Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-08-31 i Star

DESPITE a youthful and largely literate demographic, the current narrative is that Africa’s skills don’t match the needs of a rapidly evolving digital and knowledge-based global economy. The global tilt to remote working during the Covid-19 epidemic only exacerbated Africa’s critical skills shortage as the continent proved fertile hunting ground for global companies seeking affordable new-economy skills. It is expected that shrinking workforces in many developed economies are only likely to deepen the import of skills from African environments offering lower wages and less competitive urban lifestyle propositions. Standard Bank is Africa’s largest bank, employing more than 50 000 people across 20 markets on the continent. As such, the bank is acutely aware of the efforts of its client businesses as well as its own operations in developing and…

HARMONY Gold announced yesterday that it had resumed its dividend following an increase in annual profit boosted by the performance of the Mponeng mine in Carletonville. In its results for the year ended June 30, 2023, South Africa’s largest gold mining company by volume declared a dividend of 75 cents out of income reserves. In the comparable period last year, the dividend declared was 22c. “Due to the strong group performance and excellent operating free cash flows in the 2023 financial year, we are pleased to declare a full-year dividend of 75 SA cents,” the group said. In March, the miner said no interim dividend was declared because of the allocation of capital towards near-term copper and growth projects. The group reported that gold revenue increased by 14% to…

Much has been said about entrepreneurs needing to prioritise their mental health, but physical health, which is as important, does not tend to receive as much attention. As the driving force behind their ventures, entrepreneurs need optimal cognitive function, creativity and resilience to navigate the challenges of the business world effectively. As a small business owner, maintaining good physical health will ensure that you have the energy and stamina to sustain your ambitious work schedule, make sound decisions and manage stress more effectively. Improved physical health also leads itself to better sleep quality, which is essential for mental clarity and emotional stability. By taking care of your body, you can set an inspiring example for your team, and contribute towards fostering a positive work culture and encouraging holistic health and…

WOOLWORTHS is now geared for growth and expansion as it walked out of the shadow of its David Jones mishap and as CEO Roy Bagattini said yesterday the retailer had delivered the highest annual earnings per share in the history of the group. It said the disposal of David Jones was a major milestone in repositioning the group for growth. The sale of David Jones had now unlocked R7.7 billion in value for shareholders since 2022 and had removed R18bn in liabilities from its balance sheet. This allowed the company to reallocate both its capital and management attention towards the more value-accretive initiatives across the group’s core Woolworths and Country Road Group businesses. Bagattini said: “We have a robust balance sheet and a simplified group structure post the sale…

Blindelings couldn’t have asked for a more appreciative audience than those attending the 11th kykNET Silwerskerm Film Festival in Cape Town last week. With industry creatives in attendance, their applause validated the hard work that went into making this shoestring-budget psychological thriller. Respected industry couple Ivan Botha and his wife DonnaLee Roberts co-produced this film with Danie Bester. Botha and Roberts, who own 17 Films, also share the writing credits with Ernst van Wyk and Liani Jansen van Rensburg. And Botha wears the director hat in this feature. Just a bit of a quick background into Blindelings – as was revealed at the Q&A session after the film’s premiere at the festival – the idea was conceived during Covid-19. It was a passion project for the couple, who are known…

Prince Andrew is said to be facing a lifelong ban from returning to public royal duties. The 63-year-old Duke of York was left disgraced and without any official duties or income after paying a multimillion-dollar settlement to Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, 39, in February 2022. Even though senior royals gave him a public show of support – with the Prince and Princess of Wales joining him in car as they were driven to church – sources say it is not a signal he is about to be reinstated as a working part of the family. One insider told The Daily Telegraph: “The King is absolutely resolute that there can be no return to public duties for the Duke of York. “He has always been clear the duke is…

