Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-01-29 i Star

Tiger Brands announces plans to sell 24.38% stake in Empresas Carozzi for $240 million (about R4.4bn) Tiger Brands’ R4.4 billion sale of its investment in Chile-based Empresas Carozzi might result in its shareholders benefiting from share buybacks or special dividends once the group’s investment requirements are met. On Tuesday, Tiger Brands announced plans to sell its 24.38% stake in Empresas Carozzi for $240 million (about R4.4bn) to the parent of the Chile-based company, the Santiago Stock Exchange listed Carozzi S.A. The South African manufacturer and marketer of fast-moving consumer goods has well-known brands in the country, including Koo, Fattis and Monis, Jungle Oats, Enterprise and Oros. The group said on Tuesday that the sale was part of its decision made only last month, to revise strategy and focus on operations…

Makgosi Mabaso has been appointed as Openserve’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective 1 January 2025, the company announced on Tuesday. “This marks an exciting new chapter for the organisation that is leading the way in wholesale connectivity solutions in South Africa,” Openserve said in a statement. Makgosi is no stranger to Openserve or this position. Between 2018 and 2019, she successfully held the CCO role before moving to the Telkom Group CEO’s office, where she provided vital strategic support. Most recently, she served as Managing Executive for Telkom Business and Home Solutions within the Consumer Business Unit, where she played a critical role in delivering customer-centric solutions and driving operational excellence. “I am looking forward to driving our One Telkom strategy by leveraging synergies within the Group,” she said.…

The possible closure of ArcelorMittal South Africa’s long steel plant in Newcastle is a stark reminder of the challenges facing the local and global steel industries amidst weak international and domestic demand. While any job losses are painful, what has been erroneously suggested in much of the commentary is that if ArcelorMittal’s long steel factory closes its doors, the South African long steel industry would disappear. This ignores the so-called “mini-mills”, which employ up to 5,000 people and already produce around two thirds of the long steel used in South Africa. It is not true to paint the possible ArcelorMittal closure as an end to South Africa’s steel production and industrialisation. The name “mini mill” can be misleading; these include large-scale operations that contribute substantially to the local and…

South Africa’s utility-scale electricity mix primarily relies on coal (83% of electrical energy supplied in 2023/24), with rapidly increasing integration of renewable sources like wind, solar, and hydro responsible for about 9%. Nuclear energy, currently provided by Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, contributed approximately 4%. South Africa possesses significant uranium resources, and the hard question is whether nuclear projects could leverage these resources to create long-term economic benefits for the country. As part of the energy strategy, the country is assessing the feasibility of expanding the current nuclear capacity. This assessment should be aligned with the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2023, South Africa’s 2050 decarbonisation goals and the need for a developing economy. South Africa’s draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2023 proposes 14 500MW of nuclear energy capacity by 2050.…

More Zimbabwean companies and retailers are closing shop, citing economic and currency complexities that are inhibiting profitability and viability. Retail shelves are quickly running out of stock as manufacturers and producers stop supplies to supermarkets. The struggles that Zimbabwean retailers are facing have coincided with mounting company closures, all blamed on the obtaining economic environment. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers said this week that “the recent closure of several (retail and wholesale) outlets” was worrying. While OK Zimbabwe, which competes against Pick n Pay branded outlets in that country, has been left with empty shop shelves, other retail operators such as Choppies and Spar have been shutting down stores. Wholesalers such as N Richards Group have also had to close some outlets while Mahommed Mussa Wholesalers has reduced shop space…

THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) wants to recover R33.4m million paid to the Cuban government by the Department of Defence for the procurement of Interferon alfa-2b drug during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago. Briefing the standing committee on public accounts yesterday, SIU chief operating officer Leonard Lekgetho said an allegation was made during an investigation into Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that the department procured 930 units of the Interferon alfa-2b drug and paid R217m to Cuba. The drug was to be used as an immune booster for soldiers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The SIU probed the unlawful and improper conduct of all officials that were involved in the procurement of the drug supplied in April 2020. Lekgetho said the department’s Military Command Council (MCC) approved the…

