Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-06-27 i Star

Listing is the second of an expected 10 so far this year ONE OF SOUTH Africa’s best-known chicken producers, Rainbow Chicken, listed on the JSE Main Board yesterday through an unbundling from its parent RCL Foods. The listing, the second in two days for the bourse, followed RCL announcing its decision to list Rainbow in March. Rainbow’s 890.3 million shares were untraded at R4 each yesterday, and will begin trading from July 1 this year. The JSE has been struggling to attract new listings recently after only three companies listed last year. Although it predicted possibly up to 10 new listings this year, so far Rainbow is only the second after Cilo Cybin listed on the AltX board yesterday. Smalltalkdaily Research market analyst Anthony Clark said the listing of…

SOUTH Africa has asked the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to establish two panels to probe EU Citrus Black Spot and False Codling Moth citrus regulations, which it says “are unscientific and discriminatory”. This is according to a joint statement released yesterday by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa. The request to establish the two panels is a significant development. This is the first time that South Africa has progressed a dispute at the WTO beyond the panel state of the established Dispute Settlement Body process. The government’s representatives reiterated the legal basis of their complaints at the WTO headquarters in Geneva this week. These included the following arguments: ■ The measures…

THE COMPETITION Commission has referred Pailpac to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution for the alleged abuse of dominance in contravention of the Competition Act. It said that Pailpac entered into exclusive agreements which required or induced certain major paint manufacturers not to deal with the com- pany’s market competitors for the supply of injection moulded plastic containers used for the packaging of water-based paints. It said in a statement yesterday that its conduct breached the Competition Act, which prohibits a dominant firm from engaging in anti-competitive conduct which has the effect of excluding its competitors from the market. Pailpac is a manufacturer of injection moulded thick-walled and wide-mouthed plastic packaging, also known as pails or buckets, which are supplied to paints/coatings manufacturers in South Africa. The injection moulded plastic containers…

My executive role at sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest development finance Institution gives me a helicopter view of the state of youth entrepreneurship and how this ties to unemployment. Youth unemployment in the South African context is downright scary. Sta- tistics SA’s youth unemployment rate, which measures job seekers between 15 and 34 years old, has consistently been above 30% since at least 2013. What’s new? In the first quarter of 2024, youth unemployment reached a record 45% – an alarming rate that should wake every stakeholder from their slumber. Agreed, the aftermath of the global financial crisis that hit home in 2009 has consigned economic growth to tepid levels. More recently, a trifecta of challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic and the social unrest which characterised the country, including flooding in key…

SEVERAL years after the former EOH CEO, Stephen van Coller, disclosed to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry irregularities within the company that led to millions of rand being funnelled to various people as well as the ruling party in exchange for tender awards, investigations continue. So far, the company’s former executive, Jehan Mackay, has been arrested and appeared in court earlier this month along with former Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa, who stepped down in disgrace after the arrest, yet is now set to be an MP. Mackay was charged over a “questionable” R1.7 million loan to the former Minister. However, there is still more to be done when it comes to dealing with legacy corruption issues that afflicted the company, which has since installed new and…

Late South African rapper, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes’s legacy lives on through his music. This week marks the 10th anniversary of Supa Mega’s sophomore album, Levels, and to mark the milestone, Channel O (DStv channel 320) is screening a tribute film, #AKALevelsX. It is also set to premiere on the official AKAWorldwide YouTube channel on Sunday at 5pm. The short film will feature an all-star cast who will delve into how AKA defined an era through his music. They include the musician’s childhood friend Simphiwe “SimDope” Gumede, media personality Nomuzi “Moozlie” Mabena, music producer Tumelo “Tweezy” Mathebula, musician Tshediso Mokoko and Ghanian artist Sarkodie (Michael Owusu Addo). In a statement, Sean Watson, the managing director of Sony Music Entertainment Africa, explained that #AKALevelsX captures the essence of the influence and the…