DISGRACED Dr Nandipha Magudumana is set to remain in custody as her bail hearing was postponed to next month amid her legal team’s putting up an argument against the State’s objection to her bid for freedom. Magudumana dismissed claims that she is a flight risk after the State opposed her bid on the basis that she is facing five separate cases of fraud amounting to millions. Yesterday marked the second day for Magudumana, the girlfriend of convicted rapist and killer Thabo Bester, to apply for bail. The Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court postponed the hearing to September 4. Appearing in court on Tuesday, Magudumana claimed Bester kidnapped her and took her out of South Africa. A weeping Magudumana declined to take the stand and exercised her right to remain silent, only offering…

Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela has reported that crime in the province increased by 4.1% in three months. Mawela released crime statistics for the period April 1 to June 30 at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on Tuesday. “Our overall crime for the quarter under review has increased by 4%, which translates to 4 022 more counts as compared with the same period in 2022. Gauteng has contributed 27.9% to the nation’s overall crime statistics for the first quarter of 2023-24,” said Mawela. He said they were able to maintain the provincial contribution at an average of 27% over the period of five years, and had since observed a slight reduction of 0.4% points between 2019 and 2023 from 28.3% to 27.9%, which is equivalent to 10 170 counts less. Mawela…

South Africans are broke. And more and more people are turning to credit cards to cover their living expenses. The latest report from the Experian Consumer Default Index (CDI) paints a concerning picture of the financial health of South African consumers, with the rising cost of living taking centre stage. And while the raw data is concerning, Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, one of the largest debt counselling companies in South Africa, said that their own research reveals that about two-thirds of the population are grappling with inadequate nourishment, with 66% of participants in the survey indicating that they are skipping meals due to financial constraints. “To make ends meet, people are opting for cheaper, less nutritious food, which may have dire consequences, especially for families with young children,”…

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has urged people to take advantage of the lifted block to renew their licence discs while the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) carry through their investigation. This comes after the RTIA temporarily lifted a block that was imposed for drivers to renew their licence disc if they had outstanding fines. Outa’s Executive Director of the Accountability Division, Stefanie Fick, urged vehicle owners to take advantage and renew their licence discs. “So, while they’re conducting this investigation, although the enforcement will remain on system, they have lifted that block which prevents people from renewing their licence. They can never, ever stop you from renewing your licence if you have only outstanding fines,” said Fick. She said it is only in terms of legislation when there…

IN ruling that the recent series of evictions undertaken by the City of Johannesburg and its MMC for Human Settlements on homeless people – many of whom are women and children – is unlawful, the court reminded the authorities that these people also have rights. Acting Judge Elmien du Plessis said: “These people have human rights as contained in the Bill of Rights and protected in the Constitution. Just because they are already living on the margins of society does not make them invisible social outcasts or nuisances, however much their presence may frustrate the respondents – the City and the MMC.” The families, known as the Rabie Ridge Community, have been staying for a number of years on land identified as the the Farm Allandale, near Ivory Park. They…

One of Tshwane’s landmark schools, Pretoria High School for Girls, will host the 102nd popular Spring Fair on Saturday. Organised by the parents of the school, the fair serves as a fund-raising event to generate funds for the girls attending the school, which are used for a variety of academic, cultural, art and sporting endeavours. This fun-filled event attracts thousands of visitors and features a fine craft market, food stalls with global cuisine, plants and produce sections, thrift goods, as well as live entertainment and performances by the school’s dance troupes and musical ensembles. One of the highlights is the extensive Book Fair, which features a large selection of pre-loved and new books that cover a variety of genres – every book lover’s dream. There is also a large adventure…

The Aston Martin driver finished second to Formula One championship leader Verstappen, who has now won at Zandvoort for three years in a row and is also on a record-run of nine successive wins, in the race. “I did think about trying a move in the last restart but then I thought maybe I cannot exit the circuit so I stayed calm in second,” the Spaniard said. A crowd of 105 000 packed the circuit with 305 000 over the three days of an event that has become a celebration of Verstappen by his orange army of fans. Verstappen had no easy ride on Sunday, with rainstorms early and late in the proceedings making it the sort of race where any mistake could prove costly. Alonso, also a double world…

