted serious irregularities, showing that more than 14 000 students with household incomes above the eligibility threshold were also receiving funding. In an interview on Newzroom Afrika, Dube-Ncube said the department has instructed the NSFAS board to provide a turnaround plan detailing what went wrong immediately. She explained that a lapsed contract with Home Affairs prevented proper verification of students’ identities, contributing to the inclusion of deceased students on the funding list. “It cannot be that they did not have any other measures that they…

Ford South Africa has released more details including pricing, derivatives and drivetrains for the updated Ranger series. Built locally at the Ford plant in Silverton, Pretoria, South Africa’s top selling double cab bakkie and the rest of the range gets a comprehensive line-up revision that spans 23 derivatives across single cab, super cab and double cab body styles. Revised engine line-up and drivetrain updates The biggest change is the introduction of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, producing 222kW and 452Nm, which Ford says is aimed at buyers who prioritise on-road performance and refinement. With the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine now discontinued, Ford has broadened the availability of its 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine. Producing 184kW and 600Nm, it now features in more derivatives, particularly those geared towards towing and off-road use.…

A decade after its local debut, the popular Renault Kwid has been given a 10th Anniversary Edition cosmetic upgrade, limited to 300 units. Positioned as an entry-level urban hatch, the Kwid has established itself as a consistent volume player in Renault’s local line-up with 72 000 units having found a home since its introduction. Exterior The Anniversary Edition introduces a number of visual changes aimed at setting it apart from the standard range. A dual-tone finish with a contrasting black roof is paired with orange accent detailing across the body. Black flex wheels feature a unique design, while piano black finishes extend to the side mirrors. The overall silhouette remains unchanged, retaining the Kwid’s crossover-inspired stance with raised ground clearance. Interior Inside the Kwid gets metal mustard detailing to the…

Italians will once again be forced to watch a Fifa World Cup from the sidelines after another play-off disaster highlighted just how far one of the great footballing nations has fallen. Four-time world champions, the football-mad country finds themselves at their lowest ebb and without a clear path to a brighter future after missing out again through the play-offs, this time following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Gattuso the Scapegoat? Gennaro Gattuso knew he had a tough job on his hands when he was appointed in last June. He was asked to replace Luciano Spalletti and take Italy to the World Cup when automatic qualification looked near-impossible after a 3–0 hammering at the hands of Erling Haaland's Norway. One of the heroes of Italy’s 2006 World Cup…

Proteas Women’s captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted her team “didn’t really have answers” for her New Zealand counterpart Amelia Kerr in the White Ferns’ world-record run-chase in the second ODI at the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday. The Proteas’ posted a mammoth 346/6, courtesy of half-centuries from Anneke Bosch (91 off 90 balls), Wolvaardt (69 off 74 balls) and Chloe Tryon (52 not out off 25 balls), but could were stunned by Amelia Kerr’s magnificent unbeaten 179 off 139 balls that steered her team home with two balls to spare. The Kiwis’ record-breaking effort eclipsed India’s 341/5 against Australia in last year’s World Cup as the highest successful chase in Women’s ODIs. “We didn’t really have answers for Kerr. She batted brilliantly. Sort of had answers to everything that we threw…