Innholdsfortegnelse for 2026-01-22 i Mercury

Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientso Ramokgopa said on Wednesday his energy delegation has engaged with global and local CEOs of ferrochrome smelters at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, in a bid to cushion and develop the industry for beneficiation. The intervention aims to sustain a proposed tariff of 62 cents per kilowatt-hour for smelters, as the sector faces retrenchments driven by high electricity costs. Ramokgopa said stakeholders — including government, Eskom, labour unions and smelters — had worked to restructure the tariff from R1.35 per kilowatt-hour to save jobs, and that the WEF was being used to facilitate high-level discussions. “We are here engaging global CEOs of some of these entities. We have already engaged domestic CEOs, and we are aligned. Of course, the details still…

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has defended the stability and governance of South African Tourism (SA Tourism), dismissing allegations that her intervention at the entity undermined its independence through questionable board appointments. SA Tourism has been under intense scrutiny following the dissolution of its previous board and the suspension of its chief executive officer, Nombulelo Guliwe, developments that have fuelled concerns about governance instability at the state-owned tourism marketing agency. Democratic Alliance spokesperson on tourism, Haseena Ismail, on Wednesday said she had written to Parliament calling for urgent intervention and oversight following serious concerns about SA Tourism’s handling of Meetings Africa. Meetings Africa is South Africa’s flagship Pan-African business events trade show, hosted by SA Tourism, and plays an important role in securing future business events for the continent. Ismail…

South Africa’s inflation rate edged slightly higher in December, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures released by Statistics SA on Wednesday. Inflation rose to 3.6% in December 2025 from 3.5% in November. Prices increased by 0.2% compared with November, meaning consumers paid slightly more for everyday goods and services during the month. Economists said the small rise was expected. Frank Blackmore, the lead economist at KPMG South Africa, said December CPI numbers, which came in at 3.6% for December 2025, are slightly higher than the 3.5% recorded in November. “Core inflation also rose marginally to 3.3% from 3.2% last year. The main contributor to this inflation was housing and utilities, which added one-third or 1.2 percentage points of that 3.6%, and most notably there it was obviously…

In the wake of a devastating scholar transport crash, President Cyril Ramaphosa has tasked the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and other relevant stakeholders to look into ways of preventing further loss of life. This comes as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport moves swiftly to strengthen legislation governing scholar transport in an effort to curb accidents that have claimed the lives of pupils. The legislation will be enhanced to ensure, among other conditions, driver vetting and vehicle standards. Scholar transport is in the spotlight after another accident in Gauteng claimed the lives of 12 learners on their way to school. It is suspected that the vehicle had been overloaded at the time. Last year, three pupils died while on their way to school…

The approval of salary increases for top politicians, including ministers and their deputies, as well as parliamentarians, has been described as a clear demonstration that the government is out of touch with the realities on the ground. This is according to analysts and experts, who said this is an indication that the government doesn’t care about the sufferings of the citizens. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he approved a 3.8% pay increase for ministers, deputy ministers, and parliamentarians. The increases are set to take effect on April 1, 2026. These increases are slightly lower than the 4.1% suggested by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers. However, provincial legislators will still receive the full 4.1%. This also applies to judges, magistrates, traditional leaders, and…

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz fended off a series of “bombs” before surging into the Australian Open third round yesterday, where he was joined by Aryna Sabalenka and a near-flawless Coco Gauff. Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev needed four sets to keep his Grand Slam dream on track at a cooler Melbourne Park after days of hot weather. Alexander Zverev, the third seed well beaten in last year’s final by Jannik Sinner, also went through in four sets. Spanish superstar Alcaraz came through 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena against hard-hitting German Yannick Hanfmann to take another step towards a career Grand Slam. But the 22-year-old was put through his paces by a player 12 years older before setting up a showdown with France’s Corentin Moutet. “To be honest, it was…

Minister de Lille says SA’s presence in Davos is meant to reposition tourism economic growth Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille has urged international investors to look into South Africa as a potential destination for global meetings, conferences and entertainment events, and thus replicate the Club Med model across the country. Club Med SAS, commonly known as Club Med and previously known as Club Méditerranée SA, is a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris, specializing in all-inclusive holidays. The multinational hospitality group is opening a R2.5 billion beach and safari resort in KwaZulu-Natal in July, the most expensive destination-scale tourism venture in the country’s history and reinforcing economic prospects in critical logistics infrastructure in the province. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting…

