Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-09-23 i Star

SOUTH Africa needs to do much more to uplift economic productivity, with the improvement in electricity supply un- likely to transform the country’s supply- side performance on its own over the medium-term outlook, said Fitch Ratings on Friday. Eskom’s electricity supply has improved over the past few months, bringing much respite to industry producers and miners that had battled against the backdrop of load shedding. However, the Minerals Council of South Africa has flagged the cost of electricity as a major driver of input costs for the sector. Now, according to analysts at Fitch, South Africa’s production and supply- side will not benefit much from the stable electricity supplies unless the Government of National Unity addresses other attending challenges, which include high unemployment. “More reliable power will not transform South…

FORMER Eskom Group CEO and now Member of Parliament, Brian Molefe, has charged that ordinary South Africans are paying through the nose for high coal prices not being negotiated along with more than R900 billion in guarantees for the Just Energy Transition (JET) technology. “Coal is a resource God has put for South Africans as a birthright. We should use it to take people out of poverty. The price of coal should be revisited by regulation, but nobody wants to talk about that, including the guarantees of more than R900bn for the JET that nobody wants to admit about. “There are questions to ask but nobody is asking them”, Molefe told Business Report in an interview yesterday in the aftermath of his inaugural presentation to Parliament on Eskom. Molefe…

SPORTS, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has invited the tourism industry to lead the way in unlocking opportunities in sports and events tourism in a bid to reach its target of 15.6 million international visitors to South Africa by 2030. Speaking at the last day of the Tourism Leadership Conference on Friday, McKenzie said the industry ought to re-imagine its role, potential and approach, and take the initiative to position South Africa as an important destination for major events. For sports fanatics, McKenzie provided feedback on developments regarding bringing Formula One (F1) to South Africa. “We have been in talks with the relevant stakeholders, and I am happy to say those engagements have been fruitful. They have given us a list of requirements that need to be fulfilled.…

THERE was bullish trading on global equity markets after a “surprise” 50 basis points interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve last Wednesday – a bigger cut than expected. Markets also welcomed the Federal Open Market Commission’s (FOMC) dovish approach, which suggests that another 25 basis points cut in the bank rate is on the cards for their next meetings, in November and in January next year. The FOMC declared that US inflation is likely to reach its 2% target soon, and that the unemployment rate moving towards 4.5% (the FOMC target) gave direction to its decision. The Fed clearly is intent on fine-tuning the path between low inflation and avoiding a US recession. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank followed the FOMC last…

THE NATIONAL Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has reached a salary increase agreement with Impala Platinum (Implats) regarding employees at the platinum group metals miner’s refinery operations in Springs. Implats and other SA platinum group metals (PGM) producers have been retrenching workers and restructuring operations to survive the current PGM industry price downturn. According to the World Platinum Investment Council, South Africa’s “PGM mining industry will have reduced its headcount by around 10 000 employees” in 2024, representing a 6% headcount reduction. Employees at Implats’ refinery operations in Springs east of Johannesburg, however, will not be affected by the retrenchments that the company has been implementing across its PGM operations. NUM said on Friday that it had “concluded and signed a wage agreement on behalf of members at the base…

George Clooney, Brad Pitt and the rest of the gang are set to return for Ocean’s 14. Deadline has reported that the Hollywood superstars are set to reprise their roles as Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan respectively, in the crime comedy movie franchise. They added that the likes of Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Casey Affleck are also expected to reunite on screen for the next big heist. While details around the film’s plot, other cast members and a release date have not been confirmed yet, Deadline said that this will be the first Ocean’s movie which will not be helmed by film-maker, Steven Soderbergh. Instead, Edward Berger, who won four Oscars for All Quiet on the Western Front last year, is being courted to take over directing duties. He…

In the second episode of What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates streaming on Netflix, Lady Gaga opened up about the bizarre rumours that plagued her early career, particularly one that falsely claimed she was a man. The pop star shared her perspective on why she chose not to address these rumours publicly. Back in 2011, Gaga famously dismissed the rumours with a sassy response in a CNN interview. “Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don’t care and neither do I,” she declared. In the early 2010s, when sensationalism was a big part of celebrity culture, social media played a significant role in stirring the pot. During this time, Gaga,…

