Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-10-25 i Star

FAMOUS Brands, the franchisor group with some 2 522 restaurants in South Africa, has described a troubling picture of the tough operating environment that affects restaurateurs in this country. As Africa’s largest restaurant franchisor, Famous Brands also has 311 stores in 17 countries in the rest of Africa and the Middle East, and 65 restaurants in the UK. Yesterday the company announced it had to step in to help its franchisees in South Africa in March with a scheme to lower franchise fees during periods of load shedding, which cost the group R11.6 million. The group, which owns brands such as Steers, Debonairs Pizza, Fishaways and Wimpy, said the local restaurant industry is under strain due to rising costs, alternative power costs and reduced consumer spending. “South African…

Protracted legal battle between Sanral and construction industry would have dire result MASTER Builders South Africa (MBSA) yesterday welcomed the decision by the board of South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to withdraw its new controversial Preferential Procurement Policy to avert lengthy court battles, despite the parastatal cancelling all existing advertised tenders that had not yet closed. MBSA is the leading national representative body in the building and construction industry in South Africa. The new policy was adopted by the board on May 23, but came to loggerheads with the construction industry, which said the new policy would cost the economy billions of rands. Subsequently, numerous legal salvos were fired by various parties. Sanral said in a statement yesterday that it intended to commence a process on a date…

LONDON-listed Primary Health Properties (PHP), an investor in primary health-care facilities in the UK, was also listed on the main board of the JSE yesterday. No new shares were issued with the secondary listing on the JSE, and the company also remains listed on the premium segment of the London Stock Exchange. PHP said in a statement it believed the admission to trading on the JSE would be beneficial to the company and its stakeholders, and would contribute to the liquidity in its shares through its increased profile in the South African market. A number of investors in the South African market had already shown strong interest in the company’s unique health-care opportunity, a statement said. During the company’s third quarter to September 30, PHP was the winner of MSCI’s…

KUBEN Naidoo, the deputy governor of the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) and the head of the Prudential Fund, on Monday asked to quit, and his resignation added to rand weakness at the unexpected turn of events. His resignation is still unclear at this stage, while it still awaits final acceptance by the President. The SARB, energy and the economy are directly inter-related. Over the past 12 months interest rates have skyrocketed, causing financial hardship to households and consumers. In contrast, during the Covid-19 pandemic interest rates were so low, it almost hit 0% at 3.5% at one stage in 2020. But, since the end of the pandemic, we have seen interest rates climb at a marathon-like running pace. Today, the repo rate is so high that record payment defaults…

ACTIONSA will pursue the prosecution of the Department of Minerals and Energy (DMRE) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) for failure to stem illegal mining in Ehlanzeni, litigate for compensation, and seek enforcement of a Constitutional Court ruling paving the way for the re-opening of the Lily Mine after a disaster that killed three mineworkers in 2016. The bodies of the deceased – Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solo- mon Nyirenda – remain trapped under- ground after a shipping container they were working in collapsed and fell into a sinkhole at the mine on February 5, 2016. A two-year inquest into the incident last week laid blame for the deaths on the owners of the mine for failing to put safety measures in place. The Mbombela Magistrate’s Court also…

THE South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica), ranked the highest in the trustworthiness survey globally, highlights the importance of the reliability of financial statements before investors can invest their hard-earned money in any company or organisation. The survey, which was conducted by research firm Edelman, ranked Saica in the top position in a ground-breaking global professional trust survey. It was revealed that over 1 300 participants in eight global markets took part in the survey: South Africa, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Fieldwork was conducted between March 30 and June 30. The survey examined four key aspects of trust: ability, integrity, dependability and purpose. Ninety-one percent of South African businesses now recognise chartered accountants as their foremost allies in confronting economic adversity. It was…

Two hippos took a stroll in Meer En See, Richards Bay, while residents watched the Rugby World Cup semi-final match between England and South Africa on Saturday night. uMhlathuze Municipality spokesperson Bongani Gina captured the hippos on his cellphone and shared the video on his Facebook page, tagging the uMhlathuze Municipality in the post. A few minutes later, the municipality shared his post. In it, Gina said: “Richards Bay is so beautiful. While we are watching the Springboks match, 2 hippos pass by … uMhlathuze Municipality.” In the background, people can be heard shouting out “Hello!”, “Go Bokke”, “Oh my word that is so awesome”, “Wow, that is so nice”. Here are some comments from Facebook users who saw the video: Btyful Amanda Fakude said: “Wow, Celebrating the Boks too.…

