Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-06-10 i Mercury

The FNB/BER Building Confidence Index has taken a significant hit, plunging five points to a troubling 36 in the second quarter of 2025 after a modest gain in the first quarter. The Index released on Monday characterises a construction industry at a crossroads, where the prospects of a recovery are overshadowed by a consistent drag from the residential sector. This latest reading revealed that nearly 65% of respondents in the construction sector expressed dissatisfaction with the current business conditions, raising red flags for the sector’s health as the market grapples with both residential and non-residential challenges. Amid these struggles, the sentiment surrounding main contractors has reached its lowest point since the third quarter of 2022, dropping to a dismal 35. The decline has been primarily driven by an ongoing downturn…

Eskom has assured the country that system remains stable despite being constrained on the back of rising demand as a result of inclement weather conditions. The State-owned power utility on Friday said it would add 2 550MW to the grid on Monday, and thus rotational load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. “While system constraints are occasionally experienced, adequate emergency reserves are in place and are being strategically deployed to support demand during the morning and evening peak periods, particularly as the country prepares for a forecasted cold spell in the coming week,” it said. Eskom added that it was making steady progress as they move beyond the peak maintenance season, with the Planned Capability Loss Factor (PCLF) having decreased from last week’s average…

Omnia Holdings delivered a resilient performance for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 despite set backs in the agriculture division, which was impacted by currency issues in Zimbabwe, drought in Zambia, and the civil unrest in Mozambique. The diversified company, propelled by its mining sector which is seeing new orders for its regional markets on the back of a rebound in copper and battery metals, achieved robust results and delivered bumper dividends. “The agri business Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique didn't perform well,” Seelan Gobalsamy, CEO of Omnia told Business Report in an interview. “Zimbabwe had the usual currency issues and a lot of uncertainty (and) we had some regulatory challenges and in Zambia, we saw a massive drought that impacted revenue.” The unrest that rocked Mozambique in 2024 and…

I’ve had a front-row seat to Sona Mahendra’s latest entrepreneurial chapter, watching her transition from backing founders at 54 Collective to building her own startup. The transformation has been fascinating: seeing how lessons learnt while supporting other people’s ventures now play out in her own. After her initial TechTides Africa column hijack, African Tech’s Next Big Challenge: Matching Venture Capital to Realistic Outcomes, I’ve been tracking how she navigates the founder’s chair with fresh perspective from the other side. Her four-part Sona’s Field Notes email capsule series offers a window into this evolution, both psychological and practical. The first instalment tackled that haunting question keeping African founders awake: “But is it VC-backable, though?” Mahendra pushed back. Why pre-filter ideas through investor lenses when most founders are too early for VC…

PPC CEO, Matias Cardarelli, said on Monday that the cement manufacturer has worked hard to control underperformance within the group, unlock internal revenue and putting in place measures to enhance efficiencies, helping the company to a full-year earnings surge. This comes as headline earnings per share in PPC for the year to end March 2025 grew from 19 cents a year ago to 40 cents. This was despite a decrease of 1.9% in revenues to R9.88 billion for the same period. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation surged 28% to R1.59bn with operational free cash flow increasing to R1bn, helping the company to grow ordinary dividends for the period to 17.6 cents compared to 13.7 cents per share in the previous comparative period. Cardarelli said PPC has had to…

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Jan de Villiers, said that the persistent and corrosive problem of ghost workers in the public sector is not merely a payroll anomaly but a “deliberate and orchestrated form of systemic corruption”. De Villiers was among the three chairpersons of the parliamentary Governance Cluster Oversight committees who held a briefing as part of the 7th Parliament’s regular Committee Cluster Media Engagement programme yesterday. He said that the true scope of ghost workers is not known, and an investigation into this problem is part of a joint audit now underway between the Department of Public Service and Administration and the National Treasury. When tabling his budget, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that government had set its sights on conducting headcounts…

The treatment meted out to a woman arrested at King Shaka International Airport on vague suggestions that she may be involved in fraud, and her subsequent 10 nightmare days in custody, amounted to horrific suffering. This is according to the Supreme Court of Appeal in awarding her R580 000 in damages. Cynthia Khedama earlier won her case in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court against the police. She was initially awarded R580 000 in damages, but on appeal before a full bench of the court, the amount was reduced to R350 000. Khedama appealed before the SCA against the reduced amount. She initially claimed R1 million in damages from the police. The SCA, in upholding the appeal, commented that in considering the treatment and conditions that prevailed in almost all places where…