State capture inquisitions are on the cards in the military space as the auditor-general (A-G) prepares to present a damning report on the reasons for SA’s military failures, Deputy Minister of Defence Bantu Holomisa has confirmed. Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Exhibition 2024 in Waterkloof, Pretoria on Friday, he said the department would play open cards with investigative entities, including the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). “If the Department of Justice or the Hawks or the NPA or SIU feels there is a need to follow up some of the things which were identified by the State Capture Commission, the doors are open. “We are not protecting anybody and in fact, the A-G report to be tabled in October is not looking good. There have…

THE SAPS has demonstrated its seriousness in fighting illicit mining and other criminal activities by destroying a makeshift bridge near the Beitbridge border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Police said that in a concerted effort to prevent and combat serious crimes last week, they destroyed a “man-made” bridge built over the Limpopo River, near the Beitbridge port of entry. SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda van Wyk said border policing members deployed on the South African/Zimbabwean border found the bridge while patrolling the border fence line. Van Wyk said the illegal bridge was less than 1km east of the Beit Bridge port of entry and was reportedly used to smuggle goods and people into and out of South Africa. “Through the expertise of the SAPS’ explosives section, the bridge was successfully destroyed…

Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 500g beef mince 1-2 tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice 4 large tomatoes, diced ½ cup raisins Custard topping: 2 x large eggs 160ml milk 6 bay leaves ⅛ tsp turmeric Pinch sea salt Method Preheat oven to 180˚C. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry onion until tender. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the beef mince and Cape Herb & Spice Cape Malay Curry Spice. Cook until the mince is lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down. Simmer until thickened. Divide the mince mixture into 6 ramekins and fill them half way up. Scatter the raisins over…

AS SOMEONE who is passionate about the role of journalists, it pains me when a news outlet closes shop or when staff are retrenched. This is such a bitter pill to swallow. Since I left the newsroom some 10 years ago, I have been involved in training journalists at a private college. Those in academia or who are teachers can relate to the feeling of seeing your former students doing well in the industry. The feeling is immeasurable. There is nothing more painful than seeing your former student telling you that they are unemployed, or they work in retail with a journalism qualification. This is not to look down upon those who work in retail, but the reality is that people would have spent three years studying journalism because they…

YOU know the rest of the Premiership clubs are in trouble when the coach of the dominant club is not completely satisfied with a 4-0 victory in continental competition. Add to that the fact that the team that started that massive win was almost completely different to the one that had began the domestic season with a 2-0 success, having also been 4-0 winners in Africa, and you wonder just how the rest are going to cope with such strength in depth. The story of Mamelodi Sundowns’ domination of the South African league is common knowledge. Granted, there are those who doubt that the Brazilians can make it eight championship titles in a row. But on the strength of their last three matches, it is hard to see how they…

Liverpool boss Arne Slot said the superb strike that reduced Darwin Nunez to tears came as a big surprise in Saturday’s 3-0 win against Bournemouth. Slot’s side were in control of the Premier League clash at Anfield, thanks to Luis Diaz’s double midway through the first half. But it was Nunez who provided the indelible image from Liverpool’s fourth win in the first five league matches of the Slot era. The Uruguay striker, making his first start since April, produced a long-awaited reminder of his talent with a brilliant curling effort that beat Kepa Arrizabalaga and went in off the far post. It was such a bolt from the blue that even Slot was not expecting the audacious effort, especially with Mohamed Salah and Diaz in good positions for a…

Makate says since YeboYethu is a shareholder, it cannot be an amicus curiae at the same time YeboYethu, an investment vehicle initially set up by Vodacom in 2018 to empower its staff members, will also be going to the Constitutional Court when the Please Call Me matter, a legal case that has been ongoing since 2008, is set to be heard. Vodacom is asking the apex court for leave to appeal a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) decision handed down in February that South Africa’s largest mobile operator should pay Please Call Me inventor, Nkosana Makate, what could work out to be an amount of between R29 billion and R63bn. Vodacom’s stock is worth R230bn on the JSE. YeboYethu now wants to join the matter as an independent amicus curiae…

