Table of contents for 2024-08-19 in Star

South Africa will once again scramble to purchase mpox vaccines amid “vaccine apartheid” as President Cyril Ramaphosa at the weekend urged the international community, partners, and organisations to mobilise stockpiles of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa amid an outbreak of the disease. This mobilisation needs to be co- ordinated via mechanisms established by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure equitable distribution and transparency. Mpox is a viral infection characterised by painful lesions. It is spread by direct contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated items like clothing or bedding. Ramaphosa, speaking in his role as African Union (AU) Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, said on Saturday that Africa required robust support in funding, research, and the sharing of technologies,…

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) on Friday said the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has completed the recruitment of 32 hauler drivers in time for the arrival of 32 new haulers early this month – bringing the total of the terminal’s new fleet to 47 haulers. This comes as TPT last month took delivery of 15 new haulers, a portion of a consignment of 47 new haulers, following the arrival of 10 haulers at the terminal in June. The haulers are key in moving containers within CTCT and will boost operational recovery at the terminals after operations were affected by recent inclement weather. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Shacman was currently conducting a full inspection before the vehicle-mounted tools were installed. These include terminal systems, radios and the Navis container management system…

The Electricity Regulation Amendment Act, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law, sets out far-reaching reforms of South Africa’s electricity sector, according to the Presidency. It said this included the establishment of a competitive electricity market. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Friday that the bill amended the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 to respond to current realities in the electricity sector and open up pathways to greater competition and reduced energy costs; increase investment; the establishment of an independent transmission company; and the imposition of severe penalties for damage to and sabotage of infrastructure. He said the act provides for the establishment, duties, powers and functions of the Transmission System Operator SOC (TSO) – which must be established as an independent entity within five years – and for…

KAP’s share price surged 7.5% on Friday after the diversified chemical, industrial and logistics group said earnings per share would increase by between 96% and 115% for the year to June 30, 2024. The company said in a trading statement that KAP remained resilient in a challenging trading environment, with five of its six divisions delivering an improved performance compared to the prior year. This was offset by a weaker performance by Safripol, which continued to be affected by a cyclical low in the global polymers industry. EPS, when the group anticipated to release its annual results on August 20, were expected to be between 41.8 cents and 45.8c, compared to the EPS of 21.3c reported for the 2023 financial year. Notably, the 2023 financial results had included a R570…

BLAKE Lively has found herself trending on social media for the wrong reasons after the recent premiere of her new movie, It Ends With Us. The Hollywood actress has been facing a backlash for the carefree way in which she responded to the film’s sensitive themes, which include domestic violence, during the media tour. This was in contrast to her co-star and the movie’s director Justin Baldoni, who appeared to have taken a more in-touch approach. In It Ends With Us, which is based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling book, the Gossip Girl star portrays Lily Bloom, a florist who falls in love with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), and a toxic, abusive relationship forms. Fans have noticed that Lively took interviews separately from Baldoni and he was taking care to discuss…

Showmax’s feel-good sitcom Mince Jou Hare has quickly become the talk of the town. Award-winning comedian Shimmy Isaacs wrote and co-produced the show as a tribute to her mom, Frieda Baartman. Popular Arendsvlei actress Melissa de Vries is cast in the lead role as Frieda alongside comedian Dugald Pieterse as her husband, Vincent, Bianca Flanders as her best friend, Julia, and Franka Kirby as her daughter, Jody. The show is set in the fictional town of Hex Valley in the Western Cape and follows Frieda as she quits her factory job to set up a hair salon in her home. Speaking about her character, De Vries said Frieda was very relatable. “She’s a woman trying her best to start her own business while running a household. She works hard and…

THE laws of the country allow that schools, especially public ones, should allow all learners the right to education without unfairly discriminating against any of them, but no law has intervened in preventing the rate of teenage pregnancy. As the number of girls as young as 13, reportedly being expectant while at school said to exceed 1 500 last year, concerned parents and organisations spoke out about the apparent lack of strategies to ensure they understood that it was not right. Organisations and political formations were up in arms when, last month, a 16-year-old Grade 10 learner gave birth in a Limpopo school toilet. While there were calls for schools to constantly be on the lookout for signs they were ready to deliver their babies, others said teachers could…