Limpopo police arrested a 34-year-old man for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner sport utility vehicle which was reported stolen in Gauteng. The man who was nabbed near the Beitbridge border post on Monday, is also linked to a vehicle smuggling syndicate. Provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said different units of the SAPS as well as private security companies received information about the suspect driving on the Berghenk Road, smuggling a vehicle from Gauteng to Zimbabwe through Beitbridge border post. “An operation was activated, and the team spotted the described Toyota Fortuner 2.8. They tried to stop it, but the driver sped off,” said Mashaba. A high-speed chase ensued until the Toyota Fortuner came to a stop. “The suspect was immediately arrested for…

In A BID to ensure that water provided to informal settlements is clean and drinkable, the City of Tshwane dispatched its microbiologists to New Eersterust in Region 2, where they conducted tests on water tankers. MMC for Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela, who accompanied the team, said the City’s microbiologists conducted random spot tests on the water carried through five water tankers in New Eersterust on Monday. “These tankers deliver water to the areas of Spin City, Trust Farm, Phophola, Phomolong, Hammanskraal Ext 2, Kanana, Nkandla, Chris Hani Block G, Kudube unit 10, Hammanskraal Portion 9, New Eersterust Ext 8, Marikana and Soutpan,” he said. The microbiology tests were meant to check for foreign elements such as ammonia phosphate, nitrates, including the pH levels of the water, among other things. Madzebatela…

A champion darts player from Gqeberha is hoping to make his dream come true by collecting enough money to participate in London, England. Simon Adams has been playing darts since he was an 11-year-old boy, and after 44 years, his dream is about to come true. If he is able to, he will appear on the biggest darts stage, The Alexander Palace in London, from December 15 until January 3. On September 24, Adams, 56, won the African Professional Dart Co-operate (PDC) World Cup Qualifier that was held in Kenilworth Centre, Cape Town. To make his dream come true, Adams must have R60 000 for travelling and accommodation during the course of the game, and him appearing at the stage guarantees him £7 500 (about R174 619), regardless of the…

THE Home Affairs Department is considering opening some of its offices that have high volumes of uncollected IDs from September until December. This as the number of uncollected IDs stands at more than 500 000 across the country. Responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Thapelo Mogale, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said: “(The) total number of uncollected ID documents is 566 429. Out of these, there are 63 452 deceased cases, leaving a balance of 502 977 uncollected IDs.” Motsoaledi’s response showed that Gauteng led the pack with 111 841 uncollected IDs, followed by KwaZulu- Natal with 68 337, the Western Cape with 63 500 and Eastern Cape 61 839. There were 42 806 uncollected IDs in Limpopo, 34 986 in the Free State, 33 861 in North West,…

What has been happening in Ukraine and what is happening in Gaza are perfect illustrations to describe the difference between war and terrorism. War is aimed at the landscape of a state and its sovereignty. Its aim is to collapse the economic stability and sovereignty of a state by destroying its economic infrastructures and army. It is not aimed at civilians. The civilians are collateral damage if they are caught in the belligerence. For this reason, Russia first evacuated children and repatriated foreigners from Ukraine before attacking the buildings and army. We have seen civilians being moved to remote areas where they captured bombings far away from the incidents. Just recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin met President Cyril Ramaphosa in Russia and stated how children were legally evacuated. Ramaphosa encouraged…

When you score nine tries and 63 points, it is difficult to complain about your team’s performance. But Bulls boss Jake White knows that while he had every right to be delighted with his team’s United Rugby Championship (URC) opener, the real test will come over the next four weeks on their tour of Europe. The Pretoria outfit overwhelmed the Scarlets of Llanelli in Wales 63-21 at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday but now have to make the big trek up north for this Sunday’s clash with Ulster in Belfast (7pm kick-off). And while the Northern Ireland side are still missing their World Cup internationals – which includes Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff – and would have been relieved to see off Zebre 40-36 in Parma last weekend, they are usually tough…

HUMAN rights lawyer Richard Spoor has filed another class action lawsuit in the High Court in Gauteng against coal mining companies owned or formerly owned by Anglo American, on behalf of former coal miners who contracted coal mine dust lung disease while working in their mines. In a statement, Spoor said the suit was a significant attempt to address the historical issues faced by coal miners who had unfortunately not been compensated for their hardships. Spoor said the application for certification of a class action is being brought against nine mining companies owned, or formerly owned by the Anglo American Group, which are: Anglo American Inyosi Coal, Anglo American South Africa Limited, Butsanani Energy Investment Holdings, Mafube Coal Mining, Rietvlei Mining, South Africa Coal Operations, Thungela Operations, Thungela Resources Holdings,…

