Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-10-07 i Star

Food security in South Africa remains a serious risk for consumers as price levels remain high relative to consumer income, although both overall inflation and food inflation have eased. These are the conclusions of the September Essential Food Price Monitoring Report, which tracks essential food prices throughout the value chains of selected essential food items, and which was published by the Competition Commission on Friday. The Commission’s continued essential food price monitoring efforts support transparency regarding the margins earned by producers and retailers of products that include sunflower oil, brown bread, canned pilchards, and individually quick frozen (IQF) chicken. The report pointed to several positive signs of easing food cost pressures throughout the economy, including the relaxation of load shedding, the strengthening of the rand against the US dollar, and…

The proverb cleanliness is next to godliness holds true for some nations. The Japanese stunned the world at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar when they not only wiped their backsides, but those of the whole world. Another nation that continues to impress the world in terms of cleanliness is Rwanda. Thirty years ago, Rwanda was trapped in the wildest acts of mass killings in the history of a generation. Within 100 days, a million lives had been wiped off the surface of Rwanda. It was the fastest disappearance of human life by whatever measure one uses. Perhaps only the tsunami that occurred in the south-east Asian region, where 227 000 people died across 14 countries, could match the death rate. On average on that day of the Tsunami, 14…

MTN and Liquid Intelligent Technologies (LIT) are exposed to inflation and currency depreciation in their South Africa, Zimbabwe and Nigerian markets, said Moody’s Ratings on Friday, adding though that regional telecoms operators stood to benefit from booming population and increased uptake of mobile services. South African telecoms groups have forayed into regional markets, including MTN and Vodacom, where they are also running broadband and setting up mobile money services to broaden revenues and earnings. However, for operators like MTN, exposure to exchange rates mainly comes from translating results into its rand reporting currency and from the dollar indexation element on its tower leases, especially in Nigeria, said Moody’s senior analyst, Lisa Jaeger. “It is less exposed to a currency mismatch between earnings and debt because it has shifted debt from…

Viewers are set to be taken on an emotional and nostalgic journey with Brasse Vannie Kaap. The new documentary chronicles the rise of the iconic ’90s group of the same name who helped build the South African industry. Formed on the Cape Flats in 1996, the group originally comprised Deon “Boeta-D” Daniels, Roger “Hamma” Heunis, Enver “DJ E20” Pietersen and Ashley “Mr Fat” Titus. Titus died from heart complications at the age of 36 in 2007. DJ Ready D (real name Deon Daniels) joined the group, which also consisted of break dancers Cheeze, Baby-L and Levi, much later. DJ E20 left the band soon after the formation of BVK and was first replaced with DJ Big Dre, whose appearance in the group was short-lived as he was replaced by DJ…

From Raw, the production house which brought viewers The Tinder Swindler, comes the new Netflix documentary, Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare. The true-crime series chronicles the harrowing nine-year ordeal of Kirat Assi, who fell victim to one of the most complex catfishing schemes ever documented. It unravels a web of deception that began on social media and evolved into a life-altering nightmare, serving as a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking in online relationships. Netflix added Assi believed she had forged a lasting connection with a man named Bobby, whom she met on social media. But the Londoner’s life changed forever when she discovered that the relationship was built on a massive lie. The synopsis reads: “After an online friendship blossoms into true love, Kirat finds herself turning detective to…

THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing the millions of rand paid to private lawyers and advocates by the Office of the State Attorney over several years. This emerged in a lawsuit filed by senior counsel, advocate Viwe Notshe, in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg. The State Attorney’s office refused to pay Notshe’s invoices, citing that the SIU was probing his other invoices, amounting to R27 million. The invoices Notshe wants paid do not form part of the SIU investigation. In court, the Office of State Attorney argued that until the SIU investigation was completed, it did not know what amount, if any, of the R27m paid to Notshe would have to be repaid, and that the office believed that was an intolerable risk. However, Judge Stuart Wilson found that…

