Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-08-18 i Star

Zimbabwean companies – among them the local unit of South Africa-listed Nampak – are holding their breath as business uncertainty pervades the southern African country ahead of elections next week. Bitter disputes, most of them spilling into the courts, over the electoral framework have marred Zimbabwe ahead of the August 23 poll. The Zimbabwean election comes against the backdrop of sustained weakness in the Zimbabwe dollar, elevated inflation and fast paced dollarisation. The main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change charges that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF party is abusing the judiciary and other state arms to side-line and frustrate rivals ahead of the crucial poll. Some of this uncertainty is now impacting on business confidence, muzzling business certainty. Industry executives are now looking to the post election period to refocus…

Business confidence this year to July is slightly higher than last year, but the overall level remains subdued, and has been stagnant over four months, the Sacci Business Confidence Index (BCI) showed yesterday. “This environment hinders improved longer-term prospects for the economy, resulting in limited fixed investment and inadequate conditions for robust economic growth and job creation. Additionally, the global economic environment is not favourable for South Africa as an open economy and investment destination, making it challenging to attract much-needed foreign capital and investment,” Sacci said. The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) BCI was 106.9 in May, 1.9 index points higher than in June, but then declined by 1.5 index points again in July to reach 107.3. It had peaked at 117.3 in December last year,…

THE DEPARTMENT of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said yesterday that mining companies must be held liable to undertake proper rehabilitation and safeguard their areas in the face of illegal mining. Illegal mining in South Africa was untenable as there was no due regard for public safety, resulting in environmental damage and damaged public infrastructure, DMRE director for enforcement and compliance, Nqobile Khanyile, said in a webinar yesterday. “Sometimes these activities occur in close proximity to Transnet pipelines that contain gas and some of them have petroleum products. “But it should also be a concern to South Africans as well because it is our public infrastructure that is damaged and the human rights of the people who live close to this area that are violated as a result of…

Through her own efforts to find out everything she could about trusts after a client going through a divorce asked her for help, Phia van der Spuy has become one of the leading authorities on trusts in South Africa. Her reference guide, first published in 2017, has become a bible for financial planners, fiduciary practitioners, trust owners/founders and trust beneficiaries, because it answers just about any question anyone would have on this complex and often misunderstood subject. Van der Spuy is a chartered accountant with an MCom degree in local and international tax. A member of the Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa, she is a registered Trust and Estate Practitioner, Fiduciary Practitioner of Southern Africa and Master Tax Practitioner. She is the founder of Trusteeze, a company that offers a…

STANDARD Bank Group, Africa’s biggest bank by assets, lifted headline earnings a share 34% to 1 280.6 cents in the six months to June 30 due to its differentiated franchise and Africa-focused strategy. The dividend was raised by the same percentage to 690 cents, equating to a payout ratio of 54%. Headline earnings increased a substantial 35% to R21.2 billion. The South African banking franchise headline earnings grew 17% to R8.4bn. The Africa Regions’ headline earnings were up 65% and contributed 44% of group earnings. “We continued to support our clients and our teams managed the business well through an uncertain geopolitical environment and volatile market conditions,” CEO Sim Tshabalala said in a statement yesterday. The top six contributors to the Africa Regions’ headline earnings were Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria,…

Educator will not stop fighting his ‘suspicious’ dismissal AN AXED English teacher from Mmabatho High School in North West says he will not stop fighting his dismissal. The educator, whose career spans 30 years, told The Star that his dismissal was in retaliation for exposing the theft of more than R200 000 arising from fraudulent Covid-19 relief grant claims at the school. Simon Liholo, who was suspended in 2020 and dismissed last year, said attempts by the SA Council for Educators (Sace) to intervene on his behalf did not help as he was already a marked man. This, he said, resulted in an elaborate plan that resulted in certain senior officials concocting a “fake” dismissal supposedly authorised and sanctioned by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie…

