Innholdsfortegnelse for 2026-01-12 i Cape Times

Automotive group Motus Retail has retrenched 86 employees and implemented remuneration and benefit changes affecting a further 579 workers from 1 January 2026, prompting strong concern from labour unions Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu). The automotive retail giant announced on 31 December that the retrenchments and cost-cutting measures followed a restructuring process initiated in terms of Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act on 9 October. The process came after Motus reported a 1% decline in revenue to R112.60 billion for the year ended 30 June, while operating profit slipped slightly to R5.48 billion. The JSE-listed group attributed the weaker performance to lower contributions from new vehicle sales, which declined by R3.33 billion, or 6%, largely in its international operations. Cosatu last…

Discovery Health’s members should not bear the brunt for mistakes the Administrator made when processing the claims of its members, according to MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association. The organisation said in a statement that believes it is unacceptable that Discovery Health thinks it can just dump affected members in financial turmoil overnight and walk away with its profits. Discovery Health Medical Scheme has sent communication to about 0.6% of its members requesting them to repay co-payments after a processing error saw claims incorrectly paid out at a higher rate than their plan's benefits allow. Media reports suggest Discovery is claiming as much as R22 000, R25 000 and R37 000 back from some of its members. The error is related to the Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) on the Executive,…

Going back to school doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some kids are lucky, they walk into the same school they’ve known forever, waving to familiar faces and slipping back into old routines. Others are starting fresh at a new school, joining a new class, trying to find their footing. And then there are the ones stepping into high school for the very first time, the big leagues, where education suddenly feels more serious and friendship politics feel way more complicated. For me, which was over 10 years ago (millennials, please stand up), it wasn’t too difficult. My primary school crew all went to the same high school with me, so that first day felt like a continuation of the same story. Until suddenly, it wasn’t. By the end of…

AXED Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Dr Dion George believes that DA leader John Steenhuisen’s decision to have him removed from the government was to protect specific commercial interests, specifically of the captive lion breeding and hunting industry. This is contained in George’s affidavit submitted to the Public Protector. George wants the Public Protector to investigate Steenhuisen’s “unlawful interference with the DFFE’s mandate and functions, his removal and appointment of Aucamp, as well as his failure to disclose his personal commercial interests and his conflict of interest”. Goerge too faces a public protector probe after his successor Willie Aucamp lodged a complaint against him. George claims that Aucamp’s appointment suited Steenhuisen’s personal and commercial political objectives. He also called for investigations into Aucamp for alleged undisclosed conflicts of interest, the…

FOUR people were wounded during a suspected gang drive-by shooting in Kensington at the weekend. The men between the ages of 26 and 32 years were standing on the corner of 12th Street and 6th Avenue when a speeding white Toyota Etios with three occupants pulled up and unleashed a hail of bullets. One victim sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest while the other three victims were shot in the legs. It is alleged that the shooting is gang-related as there has been a fight among two local rival gangs, believed to be the Americans and the Nice Time Kids. Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that four counts of attempted murder are under investigation with no arrests made as yet. “Kensington Police registered four counts of attempted murder, following…

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp has weighed in on the debate sparked by Hugo Broos’ comments following Bafana Bafana’s exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). South Africa were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a defeat to Cameroon in Morocco, bringing a disappointing end to their AFCON campaign. The Indomitable Lions exposed defensive frailties that plagued Bafana throughout the tournament, with the team conceding six goals in four matches at the Nations Cup. Despite the early exit, Broos’ side had progressed to the knockout stages after finishing second in Group B with six points from three matches. Bafana collected victories over Angola and Zimbabwe, and suffered a defeat to Egypt in the group stages. Upon the team’s return from Morocco, Broos…

World number one Aryna Sabalenka warmed up for a tilt at a third Australian open title in four years in ominous fashion by winning her second successive Brisbane International crown yesterday. Sabalenka scored a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Marta Kostyuk in just 78 minutes. “Every day you go out there and prove your level, and I think this week I did it really well,” said Sabalenka after a tournament in which she powered to the title without dropping a set. Looking ahead to the Australian Open, which began yesterday, Sabalenka said: “The only thing I know is that I’ll be there, I’ll be fighting.” Sabalenka lost in the Melbourne Park final last year to Madison Keys, having been Australian Open champion in 2023 and 2024. “I’ll do my best…

The National Treasury and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) have confirmed that the December tranche of the Local Government Equitable Share (LGES) was disbursed over the festive period to 75 municipalities whose funds had been withheld due to financial mismanagement. In response to Business Report, Treasury on Friday said all municipalities that had their December 2025 equitable share allocations withheld had now been paid. However, Treasury stressed that the underlying issues which led to the withholding remain the responsibility of the municipalities to resolve. It said these included issues such as ensuring that the municipality has a funded budget or a budget funding plan, making payments to third parties, such as the SA Revenue Service (Sars), and instituting measures to deal with unaccounted for, irregular, fruitless and wasteful…