POLITICAL parties in Tshwane have weighed in on the recent public utterances by former mayor Randall Williams, who made shocking claims that the DA is prioritising service delivery to white residents. Williams made the claims during a media briefing at his Pretoria home, where he said he didn’t renew his membership because he lost confidence in the DA, his former political party. He resigned as a DA PR councillor earlier this year after he was demoted to a backbencher position for almost a year and six months and replaced with the now former mayor Cilliers Brink. Brink was removed from office with a motion of no confidence recently tabled by the ANC with the support of EFF and ActionSA. A new mayor is expected to be elected in a few…

Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) in South Africa and Gauteng in particular, play a pivotal role in helping the government fulfil its constitutional mandate, especially for delivering on socio-economic rights. These rights, enshrined in the country’s Bill of Rights, aim to improve the quality of life for all citizens and unlock their potential. Without a compliant, vibrant and effective non-profit sector, many of these rights would remain inaccessible to some South Africans. NPOs contribute significantly to addressing societal challenges such as gender-based violence, substance abuse, healthcare, skills development, food security, elderly care, care for orphaned and vulnerable children, and care for persons with disabilities, among others. NPOs are often at the coalface of service delivery, filling the gaps where government resources may be limited or slow to respond. Yet, while their work…

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen might have worn a stoic mask after the game, when he spoke about an exceptional triumph over Edinburgh, but one suspects only joyous feelings were percolating just under the surface. The Joburgers were ruthless on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park, dispatching the Scottish outfit in an efficient 55-21 victory. Although pragmatic about the display, Van Rooyen agreed that it was arguably the best first half performance from his team under his tenure. “If you are talking intensity and pedal to the metal,” Van Rooyen said, in the post-match interview, “I would think that. We have had a couple of good halves before but in terms of being clinical, taking opportunities and creating plays – the small things – probably (was the…

Abongile Tom’s ‘diabolical’ refereeing made a mockery of Saturday’s MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban. The hard-fought clash in front of a packed stadium had all the ingredients of a humdinger. Just as the match was making its way into the MTN8 annals as an all-time classic, this FIFA-accredited referee Tom intervened in a tasteless and thoughtless fashion. His judgement or lack thereof followed a 92nd-minute incident in which Pirates’ Patrick Maswanganyi went down after a tackle by Stellenbosch defender Ismaël Toure. Tom, some eight metres away, is well positioned to see what happened and he blows for a free-kick – no arguments about that. Following Toure’s tackle, the ball spins free and rolls about seven metres from where the tackle happened. Tom…

Automotive component and energy storage group Metair, which announced the sale of its battery business in Türkiye only two weeks ago, said on Friday it plans to acquire the motor part retail company AutoZone, which is in business rescue, for up to R290 million cash. Metair said in a notice it had entered into a share and facility agreement with AutoZone’s business practitioners and the seller, TP Hentiq 6128. The market viewed the deal favourably, with Metair’s share price ending 3.11% higher to R12.61 on Friday. AutoZone was being restructured and Metair would acquire AutoZone’s shares from the seller, Main Street 1257 Proprietary and Absa Bank. Metair would also advance AutoZone a facility to settle creditor claims and fund working capital. The seller is beneficially owned by The James and…

South Africa and the broader Southern Africa region are out of an El Niño cycle, which typically brings drought that has had a devastating impact on agriculture in the recent summer season. On Friday, Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agricultural Business Chamber of SA (Agbiz), said this meant there was reason to be optimistic about the La Niña possibilities and favourable rains in the upcoming season. However, Sihlobo said that the region must be mindful of the regions the South African Weather Service (SAWS) suggested may be slightly dry for some time) and that even while out of a La Niña cycle soon and in the “neutral” state, the agricultural conditions could still be favourable as the “neutral” state implies normal conditions. “In essence, we are inclined to believe that…

The problem with most “-ism’s” is they don’t stop where you think they will. Racism under apartheid delved into the smallest minutiae to ensure that the tiniest drop of black coffee didn’t dilute the mug of white milk. Protectionism, you would think, stops at the border, but it doesn’t. It moves into the townships and taverns of South Africa, as demonstrated by eThekwini’s proposed limit on foreign-owned spaza shops. News24 reports that “eThekwini councillors are discussing a policy proposal that seeks to regulate spaza shops owned and run by foreign nationals, with a specific focus on boosting locals' ownership of the shops in Durban.” We need to separate the problem off illegal migrants, from foreign nationals operating these businesses. Illegal migrants are exactly that. Illegal. They need to be deported…