South Africa, in particular Johannesburg, will be abuzz over the next week as the 15th BRICS Summit is set to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from August 22 to August 24. While security has been beefed up to its maximum, residents and motorists have been advised that there would be limited access in areas surrounding the Sandton Convention Centre. High density operations such as increased roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, high police visibility on foot, vehicle, mounted and air patrols would also be conducted. The South African National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTSA) reported that a Notice to all Airmen (NOTAM) has also been issued by the Civil Aviation Authority which restricts the airspace within two nautical miles and five thousand feet above sea level to the conference…

THE SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) in Gauteng has accused the City of Tshwane of squandering money on lawyers after it allegedly paid R3 million in legal fees in a bid to stop the striking workers demanding wage increases. Provincial union secretary Mpho Tladinyane said “the outrageous amount of money the City kept flushing down the drain” was disturbing. The City, he said, took the union to the Labour Court on two occasions alleging that the union was in contempt of the rule issued by the same court within a space of eight days. “On both occasions, the City was humiliated with their applications being dismissed. Although as a union, we should be rejoicing over the two victories in court, we are concerned that the City has spent over R3m…

Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese said he considered it a “privilege” as he granted medals for the first time in his capacity as Chief of the South African Navy. Lobese conferred 20-year long- service medals to “deserving” members of the South African Navy at a prestigious awards parade which took place at the Martello Sports Field, Naval Base Simon’s Town, near Cape Town. The parade represented an opportunity for the chief of SA Navy to honour members who have rendered good service in the South African National Defence Force over the years. “I distinctly remember each of the medals that I received during my career, and I trust that you will as well. To honour deserving members of the military is something that each and…

Ingredients 1 tbs butter 4 leeks, only the white parts, cut into discs 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 cups brown mushrooms, chopped 1 cube beef stock 1kg stewing beef, cubed 1 tub cream cheese 1 glass semi-sweet red wine 1 handful parsley, finely chopped Method Melt the butter in a potjie over the coals. Add the leeks and garlic, season with black pepper, and let it sweat for about 10 minutes until the leeks are tender. Add the mushrooms, crumble the cube of beef stock into the potjie and place the meat on top. Add the wine and (tightly) cover the potjie with its lid. Let the beef potjie simmer over medium coals for about 2 hours. (Or bake it in an oven at 140ºC for about 2 hours).…

KAIZER Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki has ample reason to continue proving to the club’s discerning supporters that he is the right man for the job. Ntseki’s appointment as the new Chiefs coach was met with shock by most fans this season, given his underwhelming record at club level. For those naysayers, it was a confusing appointment heightened by the fact that his predecessors Stuart Baxter and Arthur Zwane – who served under him – also failed to win trophies. In addition, those critics didn’t even regard his position at the time. But Ntseki argued that it trained him for the coveted seat he holds today – hence, it is only a matter of time before he flourishes. “I was the head of technical of the club (for two seasons), and…

KAGISO Rabada has been to a number of World Cups since making his debut in the senior Proteas team in 2014, but is yet to return home with any silverware. In his Under-19 days, Rabada – along with Aiden Markram and Andile Phehlukwayo – won the junior World Cup for the first time in South Africa’s history. With the senior squad, though, he has had no luck – just like the many generations of great fast bowlers before him. The Proteas have a different pressure associated with World Cups, which has developed over many failures on cricket’s biggest stage. “All this drama outside about South African cricket and World Cups ... we’re not paying attention to it really,” said Rabada. “Having been to World Cups and not winning silverware, it’s…

AmaZulu’s Bonginkosi Ntuli has raised concerns regarding the club’s provincial derby ‘hoodoo’ as they step up their preparations for a clash with Richards Bay over the weekend. Usuthu will host the Natal Rich Boyz at the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 5.30pm) looking to break their long-standing run of bad luck against their fiercest rivals. The Durban outfit have failed to secure victory against four of their KZN counterparts in the past 11 matches. Golden Arrows, Royal AM, Richards Bay and the now-relegated Maritzburg United have all frustrated Usuthu in recent years, raising the pressure on the players and the new man at the helm, coach Pablo Franco Martin. The Pietermaritzburg-born Ntuli expects another tough battle against one of their closest rivals. “It’s going to be a very tough match…