THE FREE MARKET Foundation re- cently took a well-aimed swing at the BRICS currency proposal. As with most things related to BRICS, we have to look below the surface to determine if the criticism is valid. Nicholas Woode-Smith says the BRICS currency proposal is “a misguided venture doomed to fail”. He writes that BRICS is a nonsensical trade alliance that really shouldn’t exist at all, much less be proposing a shared digital currency. “A concerted adoption of a BRICS currency would lock South Africa out of trade with some of our biggest and most profitable trade partners; the European Union, United Kingdom and United States are unlikely to look kindly on such an unnecessary project, as the cost of trading in an arbitrarily formed new international currency would not be…

SHARES in Renergen, the JSE-listed liquified natural gas (LNG) production company, rose by 8.22% on the JSE on Friday, after the company said it was restarting its plant following the completion of scheduled maintenance procedures. Renergen owns South Africa’s first onshore helium and LNG production facility in Virginia in the Free State. The company’s stock soared 8.22% by the close of Friday’s trade session to R10.80 per share, reversing its 14.29% and 31.21% monthly and year to date slump, respectively, on the JSE. Earlier in the day, the company advised that “annual maintenance of the entire plant and the notified Eskom maintenance is now complete with the power now fully restored” to the facility. This had enabled the resumption of LNG production. “The plant was started earlier this week, and…

South African movie buffs are in for a treat as two Oscar nominees and other thought-provoking award-winning films from Europe will shown during the 11th European Film Festival. Under the theme “Complicated Freedoms”, those in Gauteng and the Western Cape will get to watch films that offer a cinematic reflection of gender-based violence, patriarchy and convention, relationships and independence, humour, satire and surrealism, coming-of-age stories as well as dysfunctional families. The festival will take place from October 10 to 20, at Ster Kinekor, The Zone in Johannesburg and The Labia in Cape Town. The line-up features 14 films from Belgium, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK. Eleven will be available for free online for public viewing. Oscar-nominated Io Capitano has…

STAFF at the troubled National Lotteries Commission (NLC) have expressed their unhappiness after the entity embarked on lifestyle audits without consulting their employees’ representatives. The NLC has been rocked by a string of scandals involving some of its staff and prominent individuals. The Public Servants Association (PSA), which is the recognised trade union at the NLC last requested that the lifestyle audits be withdrawn with immediate effect and be referred to the bargaining forum for negotiation and finalisation. According to correspondence seen by The Star’s sister paper, the Sunday Independent, the PSA said it protects the rights of its members and bargains on their behalf with the commission, as regulated by the recognition agreement, in the bargaining forum. ”It has come to our attention that the employer (NLC) has introduced…

King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has allegedly fired his security chief, Lieutenant-Colonel Nhlanhla Bhengu, citing safety concerns. Bhengu is a member of the SAPS heading the unit assigned to provide protection services to the king. In a letter the king penned to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, he said there was a need for an immediate withdrawal from his post due to serious safety concerns related to “this official being around my presence and the royal households”. The king expressed his disappointment at the withdrawal of the counter-assault team, removed “without consultation or an explanation”. Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said the letter had been received, but declined further comment. Meanwhile, the king’s aide Prince Simphiwe Zulu dismissed rumours about the absence of the king’s first wife, Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela, at the reed dance…

“Deport him”, “necklace him”, “strip him of his citizenship”, “curtail his freedom of expression”, the “British immigrant pig”. Advocating for Cape Independence is not for the faint of heart, but nothing underscores its necessity better than the feral nature of the opposition to it. The concept of Cape Independence confronts deeply held beliefs which many people would rather keep hidden in the darkest corners of their souls. When the best-known proponent of the idea was not born in South Africa and speaks with a distinctly British accent, then his ancestry becomes a lightning rod for those people’s underlying bigotry. I am that person. There is a change.org petition running, demanding that I be removed from SA. MP Vuyo Zungula has requested that Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber investigate my immigration…

Daniel Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight title with a brutal fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua in an all-British spectacular at Wembley on Saturday night. The 27-year-old dominated the bout from the start in front of 96 000 passionate fans, dropping the former two-time heavyweight champion multiple times. Dubois had spoken of his determination to “legitimise” his reign as IBF champion after being handed the belt that Oleksandr Usyk vacated in June. He produced a destructive display that raises major questions over Joshua’s future, though Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he expected his fighter would pursue a rematch. Underdog Dubois went after his celebrated rival from the start, and was rewarded as his big shots wobbled the 2012 London Olympic champion time and again. In an action-packed fifth round of…