A KIMBERLEY man has been sentenced to 12 years of direct imprisonment for raping a woman who had trusted him enough to welcome him into her home. The 30-year-old offender, Cheslin Robertson, was convicted in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court after the court rejected his version of events and found him guilty of rape. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his name will be listed in the National Register for Sex Offenders. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the disturbing incident took place at a residence in Homelite, where Robertson, a regular visitor to the household, had been drinking with the 40-year-old victim. Robertson later fell asleep on the complainant’s couch. At her request, he relocated to her son’s bedroom, where the child was…

Dr Zweli Mkhize said that the latest audit outcomes presented by the Auditor-General have shown that the financial and governance crisis in municipalities across the country is deepening, and this has dire consequences for service delivery and public trust. Mkhize, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), was discussing the local government 2023/24 audit outcomes during the briefing held by the parliamentary Governance Cluster Oversight committees yesterday. He was joined by chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Jan de Villiers, and chairperson of the Standing Committee on Auditor-General, Wouter Wessels. The briefing comes after Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke found that only 41 municipalities obtained clean audits in the 2023/24 financial year. Maluleke tabled the general report in Parliament almost two weeks ago.…

After producing one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner delivered a clear reminder that they are the two main forces poised to dominate men’s tennis for years to come. In the first French Open final in over three decades to feature two players aged 23 or under, Alcaraz and Sinner wrote arguably the most electrifying chapter yet in their fast-developing rivalry. It was the first time the pair had met in a Grand Slam final – and it did not disappoint, with momentum shifts, high drama, and breathtaking shot-making from start to finish. “This one was the most exciting match that I’ve played so far, without a doubt,” said Alcaraz after winning the longest final in Roland Garros history. “I think the…

Ireland’s inability to advance past World Cup quarter-finals is fresh in our minds after their dramatic exit at the hands of New Zealand in 2023, but it is hardly anything new. When the men from the Emerald Isle lost 36-12 to France on this day in 1995, it was their third consecutive exit at the last-eight stage of a World Cup. Mind you, there had been only two previous World Cups – the tournament was launched in 1987. So, the trend of Ireland losing quarter-finals was entrenched from the word go and to this day they have not got the monkey of their backs. Truly not much has changed because, like 2023, the 1995 Ireland team looked strong in the pool games. They had given the imperious All Blacks a…

The expanded 32-team Fifa Club World Cup kicks off in the US next week with fears that the sport’s governing body could be killing the goose that laid the golden egg, with profits placed above player welfare. Most of the criticism of the tournament has focused on the timing, in the off-season window when players usually recharge after gruelling domestic and continental campaigns. It was not such a major factor in its previous guise, when it featured a handful of teams who only played a few matches. The current tournament will now run for almost a month, with the eight groups of four teams playing 63 matches in total. The top two in each group will qualify for the knockout rounds. The $1bn prize money is an obvious drawcard for…

A whistleblower at the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) has blown the lid on corruption in the supply chain at the authority. In an interview with Wayne Duvenage, CEO of civil action organisation, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, procurement professional Tumi details her efforts to combat irregularities, including the manipulation of tenders and the appointment of non-compliant service providers. “I thought it was about time that I break my silence. I've been quiet for quite some time and enduring this abuse,” said Tumi. She said, when she joined the SETA in March 2012, it was under administration. Tumi discussed how she was deliberate in adhering to compliance with supply chain management best practices yet was repeatedly suspended and victimised. Tumi highlighted what she believes…

The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve the proposed R23 billion acquisition of Barloworld, subject to certain public interest conditions. This comes after the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), Barloworld’s biggest shareholder with 21.93%, in April accepted the Standby Offer for the acquisition of all of Barloworld’s ordinary shares for a cash consideration of R120 per share, with additional conditions, by the recently formed special purpose consortium, Newco. Newco on Monday said the recommended conditions principally relate to its commitment as stated in the PIC undertaking announcement to implement a 13.5% broad-based black economic empowerment transaction in Barloworld after the delisting of Barloworld from the JSE and A2X. Newco comprises Entsha Proprietary and Gulf Falcon Holding, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zahid Group. The Commission’s recommendation will now be…