The return to Parliament of former EFF and Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama has sparked a revolt among the right-wing section of the country. As Mngxitama was being sworn in, a new petition calling for his removal from Parliament was launched. On Tuesday, a petition, with more than 3 500 signatures, was started by Concerned Citizens on Charge.org, strongly opposing Mngxitama’s seat in Parliament. “Mngxitama’s prior public declarations not only encourage hate speech and racism but, more disturbingly, advocate for genocide. Such harmful rhetoric poses a grave threat to the cohesion of our diverse society,” reads part of the petition. “Andile Mngxitama’s place in our country’s leadership arena is a threat to the values of equality, justice and reconciliation that South Africa has fought hard to foster.…

THE PEOPLE’s poet, Mzwakhe Mbuli, is the latest to lambaste President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU)”. Mbuli let it rip on his beloved ANC, releasing a song titled Government of National Uncertainty or Government of National U-turn, voicing his dissent of the newly formed arrangement that saw the former governing party teaming up with its long time opposition, the DA. The song describes ANC leaders, including Ramaphosa, as liars who have betrayed the party’s voters. It went viral on social media this week. Speaking exclusively to The Star yesterday, Mbuli, a recognised Struggle activist and renowned poet, said he felt betrayed by the decision Ramaphosa and the ANC had taken to team up with the DA. He asked why some of his comrades would be treated better…

Lauren Dickason, the South African woman who was found guilty of killing her three young children weeks after they emigrated to New Zealand, was sentenced to 18 years at the High Court in Christchurch yesterday. Dickason was sentenced to 18 years in a mental healthcare facility after she was found guilty of murdering her daughters – Liané, 6, and twins, Maya and Karla, 2, New Zealand publication Stuff reported. Stuff reported that through her lawyers after sentencing, Dickason released a statement to her family, apologising for her actions. “I loved Liané, Maya and Karla with all my heart. I failed them, I failed Graham, and I failed our families. I take responsibility for taking our three beautiful girls from this world,” Stuff quoted her as saying. “I would like…

Lejweleputswa District municipal manager Motlatsi Makhetha has been accused of squandering R1.8 million that was meant for the ANC Free State election campaign. A source who spoke on condition of anonymity, from Masilonyana Municipality, which falls under Lejweleputswa, told The Star that Makhetha demanded money from the municipal managers in the district. “He (Makhetha) went around the district collecting these monies telling municipal officials that the organisation (ANC) didn’t have money to campaign and that they must donate this money to the party. “However, we believe the organisation did not get this money, that he was asking from us because we know how he operates,” the source said. Mmathabo Leeto, the ANC provincial treasurer and now an appointed MEC for Social Development, distanced herself from the allegations, saying she did…

THE long-awaited judgment in the Life Esidimeni inquest is to be delivered on July 10. On that day, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, will rule on whether any health officials should be charged with culpable homicide for their involvement in the tragic deaths of 141 mental health care patients. Eight years later and following an inquest into the deaths during the tragedy which began virtually on July 18, 2021, Judge Mmonoa Teffo is due to recommend to the National Prosecuting Authority whether anyone should be held criminally liable for the deaths. In 2016, South Africa witnessed one of its worst tragedies – 141 people with mental illness lost their lives. They died from neglect and starvation – allegedly at the hands of those who were supposed to protect them in…

ON JUNE 21, the vibrant Afrikaans music scene was graced with a heartfelt new anthem, Ons Teen Die Wêreld, a love song by best friends and talented artists, Just Mia and Leo Burg. The song, which encapsulates the spirit of two people ready to take on the world together, is now available on all major streaming platforms. Ons Teen Die Wêreld is the product of a seamless collaboration between Mia, a well-known figure in the Afrikaans music scene, and Leo Burg, who is venturing into Afrikaans music for the first time. The song was written by Mia while she was waiting for her next music student, and recorded with the acclaimed artist Armand Joubert in Mia’s dining room. Production was in the magical hands of Hendrik Joerges. Reflecting on the…