The Zimbabwean government will this month pay an initial $20 million (about R350 million) to foreign white and local Black farmers who lost land in farm invasions under former leader Robert Mugabe at the turn of the century, the finance minister said on Friday. The spending was allocated in the 2024 budget as part of a series of measures to restore the country's once-thriving farming sector and help launch a long promised economic revival. Agriculture collapsed when Mugabe oversaw the seizure of highly productive farms in 2000. Most were owned by Zimbabwean white commercial farmers after colonialists forcibly took them from Blacks early in the 20th century. But foreign white farmers and some Black Zimbabweans also lost property in the seizures a quarter of a century ago, many of them…

ACTRESS Reese Witherspoon is writing her debut novel. The Legally Blonde star revealed on social media that she is co-writing a thriller with Fool Me Once author Harlan Coben – who has had several of his novels turned into TV shows – which will be published by Grand Central Publishing. Reese said on Instagram: “I’m beyond excited to share that I’m co-writing my very first thriller with #1 bestselling author, Harlan Coben! “As a massive fan of Harlan’s work, I can’t believe he agreed to co-author a novel with me. I’m either the most persuasive person alive or the idea of this book is just too good! Maybe both?? I honestly can’t wait for you all to read it!” The 48-year-old – who established Reese’s Book Club in June 2017…

Music fans are in for a treat as Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s collaborative album, Missionary, is expected to be released next month. The rap icons’ latest offering is also set to feature a range of top collaborations, including Sting, Entertainment Tonight reported. Without revealing too many details about the album, The Next Episode hitmaker told the publication that he was thrilled about this project. “There’s a song, we have Sting on the song. Man, it’s an amazing roster of artists that’s on this album,” he said, before adding: “I shouldn’t have revealed that, to be honest.” The American record producer and rapper said the album was nearing completion. “I wanted 14 songs, Snoop wants 16, so we have that thing happening,” Dre said. “I’m on song number 11 as…

POLICE are closing the net on kidnappers as they rescued an 84-year-old British national who was held captive in a shack in Worcester, Western Cape, over the weekend. Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said a multidisciplinary team comprising of the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit, Hawks, and Crime Intelligence, successfully traced and rescued the 84-year-old victim who was reported missing in Robertson on Friday. “Intelligence led officers to the location of the victim on Saturday, October 5, at about 9.40am, where she was held in an unoccupied shack in Zwelethemba, Worcester. “She was immediately taken to a medical facility for observation. “According to reports received, the incident occurred a day earlier on the La Chasseur Road, Robertson. “Arrests are yet to be made as all leads are being pursued in…

The latest household affordability index shows that last month was painful for the poor as the average household food cost increased. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group report revealed that the average 0.5% increase in foodstuff had exacerbated poverty and hunger among households. The price of basic and prioritised food, such as cooking oil, maize meal, sugar beans and potatoes, have increased. The data shows that basic foods contribute 54% of the cost of the household food basket. At an average cost of R2 860.84 last month, these foods are expensive in relation to the money available in the household purse to secure food. “These foods must be bought regardless of price escalations. The high cost of core staple foods results in a lot of proper nutritious food being…

TRAFFIC on Helen Joseph Street in Pretoria CBD is set to be negatively impacted as a result of the road closure for the next two weeks due to ongoing construction activities at the South African Reserve Bank head office. Motorists have been cautioned about the envisaged inconvenience likely to affect their daily use of the road. Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) has urged road users to reconsider their travel plans on the road during the afternoon peak hours when it will be closed for traffic. The closure, affecting the stretch between Sisulu and Du Toit Streets, will commence from 4 October and is expected to last until 17 October. Construction work, focused on the disassembling of tower cranes, will necessitate this key artery's closure during peak hours. The construction project,…