The hotly anticipated Suzuki Jimny 5-Door has made its first appearance on African soil at the Festival of Motoring (FOM) at Kyalami. The importer is aiming to have it in South African showrooms before the end of 2023, but the order books for the diminutive SUV are now open. Pricing and final specifications will only be announced at launch, but the company did release a few of the details at its Kyalami presentation, where we also got to ride in the back of one on the facility’s 4x4 trail. On many levels the 5-Door Suzuki Jimny seems to have success written all over it. Take a diminutive and much-loved 4x4 and give it two extra doors, as well as some extra cabin and luggage room, but without making it too…

There was not a single Kaizer Chiefs player in the 23-man squad named by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos yesterday to face Namibia and the DR Congo next month. Chiefs have always been a top team and because of the magnitude of the support they get in South Africa, Amakhosi fans often wonder why Broos doesn’t look their way when assembling the national team. Broos said yesterday that he hasn’t seen much improvement from Chiefs this season. The Belgian coach highlighted the fact that there seems to be no continuity at Chiefs, with that being one of the main ingredients to building a successful team. “At the moment, Kaizer Chiefs is still the Kaizer Chiefs of last year,” Broos said. “They have a lot of new players, and maybe that’s…

Carlos Alcaraz launched the defence of his US Open crown with a brisk victory after his opponent suffered an injury on Tuesday, as third seed Daniil Medvedev strolled into the second round with a quick-fire win. Alcaraz, returning to the same Arthur Ashe Stadium court where he lifted his first Grand Slam title as a teenager a year ago, was always in control after Germany’s Dominik Koepfer rolled his left ankle badly in the opening game. Koepfer tried to continue despite being in obvious discomfort, but finally called it quits while trailing 3-2 in the second set after dropping the first 6-2. “That’s not the best way to get through into another round,” said World No 1 Alcaraz. “But I have to say on my side, I was playing great.”…

The last bout of inflation has hit low-income workers harder, as its main pressure emanated from food and transport YESTERDAY the Standing Committee on Finance was briefed by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and the Prudential Authority (PA) on their annual reports. SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago said that the poor were the most affected by high inflation in the country. “Inflation by far has been the highest for South Africa’s most vulnerable. We use StatsSA data, and according to this data, if you break the income deciles, you will see that the poorest decile is experiencing high inflation. Inflation is at 4.7%, and the higher income earners are experiencing inflation that is lower than overall inflation,” the governor told members of Parliament (MPs). The SARB has been on an…

THERE was less shareholder cheer for Motus Holdings on the JSE after the company’s stock shed more than 4% off its share price in yesterday’s trade session in the aftermath of subdued attributable profits and headline earnings per share for the full year period to the end of June. The company’s share price hit a low of R101 on the JSE after opening at R106. Motus paid a final dividend of 410 cents per ordinary share, although it stated that there was “no assurance that a dividend will be paid” in respect of any other financial year. “Any future dividends will be dependent upon the consolidated operating results, financial condition, investment strategy, capital requirements and other factors affecting the group,” the company said. Despite a 16% upswing in…

While there was a bit of excitement in Orlando West’s Vilakazi Street after former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule unveiled his new political party yesterday, political commentators have questioned the expansion of the country’s overpopulated political party landscape. Launched under the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) banner, Magashule’s newest political chapter looks set to add more numbers to an already overly subscribed political space, which has seen more than five political parties launch this year alone. After the unveiling of the party logo and T-shirts, singing and dancing erupted on Vilakazi Street, with members of the party screaming: “The ANC is dead. We want Ace.” Speaking to The Star, political analyst Dr John Molepo said Magashule should have chosen to work with other like-minded political parties, such as the EFF and…

defiant suspended public protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has vowed to continue fighting her recent removal from office until the bitter end. Addressing a media briefing in Midrand yesterday, Mkhwebane indicated that she would be taking the Section 194 Inquiry Report on review. She added that she is still finalising her legal strategy to ensure she succeeds in her endeavours after the committee recommended her removal from her office. “I will fight the dark forces to the bitter end. If I perish, I perish… We are still finalising the strategy on whether to interdict while reviewing or lodge a review application,” she said. Last week, the parliamentary inquiry into her fitness to hold office, headed by Richard Dyantyi, found her guilty on charges of misconduct and incompetence following months of public…