That’s about half the production run of its predecessors the Veyron and Chiron. Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti, said: “The development of the Bugatti Tourbillon was guided at every step by the 115 years of Bugatti history and the words of Ettore Bugatti himself. “His mantras ‘if comparable it is no longer Bugatti’ and ‘nothing is too beautiful’ were a guiding path for me personally, as well as the design and engineering teams looking to create the next exciting era in the Bugatti hyper sports car story.” The Bugatti Tourbillon is all-new from the ground up. The basis is a new carbon-fibre monocoque. But the outward appearance seems somewhat evolutionary. There are strong links between its predecessor and the latest, which are all intentional. The biggest news for the Bugatti…

Gender-based violence (GBV), a global pandemic, is a torment for humanity that is happening around us. It is almost an unending torment on human dignity that weakens a person’s sense of self-worth. It affects not only their physical health but also their mental health, causing them to self-harm, slip into depression or attempt suicide. Current dialogues are centred on raising awareness of the magnitude and impact of GBV. Most essentially, a pressing need to strengthen and support the response across sectors due to its impact on many aspects of individual lives. GBV is a term commonly used to describe violence that happens when normative role expectations and power imbalances between genders are fulfilled in a society. Even though it is just one piece of the puzzle, the return of children…

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren’s Lando Norris at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past, but this time looks a tight battle between the two. The 11th round of the Formula One season is a sprint weekend, for the third time this year, with a 100km race at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring on Saturday before the main event on Sunday. Red Bull’s triple world champion, cheered on by his orange army of travelling fans, will hope to stretch the 69-point lead he enjoys over closest challenger Norris in the papaya-liveried McLaren. Norris has a point to prove after taking pole in Spain last Sunday and finishing second. He was also runner-up in Canada. The 24-year-old felt he should have won both races.…

THE JOBS BLOODBATH in South Africa’s mining industry is likely to worsen in the upcoming months, the Minerals Council has warned. This after data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) earlier this week painted a bleak picture of the state of jobs across the mining industry. The 2024 first-quarter mining sector employment numbers declined for the first time in six quarters amid stubborn headwinds in the operating framework. The South African mining sector lost 3 000 jobs, or 0.6%, in the quarter to the end of March 2024 to 479 000 compared to the December 2023 employment data. A reversal of fortunes is now afflicting employment prospects in the South African mining sector, with job losses escalating, especially in the first quarter of 2024. South African mining companies have…

ESKOM is managing to keep the lights on even through the winter period, despite reduced off-take of coal from suppliers such as Exxaro Resources, which said this week that it expects a 12% half-year decline in sales of the energy commodity to the power utility. Exxaro was diverting some of its local coal sales for export, it said on Tuesday. It attributed the expected interim decline in coal sales to Eskom for the period to the end of June to “lower Eskom demand linked to their internal maintenance and production” plans. However, Eskom has been keeping the lights on, avoiding lengthy load shedding, a development that has brought some respite to South African mining, manufacturing and industry companies. “I suspect that Exxaro is referring to last year’s performance for both…

The EXPECTED renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) for another 10 years in 2025 should be better negotiated by Africa for more benefits. This was according to panellists yesterday at a Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (Tips) Development Dialogue on South Africa in Agoa: Impact and Renewal. Agoa provides preferential access for African, including South African, exports to the US. Agoa provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for more than 1 800 products, in addition to the more than 5 000 products that are eligible for duty-free access under the Generalised System of Preferences programme. South Africa, and by extension the continent, did not need the Agoa extension as much as the US did as it played catch-up to…

