Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-03-05 i Star

Shoprite has reported an impressive growth in sales volumes across its operations for January, continuing the momentum from its robust performance in the half year ending December 2024. The supermarket chain, renowned for its strategic investments into IT systems and customer rewards programmes, appears well-equipped to withstand the pricing pressures currently impacting the retail sector. While its rivals flounder and shift towards budget offerings and rationalising operations through closure of non-performing stores, Shoprite is growing its footprint. This is helping it trump up the competition, with sales volumes for the first month of the second half year to June 2024 registering a further uptick. “For the first month of our second half period, January 2025, sales growth in our core SA supermarkets segment remains ahead of that reported for the…

Consumers have been granted some financial relief for the month of March after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) announced fuel price decreases across the board. The department said that the adjustments were due to lower average oil prices when compared to the previous period, as well as a stronger rand against the dollar, which led to the reduction. The decreases in fuel prices for March will be: This means that the price of petrol will move from R22.16 to R22.09 inland for the 93 grade of petrol, while 95 will drop from R22.41 per litre to R22.34 a litre inland. Diesel 0.05% (wholesale) prices will shift inland from R20.34 a litre to R20.16 a litre, while Diesel 0.005% (wholesale) will decrease from R20.45 to R20.21 per litre,…

The Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has announced it will seek open tenders for baggage screening services, an opportunity that has not been available for more than two decades. The R3.15 billion tender is a crucial aspect of Acsa's broader strategy to ensure legislative compliance, improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain the long-term sustainability of the country’s airports. This decision has drawn heavy criticism from the Aviation Co-ordination Services (ACS), which, until now, has successfully managed baggage screening operations for the past 20 years without undergoing a procurement process. The ACS is a coalition formed by the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA). The open tender announcement marks a pivotal change in the procurement landscape at South Africa's…

Get ready to be glued to your screens as Shaka iLembe will be returning with a bang for season 2 in June. The first season of the highly acclaimed drama series was a massive success, captivating audiences with its gripping storyline and talented star-studded cast. It also racked up several accolades, including a whopping 12 prizes at the 2024 South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas). Season 1 was a game-changer in the entertainment industry, pushing the boundaries of storytelling and raising the bar for local productions. However, behind the scenes the production team faced some drama of their own. In May, The SA Guild of Actors (SAGA) looked into a case of gross exploitation after complaints from numerous extras on the set of the second season. In April, more…

As the State called its second witness in the Joshlin Smith trial yesterday, the statement Kelly Smith made to police was revealed and submitted as evidence. Constable Luzuko Kobese took to the stand. He was one of the police officers stationed at Saldanha SAPS who were the first to respond to the call about a missing child. While most of his testimony corroborated that of his colleague, Constable Yanga Gongotha, the State’s first witness, Constable Kobese was also the one who took the statement of the mother of the missing girl. Joshlin disappeared on Monday, February 19, and was allegedly last seen at 5pm. At the time of her disappearance, she was last seen wearing a light blue t-shirt, denim shorts and pink slippers. Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn…

Weeks after horrific videos surfaced showing men being tortured at Pretoria club Zanzou, a person connected to the establishment has finally come out into the open. Entrepreneur Neo Moela, who is the director of Zanzou, appeared alongside renowned attorney Zola Majavu on Tuesday morning in a media briefing to shed light on his involvement, or lack thereof, in the torture and operations of the club. Majavu said that Moela wished to express that there is no justification for the 'despicable acts' which took place at the nightclub. He reiterated that his client had no knowledge of the torture until it was brought to light. “He apologises to those whose human rights were trampled on,” Majavu said. The whistleblower of the torture, Pablo, implicated Moela in the torture in videos he…

CRIME-fighting initiative eBlockwatch has expressed its concerns about the City of Johannesburg’s new by-law requiring property owners to register their cameras if they are facing public spaces. The by-law was promulgated last month after a council meeting, according to ActionSA councillor and chairperson of the public safety Section 79 committee Sarah Wissler. eBlockwatch’s Andre Snyman said the requirement to register CCTV cameras was abusive and the current system was working that the municipality was dismantling it. “I don’t mind working with these guys, but let’s work in a proper way. That is my frustration. eBlockwatch is an essential hub for crime that comes in and then we disseminate to the right places,” he said, adding that the new by-law has created a storm. According to Snyman, the city’s by-law…

Orlando Pirates are far from ready to give up on their Betway Premiership title hopes, despite suffering a significant setback at the weekend, or so says assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi. The Buccaneers’ title charge took a serious blow when they were beaten by Marumo Gallants, just as Mamelodi Sundowns tightened their grip on the top spot with an 18-point lead following their win over Kaizer Chiefs. The defeat left Pirates in second place, but with four games in hand, they remain determined to claw their way back into the race. However, with the clock ticking down on the season, the Buccaneers know that any chance of overhauling Sundowns starts with a victory tonight when they take on Chippa United. The Sea Robbers will be hoping for a fourth consecutive win…