Independent Media CEO Takudzwa Hove testified yesterday that he never pressured SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) general secretary André Kriel into signing a contentious investment agreement that the union now alleges was a loan. Hove was giving evidence in the Western Cape High Court in a case in which Sactwu has sued Independent Media Consortium (IMC), formerly the Sekunjalo Independent Media Consortium (SIM), for R300 million, which it claims is the capital plus interest on its R150m “loan”. The matter goes back to 2013, when Sekunjalo Investment Holdings (SIH) decided to buy the Independent Media publishing group from its Irish owners. SIH brought on board partners, including Sactwu. Through its investment arm, handled by Kriel, the union decided to invest about R150m in Independent News Media South Africa,…

A man who was caught on video trying to drown a teenager at Maselspoort Resort & Conference Centre in Bloemfontein on Christmas Day last year, has pleaded guilty to the charges against him. Jakobus Klaasen was found guilty of attempted murder in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and sentenced to a fine of R20 000 or two years imprisonment. Provincial National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, said Klaasen was further handed a sentence of 5 years, which was wholly suspended for a period of 5 years, on condition that he is not found guilty of assault, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, or attempted murder during the period of suspension. Magistrate Rasheed Matthews sentenced Klaasen to a further 36 months of correctional supervision after he convicted…

THE South African National Parks (SANParks) this week officially handed over a science laboratory worth R1.2 million to Jacob Mdluli High School at Makoko, a village outside Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate. This is part of its social legacy programme which focuses on community development in areas adjacent to the national parks. The science lab is meant to enhance science learning and teaching at the school and improve the standard and quality of education. “In the past, our approach to community development was more on providing access to benefits that accrue from our business, the matter of social legacy enables us to provide facilities and other resources that are identified as needs in a specific community for their benefit,” park managing executive, Oscar Mthimkhulu said. He added that SANParks…

THE Gauteng Health Department performed 358 more surgical procedures on Tuesday across its facilities in the second round of what it calls “surgical marathons”. During Mandela Day, the department carried out nearly 730 surgeries in 32 hospitals across the province. In its second round of the surgical marathons, the department had targeted 300 surgeries, but exceeded the number across 23 public health facilities, according to department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba. He said that the procedures included arthroplasty, inguinal hernia repair, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, replacement of obturator post-hemi maxillectomy, varicocelectomy, Bartholin Cystectomy, umbilical incisional hernia and scoliosis, among others. Project co-ordinator Dr Ntabiseng Makgana said the department’s plan was to carry out these marathons on a monthly basis. She said: “We are doing surgical marathons to actively make sure that patients are having…

Multi-award-winning music talent Jabulani “Sjava” Hadebe is set to take his highly anticipated one-man show to Mpumalanga this festive season. “It’s really exciting to take the one-man show to a new level this year,” said Sjava. “Mpumalanga has been a big supporter of my work over the last seven years, and it’s a privilege to be able to bring the show to them.” Sjava also invited his fans from other parts of the country to attend the concert. “I think it’s an opportunity for people who enjoy our music in the other provinces to travel to Mbombela for the show and experience the beauty of that province.” Following his last one-man show, a two-night success in Durban last year, Sjava has announced that the 2023 instalment of his annual one-man…