Lando Norris led from pole to chequered flag yesterday to take a dominant Singapore Grand Prix win and narrow the gap to Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen, who was second, to 52 points. It was the McLaren driver’s third career GP win and his first from pole position as he finished almost 30 seconds clear of his rival’s Red Bull. Oscar Piastri was third to extend McLaren’s lead over Red Bull on the constructors’ log to 41 points. Norris got away brilliantly from pole and was clear of Verstappen into the first bend with Lewis Hamilton third. Norris was in a league of his own as he stretched his lead over Verstappen to 20 seconds by lap 26. Despite a few late brushes with the unforgiving Singapore street circuit…

Orlando Pirates are maturing with every passing game. That pleases coach Jose Riveiro, who believes that will help them to weather the storms this season. Pirates reached the CAF Champions League’s group stage for the first time in five years on Saturday after beating Jwaneng Galaxy 3-0 on aggregate in the final qualifiers. The Buccaneers won 1-0 in the return leg at home via Monnapule Saleng’s late goal, adding to the 2-0 victory they bagged in the first leg a week ago in Gaborone. This was the second time in less than three days that Saleng had left it till late, having scored a stoppage-time winner in the 2-1 win over Chippa United in the Premiership. While Riveiro preferably wants his troops to kill off the game from the start,…

They were Currie Cup champions-in-waiting for 10 seconds in front of their home fans at Ellis Park, and should’ve kicked the ball out after winning the line-out. But a stumped Mziwakhe Nkosi, the Lions head coach, can’t explain the reasoning behind his troops launching that fateful rolling maul in the dying seconds of the final against the Sharks on Saturday. Somehow, the Durbanites turned over possession and launched an attack from in their 22m area, eventually winning a penalty for fullback Jordan Hendrikse, a former Lions player, to break the hearts of his ex-teammates and coaches, slotting a 59m monster penalty for a 16-14 Sharks win. “Just in the moment, that leadership lacked. I can’t explain it,” Nkosi said after the loss. “All we had to do was call a…

ESKOM and Sasol on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively explore and research potential future liquefied natural gas (LNG) requirements. This landmark move was set to reshape South Africa’s energy landscape with the collaboration enabling the country to find a solution for gas users who require longer-term certainty of supply beyond this decade. Delivering the keynote address at the signing ceremony, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said they had made it clear that they were serious about LNG solutions for the country, that its demand for gas across both industrial and energy frontiers would unlock these solu- tions. “This collaboration between our two energy champions – one public, one private – will provide a data-driven and commercially sound basis for gas-fed industrialisation and for us to…

AS CHINA and South Africa maintain a comprehensive strategic partnership, there are significant opportunities for South Africa to up its agricultural exports to that country, says AgriSA. The chief executive of South Africa’s biggest agricultural organisation, Johann Kotzé, said on Friday that collaborating with Chinese partners could strengthen agricultural development, creating pathways for higher- value exports and further solidifying the trade relationship between South Africa and China. “Food security remains the top priority for organised agriculture in South Africa. Food security is closely tied to trade, as it ensures the affordability and availability of essential agricultural products,” Kotzé said. “Trade enhances the quality and safety of food supplies, allowing access to diverse and nutritious options. Additionally, sustainable trade practices can foster adaptability in agricultural systems, enabling them to respond effectively…

THE EXTRADITION and arrest of Michael Lomas is a new eye piercing layer in the seven-year-long attempt to prove former Eskom CEO Matšhela Koko’s culpability in the Eskom saga. Lomas, a former Eskom contractor, is accused of fraud that took place at the Kusile Power station between 2008 and 2018. Lomas was arrested by UK authorities in April 2021 after the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption launched an application to extradite him to South Africa. In a long-anticipated turn of events, yielding the extradition and arrest of Lomas, Paul O’Sullivan in his book, Stop Me If You Can, provides evidence that could acquit Koko from any wrongdoing. This is because it was Koko’s efforts that revealed to O’Sullivan who the architects of State capture were and possibly these exclude Koko.…