IT HAS BEEN a transformative year for the Sekunjalo Group’s Premier Fishing, marked by numerous developments that are set to solidify its position as a prominent player in both the local and international markets. Premier Fishing’s squid sector experienced a significant resurgence earlier this year. After enduring a period of low spawning rates and challenging climatic conditions, squid stocks made a remarkable recovery. This resurgence led to Premier Fishing’s catch rates, both in terms of what was landed and sold, returning to their customary high levels. The success of the squid season has significantly contributed to the overall excellent performance of the Group to date. Moreover, Premier Fishing took strategic steps to consolidate its presence in the South African squid market. In March, the company purchased additional shares in Talhado…

IMPROVED mining performance and greater equipment availability in South Africa aided Anglo American’s production of manganese in its third quarter period to the end of August, with CEO Duncan Wanblad saying despite a 4% volume growth for the period, focus is now on meeting full-year targets. Anglo American has coal, copper, manganese, iron ore and platinum mining operations in markets such as South Africa, Chile, Brazil and Zimbabwe. Wanblad said overall volume production for the quarter had strengthened by 4% on a quarter-on- quarter basis. “Our focus is on delivering our full- year production guidance in line with a planned stronger second half of the year. Copper production from Chile decreased due to ongoing ore hardness and an electrical substation fire at Los Bronces, resulting in a minor revision to…

THE GLOBAL climate change impacts pose significant challenges to economic growth and employment anti- cipated to increase in the medium and long-term. At the same time, fossil fuel energy sectors will experience declining jobs and opportunities necessitating new programmes for training, upskilling or reskilling programmes for existing workers. It will bring profound shifts in employment, including massive new opportunities. The employment conundrum of the Just Transition also needs to address the value chain where these jobs are located, including raw materials, manufacturing, construction, utilities, and wholesale, new built projects including operating and maintenance of plants. The most dialectical response to these crisis-cum-opportunity is for workers to lead the transition and be true to their proletariat principle as foremost members of the community and society before they are workers. For these…

With SA celebrating Pride Month, the timing couldn’t be better for a bit of education into one aspect of the LGBTQIA+ community – its drag culture. House of Pink Volume 3 handles the aspect masterfully with Lebohang Toko at the helm. In a recent chat with Toko, he unpacked the journey. He said that two years ago, Zodwa Shongwe, from The Market Theatre, alluded to the theatre not having a lot of productions with queer bodies involved. “House of Pink Volume 1 was like a prototype to see – will it work? won’t it work? I sat down and ran with it because I got so excited. “And I went scouting. So, here’s the other thing about drag queens – we’ve got performers and drag queens who are also performers.…

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board has fired its embattled CEO, Andile Nongogo, pictured, after a damning investigation conducted by Werksmans Attorneys and advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi. The decision to axe Nongogo was confirmed by NSFAS officials who appeared before the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) in Parliament yesterday. NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khosa told Scopa that the decision was taken late on Monday night. This decision has been hailed by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), a prominent civil society watchdog in South Africa. The report by Werksmans Attorneys confirmed Nongogo had a relationship with one of the companies that had been appointed for the new NSFAS direct payment system. The scheme’s implementation in June resulted in thousands of students not receiving their allowances. According to Outa,…

A woman who faked her cancer diagnosis and raised hundreds of thousands of rand via her GoFundMe social media pages, has been ordered to return the funds to her donors. US woman Madison Russo set up donor pages under the pretence of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leukaemia, and a massive tumour around her spine. Sky News reported that 20-year-old Russo documented her cancer “struggle”, tugging at the hearts of more than 400 people who donated to her cause. The court handed Russo a 10-year prison sentence, suspended for three years. She has also been ordered to pay back the money and pay a fine. In handing down the sentence, the judge said Russo deceived her family, friends, and the community, as well as other cancer victims, strangers, and charities…

POACHING in the Kruger National Park has seen a massive decrease in recent years attributed to the introduction of free-running hounds. The dogs were introduced almost eight years ago to arguably South Africa’s most visited national park, to curb mostly the poaching of rhinos for their horns. During a SA National Parks tour in Mathekenyane, near Skukuza, yesterday, journalists witnessed the dogs in action when the park management simulated poachers getting arrested after being tracked by six to eight free-running dogs. The dogs were set off about half a kilometre from the hideout of rangers who pretended to be poachers. Running at rapid speeds, the hounds tracked the scent to exactly where the rangers were within minutes while two helicopters roamed around to catch the ‘poachers’ off guard. A total…