The State has insisted it has enough evidence to strengthen its money laundering charges against child pornography accused, Darryn Wilken, who on Tuesday appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, alongside her co-accused and girlfriend Tiona Moodley. Wilken and his web designer partner were arrested this month after police discovered an estimated 10 million videos and images of child pornography, contraband, and drugs in their Midrand home. The accused’s bail application was postponed to February 3 to allow the State to finalise its additional money laundering charges, while it also verifies new out-of-province address for the accused. State Prosecutor, Colleen Ryan, said the State intends to charge Wilken on 24 counts of money laundering following a series of transactions reflected on the his bank accounts. He faces charges including fraud, possession…

A 26-year-old suspect is expected to appear in court soon after he was found in possession of eight firearms, five stun grenades, and items suspected to have been stolen from brutally killed police officers. The spokesperson of the police in KwaZulu-Natal, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said the suspect, who was arrested yesterday afternoon in Phoenix, Durban, was also found with several rounds of ammunition of various calibre of firearms, including armour-piercing ammunition, as well as drug manufacturing machine, and different types of drugs. He said the police officers who are members of the Provincial Organised Crime and Provincial Drugs and Firearms Unit, received information about a man who was suspected of having firearms in each of his vehicles. Netshiunda said one of the pistols found belonged to the police. The suspect…

Nearly three years since the State Capture Report was released, the ANC has finally taken a step towards addressing the allegations by serving disciplinary notices to four senior officials implicated in the scandal. Former ministers Zizi Kodwa and Malusi Gigaba, along with current Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo, and the Chair of the House Committee in the National Assembly Cedric Frolick, have been summoned to appear before the party’s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) to answer charges related to their involvement in state capture. According to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, the officials are facing charges for failing to appear before the Integrity Commission and for their alleged involvement in state capture. Mahlobo is accused of bribing judges during his tenure as the State Security Minister. Gigaba, the former Minister of…

High Commissioner of Republic of India to South Africa, Prabhat Kumar has this weekend led different festivities in Pretoria, to commemorate January 26, 1950 – the day the Indian constitution came into force. The celebrations at India House in Waterkloof, City of Tshwane on Sunday were preluding other events celebrating the 76th Republic Day of India anniversary. On Saturday evening, Kumar hosted several members of the academia, journalists, businesspeople and diplomats at a feisty celebration hosted at the University of South Africa, characterized by a fusion of Indian and South African cultural heritage. Attendees were kept on their feet with electric dance moves and gaudy beats from Punjab after the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) sponsored a 12-member-strong dance troupe to travel to South Africa from India. The Punjab…

AN EVENING dip in the ocean turned tragic for a South Coast man on Monday, who is now believed to have drowned. Emergency services continued with searches yesterday for the man who was reported missing at sea in Scottburgh. The incident took place on Monday at around 7 pm. According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the victim is from aMahlongwa. Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said an NSRI Rocky Bay crewman raised the alarm following eyewitness reports. By Tuesday morning Lambinon said the search was ongoing at Scottburgh Point Main Beach. “A police helicopter joined in an extensive air, sea, and shoreline search, where police divers, assisted by NSRI Rocky Bay, Umdoni lifeguards, and IPSS Search and Rescue, continued in ongoing search efforts.” He added: “Thoughts, care, and compassion…

January 29, 2025, is the first day of a new year, the Year of the Snake, on the lunisolar Chinese calendar. People of Chinese heritage all over the world are immersed in the festive joy of Chinese New Year – or the Spring Festival, as it is more commonly known. Just in time for this year’s Spring Festival, UNESCO inscribed the festival on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you have ever seen the vibrant dragon and lion dances or wondered about the meaning behind the red envelopes handed out during this time, you have had a glimpse into the traditions of the Spring Festival. You may not know much about the details, but when it comes to family affection, the emotional core that defines…

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is confident of advancing from Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 despite the presence of a resurgent Egypt in their pool. The other two teams in the group at the tournament in Morocco are Angola and Zimbabwe. “When I look at our opponents for Afcon, I think that Egypt is the favourite to win the group,” Broos said. “They didn’t make a very good last Afcon and they didn’t perform like everybody expected. “They were very soon out of the tournament. “But I think in the last year, year-and-a-half, they have built again a very good team. “They did very well in the qualifiers, so that will be the team to beat for the first place.” Monday’s draw in Rabat served up…