MINERAL and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has welcomed the Competition Commission’s approval of the Central Energy Fund’s (CEF) application to acquire the various assets that collectively comprise the Sapref Refinery. In May, the State-owned CEF made a bid for Sapref Refinery, South Africa’s biggest fuel refinery, from BP Southern Africa and Shell Downstream South Africa (SDSA), for an undisclosed sum. Mantashe on Saturday said this approval was the culmination of the conclusion of the Sale Purchase Agreement with BP Southern Africa and SDSA for assets located at the Sapref precinct to CEF. The sale includes the SDSA and BPSA interests in the Sapref land and other associated assets, which includes crude and finished product tanks, process units, pipelines to and from Sapref to Island View terminal, and the single…

PRIVATE bank Investec, which has operations in South Africa and the UK, continues to co-operate with German authorities over a long-standing matter in which some of its staff were allegedly involved in historical involvement in German dividend tax arbitrage transactions. The transactions, also known as cum-ex transactions, are a way of “exploiting a loophole on dividend payments that enabled several parties to claim the same tax refund. It has also been called dividend stripping”, UK law firm Rahman Ravelli explains on its website, which also contains an example trade. Rahman Ravelli says the dividend stripping, which took place before 2012, could have cost it €10 billion (R196bn) in lost revenue. “But there may be more than ten other European countries affected; with estimates saying around €55bn may have been…

I have watched countless television shows and movies but nothing has kept me on the edge of my couch quite like Tell Me Lies. The Disney+ series is a messy and intoxicating offering. The Emma Roberts executive-produced drama, which is based on Carola Lovering’s best-selling novel of the same name, delves deep into the nature of toxic romantic relationships and the devastating impacts for years to come. There is plenty of betrayal, sex, drugs, and, of course, lies, as it touches on family trauma, fragmented friendship and the brutality of love. It also brings to life relationship struggles like gaslighting, ghosting, limerence and toxic masculinity. The show stays true to its tagline: “You never forget your worst”, as it centres on the tumultuous relationship between college students Lucy Albright (Grace…

MUSIC, arts, and craft will lead the family-friendly Jazzy Joburg Market roof- top experience at the swanky Sandton City on September 29. Speaking to The Star ahead of the much-anticipated Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, festival organiser Mantwa Chinoamadi said the Jazzy Joburg Market is a family-friendly platform offering local businesses and creatives the opportunity to shine. As part of the Joy of Jazz experience, the day-long Jazzy Joburg Market will empower SMMEs and individuals involved in arts and crafts to benefit through stall exhibitions and the showcasing and sale of their products, including handmade crafts, artisanal goods, and delicious food, highlighting Jozi’s entrepreneurial and artistic spirit. “Jazzy Joburg Market offers families a chilled and laid-back music and arts experience. It gives craft makers and musicians a platform to showcase…

It was so near and yet so far for the Springboks as they lost 29-28 in their Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday night. Manie Libbok missed a late penalty to secure the victory and title, but there were a number of attacking opportunities wasted by the South Africans throughout the match, and a series of defensive lapses too. Here is how we rated the Boks... Aphelele Fassi: 7/10 Well-taken early try as he timed his run to perfection out wide to slice through from an excellent long pass from Handré Pollard. Was a constant threat with ball in hand, and generally solid under the high ball, despite a few errors in general play. Kurt-Lee Arendse: 5 Was unlucky to get a yellow card for…

SuperSport United got their first point of the season but they continued to shoot blanks in their second match in a row, Saturday’s goalless draw against Royal AM. Matsatsantsa a Pitori hosted Thwihli Thwahla at the Tshwane University of Technology Stadium needing to kick-start their campaign following their opening-round loss against neighbours Mamelodi Sundowns. Coach Gavin Hunt watched from the stands, serving the final match of his suspension for his red card in the MTN8 semi-final against Orlando Pirates last month. His desperation for his side to get the ball rolling and create decent passages of play and goalscoring opportunities could be felt from a distance, as his frustration grew by the minute. Stand-in coach Andre Arendse has said that the pitch conditions played a huge role in their result,…

Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat is disappointed that his team failed to capitalise on a strong 17-0 lead after 15 minutes to fade away to a 29-28 loss to Argentina in the Rugby Championship on Saturday night. The Boks were dominating in the first quarter in Santiago del Estero, but conceded 26 points before half-time and battled to regain the ascendancy in front of a hostile crowd in hot and humid conditions. Now the world champions will hope to secure the title in Saturday’s clash against the Los Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium (5pm kick-off). Moerat said: “There were large parts of the game where we did really well and we put them under pressure, and then obviously we got the yellow card and we took our foot off the pedal.…