The last few weeks has been busy for Suzuki with the launch of the Fronx, followed a few days later by the XL6 and then 24 hours later the showing of the five-door Jimny (currently being homologated – officially approved) at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami. You can see it on the monthly sales charts as well, with the importer having steadily increased their sales to where they currently sit in third place overall and knocking hard on the door to occupy second. What we’re talking about here though is the new Suzuki XL6, XL because it’s extra large and 6 because it’s a six-seater which is why Suzuki SA have put together a #thinkbig campaign around it. It has a total length of 4.445 metres and a wheelbase…

Do you have what it takes to compete in this year’s Fortuner Challenge and drive away with a new Toyota Fortuner? If you’re any good at offroad driving, running, cycling, navigational challenges, watersports and can keep a cool head under pressure while solving problems and building puzzles then this is for you. In short you need to be good at speed, endurance, mental and physical problem solving. Following the same recipe as previous years, four e will be teamed up with four contestants from different media houses including Independent Newspapers. Over two days each team competes in various tough challenges and at the end of it, points are tallied to see who gets the key to the Fortuner also fitted with Thule racks, a Thule Chasm luggage set and a…

The recent deaths of five children in a house fire after they were left alone by their mothers who went partying in the south of Johannesburg deserve to be condemned in the strongest terms. While law enforcement agencies have taken action, there is a need to address these deaths rather than react. It is a known fact that for any child to grow up and become a fully functional human being they require parental love and care and undivided attention at all times. When parents neglect their duty to look after their offspring, the results of their actions are dire. Often, we read about women who give birth to children and dump the babies because they do not want them. Parents who choose to go partying leave their children alone…

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro referenced his 36-man squad’s quality and competition for spots in the starting XI as one of the main reasons for their impressive start to the season. The Soweto giants have been a dominant force this season and have stunned teams because of their high pace and constant pressure style of play. As impressive as their intensity has been this season, they have on occasions found themselves on the back foot. The first scare of the season was in the opening match away from home, where the Buccaneers were beaten 1-0 by Stellenbosch FC at Danie Craven Stadium . Also, in their last Premiership outing, they were made to work to return home with a point in a 1-1 draw with Chippa United in Gqeberha. But…

The new Premiership season has continued the trend of dramatic moments, teams and players, just five matches into the campaign. One of the least expected surprise packages of the first few rounds are Golden Arrows, who concluded the fifth round of fixtures closest to leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. The Durban club have collected 10 points from a possible 15 and are second on the league standings, level on points with expected contenders SuperSport United and three ahead of Orlando Pirates in fourth. While it may be premature to suggest that Abafana Bes’thende will remain in the mix of the title race for a sustainable period, their bright start to the campaign has somewhat of a “paper trail” – and it is no secret. The co-coaching duo of Mabhuti Khenyeza and Vusumuzi…

Ange Postecoglou defended his team selection after suffering his first defeat as Tottenham Hotspur boss, after Fulham won 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the League Cup second round on Tuesday night. Postecoglou masterminded an encouraging start to his first season in charge of Spurs with successive Premier League wins against Manchester United and Bournemouth, following a draw with Brentford. But the former Celtic boss paid the price for making nine changes to his starting XI at Craven Cottage. Postecoglou handed a full debut to Manor Solomon, while Giovani lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg started despite speculation over their futures. Fulham boss Marco Silva made six changes himself, but it was Tottenham’s understudies who struggled. Micky van de Ven’s 19th-minute own-goal gave Fulham the lead as the defender…

ESKOM’S restructuring would not be able to happen in the set time frame, the Depart- ment of Public Enterprises (DPE) told Parlia- ment's portfolio committee on enterprises yesterday. The team, led by acting director-general Nadia Valley said approval of the split has been delayed as today, August 31, was the deadline for Eskom to finalise the financial conventions but was unlikely as lenders had not given their approval. This was due to numerous challenges such as: concerns by Eskom's lenders over the utility’s more than R450 billion debt; proper licensing from the energy regulator; finalis- ing of the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill and the legal wrangle over the splitting of Eskom into three entities. Donald Nkadimeng, DPE chief director, said when the road map for the…