When it rains, it pours is a phrase often used by sports teams when things are not going their way. But in 2025, adversity has only brought good luck to the Proteas at the ICC Champions Trophy. Even before they reached Pakistan, the South Africans were dealing with injuries to a series of fast bowlers. First Anrich Nortjé was ruled out. Then, Gerald Coetzee followed. It became almost comical when Ottniel Baartman also wasn’t able to make it, not to mention Lizaad Williams and Nandré Burger. In fact, coach Rob Walter and his team had lost a home ODI series 3-0 to Pakistan, and they followed it up with defeats to New Zealand in Lahore and Pakistan in Karachi in two Champions Trophy warm-up games – despite scoring over 300…

Cape Town City are facing a real crossroads in their season, and their struggles over the past two months have been hard to ignore. Tonight, at home at Athlone Stadium, the Citizens have an opportunity to turn things around when they host TS Galaxy at 7.30pm. But despite the comfort of their home crowd, the pressure is mounting on Ertugral and the team to deliver a performance that breaks this winless streak. With seven games without a win, interim coach Muhsin Ertugral knows that something has to change and more especially because six of those last seven matches have ended in defeat. Their latest setback came in the form of a defeat to AmaZulu at King Zwelithini Stadium, which only added to a miserable run that has left the club…

The growth outcome falls short of projections forecast by the government agencies The outlook for economic activity in South Africa has continued to cast a cautious shadow for the year 2025 despite a slight rebound in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2024. Data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday showed that real GDP increased by 0.6% in 2024, following an increase of 0.7% in 2023. The growth outcome fell short of projections from the government agencies, which had anticipated a rebound to 0.8% this year and 0.9% forecast by the International Monetary Fund, bolstered by nearly 300 days of uninterrupted power supply. Stats SA said the 2024 GDP print was primarily led by higher economic activities in finance, real estate and business…

Through a complicated process in which the Steinhoff holding company sold and otherwise moved brands around through various entities, it was able to artificially generate profit to close the gap between what it actually earned and its anticipated bottom line. A PwC investigation into the company, which runs into thousands of pages, showed that a company set up to ostensibly hold several brands, or trademarks, was not actually an entity in which Steinhoff held a minority stake. Business Report secured a copy of this probe through a Promotion of Access to Information Act application. The workings of the buying and selling of the trademarks was deliberately complex to make it nigh impossible to work out the financial relationship between the entities involved and their ownership. PwC stated that: “The detailed…

Harmony Gold Mining Company has reported significant growth in its earnings for the half-year period ending December 2024 as stability begins to define South Africa's operating environment. The company's CEO, Beyers Nel, attributed much of this success to improved conditions, especially the cessation of large-scale load shedding that has troubled the nation’s mining sector. Harmony Gold saw revenues soar by 19% to a R35.45 billion, with net profits experiencing a commendable increase of 33% totalling R7.93bn. Headline earnings per share also mirrored this positive trend, climbing by 33% to reach 1 270 cents. This favourable shift has enabled the company to declare a record interim dividend of 227 cents per share, marking a 54% increase compared to the previous year. In an interview with Business Report, Nel expressed optimism regarding…

Nedbank, which unveiled a strategic reorganisation on Tuesday, delivered a "positive" performance for the year ended December 31, 2024 and "slightly ahead of expectations", analysts said yesterday. To drive future growth, Nedbank unveiled a reorganisation of its Retail and Business Banking and Nedbank Wealth clusters, effective July1, 2025. This creates Personal and Private Banking (PPB), serving individual clients from youth to high-net-worth segments, and Business and Commercial Banking, targeting SMEs to mid-tier corporates. Nedbank Insurance and Wealth Management will integrate into PPB to boost cross-sell opportunities, while Asset Management shifts to Corporate Investment Banking to expand product offerings. The standalone Nedbank Wealth cluster will end. Executive leadership changes were also announced on Tuesday concurrent with the strategic reorganisation of the group's Retail and Business Banking and Nedbank…

AfriForum, the right-wing Afrikaner group that has caught the ire of South Africans over high treason allegations, has revealed that it is yet to receive a formal notification of the charges against some of its leaders. Its leader, Kallie Kriel, says he only learnt through the media that he and some of the group's members are being investigated by the Hawks, the country's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI). On Monday, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya revealed they were investigating four dockets of high treason against some organisations that approached the US government for assistance in taking President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC to task. “There are four dockets opened by different people, maybe different political parties, that concern some individuals who may have crossed the border and communicated some things…