Tech giant Meta has announced major agreements with three US nuclear energy companies that it says will add up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean power by 2035. The deals make Meta one of America's largest corporate buyers of nuclear energy as it seeks to fuel its artificial intelligence operations. The Facebook parent company signed agreements with Vistra, TerraPower and Oklo to extend existing nuclear plant operations and develop advanced reactor technology, following a similar agreement with Constellation Energy last year. "State-of-the-art data centers and AI infrastructure are essential to securing America's position as a global leader in AI," said Joel Kaplan, Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer. "Nuclear energy will help power our AI future." The agreements will provide financial support to extend operations at three existing nuclear plants while backing…

THOUSANDS of Dunoon residents have no idea how they will recover from a devastating fire that left more than 5000 people homeless just days before their children are set to return to school on Wednesday. Described as the largest informal settlement fire in the Western Cape since the 2013 Khayelitsha fire, with ‘complete chaos as far as the eye can see’, the fire destroyed more than 1 000 shacks, displacing about 5 500 people. Resident Nomvuzo Mukumela, 47, said that the impact of the fire has been one of the worst that she has seen in her community. “Many residents lost everything that they worked for, and it will be very difficult for them to start afresh, keeping in mind that we come from disadvantaged backgrounds and try by all…

THE Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) will investigate a formal complaint against an acting judge of the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg following allegations that the judge solicited and received a R5000 bribe to rule in favour of an application in a case before the judge. Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judge Halima Saldulker has been appointed to probe the allegations against the acting judge in a complaint lodged by businessman and lawyer Bouwe Wiersma last year. DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach late last year urged the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to urgently attend to complaints of bribery against the judge. The judge allegedly accepted the R5000 to grant leave to appeal against an eviction order. Breytenbach said the judiciary is the last line of defence against a complete breakdown in the rule…

The Stormers’ defensive frailties were brutally exposed yesterday as they delivered their poorest performance of the season, conceding nine tries in a humbling 61-10 loss to Harlequins in London. The defeat not only ended their unbeaten run across all competitions, but also raised serious questions about the much talked about depth and cohesion of their squad in a Champions Cup clash that unravelled alarmingly quickly. Fielding an understrength side, the Cape outfit were always facing a stern test against a fired-up Harlequins team, but few could have predicted just how one-sided the contest would become. Any talk of fringe players staking a claim or showing fight evaporated within the opening 25 minutes, as the Quins ran in four tries to secure an early bonus point. By that stage, the scoreboard…

Adriaan Wildschutt achieved the best result by a South African in the senior men’s race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, but his time of 29:32 in the 10km was only good enough for 13th place. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo crossed the line in 28:18 to become the fourth man in history to win three consecutive world cross-country titles. Wildschutt’s achievement improved on the 15th-place finishes by Shadrack Hoff in the senior men’s race in Stellenbosch in 1996, and Stephen Mokoka in Punta Umbria, Spain, in 2011. Wildschutt, who is based in the US and previously competed for Florida State University, led the SA men’s squad to ninth position in the men’s team competition. “It was a nice race; went out really fast. I knew…

Achraf Hakimi is an idol across Africa Cup of Nations host country Morocco, but there is a particularly strong feeling of pride in Ksar El Kebir, his mother’s home town. Far from the tumult of the six Cup of Nations host cities, including Casablanca and Marrakesh, Ksar El Kebir is a small provincial city of 120,000 inhabitants not far off the road linking the port of Tangiers to the capital, Rabat. The mother of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Hakimi was born there before emigrating in her youth to Spain, where the current African Footballer of the Year was born in 1998. “There are no Moroccans who are not proud of him, so imagine how we feel here,” says Hassan El Mouden, the 57-year-old owner of a cafe in the centre of…

Shares in Glencore surge 10% on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, closing at over R100-per-share Glencore’s strong exposure to copper appears to be a key driver behind Rio Tinto’s renewed acquisition interest in the global resources group, which has operations in South Africa and saw its shares surge 10% on the JSE on Friday. The two mining giants have confirmed that discussions are under way on a potential merger that could create a mining behemoth with a market value of more than $200 billion (around R3.42 trillion). Any combination would significantly expand exposure to copper, a metal increasingly in demand due to the rapid growth of renewable energy, electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. “Rio is most likely attracted by Glencore’s copper exposure,” Roy Topol, portfolio manager at Cratos Asset Management told…

In 2023, a mine operating along the Central African Copperbelt moved its first test consignment through the Lobito Corridor, using the refurbished rail spine that links the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast. Roughly 1100 tonnes of copper concentrate from the Kamoa-Kakula complex in Kolwezi were loaded at the Impala Terminals facility and sent west by rail to the Port of Lobito. The journey took eight days. Until this trial run, more than nine-tenths of the mine’s output had been routed through Durban or Dar es Salaam, where a single turnaround typically stretched to six weeks. Angola, the DRC, and Zambia have positioned the corridor as a flagship, with financial and political backing from the United States, Italy, the European Union, and a coalition of multilateral financiers under…