JSE-LISTED KAP skipped a dividend payment for the year to end June 2023, citing the current tough economic environment, elevated net debt levels and commitment to capital projects against the backdrop of a 43% plunge in headline earnings per share for the period. Shares in KAP, a diversified group of industrial, chemical and logistics businesses, lost 1.59% to R2.48 on the JSE yesterday. In the prior year, KAP declared a 29 cents per share dividend. With the South African operating environment buffeted by headwinds such as rising interest rates and inflation, subdued consumer confidence and continued infrastructure disruptions, KAP was also impacted by increased levels of electricity load shedding during the period under review. KAP CEO Gary Champlin, said these headwinds had resulted in “lower domestic sales volumes” and…

The diamond business isn’t for everyone. It’s notoriously difficult to break into, with established multi-generational businesses who eye newcomers with suspicion. Despite a couple of decades of transformation, it remains largely male-dominated. And even once you’ve started paying your dues, getting access to a steady supply of gems remains a major barrier for many aspiring traders. So, as a young woman to overcome the odds to establish my own successful diamond business remains the exception – especially when, I fell into the industry almost by accident. Like many young South Africans, I lacked the financial means to study after finishing school. With few options open, I started working with my sister in the industry. But the bug didn’t bite immediately. The diamond industry can be extremely cliquey. It’s usually restricted…

MANAGEMENT at Cashbuild, which is feeling the squeeze on consumer spend after revenues and headline earnings for the year to end June 2023 declined 4% and 38%, respectively, is anticipating tough trading conditions to remain challenging. Cashbuild, which focuses on trading material, said revenue for the six week period post the June 2023 year end had fallen by 1% against the prior year comparative period. “Management expects trading conditions to remain challenging,” the company said as it released its financials. For the full year period under review, Cashbuild saw its revenues plunge by 4% to R10.7 billion, which forced down headline earnings for the same period by 38% to R271 million. It declared a final dividend of 332 cents which was, however, 51% lower. Shane Thoresson, the…

Two people in South Africa, one of them a pensioner, have won more than R2.7 million in Lotto jackpots after spending just R5 on a ticket. National Lottery Ithuba said there were two winners for the Lotto jackpot from the August 26 draw. On Tuesday, Ithuba confirmed that both winners have come forward to claim their life-changing jackpot prizes. Each person will walk away with R2 780 724.70. The winners are a 71-year-old person from Hermanus, Western Cape, and a 38-year-old man from Johannesburg. The pensioner spent R5 on a quick pick. “This unexpected windfall comes as a remarkable turn of fortune, enabling the winner to invest in a new car,“ said Ithuba in a statement. In contrast, the second winner, a 38-year-old from Johannesburg, purchased their ticket through the…

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has spoken out against police officers doing grocery shopping in full uniform, saying that such behaviour is not accepted in his ranks and called on the community to take pictures of the offending officers and report them. The remarks, made at a recent meeting with Community Policing Forum (CPF) bodies elicited murmurs and giggles from those in attendance. Mkhwanazi, who has garnered a reputation for his no-nonsense approach to policing in KZN police circles, told the gathering of civilians and police officers that the behaviour of the men and women in blue was paramount. “A typical behaviour is that policemen are not supposed to go shopping in uniform, including these generals. If you find them at Woolies, you find them at Shoprite,…

TSHWANE mayor Cilliers Brink has raised alarm that criminals have infiltrated the unprotected strike by the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), saying there was a need for crime intelligence to assist. At a media briefing yesterday at Tshwane House, he said a sophisticated policing apparatus needed to assist, for example, with monitoring phone conversations as a measure to prevent perpetration of crime. “We are going to need crime intelligence to come in because this thing is very clearly co-ordinated and folks know where to strike,” Brink said. He said the City’s joint operation centre, which manages the response to the strike, had an SAPS representative on board after he made a request to Police Minister Bheki Cele at the beginning of the strike action on July 26. “But this…