The BRICS Business Council has maintained that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination and a gateway for trade within African markets, in spite of ongoing logistical and energy challenges in the country. The Council’s Trade and Investment Working Group’s chairperson, advocate Mtho Xulu said yesterday one of their focus areas was to make the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) the main priority to showcase the opportunities that exist in Africa. Xulu said they would be profiling Africa at the 15th BRICS Summit next week as a market but also bringing out the nuances found in the different blocs of Africa, within a messaging of a potential single market. “As much as we've seen trade growing over the last 10 years of the business council, we are unfortunately still…

This is LIKELY due to it being a traditionally insulated industry with high barriers to entry by new competitors. Together with administrative procedures that make it difficult for existing customers to switch to an opposition financial provider, banks tend to be complacent. In-house research among nlighten- cx’s customer base shows that 50% of those who did move banks, despite the onerous administration involved, did so for reasons of trust and security, while another 50% did so for a better client experience. Better banking fees and better products/solutions – the two other categories listed in the research – played no part in the decision to switch banks. In a previous nlightencx snap poll conducted this year, which also looked at the banking sector in South Africa, only 24% of respondents were…

Eskom has maintained its confidence that wheeling will serve as a catalyst for enabling the private sector to participate in power generation, which will provide the system with the much-needed additional capacity to handle load shedding. Wheeling is the delivery of energy from a generator to an end-user located in another area through the use of an existing distribution or transmission networks. As an illustration, consider a solar farm operated by an independent power producer in the Northern Cape that sells its energy to a large corporation in Gauteng. Eskom’s transmission network and local distribution networks are used to supply the electricity. Eskom senior adviser for electricity pricing Onicah Rantwane yesterday said that the power entity had now moved from a single buyer, particularly the integrated utility model, to a…

This opinion piece does not intend to comment on the substantive employment law aspects of the case, but rather on the views of the court in relation to the conduct of the legal advisers. The matter of University of South Africa (Unisa) v Socikwa and Others (June 7, 2023) involved a labour dispute, with the salient portions of the judgment relating to legal practice, and a lawyer’s engagement in a “hopeless case”. The facts were that the respondent was employed by the Unisa for five years, and the employment contract was not renewed, even though the respondent had a legitimate expectation that it would be. The respondent found success in the South African employment tribunal, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where it was found that the dismissal…

ANGLO American yesterday announced that H2 Moves Berlin, the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fleet jointly initiated with Toyota Germany and taxi operator SafeDriver Group-ENNOO, has now driven more than 1 million zero-emission kilometres, and provided more than 100 000 customer journeys. First launched at the end of 2022, H2 Moves Berlin is Germany’s largest FCEV fleet and forms part of Anglo’s strategy to help accelerate zero-emission transport through the deployment of platinum-enabled hydrogen FCEVs. When used in a fuel cell, platinum serves as the catalyst to generate electricity via a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. This is then used to power the motor of an FCEV, which can be refuelled in five minutes with ranges up to 650km and is similar to using a petrol or…

A few months on from announcing that they’d be embarking on a joint world tour, South African rap mega stars Nasty C and Cassper Nyovest have announced some of the dates for the eagerly anticipated tour. The dates announced so far include shows set for in Rwanda, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique and Swaziland. In a press release, organisers explained that the tour was an invitation to join in the celebration of artistry, culture, and unity. The two artists went on a joint Instagram Live on Wednesday evening to discuss the upcoming tour. They announced that Dee Koala would be joining them for the upcoming Johannesburg and Cape Town legs. “Will be joining @casspernyovest & @Nasty_CSA on their African Throne Tour as one of their main acts for the Johannesburg and Cape…

The communities of Sol Plaatjie and Durban Deep are fed up with illegal miners from Lesotho who continue to make their lives a living hell following reports of daily shoot-outs at some of the open shafts in the area. Members of the community said on Wednesday night that a group of illegal miners operating in the area were at it again as they continued their deadly confrontations. “We don’t feel safe at night in this area. We have been complaining about the illegal miners and hope the presence of the police today will restore order, as we have been terrorised by gunshots and fighting from illegal zama-zamas,” Mbuso Zwane said. This comes after Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela and law enforcement agencies conducted a search-and-seizure of illegal mining equipment yesterday while in…