Karooooo, the JSE and New York-listed owner of vehicle telematics and fleet management company Cartrak, accelerated its growth in the three months to November 30 even as it continued to build distribution capacity, CEO and founder Zak Calisto said yesterday. Cartrack's quarterly subscription revenue increased 20% to R1.24bn and ARR (annual recurring revenue) increased 22% to R5.11bn, representing a significant acceleration in growth, compared to the 2024 third quarter, where subscription revenue and ARR each increased 14%. There were record Cartrack subscriber additions of 111 478, versus 86 617 in the third quarter of 2024. Third quarter ARR growth of 22% also accelerated compared to 20% in the previous quarter, and ARR increased 28% in US dollars to $298 million. "This growth, and growth in earnings, came even though we…

Despite an improvement in investor confidence in South Africa, a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Empowerment organisation has highlighted concern about a R350 billion SME funding gap that persists because many businesses are not funding ready. CEO of SME Empowerment organisation, Unconventional CA, Hiten Keshave, said the funding gap is most visible among smaller, micro businesses and informal traders. “Formal micro enterprises account for more than 86% of SME funding applications and contribute over 80% of SME job creation, yet they are the least likely to secure funding approval.” Keshave added that there are growing signs that business and investor confidence is beginning to stabilise in South Africa. “Inflation has eased, energy supply has improved, and economic forecasts point to modest growth following several difficult years marked by weak demand,…

Tributes poured in this week for Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer who dressed some of the world’s most elegant women, following his death at age 93. “This feels like the end of an era. He will be deeply missed,” wrote actor Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram, alongside a photo of her kissing Valentino on the cheek. She recalled a man “in love with beauty, his family, his muses, his friends” — and who “always pestered me to ‘at least wear a little mascara’ when I came to dinner”. Valentino’s death comes just months after the passing of another Italian style legend, Giorgio Armani, and tributes came from the global fashion world and beyond. “Today, we lost a true maestro who will forever be remembered for his art,” wrote Donatella Versace on…

Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride yesterday said he never requested anything from forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan. Testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, McBride said O’Sullivan always called when he has information. “I never sought information from him,” he said. McBride told the Ad Hoc Committee that some of the information O’Sullivan provided was irrelevant to the police watchdog body, however, it gave an insight into understanding syndicates and drug distribution. “Some of his information used to be useful in our investigations,” he said. “He did not influence us. No one on this earth can influence me. I always do the right thing,” he said. Witnesses appearing before the parliamentary inquiry had claimed that O’Sullivan was in control…

The eThekwini Municipality is rolling out a new digital Human Resources system that it says will clamp down on ghost employees, prevent double payments, curb tendering conflicts, and reduce job scams, while improving transparency and compliance. Addressing the media yesterday, Councillor Nkosenhle Madlala said the Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) platform would consolidate previously fragmented HR processes, making it harder for employees to be paid by more than one municipality or participate in tenders while on the payroll. He added that the system will automatically flag situations where employees are simultaneously employed elsewhere. “Once you are officially employed, any invoice submitted prior will not be paid because the system will recognise that you are now an employee, and employees are not allowed to tender with the Municipality.” He said digitisation…

A newborn infant, was found dead and badly burnt in bushes near the braai area at Brighton Beach on the Bluff in Durban on Tuesday afternoon. According to ALS Paramedics, emergency services were dispatched to the scene shortly after 2pm following a report by a passerby who made the gruesome discovery while walking in the area. Paramedics arrived alongside members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and assessed the infant. The baby had sustained extensive injuries, including severe burns, and showed no signs of life. The infant was declared dead at the scene. ALS Paramedics described the scene as horrific, with the infant’s body found partially concealed among bushes near the popular beachfront area. At this stage, the circumstances leading to the baby’s death remain unclear. It is not…

The old cliche “never meet your heroes” has not come about without reason because often we are left disappointed when our real-life experience does not match the expectations we had built up from afar. So, having previously heard that Eoin Morgan, former England World Cup-winning captain, could be a bit testy at times, I was naturally apprehensive when approaching him earlier this week in the commentary box at Boland Park. I had nothing to worry about. In fact, the interaction was stunningly pleasant with Morgan coming across as humble, engaging and quite funny in fact. Okay, the former England World Cup-winning captain is not exactly a “hero” of mine, but he was responsible for giving me the best quote of my entire 20-year journalistic career. It was in the bowels…