WHEN Henry Ford won his first and only race on October 10, 1901 a legacy was born. Ford Motoring Company’s founding father was struggling to secure finance in a then fledgling industry after his first foray with the Detroit Automobile Company had dissolved in 1900. He had a vision to produce a mass-market car but the money-men weren’t biting so he turned to motor racing which was extremely popular at the time and generated good press for the winners. He challenged the foremost racer in America, Henry Winton, to a 10-lap race at Grosse Pointe Race Track in Detroit. He then set out with his associates to build what was to become known as the Ford 1901 “Sweepstakes” car, named for that style of racing. At the time it was…

South African consumers have really taken to Chinese automaker Chery with total sales locally standing at 20 000 units in the last 18 months. In a local context, that’s not an insignificant number and makes them one of the top 10 best selling brands. The Tiggo 8 Pro was introduced at the beginning of last year, tweaked towards the end of the year, the Tiggo 8 Pro Max also introduced, and in keeping with its fast evolving offerings both models have now received significant interior and exterior styling upgrades. The engines have been retained with the 8 Pro powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine providing 145kW and 290Nm, and the 8 Pro Max, which we drove on launch, with a beefier 2.0-litre turbo petrol mill pushing out 187kW…

IS trade between the US and South Africa mutually beneficial? Can either party afford to simply ignore trade opportunities between the two countries, including those facilitated through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) as an instrument for market access to sub-Saharan African countries? Much has been said about South Africa’s non-aligned position in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War. Some assertions neither represented South Africa’s official foreign policy nor factual analysis based on credible insights. The US creates an opportunity for market access to qualifying sub-Saharan African countries by providing duty-free access to the US market, provided they fulfil certain conditions The world has noted the misplaced commentary, opinions and rhetoric that was, at a point, fuelled by a bipartisan group of US lawmakers, who issued a letter demanding that…

The poor form of Kaizer Chiefs has been a sore point with their fans and their latest show of riotous behaviour has cost the club R100 000 in fines imposed by the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee. PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu announced on Tuesday evening that Chiefs have copped punishment after their fans threw missiles at coach Molefi Ntseki. The incident took place as Ntseki left the field at Mbombela Stadium after the 1-0 Premiership loss to TS Galaxy on August 20. This was the second time in four months that angry Chiefs supporters hurled missiles at a coach. In May, Arthur Zwane – now Ntseki’s assistant – was pelted with objects after Chiefs lost to SuperSport United in Rustenburg. Mysteriously, Chiefs were let off because the PSL did not…

The player who was roundly referred to as Mamelodi Sundowns’ marquee signing of the season is certainly living up to his billing. Lucas Ribeiro Costa came highly-rated when he joined from Belgian side Beveren and he showed just why last night by grabbing a brace in Masandwana’s 2-0 victory over Polokwane City at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. Of course, there were doubters who felt that if the Brazilian was as good as he was being made out to be, he would have moved to another European league instead of swapping the Belgian Pro League for the Premiership. But Mzansi’s elite league has previously attracted many good South American players, and Sundowns, in particular, have earned a reputation as a top club thanks to their impressive campaigns on the continent in…

The Springbok ‘Bomb Squad’ played a massive role in their team’s 2019 World Cup triumph, to the dismay of those who felt six forwards on the bench was an unfair advantage. Four years later, the wily Bok bosses could make the Bomb Squad bigger still and the critics are sharpening their pencils. Former Scotland coach Matt Williams is the latest voice of dissension after the Boks’ seven-forward bench against New Zealand played a pivotal role in the Kiwis being shut out of a game they lost 35-7 at Twickenham last Friday. “The South Africans are just abusing the bench at the moment,” Williams said this week. “What the Boks did against the All Blacks is totally against the spirit of the game, and certainly against player safety.” Williams, who had…