The likelihood of Lauren Dickason successfully appealing the guilty verdict announced on Wednesday is increased because only 11 of the 12 jurors on the infamous murder trial found her guilty, failing to reach a unanimous decision, according to a law professor, New Zealand media reported. Auckland University of Technology law professor, Kris Gledhill, spoke to New Zealand radio station RNZ about the Lauren Dickason trial and explained some of the reasons why her appeal may be successful. Gledhill told RNZ that the prosecution could not prove to all 12 jurors that Lauren was guilty beyond reasonable doubt and that lays grounds for a possible appeal. Lauren admitted to killing her three children six-year-old Liané, and two-year-old twins Maya and Karla on the evening of September 16, 2021, but pleaded not…

As South Africa prepares to host one of the biggest events on the global political calendar, the BRICS Summit, all arms of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster have been brought in to provide maximum security. Maximum resources from all government departments involved in the planning of this particular event have been deployed. Together with the various law enforcement agencies including the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), law enforcement are in the midst of executing and implementing the security plan, which will include more boots on the ground, said National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints). According to NatJoints chairperson, Lt. General Tebello Mosikili, a priority committee comprised various government departments across all three spheres, have been meeting regularly with all relevant role…

THE City of Tshwane has quashed claims Mamelodi Sundowns bankrolled all the renovations at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville. Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief operations officer, Professor Ronnie Schloss made the claims during a radio interview this week. MMC for Community and Social Development Services in Tshwane, Peggy de Bruin has, however, disputed Schloss’s version, saying the metro paid more than R800 000 in the 2021/22 financial year and R1.5 million in the last financial year to renovate the stadium. Reacting to the interview she said: “On August 8, 2023, Prof Ronnie Schloss was interviewed by Mr Thabiso Mosia on his sport show on Radio 2000 regarding the state of stadiums in the country. He rightfully painted a worrying picture about the bad state of stadiums and indicated that this…

The Major League DJz, a musical powerhouse combo, release their first song of the year today, All Night Long, despite the fact that they have been quite busy and have a long list of musical endeavours under their belts. Described as a celebration of black love and romance – the song features sultry R&B singer Elaine and producer Yumbs – their choice to work with these two creatives was based on their desire of wanting to create a certain sound that both these artists, the soulful R&B singer and soulful beat maker, bring. “We wanted to create a sound that would resonate with all soulful music lovers, something distinct. And for us to tell a certain story. “We found that the energy they both brought to the song is…

A man was mauled to death by a lion at the Dinokeng Game Reserve this week. Johannes Matshe, 30, who was an employee of one of the land owners at the reserve, was killed on Sunday night and his remains discovered on Monday morning, the reserve said in a statement on Wednesday. “The individual was tragically attacked and killed by lions while attempting to navigate the reserve on foot after dark,” said Hartogh Streicher, reserve spokesperson. “Walking within the DGR during the night, or at any time, is strictly forbidden in accordance with reserve regulations.” He said the incident came to light when the vigilant reserve fencing team of DGR stumbled upon what appeared to be human remains at approximately 10.37am on Monday. “The operations manager responded promptly, confirming the…

This year marks 11 years since the tragedy that claimed the lives of 45 workers. It is appalling that it has remained normal with no real significance given to the darkest time since the dawn of our democracy. The working class killed one another for the benefit of the elite. The real instigators of the violence were left unscathed and others had to take the fall. The government in collusion with the rich mine bosses killed workers in Marikana. The just thing to do is to make August 16 a public holiday called Marikana Day so that it serves as a reminder to all that this government massacred its own people. But it will also serve as a deterrent to those in power who might be tempted to collude with…