Whether anyone can become an entrepreneur has been a subject of debate for decades, but what we can all agree on is that entrepreneurs are not all the same. People have different takes on and approaches to how business should be done. What we can also agree on is that as a developing society, South Africa needs them all. The diversity of entrepreneurial paths offers a range of inspiring models for aspiring business owners to follow. Understanding these types can help individuals identify their strengths and pursue the entrepreneurial journey that best aligns with their goals and passions. These are the five main types of entrepreneurs – which one are you? The hustler Hustlers are the kind of entrepreneurs who have the grit and determination to get a business…

BHP SAYS ITS emissions will slightly increase this year due to organic growth, although it is on track to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 30% in the next six years as it adopts emission reduction technologies in steel making and enhances the quality of iron ore and coal it produces. The company, which is also increasing investment focus on renewable energy minerals such as copper, has adopted a non-linear strategy that “requires significant effort to overcome organic growth and technology challenges” in its decarbonisation journey. Graham Winkelman, BHP’s vice-president for climate, said yesterday that the Australian resource giant was “on track to reduce our operational GHG emissions (including) scopes 1 and 2 from our operated assets by at least 30%” by 2023 from its 2020 levels. This comes…

THE DA’s Shadow Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport Tyrell Meyers has called on Roads and Transport MMC Kenny Kunene to improve safety and security measures for all passengers using Metrobus. This after a 40-year-old woman was shot dead as she was about to board a Metrobus yesterday morning in Fleurhof. Kunene said he was convinced the murder was a well executed hit on the bank employee. She was apparently heading to Sunninghill where she reportedly worked for Nedbank. Meyers urged the city-owned Metrobus to assist with counselling for the bus commuters who witnessed this heinous incident that left them traumatised. The DA would not tire of continuously advocating for safety and consequences for those behind this senseless loss of life, and those responsible for causing the ease…

Six SANDF have been killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since being deployed in February. Two soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on South Africa’s base on Tuesday in Sake, in the Eastern DRC. The SANDF confirmed the tragic incident yesterday. “The mortar attack resulted in two fatalities and 20 injured. Four critically injured members have been hospitalised; those who suffered minor injuries are expected to be discharged soon,” said SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini. Last month, Sergeant Mbulelo David Ngubane, 39, was killed following contact between M23 and SADC forces. Ngubane, an Operational Medical Practitioner in the SA Military Health Service, was shot and killed when the ambulance in which he was tending to injured members was attacked. Ex-shadow defence minister and independent defence analyst, Kobus Marais,…

Two former police officers have been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment after they extorted R14 000 from a printing business owner in Rivonia, Johannesburg. Lehlogonolo Tsagane, 47, and Jabulani Ngobeni, 47, were sentenced by the Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Palmridge on Tuesday. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said on November, 28, 2020, the two officers were on duty when they received a tip-off about a suspect branding clothes with the SAPS logo and they immediately rushed to the scene. “They illegally demanded R1.5 million from Maxwell Chiyangwa, but settled for R14 000 after threatening him with an arrest,” said Mjonondwane. She added that the two officers instructed Chiyangwa to transfer the money into his wife’s account and then she was escorted to Woodmead shopping complex…

THE innovative electronic medical records system CareOn, pioneered in South Africa by private healthcare provider Netcare, has won the Digital Innovation Award at the seventh annual International Quality Awards held in London. The awards, spanning eight categories, have highlighted the achievements of exceptional quality professionals, teams, and organisations worldwide. Netcare was chosen from 87 entries submitted from 19 countries as the best example of using innovative digital solutions to improve business processes and quality outcomes in quality management. Selecting Netcare as the winner, the judges said the Netcare CareOn project was a world-class example of governance, assurance, effective project and change management principles. “CareOn has truly revolutionised the way healthcare services are provided across South Africa and increasingly the wider world. Transitioning from a paper-based medical records system to an…