SpaceX’s rockets ferry US astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Starlink satellite constellation blankets the globe with broadband, and the company is embedded in some of the Pentagon’s most sensitive projects, including tracking hypersonic missiles. So when President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to cancel Elon Musk’s federal contracts, space watchers snapped to attention. Musk, the world’s richest person, shot back that he would mothball Dragon -- the capsule NASA relies on for crew flights -- before retracting the threat a few hours later. For now, experts say mutual dependence should keep a full-blown rupture at bay, but the episode exposes just how disruptive any break could be. Founded in 2002, SpaceX leapfrogged legacy contractors to become the world’s dominant launch provider. Driven by Musk’s ambition to make humanity…

Greencoat Renewables Plc (GRP), a leading owner and operator of European renewable energy infrastructure assets, officially debuted its secondary listing on the JSE's AltX on Monday. GRP remains listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London and the Euronext Growth Market in Dublin. The listing presents a significant opportunity for the Irish-based company, which has a current market capitalisation of €850 million (R17.2 billion), to diversify its shareholder base, enhance liquidity and position itself to take advantage of growth opportunities over time, it said in a statement. GRP offers South African investors access to a large and diversified Pan-European platform consisting of 40 renewable energy assets across five countries, producing 1.5GW of energy. This high-quality and modern portfolio is underpinned by long-term, European government-backed cashflows. In 2024, GRP generated…

Teacher unions are warning of burnout and mental health challenges among educators as a result of them being overloaded with work due to the thousands of vacancies across provinces. The unions blamed the vacancies on the austerity measures imposed by the national government. The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the National Teachers Union (Natu) stated that these austerity measures are damaging the quality of education and putting lives at risk. Natu said during the 2023/24 financial year, over 23 000 posts in provincial education departments across the country were cut, with the total number of unfilled but funded vacancies exceeding 46 000. The unions said overcrowding in classrooms deprives pupils of individual teacher attention, while teachers are burdened with increased administrative work, leading to burnout and mental health…

The political landscape in South Africa’s economic hub is becoming increasingly tense as Helen Zille, the Federal Council chairperson of the Democratic Alliance (DA), considers a bid to become the next mayor of Joburg. Zille confirmed she has been approached as the DA’s candidate and is currently weighing her options. However, her potential candidacy faces mounting opposition from other political parties and critics who label her as “toxic” to work with. While she has been credited with strengthening the DA’s image and appealing to middle-class voters, critics argue her record on racial issues and her relationships with black leaders have been problematic. Independent political analyst Joe Mhlanga points out that her path to becoming mayor will likely be complicated. “Her chances will depend heavily on whether she can secure support…

The KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure MEC, Martin Meyer, has vowed to fight hard to ensure contractors doing work for the provincial government are paid within 30 days. The MEC was responding to a barrage of criticism leveled at his department and other departments by construction contractors at an imbizo in Durban yesterday. Many contractors cited the late payments by the government as the main hindrance in the development of contractors in the construction industry, saying many contractors have been forced out of business because of the problem. Contractors said the late payments caused them to be blacklisted by their debtors, and banks were no longer giving them loans because of their poor financial standing. “We are struggling, and many contractors have been forced out of business because of the…

Embrace the grandeur of the occasion. That’s Shukri Conrad’s message to his young Proteas team as they prepare to face Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. An “ordinary” Test at Lord’s – if such a thing exists – is customarily associated by pomp or splendour. The Members Pavillion is adorned with males in navy blue blazers with gold buttons with their necks held up by red and yellow ties – affectionately known as egg and bacon in these parts – that smells of opulence and inheritance. And the rest of the stands from the Mount to the Tavern are filled with London’s most swanky sipping French champagne in crystal glasses. It’s a far cry from wearing shorts and plakkies whilst finishing off a boerie and beer on…

Cristiano Ronaldo’s coach and teammates praised his leadership after Portugal’s dramatic Uefa Nations League final triumph over Spain in Munich on Sunday. Portugal twice fell behind, but twice clawed their way back – with Ronaldo scoring the second equaliser. “A captain with the type of experience he has is essential, to show the necessary values and personality,” said Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez. “Spain were ahead on the scoreboard twice, but the captain has a lot of experience and we used that experience to show we are ready to win.” The 40-year-old forward was substituted with what appeared to be cramp, but Portugal battled through extra-time after the match ended 2–2, and eventually triumphed 5–3 on penalties. On the sidelines, Ronaldo could not bring himself to watch the final penalty,…