Kyalami has all the features and racing characteristics to be a fantastic stop in the Formula One calendar, according to former driver David Coulthard. The Scotsman made his assessment yesterday, ahead of the Red Bull Showrun in Sandton, after driving the track – in the north of Johannesburg – on Friday. The 53-year-old took to the track then, in Red Bulls’ 2011 championship winning RB7 for a promotional shoot but walked away impressed with the layout. Currently rated Grade 2, Kyalami must obtain a Grade 1 license to host major FIA events, such as F1 and MotoGP. Coulthard declared that when it comes to the actual racing part of such an event, Kyalami had it all, while also weighing in on what it could possibly need to reach the higher…

Western Province thrashed the Titans by seven wickets to secure a bonus-point victory in the T20 Challenge at SuperSport Park in Centurion yesterday. Set a target of 144 to win, the Western Cape-based brushed off an early wobble to cruise to the win with 4.2 overs to spare. Edward Moore (87 off 47 balls) led the way with his match-winning half-ton. His partnership of 101 off 50 balls with Mihlali Mpongwana (25 off 17 balls) rescued the innings for Province after they lost the wickets of Vantine Kitime (23) and Daniel Smith (0) in quick succession. Corbin Bosch’s double-strike seemed to have brought the home side back into the contest, but left-hander Moore then went into full attack mode. He was complemented by Mpongwana, who with Moore not only relied…

The Public Investment Corporation (pic), the largest investor in the South African economy and one of the largest on the continent and globally, exudes confidence in South Africa's promising future in the years ahead. With unwavering optimism, PIC sees a bright path for the nation's growth and development. This comes as the PIC delivers its integrated annual report for the year to March 2024 during which it grew Assets under Management (AuM) by R95 billion to R2.7 trillion, approved unlisted investments of R8.5bn, and declared a cumulative dividend of R381 million over the past three years. The period under review has been characterised by elevated interest rates, inflation, and the cost of logistics globally. These are legacies of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis, and supply chain disruption caused…

South African financial markets bullish run the previous five weeks came to a sudden halt last week on the back of the Middle East crisis after various attacks between Israel, Hezbollah and Syria increased fears of a full-scale war. These accelerated geopolitical tensions forced US investors out of stocks and into safe havens such as Treasuries and the dollar since the middle of last week. The Brent oil price increased by more than $5 per barrel since the previous Friday, trading close to $78 (R1364) on Friday. Various warnings from the US indicated that Iran may be planning a ballistic missile strike against Israel. Market analysts start to fear that another black swan movement may suddenly hit world financial markets. Mathematician Nassim Taleb baptised the term “black swan effect” to…

Northam Platinum has finalised a renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA) for its Zondereinde mine in Limpopo, helping reduce the miner’s carbon footprint by 22%. Being constructed as an 80MW solar power plant in the town of Thabazimbi in Limpopo, the project will deliver 220GWh of energy per year directly into Zondereinde’s mining and smelting operations. “Further benefits include significant cost savings and reduced power supply risk. Construction has commenced with power expected to be available from December 2025,” said Northam Platinum on Friday. The project comprises a consortium that includes STANLIB Infrastructure Fund II, Royal Bafokeng Holdings, and Energy Group. Project finance for the plant will be provided by Nedbank and Standard Bank. Northam said the independent power producer was part of a broader strategy to reduce its environmental…

Congolese health officials launched their first mpox vaccination campaign on Saturday, a key step in efforts to contain an outbreak that has spread from its epicentre in the Democratic Republic of Congo to numerous other African nations this year. Officials held a ceremony to mark the start of vaccinations at a hospital in the eastern city of Goma, where health workers were first in line to receive the vaccine doses. The Health Ministry warned on Friday that the campaign's scope would be small due to limited resources. At the moment, 265 000 vaccine doses are available, though more are in the pipeline. The start of vaccinations begins to address a huge inequity that left African countries with no access to the two shots used to fight a 2022 global mpox…