It HAS been made clear that acclaimed actress Phindile Gwala was accompanying a close friend to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) members’ swearing-in ceremony, despite multiple rumours to the contrary. Questions about Gwala’s political affiliations were prompted by her attendance at the ceremony on Tuesday; however, a media statement revealed that she attended with Bishop Nokwethemba Mtshweni. “We would like to issue a clarification regarding recent speculations and assumptions. Actress Phindile Gwala accompanied Bishop Nokwethemba Mtshweni, a member of the MKP and a close friend and spiritual mother, to a swearing-in ceremony as a gesture of support. “However, it has come to our attention that some individuals have misconstrued this as her own swearing-in as a Member of Parliament. “We would like to categorically state that Phindile Gwala was not…

The current-generation Opel Corsa has been on sale for several years and, as expected, it has now received a mid-life-cycle refresh. The Opel Corsa nameplate has been around for 40 years, with six generations of the model launched in that time. That’s evidence enough to show that the Corsa has been popular, more so in South Africa where it holds much history, especially in Corsa Lite guise. The most notable change is found in the front in the form of the new distinctive Vizor front end which is reminiscent of the Mokka. The Vizor front end consists of a single, smooth panel which is flanked by LED headlights. The smooth panel also acts as a housing for the advanced driver and safety assistance aids that the Corsa offers. Also on…

Earlier this year the Toyota Hilux was given a facelift in markets such as Thailand and Australia (see our original story here), and now that fresh look has made it to South Africa, in Raider form at least. Toyota South Africa has released images of its new Hilux Raider model, which features a raft of design changes at the front and rear ends. Until now the Hilux Raider has lived in the shadow of its more glamorous Legend sibling, but that could be about to change with the latest upgrade. Upfront we see a brand new bumper design, with the previous model’s chrome surround falling away in favour of a cleaner overall look with less shiny bits. The trapezoidal grille features a new honeycomb pattern in the upper section, flanked…

Carlos Alcaraz propelled himself into the Grand Slam all- surface elite after his triumph at Roland Garros, and will arrive at Wimbledon next week hoping to further cement his place in the big league by successfully defending a major title for the first time. The 21-year-old overcame a forearm issue to bag his first French Open title, emulating greats including Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi with major wins on clay, hard and grass courts. Alcaraz’s triumph on the Parisian red dirt was the third Grand Slam trophy of his young career, and followed the Spanish World No 3’s breakthrough title at the 2022 US Open and epic Wimbledon victory 12 months ago. The latter success stood out for the way Alcaraz quickly adapted to his least…

AYO TECHNOLOGY Solutions shareholders yesterday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution for the firm to buy back its shares from the Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF), which effectively finalises the settlement agreement with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). In terms of an agreement with the government-owned asset manager, AYO had undertaken to repurchase over 17.2 million of its shares from the GEPF, for R620.4 million. The AYO and PIC settlement agreement had been made an order of court in March 2023. The finalising of the settlement left a clear runway for the diversified ICT investment group to ramp up its business, said AYO CEO Amit Makan. “This significant endorsement reflects the confidence our shareholders have in the company’s leadership team, the board and its strategic direction. “The…

THE ROYAL Group said yesterday it had been granted the right to sell seized ETG assets which a court ordered it to seize as an economic bond for the $60 million (R1.1 billion) losses and damages caused by ETG to Royal Group. ETG’s international shareholders include Japan’s Mitsui, South Africa’s Public Investment Corporation, and Saudi Arabia’s Sabic chemicals com- pany. This order was made pending the outcome of the main case. Ahead of the sale of the seized assets, Royal had been ordered to provide an immediate guaran- tee of $39m to the court, which it had done. This amount included an approximate $32m for the value at cost of security, plus a 20% margin for potential changes in market pricing. The Judicial Court of Nacala-Porto authorised…