Australia batting great Steve Smith is expecting a tough examination from South Africa’s impressive pace attack in this week’s World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s. Reigning champions Australia, who beat India in the WTC final in 2023, are favourites against the Proteas in the five-day match, which starts on Wednesday. “South Africa have a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada – his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen – they are a good side, they are here for a reason,” Smith said on Monday. Rabada, 30, has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22, while Jansen, 25, has 73 wickets at 21.76 in his 17 matches. But former Test captain Smith also expects conditions at Lord’s to favour spin bowling later in the game, which could…

Bafana Bafana stand-in captain Nkosinathi Sibisi is grateful to coach Hugo Broos for standing by him during times of scrutiny regarding his national team call-ups. Sibisi has been one of the ever-present players in the national team set-up since Broos took the reins more than four years ago. However, his selections were not always based on form, as he was often in and out of the Orlando Pirates defensive unit due to injuries, poor form and suspensions. Broos admitted that it was not easy to continue selecting Sibisi when he was not playing regularly, but believed his presence and natural skillset remained valuable to the team. Fortunately for the Belgian coach, his faith has been rewarded. Sibisi featured prominently for Pirates this past season, missing only three Premiership matches. As…

Impending closure of Kariega tyre manufacturing plant stirs myriad of concerns regarding SA’s macroeconomic policy The announcement of Goodyear South Africa's impending closure of its tyre manufacturing plant in Kariega after 78 years of operation has stirred a myriad of concerns regarding the nation's macroeconomic policy and its capacity to lure and sustain investments. Goodyear South Africa on Monday confirmed that they would be undergoing a restructuring at their plant and that this would affect more than 900 jobs, coming as the manufacturing sector's output in the country has been dwindling. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) also confirmed on Friday that it had received a section 189 notice from Goodyear. The tyre manufacturing giant said it was transforming its go-to-market strategy in the Europe, Middle East…

In corporate governance theory, whistleblowing is presented as a noble act. It is the final alarm bell when internal controls, risk systems and ethics programmes fail to deter wrongdoing. But in practice, whistleblowers often pay the price for their courage. They are labelled disloyal, isolated, retaliated against, quietly restructured out, or, in the worst case, wiped out. The real shame is that this frequently happens under the watch of boards of directors that claim to uphold integrity and accountability. Boards often approve whistleblowing policies and list them in their governance reports. Hotlines are set up, ethics posters are displayed, and employees are encouraged to “see something, say something.” But what happens after that initial call is made? Who follows up or protects the whistleblower? More often than not, boards delegate…

In the past, there has been a failure to prepare young people for the technology-driven world. Some schools still lack computer labs. In general, the education sector has been playing the catch-up game at school level. In the Artificial Intelligence (AI) age, there’s no need to play the catch up game. There’s a need to assign each school learner an Artificial Intelligence (AI) to serve as an education companion. For now, the idea of implementing an AI for each learner may seem impractical due to costs and general readiness. Such obstacles need not stand in the way of designing now, for an education system that embraces AI for each learner. What would be the use of AI for a school learner? The current education system has been lacking data about…

Alexforbes delivered a strong set of results for the year ended March 21, 2025 on the back of a strong investment performance and as the group celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. Profit for the year from continuing operations improved 28% to R745 million, owing to a significant decrease in non-trading and capital items. CEO Dawie de Villiers said, “What excites me about Alexforbes is the way we have punched above our weight for 90 years and the impact we’ve had on the financial services industry. We have influenced and led real change and continue to do so and most importantly, we secure the financial well-being of members in the retirement funds that we serve. “With the vision of transforming clients’ financial journeys, I am proud to share that we…

National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi is facing renewed criticism from several parties, including the EFF, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and ActionSA, over her recent statements about sabotage within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Last week Batohi, responding to intense criticism over several embarrassing defeats in high-profile cases, said there had been “infiltration” of the prosecution service but later backtracked, saying she had used the wrong term and instead that certain cases were being deliberately sabotaged. Despite the backtracking by Batohi, the parties remain unconvinced and are demanding accountability. They said if there is sabotage taking place, then it was happening under her watch and she should take responsibility by stepping down. The MK Party yesterday expressed concern over Batohi's statements, emphasising the need for transparency and…