The stalemate between the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Postbank over the former’s stipulation of a three-month extension of a master service agreement (MSA), affecting about three million beneficiaries, has landed before the Constitutional Court after behind-the-scenes disputes overtook a Presidency-appointed inter-ministerial committee (IMC) process. This follows the expiry of the three-month MSA extension at the end of December, while the IMC has yet to conclude its deliberations, leaving the fragile relationship to be resolved through submissions to the Constitutional Court. Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi confirmed in an update that the matter is currently before the Constitutional Court. “The Court ordered that the status quo be maintained pending further directions. “The passing of 31 December 2025 does not alter Sassa’s legal position, but since the matter is before…

UK wealth management company Quilter shares surged on the JSE Wednesday after it reported record net inflows of £9.1 billion for 2025 due to elevated client activity following speculation in markets about the UK Budget in November 2023. Directors of the JSE and London listed company said in a trading statement that quarterly inflows consistently above £2bn through the year also reflected the strength of their platform. The share price increased 4.07% to R42.74 in the afternoon - the price has increased by more than 11% over 12 months. "We finished the year with strong momentum. The fourth quarter was our strongest quarter of the year, despite market uncertainty caused by speculation on potential tax changes ahead of the UK Budget at the end of November," said CEO Steven Levin.…

Seasoned ANC leader Dr Zweli Mkhize has indicated his availability to contest for ANC national leadership, pending nominations from party members. In an interview this week with The Mercury sister paper, Isolezwe, Dr Mkhize revealed that he does not intend to retire soon and would be available for national leadership should the ANC delegates want him in that role. ANC members and political experts stated that Mkhize stands a good chance of being elected, as he still commands a lot of support and respect within the ANC membership and regional powerbrokers. However, they added that it would not be an easy task. The ANC is expected to go into an elective conference around 2027, and to date, no other individual has emerged as a shoo-in for the position of party…

The discovery of another male body in the Ba-Phalaborwa area has brought the death toll from recent severe weather in Limpopo to 19, authorities said yesterday. The body is believed to be linked to recent drowning incidents caused by heavy rainfall across the province. The announcement follows the drowning of two boys, aged 15 and 17, in the Selati River at Mashishimale village on Monday, which contributed to a total of six missing persons amid the floods. Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu, said preliminary confirmation indicates that the recovered body is likely one of the two boys swept away at Mashishimale. “Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas, including Tshwinga in Vhembe District, and Mbaula and Ba-Phalaborwa in Mopani,” Makamu…

A family is reeling after losing two of their children in Monday's horror crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of 12 children. Lesego Sefatsa, 7, a Grade 2 learner at Oakwood Primary School, and Phehello Motaung, 18, a Grade 11 learner at El Shaddai Independent School, were travelling in the scholar transport minibus taxi that crashed into a tipper truck. Family spokesperson Nomthetheleli Dys from Sebokeng said the family had been using the transport service since last year. She described Phehello as a committed church member who played the trumpet, and Lesego as a young but disciplined and helpful child. “Lesego was still a kid, but she was helpful and obedient. Phehello was the same…You could send them to do something, and they would do it. They were loving…

Imran Tahir may be approaching his 47th birthday in a couple of months’ time, but the veteran leg-spinner has lost none of his passion for success. Having only had limited game time during the group stages of Betway SA20 Season 4, Tahir burst into action in Joburg Super Kings’ final match against Paarl Royals. Tahir claimed 2/17 to out spin the Royals on their own patch and drive the Super Kings to the qualifiers where they will face the self-same opposition at Centurion tomorrow (5:30pm start). “Yeah, look it’s been a tough season personally for me,” Tahir said. “I haven’t had an opportunity. It’s a sad thing, because obviously it’s our own league, SA20, and when you come here and have done what you’ve done for the country in the…

Never mind Rassie Erasmus getting into people’s heads with the help of The Cranberries, Stormers centre Wandisile Simelane says he takes to the field with defence coach Norman Laker present between his ears. Simelane knows he will be asked questions on defence by the strong-running Sharks midfield of Andre Esterhuizen at the Cape Town Stadium, but he is confident he will do the job. “Defence has more to it than meets the eye, especially when you are tasked with running the show from 13,” said Simelane. “Ruhan Nel helped me a lot, and Norman prides himself on our defence — trust me, when you put on that Stormers jersey, Norm is in your head. “Norm and I worked very hard on my defence, and I am grateful to be in…