The SOUTH African Poultry Association (Sapa) welcomed the precedent-setting judgment by the Eastern Cape High Court that a farming entity, which lost more than R31 million when its stock was culled during the outbreak of avian flu in 2021, be allowed to resubmit its claim for compensation. This comes as the Eastern Circuit Local Division, Thembalethu, sitting in Cape Town on Friday ruled that the Director of Animal Health in the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Minister of the Department were amiss in awarding the George Moerasrivier Boerdery nil compensation in January 2023 for the culling of chickens at their farm in terms of the Animal Diseases Act. The court ruled that the claim for compensation be remitted to the Director of Animal Health…

ANGLO American believes there will be a protracted U-shaped recovery in demand for its right diamond after its provisional 5th cycle sales of $315 million (R5.78 billion) was more than 30% below the $456m sold in the 5th cycle last year. The provisional 5th cycle sales figure for De Beers at the Global Sightholder Sales and Auctions was also 17.8% below the $383m of rough diamonds sold during the 4th cycle in 2024. “The northern summer is generally a quieter period for rough diamond sales, and this was reflected in our cycle 5 sales,” De Beers CEO Al Cook said in a statement yesterday. He said the recent annual JCK jewellery show in Las Vegas had confirmed a resurgence in retailers’ interest in natural diamonds in the…

The National Department of Health has confirmed that another person has died from the mpox virus. In addition there have been three more positive cases recorded, bringing the total number of infections to 16 in the country. According to the department, a 40-year-old man from Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal presented with mpox-like symptoms, including rash all over his body but never presented in hospital. “He passed on at home and the results came back positive for mpox on June 23,” said department spokesperson Foster Mohale. He said the other two cases were confirmed in Gauteng. They include a 43-year-old man diagnosed on Saturday at a local private health facility in Johannesburg, and a 29-year-old male diagnosed at a Mamelodi health facility on Friday. “They presented with symptoms indicative…

PATRIOTIC Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has sparked debate on X after ranting about the DA. On Tuesday, Kunene accused the DA of being “power hungry”. “The DA has been saying the PA is about positions, yet they have been delaying the composition of the Cabinet, including in Gauteng, over positions. The DA wants to rule SA through the back door. The DA is power hungry more than any other party,” he said. Kunene posted on X amid the ongoing internal disputes and delayed Cabinet announcement of the Government of National Unity (GNU), including provincially in Gauteng. The PA is one of 10 parties that signed the Statement of Intent, joining the GNU. But last week, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said the party was neither aware, nor consulted…

A man, who was unlawfully detained and severely assaulted by police, has been awarded R160 000 in damages after the North West High Court ruled against the Minister of Police. Mmadu Ifechukhu, 34, was living in Vryburg when the incident happened on November 17, 2018. He said that at about 8pm, he was about to take his girlfriend home when he was confronted by a group of people whom he identified as members of the Zion Christian Church. These people asked him about a plasma TV and he told them he knew nothing about it. Police were called and four officers arrived, one of the officers handcuffed him and took him to his room. He said was assaulted and strangled until he lost consciousness. Water was then poured on him…

Two pensioners, Daniel Madumo, 92, and Jeremia Mmatli, 75, have both died while in custody for the brutal murder of another pensioner, aged 80. IOL reported earlier this month that Madumo and Mmatli were remanded in custody when they appeared in the Brits Magistrate’s Court for bail application, after the murder of 80-year-old Godfrey Thema Motsepe. The murder happened in an old-age home in North West. In an update, Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, confirmed that both murder-accused pensioners have died within days. “The Department of Correctional Services can confirm the death of 92-year-old, Daniel Madumo. “He was charged together with the late Jeremia Mmatli for a case of murder at an old-age home in North West. “They were both admitted on June 3, 2024 at Kgosi Mampuru…

The City of Tshwane’s crematorium located in the west of Pretoria, which has previously been described by some undertakers as dysfunctional, is said to be undergoing a refurbishment. Many undertakers, who spoke to the Pretoria News last year, lamented the fact that they were forced to use crematoria outside the City, saying the exercise was expensive due to transport costs and other logistics. However, Deputy Mayor Nasiphi Moya assured residents this week that the Pretoria West crematorium, also known as the Rebecca crematorium, is on track in terms of the finishing of its refurbishment. She expressed optimism that the crematorium is well on track to reopen by December. She took political oversight over the prolonged crematorium refurbishment when the matter was brought to the executive mayor’s office by concerned communities,…