It is believed an intelligent individual is neither influenced by memory nor deluded by imagination. The learnt ability to put thought in its right place is intelligence. Yet, some individuals possess the ability to make being intelligent seem effortless, as if a tidal wave of amazing energy is flowing towards them. Intelligence is not something we are born with, but rather a result of a flexible and changing ability to learn. This article outlines the process that awakens intelligence. Despite the presence of this force of intelligence, some may find it difficult to manage their weaknesses. Are mysterious forces draining your ability to problem-solve/reason? Experiencing an unexplained rush of emotions? Break away from hereditary patterns, cultural codes or social beliefs and become the writer of your own destiny. Right now,…

PREMIERSHIP champions Mamelodi Sundowns were in imperious midweek form as they swatted Golden Arrows aside with a 4-0 hammering, and now they’re getting set for tomorrow’s fixture against Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. But Sundowns did not enjoy goal gluts in their three previous games, despite dominating from start to finish, and were restricted to close-shave 1-0 and 2-1 wins. Last Saturday, Sundowns scored a slender 1-0 victory over Moroka Swallows, who were reduced to 10 players in the seventh minute. The Brazilians scored an early second-half goal against an average Swallows side, but were unable to further exploit their numerical advantage. A few days earlier, Sundowns beat Sekhukhune United 2-1, even though the latter were reduced to 10 players after 16 minutes. Sundowns were unable to exploit…

WALES will represent the penultimate opportunity for the Springboks to fine-tune their game plan ahead of the World Cup in September. Here we look at five areas in the Bok backline to watch for in Cardiff tomorrow (4.15pm kick-off) ... Improved aerial defence Fullback Liam Williams (hamstring) and flyhalf Dan Biggar (back) were late withdrawals for Wales yesterday, although coach Warren Gatland said the injuries are “not serious”. Debutant Cai Evans slots in at No 15 in place of Williams. Sam Costelow starts at No 10, and with the improving Kieran Hardy as his halfback partner, the Welsh will still have a potent kicking game. Earlier this year, the Boks struggled to manage the pressure from this play – it was especially jarring in the New Zealand loss, where the…

ERIC Tinkler and Gavin Hunt are football coaches cut from a similar cloth. Both are very pragmatic in their approach to the beautiful game, placing a huge emphasis on discipline and structure. It has earned them great respect and led them to the most sought-after jobs in South Africa, with both having been in charge at either one of Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates previously. They are also both firm favourites of SuperSport United boss Stan Matthews, with Hunt delivering three Premiership titles to Matsatsantsa, while Tinkler also brought home the MTN8 trophy during his time in Tshwane. The pair know each other’s tactics intimately, with nothing much coming as a surprise to either after going head-to-head in 18 previous matches. The 19th encounter tonight (7.30pm kick-off) will be no…

Exxaro Resources, the South African diversified resources group, lowered its interim dividend 28% to 1 143 cents per share after lower sales prices and sales volumes, and logistics challenges affected operations. Revenue fell 15% to R18.94 billion, with coal making up R18.1bn of the total, after these challenges were offset by a slightly weaker exchange rate at the coal business. Revenue from the wind energy business was 17% higher. Energy generation from the Cennergi assets was higher, driven by better wind conditions despite an energy generation loss from an Eskom line fault. Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) fell 28% to R7.66bn, mainly due to the 34% decline in coal Ebitda. Exxaro directors said bearish market sentiment in the first half was due to price declines from…

DRDGOLD yesterday flagged an expected increase of up to 18% in its earnings for the year ended June 30 due to the rand gold price rising by 16%. In a trading statement, the company said it expected its earnings per share to increase by 9% to 19%. Headline earnings per share (Heps) were likely to rise by 8% to 18%, amounting to about R1.40 to R1.54. DRDGold reported that revenue increased by R377.8 million, or 7%, to R5.5 billion compared to the previous comparable period’s R5.2m. The impact of the increase in revenue on earnings and headline earnings was moderated by an increase in cash operating costs of R224.3m, up 6% to R3.68bn compared to the 2022 financial year (R3.5bn). It said the expected increases in EPS and Heps for…