​ As January rolls in, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the year ahead – sorting out cupboards, rethinking grocery lists, and making promises to our future selves. It’s the perfect time to start fresh, especially when it comes to food. So, what makes the Food Network’s 2026 food trends so exciting? Here’s why these culinary shifts are worth paying attention to this year. For starters, this isn’t a one-month crystal-ball exercise. Their forecast is built on year-long research, informed by more than 30 experts, professional chefs, food writers, TV producers and culinary insiders working alongside HGTV’s design team to understand how food, lifestyle and home trends intersect. Add to that data from Datassential, Innova Market Insights, Whole Foods Market Trends Council, Google search data and restaurant industry analysts,…

THE ANC’s failure to mobilise enough supporters to fill the 20 000-capacity Moruleng Stadium for its 114th celebrations in the North West is further evidence of a party in decline, say political analysts. Contrasting with ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of the party as the leader of society, were the visible empty seats seen at the stadium On Saturday, media reports suggested that the Department of State Security Agency (SSA) allegedly restricted access to vehicles carrying food parcels and supporters’ buses, leading to logistical difficulties. Despite this, ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, described the turnout as good enough. “Thank you to the people of Moruleng for coming out in their numbers to hear President Cyril Ramaphosa declare this year as the year of decisive action. Comrades, in and outside…

POLICE seized counterfeit and illicit goods valued at more than R350 million and arrested 33 suspects during coordinated nationwide operations conducted at the height of the festive retail season. Police said the takedown operations were carried out during December 2025 in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, led by national and provincial Counterfeit, Contraband and Illicit Goods Units working alongside multiple law enforcement partners. “During the busiest retail season of the year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and its crime-fighting partners collectively seized counterfeit and illicit goods worth more than R350 million during nationwide takedown operations,” police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk said. Nearly 600 000 counterfeit and illicit items were confiscated, including high-end designer-branded clothing, sports apparel, footwear, jewellery, cosmetics and cellphone accessories. Police also seized illicit pharmaceuticals valued…

Ryan Rickelton is “chilled” with missing out Proteas’ T20 World Cup selection and is focusing squarely on helping MI Cape Town defend their Betway SA20 crown. The MI Cape Town opener was overlooked for the 15-man national squad heading to the short-format jamboree in India and Sri Lanka next month. But instead of sulking over his omission, the southpaw has responded by topping the League’s run-scorers charts, which included his second century of the competition against the Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers on Saturday evening. Rickelton’s undefeated 113 off 60 balls saw him become the only batter to score multiple SA20 centuries, and also reignited MI Cape Town’s campaign with a 36-run victory to keep the defending champions in the race for the playoffs. “I’m over (the World Cup)…

Durban Super Giants breathed fresh life into their Betway SA20 campaign with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Sunrisers Eastern Cape at St George’s Park yesterday. The visitors required just four runs off the final over, but with only last man Noor Ahmad to come they needed Evan Jones to hold his nerve by striking Anrich Nortje for a boundary. Tristan Stubbs has largely played a peripheral role thus far this season, but the Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain burst into life with an undefeated 47 off 30 balls to push the table-toppers up to 158/5, but the Super Giants edged home to just three balls to spare. Stubbs’ predecessor Aiden Markram returned to St George’s Park for the first time since leaving the Sunrisers and he returned with a vengeance. Markram…

Mohamed Salah scored as Egypt won 3-2 to dump defending champions Ivory Coast out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a thrilling quarter-final on Saturday. Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia netted for Egypt, then Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh conceded an own goal before half-time. Salah then edged closer to a first AFCON winners medal by doubling the lead soon after the break before Guela Doue pulled a goal back for Ivory Coast, but it wasn’t enough for the holders. The jubilant Egyptians will face Senegal on Wednesday in Tangiers with the winners meeting hosts Morocco or Nigeria four days later in the final. “I’m so happy with this win and reaching the semi-finals,” said Salah. “I am proud to wear the Egyptian national jersey and all the players know the…

The AFCON 2025 champions are set to be crowned on Sunday, and such has been the quality of the tournament that the new kings of African football will be reclaiming the crown for yet another term. The four semi-finalists – Senegal, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria – have all won AFCON before, albeit on different occasions. Senegal claimed their maiden title in 2021, while Egypt, who will face them in the first semi-final on Wednesday night (6pm kick-off) at the Tangier Grand Stadium, are chasing a record-extending eighth crown. Interestingly, this will also be a repeat of the 2021 final, where the Teranga Lions edged the Pharaohs on penalties to win their maiden continental crown under son of the soil Aliou Cissé. In addition, the clash between the Teranga Lions and…