Renowned comedian David Kau has commanded attention on social media after asserting that stand-up comedians are not recognised and called for engagement with Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. Kau took to X to write a lengthy post revealing there was no category for comedians despite employing scores of people without assistance from the government. “Do we have to be in the Olympics or die before we stand up comedians can meet you @GaytonMcK? We know we’re not recognised or there’s no category for us, although we have employed hundreds of people without any government assistance, but would appreciate a meeting, please. “Please advise who to contact to have a meeting with you. I will go on a run, walk with you and spin cars – whatever it takes.…

IT WOULD be rash, if not outright irresponsible, to immediately conclude what motivated Floyd Shivambu and Mzwanele Manyi’s resignations from the EFF to join the MKP. Time will tell. However, there are clear indications. For one, the reasons cannot be ideological as both, now and in the past, have indicated that the MKP and EFF are not far apart. What is their real reason for leaving the EFF for the MKP? The only conclusion which can be reached in the interim is the ominous reputation which the MKP is projecting. The fact of the matter is that behind that façade of radicalism is a deep secret of being populated by characters who are attracted to the MKP because they want to shield themselves from the malfeasance they might have been…

The first two administrations of democracy in a SA free from the National Party rule laid the foundation of neo-liberal and neo-colonial power, thereby germinating a seed of destruction that was planted in the loamy ground of the ANC some years ago. As history has proved, no white supremacist authority relinquishes power without a fight, so a foundation of a fight is laid years before in anticipation of inevitable loss of power. There are two types of war that the advocates of white supremacy prepare for in the eventuality of losing power over black people. One is a military warfare and the other social destruction that wears a face of democracy and human rights. Characteristic of the first two administrations between 1994 and 2008 were the two dangerous campaigns in…

A defiant West Indies could not stop the Proteas’ dominance of the Caribbean side in Test-match cricket, as they secured yet another series victory with their 40-run win on day three of the second Test at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Saturday. The Proteas won the two-match Test series 1-0, after the rain-dominated first encounter played out to a draw. Having been 97-9 after electing to bat first, South Africa did well to claw their way back into the match and they left the Caribbean islands with their 25-year unbeaten record in series between the two nations still intact. Proteas coach Shukri Conrad can take a lot of positives from the series victory ahead of the home summer and these were some of the standout moments from the series.…

South African currency and stock markets ended on a high note on Friday as the rand surged to its highest in a year while stocks reached a record high as investors flocked to gold, pushing the price of the yellow metal to record highs. The rand strengthened to R17.87 against the US dollar on Friday afternoon, its highest in 12 months, bolstered by receding concerns over a potential recession in the US and prospects of global interest-rate cuts in the coming months. Over the past four weeks, the dollar has lost 1.87% compared to the rand, and 6.24% in the last 12 months. Nedbank economist Isaac Matshego said market sentiment continued to be driven by easing concerns of a potential recession in the world’s largest economy following a string of…

The High Commissioner Designate to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, said last night that two-way trade between India and South Africa has the potential to grow to $25 billion (R446.3bn) from the current $19bn in a short period. India is SA’s fourth-largest trade partner as the sub-continent exports about $5.3bn in goods and services to this country annually, said Sooklal, speaking to Business Report ahead of the official launch of the India South Africa Chamber of Commerce (ISACC). Sooklal said he believed that the new chamber could boost trade between the countries, especially when it came to creating awareness of the opportunities that partnerships with India afforded. India and South Africa have had diplomatic relationships for 30 years. There are more than 130 Indian companies in SA that collectively employ more…

Accountancy firm PwC has been fined by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority for failing to report suspicions of fraud during an audit of the LCF fund, in the watchdog’s first fine against an auditor. The 2019 collapse of London Capital & Finance (LCF), which sold high-yield bonds that turned out to be high risk was one of the biggest City scandals in recent years. The markets watchdog handed PwC a £15 million (R342m) fine after it signed off an audit of the group in 2016, and did not report suspicions around the group’s financial conduct. PwC faced “significant issues” during the “very complex” audit, the watchdog said, with LCF giving the auditors “inaccurate and misleading information”. According to the FCA, this “led PwC to suspect that LCF might be involved…

Most equity markets across the globe bounced back last week to recover their losses after the big sell-off the previous Monday. On the JSE, the All Share Index recorded a new record high closing level of 82 824 points on Friday. The index gained 2.6% last week and ended 9.4% higher for the year to date. The financial board did the best last week as the FIN15 Index advanced by 4.5% over the five days. Resources moved flat, with the RES10 Index gaining 0.6% and the All Industrial Index winning 2.5%. The main reason for this strong recovery came from the US annual inflation rate, which dipped below 3% in July on 2.9%. It is the first time since March 2021 that the consumer price index (CPI) increase was…