Death in the Heartlands, the second episode of the local documentary Dark Side of Glory, will go head-to-head with England striker Michael Owen’s Football is for Everyone, at the Broadcast Sports Awards. The Showmax original, which premiered in August, has been nominated for Sports Documentary of the Year – Over 60 Minutes. The ceremony will be held in London on November 14. The other nominees in the category include Ronnie O’Sullivan’s The Edge of Everything, which was produced by Studio 99 for Amazon Prime Video; and Storyville: Made Of Steel, produced by the Noah Media Group for BBC. SVEN, a production which delves into the career of the late football coach Sven-Göran Eriksson, and Netflix’s Wembley The Final: Attack on Wembley and Whistleblowers, produced by World Rugby Studios in Partnership…

Farmers are under pressure to produce more food than ever before due to the rapid increase in the global population. This is according to Tal-Tec, a South African manufacturer of livestock handling equipment, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Greg Talbot, CEO of Tal-Tec, said on Friday that the evolution of farming practices has had an impact on the design and function of farming equipment. “In the livestock farming industry, one of the most significant shifts has been the commercialisation of the beef industry to feedlots which has changed the way the beef industry supplies the market. Farmers remain the primary producers, breeding weaner calves,” Talbot said. “If the farm doesn’t have its own feedlot, it will sell its weaner calves to feedlots when they are around seven months…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has announced plans to probe degree awarding practices at Fort Hare University, vehicle and driver licensing procedures, as well as operations in three provincial health departments and two municipalities. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed six new and two amended proclamations authorising SIU to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of Fort Hare University, the National and Provincial Departments of Transport, Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Health, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Tlokwe Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Department of Health and Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health. The amendment results from the SIU’s investigations revealing that the SIU needed to investigate further areas that the existing proclamations did not cover. On Friday, Ramaphosa signed an amended proclamation authorising…

THE CITY of Johannesburg is considering deploying additional police resources to focus on serious crimes in areas such as Hillbrow. Last week, a man was recorded shooting dead an e-hailing driver during an armed robbery in Berea. A 26-year-old suspect was allegedly linked to the murder and was arrested by the police on Thursday at Jabulani Hostel in Soweto. Spokesperson for Public Safety Rhulani Mgwambane said that as part of addressing criminal activities in the City of Johannesburg, more human resources were needed. “Hillbrow has indeed been shaped by the presence of legal and illegal foreign national … Historically, Hillbrow has served as a hub for migrants and immigrants … This diversity presents challenges for law enforcement and urban planning. “To address the concerns, measures will include encouraging community-led projects…

National police commissioner, Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola, has congratulated warrant officer John Tlala Mokoena and the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Advocate Salome Scheepers for securing 42 life terms and 791 years for serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi. On Friday, the Pretoria High Court sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Ekurhuleni, sentenced Phakathi to a hefty 42 life terms, 791 years, and six months’ direct imprisonment. Phakathi operated in Benoni from 2012 to 2021. The court ordered that he be declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his name be added to the National Register for Sexual Offenders and the National Child Protection Register. Furthermore, the judge ordered that the victims be informed when Phakathi was considered for parole, to enable them to make representations. This was after he was found…

BIRDS lovers in the capital city can look forward to visiting an exciting avian spot, the Johan Koen Bird Park in Pretoria North, which will soon open its doors to visitors. The Park is an initiative spearheaded by FF Plus and it is promising to enrich the community with its dual focus on conservation and mental health. FF Plus councillor in the City of Tshwane, Rina Marx, said the Park is a registered, non-profit organisation with a vision "to conserve the environment and make a positive contribution to people’s mental health". She said the idea for the Bird Park took flight after a devastating fire at the Hillside Golf Course. The blaze, she said, destroyed the natural habitat of numerous bird species, leaving a trail of displaced avian life. Among…

Bulls director of rugby Jake White was chuffed with the balance his forwards and backs struck during their rout of Ulster this past weekend. The Pretoria side ran in seven tries in the 47-21 victory thanks to their dominant scrum, which forced an Ulster yellow card at one stage, and their backs that didn’t hesitate to attack the space they created via the pack. It was a second successive win for White’s charges as they head for a crucial first tour in the URC’s new season. “When you get your balance right between your forwards and backs, you can score a lot of points, that’s something we’ve been working on,” White said after the victory. “I am very happy with the way that game played out. You’ll never be completely…