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has donated R200,000 to the Tembisa Child Welfare Society, in Ekurhuleni, on his 44th birthday to help provide care and support to abandoned, abused, orphaned and neglected children. The donation was also a token of appreciation for the organisation’s work in caring for the needy children. Malema celebrated his birthday at the centre on Monday, March 3, where he expressed his gratitude for the staff who provide care for the needy children. “When you are working for these people, it's not about you, but a calling. It's a calling to love someone like the way you do,” he said. “You were called to do this, to get up and help the needy. That’s a calling, and there’s no other way that we can…

The civic organisation Lotus Gardens, Atteridgeville and the Saulsville Civic Association (Lasca) have welcomed the City of Tshwane’s proposed debt-relief programme that could potentially see the municipality scrapping up to R10 billion in municipal debt. The organisation has been at the forefront of a campaign calling for the City to write off their outstanding municipal bills on the grounds that they are mostly inaccurate and fabricated. Its leader, Tshepo Mahlangu, expressed excitement after the council on Thursday approved a report aiming to address the City’s R30bn debtors’ book. The City's debtors include residential customers owing a total debt of R15 833bn, followed by business customers, who owe R6 746bn. Part of the report read: “Analysis of the proposal for residential accounts as of 30 November 2024 indicates that should customers…

Three police officers have been arrested for a business robbery incident that happened five months ago. The constables stationed in Nyanga allegedly took money and cigarettes from a spaza shop in Extension 2 in Mfuleni on 1 October 2024. According to a police incident report, the three members of the Visible Policing unit were in their uniforms and driving the state vehicle when the crime was committed. “The members robbed a shop of R 5 600 as well as cigarettes to the value of R6 930. “The Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) of the vehicle with cell phone records put members on the scene. “The case was initially investigated by Crime Intelligence Division (CID) members of Mfuleni, who later handed the docket over to the Anti-Corruption Unit. “The members were arrested…

Lions loose-forward Jarod Cairns says playing well in the rain last week against the Sharks will help them in Durban’s humidity, although the heat will be next level. Cairns scored one of the Lions’ six tries in their 38-14 defeat of the Sharks. The match was played amid a downpour but it did not curb the Lions’ aspirations to play adventurously. “The humidity down in Durban makes the ball slippery and it will be challenging although playing in the rain last week wasn’t ideal but we handled it,” the 21-year-old said. “Mentally we have prepared for the change in temperature from Joburg to Durban. We are ready to play in an oven.” The Lions are likely to take the same match 23 to Hollywoodbets Kings Park after assistant coach Ricardo…

Manqoba Mngqithi is set to face an emotional reunion with his former side, Mamelodi Sundowns, as he takes charge of Lamontville Golden Arrows in a Betway Premiership clash at Mpumalanga Stadium tonight. Just two days after rejoining the KZN-based club, Mngqithi will lead Abafana Besthende in Hammarsdale against the team where he transformed his name, the side he helped build into a continental powerhouse. His return to Arrows, after being sacked by Sundowns in December, is sure to bring plenty of emotion as the 53-year-old tactician steps into the dugout against the club that shaped much of his recent success. Arrows confirmed Mngqithi's appointment on Monday afternoon via their social media channels, announcing that he would join Musa Bilankulu and Kagiso Dikgacoi in the technical staff. The club's coaching position…

The ongoing debate surrounding the South African government’s proposed pause on employer pension contributions at the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has sparked significant discord among workers' unions. As Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana seeks measures to address a staggering R60 billion shortfall ahead of the upcoming 2025 Budget Review, the proposal to temporarily halt these contributions has been met with both support and opposition from major labour organisations. The Cabinet convened a meeting on Monday to explore various strategies for addressing financial pressures while considering inputs from its members. The tensions within the unions reflect broader concerns about the impact of fiscal policies on public servants and their long-term financial security. The Presidency on Tuesday said a team led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile and supported by National Treasury tabled…

The government has begun advertising for projects through the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) aimed at greening state buildings. This initiative aligns with the Just Energy Transition (JET) strategy and underscores a commitment to curtailing financial waste due to mismanagement and inefficiencies in execution, Deputy Minister for Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, announced on Tuesday. Addressing attendees at the launch of the Black Business Council in the Built Environment (BBCBE) Indaba 2025, Zikalala detailed the department's push to ensure the proper execution of 62 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) that had received gazetted status in 2020, alongside an additional seven SIPs announced in 2022. Overall, there are about 268 individual projects under the SIP framework, predominantly in the energy sector, covering areas like the Embedded Generation Programme and the Green Hydrogen…