TONGAAT Hulett (THL), the beleaguered sugar group, will through its “Asset Transaction” proposed in a business rescue plan sell its assets, and will likely be left with zero surplus to pay out shareholders, while the remaining listed shell company will be delisted, the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) said on Friday. Tongaat’s BRPs provided an update on the business rescue following a shareholder meeting earlier this month where shareholders failed to approve resolutions that would have made a share subscription possible, and would have resulted in THL remaining listed. The share subscription was required for an earlier business rescue option that would have entailed, among others, the settling of most of Tongaat’s debt with a debt-for-equity swop. Another consortium, the Mozambique-based RGS Group that pulled out of the bidding to rescue…

South African mining and labour unions have called for more measures aimed at reducing poverty of mineworkers and avoiding a recurrence of the 2012 Marikana shootings. This comes after Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Thembisile Simelane said the Gauteng High Court was working on finalising constitutional damages related to the case. On August 16, 2012 police opened fire on striking Lonmin mineworkers, killing 34. Ten others, including mineworkers, security guards and policemen, were also killed a few days earlier when protests turned deadly, and as Lonmin employees pressed on for a R12 500 wage settlement. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa said “mine management refused to negotiate” with the striking workers, culminating in the shootings. At the time, President Cyril Ramaphosa was deputy president as well as…

As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, the government is on a drive to conscientise communities about the effects of gender-based violence (GBV), harassment, sexism and other ills. President Cyril Ramaphosa led the Women’s Day celebrations earlier this month in Pofadder, Northern Cape. In his keynote address, Ramaphosa said as South Africans celebrated the gains made during the 30 years of democracy, the country was deeply traumatised by violence against women and children. “This violence is a betrayal of our Constitution. It is an affront to our common humanity. In recent years, we have worked together to fight GBV and femicide,” Ramaphosa said. “Guided by our National Strategic Plan, we have introduced new laws that protect survivors of GBV, improve the response of the police, and ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators.”…

For his second maiden speech, newly elected Joburg mayor, Dada Morero, declared the city a “construction site”, and would prioritise financial sustainability, service delivery, fighting crime and waste removal for the city. “The people of Johannesburg have tasked us with basic duties of making sure that water comes out of their taps, lights come on, waste is collected, traffic lights work, buses operate efficiently, and people live in safer communities,” he said. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, he added that the city being a construction site would attract potential international investors, eventually creating sustainable job opportunities for residents. “We have to attract as much investments as possible. “If we are able to turn Johannesburg into a construction site, we have the opportunities to create jobs and grow the economy. “It…

NATIONAL Treasury staff based at its head office in the Tshwane central business district are to be relocated to a temporary site by March next year following complaints by workers and unions. The Public Servants Association (PSA), which has campaigned for Treasury staff to be moved from its office on 40 Church Square – known as the Old Reserve Bank Building – told its members that they would be moving to new office accommodation. According to the PSA, Treasury reported that the planned site viewing initially expected to take place in June this year had been postponed due to operational reasons. “A new date for the site viewing will be scheduled, which will also delay the bidding process. The successful bidder is now expected to be announced in September 2024,”…

WomenCan, an innovative women empowerment platform, announces The Wellness Collective, a unique holistic wellness event aimed at empowering women with tools and access to information and resources. Taking place on Friday, August 23, at The Fortress Venue in Midrand, The Wellness Collective will bring together health and wellness experts, industry leaders and innovators to discuss the latest trends, insights, and challenges in the health and wellness industry. The Wellness Collective offers a unique platform for collaboration and exploration of topics ranging from mental health, stress and anxiety management, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, physical activity, avoiding risky substances, self-care and the role of technology and innovation in shaping the future of wellness. Speakers at the event include Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko; dentist Dr Pumela Gwengu; obstetrician and gynaecologist…