With the uproar over the millions to be spent by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) to fund the South African Music Awards (Samas), President Cyril Ramaphosa is not happy with the bill. The president has since advised the MEC for the department, Siboniso Duma, to reconsider his decision. Although the actual figure for the awards differs according to political parties, the department has claimed it will spend R20 million and have a return on investment of about R350m. However, there was no explanation of how that figure was arrived at. The ActionSA leader in KZN claims that Duma’s department will pump in an unexplained R28m, while the embattled eThekwini Municipality has committed R25m, thus pushing the bill to R53m. Zwakele Mncwango, who is also…

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, has condemned alleged vitriolic attacks on the judiciary. This comes after EFF leader Julius Malema, who is standing trial for the discharge of a firearm in public, accused magistrate Twanet Olivier of corruption and incompetence. Malema recently launched an unsuccessful discharge application that he brought to the lower court. Speaking on behalf of the minister, spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Correctional Services, Chrispin Phiri, said criticism of the judiciary is welcome. However, this has to be balanced without sensational conspiracy theories. “While it is acceptable to criticise the decisions of judges and debate them and magistrates, it is not acceptable to direct sensational conspiracy theories at judicial officers. Where one finds the conduct of a judicial officer unacceptable, such…

IN THE quest for a higher state of environmental consciousness, there is an increase in misinformation around paper and its impact on our planet. The misinformation seems to ignore how sustainably grown trees act as carbon sinks, or that farmed wood is a renewable resource. Instead, the myths about the forestry and paper sector have grown ignorant tendrils across the internet, into literature, school curricula and textbooks and taken root within our minds. We have been taught to protect trees and made to believe that the production of timber and paper causes deforestation – that using digital forms of communication, advertising and reading will save our planet. Climate scientists recently indicated that this year could become the hottest year on record as the warming El Niño effect continues. While there…

THE same intensity and physicality the Springboks started their last clash against the All Blacks with is what will be needed on Saturday to win the World Cup final in Paris. If the Boks can’t replicate that, it’s difficult to see how they will be able to stop the New Zealanders’ march to a fourth Webb Ellis Cup at the Stade de France (9pm kickoff). But unlike at Twickenham in August, this time around - with a wet and rainy day predicted - it will be way more difficult to kick off with that type of intensity, and that is why accuracy will be equally important from the starting fifteen. Yes, the Boks showed that they can man their line with some incredible defence when they are under immense pressure…

SOUTH African Airways (SAA) will be relaunching direct flights to Brazil, nearly four years after it discon- tinued air services on some of its routes, including to São Paulo, as part of the restructuring programme during the business rescue process. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) yesterday confirmed that the national carrier will once again carry the South African flag to Brazil, which will be the airline’s first intercontinental route following its successful business rescue. SAA’s inaugural flights to São Paulo will depart from Cape Town on October 31, and from Johannesburg on November 6. This comes as the DPE Minister Pravin Gordhan will officially relaunch SAA tomorrow as the airline marks two years since the return to the skies. Gordhan said that the relaunch of the route to São…

KUMBA Iron Ore said yesterday that its sales in the third quarter dropped by 12% year-on-year due to mul- tiple equipment breakdowns at the Saldanha Port in the Western Cape. In its production and sales report for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023, the group said the sales dropped to 8.9 million tons. The Anglo American subsidiary said adverse weather conditions also negatively affected the sales. The group reported that it achieved a total production of 9.7 million tons, which reflects an increase of 4% compared to quarter two 2023 and a 2% decrease relative to quarter three (Q3) 2022, in line with Transnet’s logistics performance. Kumba’s CEO, Mpumi Zikalala said: “Although total production was 2% lower compared to the prior period of Q3 2022, we have…

THE YEAR 2023 has already seen the worst load shedding ever on record in South Africa, and as we grapple with the energy crisis, the renewable energy sector’s contribution towards energy security cannot be overstated. One of the aspects garnering significant media coverage is that the massive roll-out of these technologies presents industrialisation opportunities through localisation of solar PV components. We’ve been at the helm of the localisation imperative since the outset, seeking to localise the entire PV value chain wherever possible. Last year we commissioned an in-depth study to identify localisation potential. The localisation imperative is also a cornerstone of the new South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (Sarem), in which the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (Sapvia) have played a pivotal role since the project’s inception in 2021.…