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed with costs the Department of Home Affairs’ attempt to overturn an interim interdict, previously granted in favour of the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation, protecting nearly 200 000 Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders against arrest and deportation. After winning Part A of the court wrangle, the federation will be heading back to the court for Part B to argue before the court that the Department of Home Affairs overreached in 2021, when the then home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced the termination of the ZEP. The special permit dispensation has allowed 180 000 Zimbabwean nationals to live and work in South Africa since 2009. In the federation’s view, the jurisdiction to terminate the ZEP lies with Parliament, not the minister. In an interview Vindren Magadzire,…

Mayibuye Melisizwe Mandela, the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela, has called on the South African government to take legal action against the more than 49 Afrikaners who have relocated to the US, saying they falsely claimed refugee status while fabricating a narrative of white genocide. In February, US President Donald Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, claiming they faced persecution in South Africa. The first batch of 49 arrived in the US in May, later followed by a smaller batch. During a meeting at the Oval Office in Washington in May, President Cyril Ramaphosa told Trump that there was no white genocide in South Africa, adding that there was crime and the majority of the victims were black. Mandela said the claims of a genocide against Afrikaners were false and he…

A 12-year-old boy appeared in the Brakpan Magistrate's Court in Gauteng after he allegedly fatally struck a 14-year-old boy while driving his parents’ car. The boy appeared in court yesterday in the presence of his guardian. He’s facing a charge of culpable homicide and driving a motor vehicle without a licence He cannot be named as he is a minor. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said that on Saturday, June 7, 2025, the 12-year-old was allegedly driving his parents’ car at the corner of Madeley and Northdeene Street when the car hit a 14-year-old boy and then crashed into a wall. “The 14-year-old boy sustained injuries and was declared dead on the scene. The 12-year-old was then taken to the Brakpan charge office and later released into the…

A justice system teetering between institutional collapse and captured governance On June 3, the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein ruled that the extradition of Moroadi Cholota from the US to South Africa was unlawful. This landmark judgment by Judge Loubser has not only released the State’s key figure in the high-profile R255 million asbestos corruption case but also cleared the way for the prosecution of others involved. Still, it has also exposed deep procedural and constitutional failings within South Africa’s prosecutorial regime. Cholota’s unlawful extradition from the US and subsequent release by the Free State High Court reveal more than just procedural oversight, they expose systemic dysfunction, a repurposing of primary objectives of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as articulated in its strategic ethos and unravels the credibility of…

South African athletics legend Caster Semenya remains determined to see her marathon battle against World Athletics (WA) – to secure equal rights for female athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD) – over the line. The former Olympic and world 800m champion is still waiting for a verdict from the highest chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. It has been almost a year since deliberations began. The challenge initially targeted World Athletics’ draconian rules that forced DSD athletes with elevated testosterone levels to take medication in order to be eligible to compete against other women. Semenya, who has DSD but identifies as a woman, had hoped that a victory would allow her to compete again without limitations. However, as the legal battle has dragged on, the former track…

“Sometimes I could feel the bones moving but there was little pain.” Those were the understated words of Andre Joubert after he had miraculously played a 1995 Rugby World Cup final and semi-final with three broken bones in his left hand. Joubert’s Springbok coach, Kitch Christie, put his modest fullback’s achievement into a superman perspective. “The guy is not human. I cannot believe such bravery,” said Christie. Typically, Christie was economical when it came to lavishing praise on his players in public, so that was a telling statement. Just seven days before the Boks’ semi-final against France, the team had played a quarter-final against the rugged Samoans at Ellis Park. Ten minutes into the game, Joubert had run past wing George Harder. The wing had shot out a fist in…

Neo Maema believes he had long earned his ticket to the Fifa Club World Cup – hence he never doubted he would make Mamelodi Sundowns’ final squad. Sundowns jetted off to Florida, US, on Sunday to begin their preparations for the global showpiece. Maema, sporting a short blonde hairstyle, was in high spirits at OR Tambo International, even vlogging for the club’s social media platform, Mamelodi Sundowns TV. The 29-year-old’s outlook was refreshing, given that he has been a bystander for the team this season, featuring in only 17 of 54 matches across all competitions. Despite his limited game-time, Maema had shone for the Brazilians in the previous two seasons, contributing significantly to their success both domestically and continentally. As such, when coach Miguel Cardoso announced his final squad for…