For some time, but especially after the recent introduction of tighter measures on South African trusts (similar to measures already introduced in many other countries), estate planners and trustees are (and should be) evaluating whether “their” trusts still serve a purpose. It is a well-known fact that many trusts registered in South Africa were never activated as originally envisaged. Given the fact that many trustees face a penalty of up to R10 million and/or five years imprisonment, it may be a good time to review the trust. Many trustees have gotten away with labelling trusts as “dormant” trusts, in an attempt to excuse themselves from having to comply with trust laws. Is there such a thing as a ‘dormant’ trust? People often refer to trusts that do not have…

One of the many consequences of load shedding is power surges that cause irreparable damage to electronic circuits in phones, appliances, and other tech equipment. Avoiding these losses, which some research shows are impacting nearly three out of every four South Africans, means taking basic precautions to safeguard the tech that is central to our everyday lives. With several different levels of power cuts now being imposed daily, the danger of damage to smartphones, routers, modems, desktop computers, monitors, and domestic appliances has increased as people lose track of scheduled power cuts. Damage to equipment happens when power is restored after load shedding. A sudden current jump can occur as the electricity returns, resulting in a power surge. This upward spike can last for less than a second. Unfortunately, this…

Gold miner Gold Fields’s shares tumbled 12% yesterday after it reported a 11.1% decline in interim profit due to lower sales and production – in spite of this, the group declared a dividend. By 3.46pm, the share was 9.31% lower at R222.55 on the JSE yesterday. In its interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2023, the group said profit dropped by 11.1% year-on-year to $474.6 million (R9.1 billion), while gold production declined by 3.9% to 1.154 million ounces, underpinned by the planned decline in production from Damang in Ghana. Gold Fields reported that headline earnings per share fell to $0.51 in the reported period from $0.58 a year earlier. The group has nine operating mines in Australia, South Africa and Ghana, including the Asanko JV and Peru,…

South African kwaito fans will get the chance to witness the making of kwaito legend Bonginkosi “Zola 7” Dlamini’s groundbreaking 2013 album, uMdlwembe. SABC1’s Certified Classics will revisit Zola’s crowning achievement as he breaks down some of his most popular songs and shares never-before-heard stories about them. The show launched on July 30 and has already featured artists such as Brown Dash and Mapaputsi. The upcoming episode celebrates the cultural impact of Zola’s debut album, which went on to sell more than 300 000 copies. He shared: “The dream of making uMdlwembe, I suppose, is one thing that every young person wants in life, giving them that break. “uMdlwembe was my big break, and at the same time, there was Yizo Yizo, which I was selected to play. What I…

Warrant Officer Thabo Mosia said he didn’t think it was necessary to take swabs of the kitchen door in the house where Senzo Meyiwa was murdered because a lot of people had come in contact with the door. Mosia was the first crime scene investigator to arrive at the scene. He was under cross-examination at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on yesterday. Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, who represents one of the five men accused of brutally killing Meyiwa, asked Mosia whether he had taken swabs of all the doors inside the house. “I didn’t take swabs of all door handles; I left the kitchen door and the sitting room,” he said. Nxumalo: “Do you have a sketch plan in front of you? Do you see the bedroom door opposite…

South Africa should improve its industrialisation and manufacturing capacity in a bid to balance the trade deficit in the massive trade relationship with China, the second biggest economy in the world. Both countries are members of the trailblazing BRICS bloc of emerging economies, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS bloc is in the limelight ahead of the 15th summit to be hosted at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg from Tuesday to Thursday next week, under the theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism”. On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa will host Chinese President Xi Jinping on a State Visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Despite the negativity channelled towards the two nations’ increasingly close ties, Mtho Xulu, president of the…

THE DA in Tshwane will today be laying criminal charges against members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) who are participating in the “unlawful” strike action that started three weeks ago. The DA are accusing the strikers of conspiracy to commit sabotage, kidnapping and commit grievous bodily harm. The municipal employees are demanding salary increases of 5.4%. However, the cash-strapped City of Tshwane has since announced that paying out increases was not part of the immediate plans because it could not afford to do this. The strike has been marred by a series of violent incidents with strikers allegedly intimidating colleagues who refused to take part in the protest action which has also impacted negatively in the delivery of services. The Pretoria News recently reported that a Tshwane…