The Star’s annual Women’s Day event is proof that when women come together in synergy, they create an immensely powerful atmosphere. In honour of Women's Month, Altitude Beach — a popular waterfront dining and lifestyle destination recognised for its exclusivity and luxury — came to life on Saturday. The event also brought attention to the most positive component of this month: how it brings women together, giving them a safe haven free from social pressures and criticism, offering a sense of support, love and compassion. This was done in recognition of the vital roles that women play in many spheres of life, with an emphasis on overcoming their challenges. Radio host and esteemed media personality Unathi Nkayi was at the helm and kept the audience company with her charismatic personality,…

Western Province must win their final three Currie Cup matches, preferably all with a bonus point, and hope for some favours from other teams if they want to reach the play-offs. With the way they are playing and struggling in the competition, the semi-finals will likely be a bridge too far after going down without any points against the Lions on Saturday. Ellis Park was not kind to the Cape side in a must-win clash, with the home team comprehensively outplaying their visitors, and winning 41-22. The Lions moved into second place on the log with WP stuck in sixth, a full five points behind the Pumas, who they must still face in Mbombela in a couple of weeks. It was a game of two halves, where the Lions dominated…

South Africa has recommitted itself to industrialisation, re-industrialisation, transformation, and establishing a capable state through economic growth based on constitutional principles aimed at building a better future for all. This was the message from Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau on Friday, during his virtual participation in the meeting of BRICS ministers of industry. The gathering was part of a series of BRICS meetings that Russia is hosting in preparation for the BRICS Summit that takes place in Kazan, Russia, in October. Tau said South Africa must look towards the future of industry to ensure its economy was future-proof. “To address historical structural inequalities, unemployment and poverty, there is a consensus among the social partners that we have to mobilise all our resources and efforts in economic activities intended…

Sunny skies, braais, the bush, the people and South Africa’s “soul” are some of the reasons why South Africans are returning home from various countries, such as the UK, after the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU). These are among sentiments expressed in queries sent to estate agents at a time when local property prices are increasing at a rate below inflation. As one expat told Business Report: “I want my soul to be alive again.” Others said: “It’s just a feeling and a vibe I can’t put into words.” Another noted that South Africa’s food, people, diversity and nature were also reasons for returning. Currently, property inflation is at 3.5% year-on-year across the country, based on the latest Statistics South Africa figures to March. CPI is 5.1%.…

The government’s retraction of its 2 500MW nuclear procurement programme, according to some analysts, has been driven by its collaboration in the Government of National Unity (GNU) as its ally, the DA, pursues legal action against the collective’s envisaged expenditure of more than R200 billion in the nuclear build. This comes as Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa on Friday withdrew the ministerial determination published in January for the procurement of 2 500MW of nuclear energy in a bid to allow for additional public participation process on the back of looming litigation. The timelines for the public participation process have not yet been finalised but should be completed within three to six months, in line with the process to finalise the Draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP2023).…

South African women are outperforming men in getting more, so they are very much on top of their game. However, the sad reality is that gender-based violence and patriarchy are so prevalent in South Africa, women are still under this cloud. But women’s success is often resented by some men, leading to sexual abuse that has further spread HIV/Aids in our country. It reminds me of one HIV/Aids campaign that fell flat on its face that probably had an experience of a strange corresponding face among octogenarian ladies. Once upon a time the then deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa in the fight against HIV/Aids would advertise in Parliament a new invention that came in different flavours. It was the Max condom that had just launched. “Max for maximum pleasure, maximum protection…

Master Drilling Group said Friday its headline earnings per share are expected to be between 1.9% lower and 18.1% higher for the six months to June 30 than the comparative period last year, as reported in rands. The group, one of the largest rock boring and drilling services providers in the world, said in a trading statement that earnings per share (EPS) were expected to be between 6 and 40.30 cents, compared to EPS of 171.30 cents per share for the same period a year before. This would represent a decline of between 96.5% and 76.5% lower than the comparative period, as reported in ZAR. The lower EPS was largely the result of non-cash adjustments deemed appropriate in the interim results. EPS, in US dollars, were expected to be between…

Revenues and volumes in Zimbabwean retailer OK Zimbabwe surged in the quarter to June, with US dollar payments falling as take-up of the country’s new local currency improved while the chain also benefited from promotional offerings. OK Zimbabwe competes against Pick n Pay-branded stores in the country’s retail sector that also imports stock from South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia. Margaret Munyuru, company secretary for OK Zimbabwe, said on Friday that revenue for the quarter to end June had increased by 2.2%. In previous quarters, Zimbabwe’s retailers including Pick n Pay and Spar have been affected by a rapidly growing informal sector and pricing distortions as a result of fluctuations in Zimbabwe’s previous currency, the Zimbabwe dollar. After introduction of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) local currency in April, take-up of the…