The streets of social media have been hard at work again, and this time, all eyes are on The Real Housewives of Durban star Annie Mthembu and her husband, Kgolo “Daguru” Mthembu. The couple, known for their luxe lifestyle, is now making headlines for an entirely different reason – financial woes and alleged cracks in their marriage. It all started when social media “detectives” noticed that Kgolo was selling items on Facebook Marketplace. The same man who was once running Durban’s hottest clubs is now allegedly offloading second-hand furniture online. Blogger @saneleknosi took to X to spill the tea, claiming that Daguru was liquidating assets to recover from business setbacks. Naturally, Mzansi had thoughts. From shock to speculation, people didn’t hold back in discussing what this could mean for the…

The athletics fraternity is mourning the deaths of four runners who died in a crash after participating in the Best of the Best Marathon 2025 in Durban on Sunday. Siraj Mbale, Adolph Ramalanzwa (O’deal), Seza Phiri and Mbali Khanyi Hlatshwayo died when returning home in Johannesburg. In a joint statement, the Best of the Best Marathon and Ama-Ravens Athletics Club announced that four runners who participated in the marathon, who travelled from Johannesburg to participate in the race, were involved in a car accident on their way back home. “As the Best of the Best Marathon organising team and Ama-Ravens Athletics Club, we extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, loved ones, and the running community. We are deeply saddened by this loss and are in the process of reaching…

Politician Visvin Reddy, Whip of the uMkhonto weSizwe, was told to leave the National Assembly (NA) yesterday after he disrupted the sitting with chants of 'Pemmy must go'. Pemmy Majodina is the Minister of Water and Sanitation of South Africa. The NA was debating a report of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, specifically a petition from residents of Ward 20, Ward 29, Ward 36 and Ward 92 in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, who called on Parliament to investigate erratic water supply in their areas. Before Reddy could provide his input the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, MP Leonard Basson briefed the NA on the investigations of the region's failure of water infrastructure. Basson said communities in Germiston face worsening water shortages. “This failure to keep water…

Disgruntled metro police officers from the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) staged a protest outside their headquarters in Pretoria West, expressing their outrage over alleged bribery and unfair promotion practices within the department. The officers, who chanted slogans and held placards with anti-corruption messages, took issue with the recent promotions to warrant officer positions, claiming that the appointments were marred by corruption and bias. One of them, Sergeant Themba Nkabinde, who has been stuck in the same rank for 15 years, claimed that the final list of recommended promotions was tampered with. “There have been lots of allegations that others paid R40 000 as a bribe and that the list has been fiddled with. There were allegations that some names were cut from lists provided by supervisors from different units…

AN uneven netball field will cost the Limpopo Department of Education dearly after a then grade 11 learner slipped and fell on the uneven terrain and broke her arm, for which she is claiming more than R2 million in damages. The learner, who is only identified as RM, turned to the Limpopo High Court, sitting in Polokwane, where she blamed the department for her injury. She said that the teachers were negligent in allowing the children to practice netball, while unsupervised, on an uneven terrain. In denying negligence, the school pointed out that netball is a contact sport and that the plaintiff had knowledge of the risk in playing this sport, which she had consented to. RM testified that she was a member of her school netball team at the…

ICC tournament semifinals are meant to be nervous affairs. Especially if you’re South African. The ghastly past dating back all the way to 1992 simply has a way of rearing its ugly head. All the trauma. The heartache. The misery relived and rehashed. But something seems different in 2025 as the Proteas prepare to face New Zealand in the second ICC Champions Trophy semifinal in Lahore on Wednesday. Customarily having to travel between two countries unnecessarily on the eve of a semifinal would unnerve Proteas teams of the past. Or more importantly, the fact that they had to wait on their superstar batter Aiden Markram to pass a fitness test. But despite all of these potential drawbacks, the Proteas seem to be taking it all in their stride. Marco Jansen…

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane expected the final stretch of the season to be a dogfight for all 15 teams currently active in the Betway Premiership. Zwane will take his Usuthu side to the Lucas Moripe Stadium today for a 7:30 pm kick-off with hopes of keeping up his side’s momentum. The KwaZulu Natal-based club will attempt to win three games on the trot for the first time this season. Currently placed fifth on the league standings, Usuthu will head into today’s fixtures with the opportunity to climb as high as third on the table if results go their way. The club and the coaching staff have always been vocal about their ambitions to return to continental football, and they’re currently presented with a realistic shot at CAF Confederation Cup football…

India captain Rohit Sharma said that his side was calm and composed in their chase of 265 which they comfortably managed to reach against Australia to advance to the third consecutive final of the Champions Trophy. Virat Kohli once again proved the cynosure of India’s batting and played a knock of 84 runs studded with five fours while KL Rahul’s unbeaten 42 and Hardik Pandya’s 28 cameo laced with three sixes and a four powered them to a four-wicket win in the semi-final at Dubai International Stadium yesterday. Rohit admitted that the clash was thrilling until the last ball as Australia were also in the game after the dismissal of Kohli but Pandya and Rahul gave the finishing touches to India’s innings. “Till the last ball is bowled, nothing is…