RMB HOLDINGS (RMH) said yesterday Atterbury Property Holdings (APH) had repaid a base loan of R162 million to RMH Asset Holding Company (RMHAH) in cash together with interest at Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (Jibar) plus 2.75%. And to settle the balance of the loan of R325m, APH would issue shares to RMHAH on about November 1, 2023, calculated as at the June 2023 net asset value of APH – the NAV was in the process of being finalised. The loan repayment represents a compromise agreement between the parties, as RMH, which is in the process of realising the value of its remaining investments for its shareholders, had previously said it wanted the loan to be repaid in cash, while APH had wanted it to be repaid with…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said that it is prepared to hold a successful general election next year, even though the date of the election has not been announced. Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said this while pledging a successful performance at the Midrand launch of the commission’s communication campaign. More than a million people have registered on the IEC’s online platform to date, with over 400 000 of those being new registrations and the remaining individuals being re-registrations, according to Mamabolo. Of the country’s 62 million residents, 26.2 million are currently on the voters roll. Regarding the date, he said that the IEC was still in discussions with President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is expected to announce the date of the general elections. He also urged South…

The second person who won half the R128 million Powerball jackpot has come forward to claim their prize. The winner was one of two people to win the mind-boggling jackpot from the October 17 draw. Both winners bought their tickets via the online banking platform. The first winner, who purchased her ticket from Absa, plans to use her money to buy her dream home. Ithuba said the second winner bought their ticket via FNB. The lucky winner, absorbing the reality of his newfound wealth, has expansive plans for his future. “On the horizon, he envisages building a thriving business, a dream he has nurtured for years. Additionally, a significant portion of his winnings will be astutely invested, ensuring a secure future for him and his family.” The winner told Ithuba:…

A YEAR after a woman with a vision for great things and with a love for gardening decided to expand her little vegetable garden in her backyard, she now has enough crops to sell. Lebo Mosime of Thabake Business Enterprise Cauliflower this week delivered her first crops of broccoli and cauliflower to the market, while her cabbage will be harvested at a later stage. This is a joint agricultural vegetable project undertaken by AfriForum, Saai and Thabake Business Enterprise. Mosime approached AfriForum last year after she decided to expand the small-scale vegetable production she had in her backyard of approximately 2 000 square metres. She delivered high-quality products to the market, but the scale was too small to be economically viable. AfriForum and Saai supported Thabake to put 0.75 hectare…

Southern Sun Rosebank will be hosting an exclusive Wine Tasting Experience following the 27th Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. The event, scheduled for November 10 and 11, promises an unforgettable journey through a remarkable selection of premium South African wines and spirits. Since 2018, Southern Sun has been the proud hospitality partner of the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. Building on this partnership, Southern Sun Rosebank is set to host an exceptional wine- tasting experience showcasing these award-winning wines. This event presents an opportunity for wine and spirits enthusiasts to taste the wines and meet the winemakers and producers who created them. Chief executive of Southern Sun, Marcel von Aulock, commented on the hotel group’s enduring partnership with the Michelangelo Awards: “Our association with these awards provides us…

Barcelona cannot use their injury crisis and their upcoming league game against Real Madrid as excuses for a poor performance in a midweek Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk, coach Xavi Hernandez warned yesterday. Barcelona top Group H with six points after winning their first two games without conceding a goal. Portugal's Porto are second with three points, ahead of third-placed Shakhtar on goal difference. In LaLiga, the champions are third in the standings, trailing leaders Real and second-placed Girona by one point. Despite their more comfortable position in their Champions League group, Xavi said today's home clash with Shakhtar was vital, saying: "The three points (tonight) against Shakhtar are key for our objective. "This is the Champions League, the biggest competition there is for clubs and for us getting…

One of the more unfortunate social media nicknames for a Springbok rugby player is Kwagga Smith’s ‘Wrong Turn’, due to the number of times the loose forward has broken his nose. But while people can be nasty on social media, the 30-year-old former Lions stalwart – who now plays for Japanese club Yamaha Jubilo – has been one of the unsung heroes of the Boks’ run to Saturday’s title decider against the All Blacks at Stade de France (9pm kick-off). Used as an integral part of the ‘Bomb Squad’ in the big games, Smith has made a number of telling contributions over the last seven weeks. He was at it again in last Saturday’s thrilling 16-15 semi-final triumph over England. Coming on in the 50th minute for No 8 Duane…