Noluthando Ngema details how winning the first Nando’s Emerging Artist of the Year at the Basadi in Music Awards (Bima) has changed her life. Ngema bagged a prize package worth more than R100 000, including a bursary for Bridges Academy, upskilling, educational and training opportunities, and a full year’s mentorship from SA musical legend Msaki. “Winning this award has changed my career and life. This is only the beginning, and I hope that, with Nando’s and Bridges for Music, we can continue to have a great relationship to produce music that heals, gives hope to, and inspires people,” said Ngema. The bursary would include all-expenses-paid travel experiences to Cape Town and Joburg and professional recording sessions at Flame Studio and Bridges Studio. There is also a curated line-up of…

The African Snakebite Institute (ASI) has listed six black snakes that often seem to confuse people. The ASI, in its July 2023 newsletter, said that the small black snakes are found across Africa and are tricky to learn to identify. The institute said that the danger lies in the fact that most species are harmless or mildly venomous, but can be easily confused with the venomous stiletto snakes. Many people misidentify stiletto snakes and pick them up by hand, assuming they are harmless, and end up receiving bad bites leaving terrible wounds. There are currently 22 species of stiletto snakes across Africa with three species found in southern Africa and the Bibron’s stiletto snake being the most common and widespread species. “For many people, a small black snake is automatically…

If anyone reflects on the greatest sporting teams the Rainbow Nation has produced during the past 29 years of democracy, it will not be difficult to point them out. Francois Pienaar’s 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks are immortal. On an almost equally legendary pedestal would be Neil Tovey’s Bafana Bafana heroes who raised the African Nations Cup trophy aloft the following year. And Siya Kolisi’s 2019 World Cup-winning Boks are also worthy of a fair mention. But another team now need to be added to this elite list. The current Banyana Banyana team are trailblazers on so many levels. Not only were they crowned Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) champions last year, but they have now qualified for successive Fifa Women’s World Cups. They then smashed through the glass…

THE inaugural Run Your City Tshwane 10km is set to produce fireworks, with Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon champion and record holder Gerda Steyn having confirmed her participation in the race scheduled for next Sunday. The organisers have announced that the Phantane Athletics Club starlet – who obliterated her record at the 56km Mother City ultra, popularly referred to as the world’s most beautiful marathon, before smashing Frith van der Merwe’s 34-year-old time at the Ultimate Human Race in KwaZulu-Natal – is a confirmed participant in the maiden race in the capital. Steyn said: “I’m excited to be in Tshwane for the first ever Run Your City Tshwane 10K. It is a great honour for me to be invited. I know the route will be tough, and that suits me,…

MANCHESTER City’s treble winners have added more silverware to their collection, but a Uefa Super Cup victory over Sevilla only exposed some cracks in Pep Guardiola’s squad ahead of another demanding campaign. Sevilla had begun their campaign last weekend with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Valencia, and finished 12th in La Liga last season. But the Europa League winners should have picked up another European trophy in Athens. Youssef En-Nesyri’s header powered the Spaniards into a first-half lead, but the Moroccan was guilty of missing two huge chances when one-on-one with Ederson after the break. City badly missed the creativity of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, who were sidelined by injury and illness, respectively. De Bruyne’s four-month absence due to a serious hamstring injury has exacerbated the loss…

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is eager to tap into the depth of his squad for their CAF Champions League preliminary round clash away to Djabal Club d’Iconi in Comoros tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm). Pirates have had a lukewarm start to their season. While they cruised into the MTN8 semi-finals after beating Sekhukhune 5-0, they haven’t been as fluid in the DStv Premiership. They got their league campaign up and running in the second game, thumping Royal AM 4-2 – after losing 1-0 to Stellenbosch FC in their opener – but their latest result was disappointing. Pirates drew 1-1 with Chippa United on Tuesday night, which sees their record standing at one win, one draw and one loss in the league, a bit of a worry for a team that’s tipped…