The murder mystery genre has for decades captivated audiences across the world. From movies and television to books and podcasts, scores of people from all walks of life are drawn to these thrilling tales that get the heart racing. For those looking to escape into an enthralling whodunit case, BBC’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, streaming on Netflix, is sure to whet your appetite. The six-part series, set in the sleepy fictional town of Little Kilton, is based on a novel of the same name by Holly Jackson. Created by Poppy Cogan and directed by Dolly Wells, the cast includes Emma Myers, Zain Iqbal, India Lillie Davies, Rahul Pattni, Raiko Gohara, Jude Morgan-Collie and Yali Topol Margalith. If you’re a Riverdale or One of Us Is Lying fan, the…

South African UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has left the ball in Dana White’s court to keep his word of bringing the UFC to South Africa, in a weekend where the nation enjoyed terrific sporting success in rugby and cricket as well. UFC president and CEO White stated that if Du Plessis successfully defended his title against former two-time champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, he would bring the world’s largest MMA promotion to Mzansi. And yesterday morning in Perth, Australia, Du Plessis – with Bok captain Siya Kolisi and teammate Eben Etzebeth watching on – came good on his end of the deal. It was an incredible display of fight IQ, cardio and heart from the champion, before securing a rear-naked choke submission in the fourth round…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners to unlock support for Africa amid an outbreak of mpox, which has been declared a public health emergency threatening the continent’s security. Speaking on Saturday as the AU champion on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, Ramaphosa said he fully supported the director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of continental security. “This crucial decision empowers Africa CDC to lead and co-ordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the mpox response at every level. “The declaration will also galvanise political leadership and engagement among AU heads of state and government, facilitating the rapid mobilisation of essential financial and technical resources,” he said. Ramaphosa called on AU member…

It WAS a sombre morning for the community of Evaton township north of Sebokeng yesterday with scores of mourners gathered at the home of the three Evaton Primary School learners who died after allegedly consuming milk, pap, and biscuits laced with poison. On Monday, the community suffered a heavy blow when they learnt of the deaths of siblings Rethabile Mokhatla, Tshepiso Tsotetsi, and Moeketsi Mokhatla after falling ill on their arrival at school just after 8am. Several community members, including a close family friend, called for the law to take its course over the deaths of the three young lives, cut short when a man known to the family is alleged to have deliberately fed the children the deadly poison. At the emotional service yesterday, Samson Sithole, a close family…

A WHISTLE-BLOWER who reported allegations of irregular appointments at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been left furious after the public protector closed the file. The former employee, Bibi Madiba, expressed dissatisfaction after the office closed the case without contacting some implicated officials. She was also infuriated that the public protector did not inform her about the outcome as the whistle- blower. Madiba also accused the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) of not being willing to investigate the matter despite signing a proclamation to probe allegations of maladministration and corruption against the financial scheme. This was after she was told that the SIU had not started investigating the alleged irregular appointments. The public protector’s spokesperson, Khulu Phasiwe, said it had been established that the…

As numerous African heads of State gear up to travel to Beijing for the upcoming 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a new book has been released, co-authored by renowned South African sinologist and researcher, Dr Paul Tembe and fellow researcher Jeffrey Sehume. The book explores the extensive China-Africa relations which has resulted in China constructing and upgrading more than 10,000 kilometres of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometres of highways and over 60 000 kilometres of submarine cables, as well as nearly 1 000 bridges, 100 ports and over 100 health facilities and schools. The book titled Xi Jinping and the Flourishing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in the New Era was launched at the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria on Friday, days before the FOCAC summit kicks off in…

FOR every person who married, finding out that their partner is cheating and has a baby from that affair is gut-wrenching. It takes insurmountable strength to accept your partner has a child out of wedlock and to be willing to raise the child as your own. *Erick Marivati accepted that his ex-wife cheated on him and fell pregnant outside of their marriage, but he chose to raise the boy she left him with following a divorce. The 66-year-old from Hammanskraal spoke to IOL about his regret and poor decision to tolerate a cheat. “I’m a patient, calm person, I’m slow to anger and can’t shout even when angry. I think my ex-wife saw that as my weakness and preyed on it,” Marivati said. The father of three said when…