Drums rolled and choirs sang out as Makhanda celebrated the opening of the 50th National Arts Festival. A contagious sense of national and regional pride resounded from the dignitaries who attended the milestone festival ceremony, held in the very same auditorium last week where it was first launched in 1974. The festival’s home town of Makhanda is also the childhood home of the National Arts festivals deputy chairperson, writer and academic, Dr Siphiwo Mahala. He remarked on the journey of the festival from a gathering founded to preserve British language and culture to “one of the most inclusive and diverse arts festivals in the world”. Earlier in the day, Makhanda mayor Yandiswa Vara outlined some of the progress being made to tackle the historic problems in the town. This included…

In the relentless pursuit of bigger, better and more, Haval has introduced a combination that not only meets these demands but also redefines the Jolion brand to simplify the choice for buyers, primarily focusing on price positioning. The new line-up includes eight derivatives, starting with the 1.5T City at R345 900 and culminating in the 1.5T S Ultra Luxury 7DCT at R495 950. An HEV version, priced over R500 000, is set to be launched in the coming months. From the base model to the Ultra Luxury, there isn’t much difference in terms of overall vehicle specifications. All derivatives boast high levels of luxury and technical trim, offering two versions of the same powertrain: a 105kW or a 130kW choice. “Our New Jolion features all the typical Haval premium cabin…

The acting industry and exciting world of fame has been tainted with many labour grievances in South Africa simply because this industry has remained largely unregulated for decades on end. As South Africans, we have enjoyed the best of talent on television as well as in theatre with little or no concern for how these skilled and talented actors and artists earn a livelihood. Starting out as a background actor or extra can be a stressful, lonely, and difficult path. As much as many believe that the need for a budding background actor to engage with an agent is unnecessary, it is necessary in South Africa where there are no regulated protocols to audition for background acting within film and TV. The overall climate is dominated by networks. Actors and…

Romania and Slovakia both qualified for the last 16 at Euro 2024 after a tense 1-1 draw in their last Group E game last night. Ondrej Duda put Slovakia ahead in the first half, but Romania’s Razvan Marin equalised with a penalty before the interval. With all four teams in the group earning four points from their three games, Romania finished top having scored more goals than second-placed Belgium who drew 0-0 with Ukrainelast night. Slovakia went through in third place thanks to a superior goal difference to fourth-placed Ukraine. It was a memorable moment for Romania, who are into the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time in 24 years. Romania had only qualified once for the last 16 in their five Euro appearances, but Edward Iordanescu’s…

Lionel Messi may sit out Argentina’s next Copa America game against Peru to rest a sore thigh, with his team already qualified for the next round after two wins. Messi, who turned 37 this week and has been suffering muscle niggles, required brief medical treatment on his thigh during Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Chile at the US-hosted tournament. But he completed the 90 minutes, shaving the post with one long-range shot and was at the heart of Argentina’s attacks. Messi said he had also suffered from a sore throat and fever before the Chile game. With a 2-0 win over Canada also under their belt, world champions and tournament favourites Argentina are looking comfortable in the early stages of the Copa America. They top Group A with six points, ahead…

The Proteas Women need to play more Test cricket to close the gap to other nations playing in the longest format. The South Africans are set to play their second Test match of the year when they come up against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai tomorrow (6am SA time start). Fresh off a 3-0 ODI series whitewash, South Africa’s quest to get their first win of the tour will not get easier against an India side high on confidence after their recent success against the visitors and their experience in the format. The introduction of T20 cricket has had a huge and direct impact on the sustainability and growth of the Test format, with those making their way into the game leaning more towards white-ball cricket. Proteas…