Lehlohonolo Seema did his best to contain his excitement at his side’s impressive display in knocking Cape Town City out of the Nedbank Cup on Monday. Try as he might to downplay the team's dominant performance, the glint in his eye gave the Sekhukhune United coach away – he loved what he saw and deep inside, he was purring like the cat that has just got the milk. Ba Bina Noko were buzzing at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium as Katlego Otladisa and Relebogile Mokhuoane scored second-half goals that put the 2023 finalists into the round of 16. Seema was glad that his team managed to play as well as they did, especially following their 1-0 defeat by Kaizer Chiefs last weekend. “Last week showed that you can lose a…

The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has called on the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to develop and implement a policy regarding strategic jet fuel reserves, especially given reduced local oil refinery capacity. ACSA’s group executive of airport operations management, Terence Delomoney, told media at a briefing on Tuesday that, without such a solution, “then we run into trouble”. Delomoney’s comments follow the shutdown of the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (Natref), which caught fire on the January 4 and is only expected to be operational again on February 20. Natref supplies some 72% of OR Tambo’s jet fuel requirements. In the interim, ACSA has secured 121.1 million litres of jet fuel for use at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA). The airport typically uses 3.6 million…

Stats SA announced on Tuesday that it has shaken up the basket of goods and services used to measure consumer inflation. The products in the basket are updated periodically to better reflect shifts and trends in consumer spending. Product weights are also adjusted. The facelift includes adding 71 new products, removing 53 products and reorganising 29 products (through merging, splitting or reclassification). In total, there are now 391 products in the basket, down from 396. New food products that were added to the basket include basmati rice, meat bones, meat patties, chicken nuggets and ready-made meals. Items that were removed include ready-mix flour, flavoured milk, frozen potato chips and ground coffee/coffee beans. The new basket expands the coverage of education-related items. In the clothing category, Stats SA said…

While much of our attention at the African Energy Chamber (AEC) concentrates on efforts to industrialize the sub-Saharan regions, as covered in our recently released 2025 Outlook Report, The State of African Energy, the more developed North African nations have seen recent progress in the renewables field, in green hydrogen specifically, that deserves our recognition. Many are likely unfamiliar with the technology behind the production of this fuel source, and the subject requires at least a brief explanation. Hydrogen has many uses across varied industries, from petroleum refining and food processing to fertilizer and steel production. While the aerospace industry has used hydrogen as a rocket fuel since the dawn of the space age, there is plenty of room for the growth of hydrogen-powered cars, or fuel cell electric vehicles…

The Entertainment and Media (E&M) sector across South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya is proving to be resilient and adaptive in a time when global economic uncertainties are putting pressure on numerous markets. This positive trend is outlined in PwC’s newly launched Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2024–2028 report, which reveals that these leading African markets were flourishing with revenue growth that outpaces the global average projected at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9% through 2028. The report delves into the factors propelling this growth, alongside potential obstacles, while identifying critical trends that will shape the industry over the next five years. According to the report, South Africa boasts the most developed E&M market on the continent, albeit with a slower growth forecast of 4.2% CAGR until 2028. Most…

The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) and the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) have expressed cautious optimism for the agriculture sector, predicting a recovery and 3% growth in 2025. This announcement comes on the heels of a challenging year, where the sector is expected to endure an overall contraction of approximately 5% in 2024, attributed to several domestic and global factors. Speaking at the Nedbank Agricultural webinar on Tuesday, BFAP director Dr Tracy Davids highlighted the significance of the agricultural value chain, stating it contributes over 14% to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP). “Multiple international and local factors have influenced performance. This includes macro-economic factors, global financial crises, poor economic performance and spending power constraints in South Africa,” she said. “This also includes domestic…

Leader of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) Vuyo Zungula has written to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, urging him to begin the process of expropriating unused and abandoned government buildings to address the critical shortage of properties in the public interest. Amid a slew of hijacked buildings crises in the country’s major city centres, on Monday, Zungula highlighted the need to take back what belongs to the government and redistribute it back to the people. “Dear Honourable Minister, in light of the newly assented Expropriation Act, which grants government the tools to address critical land and property issues in the public interest, I write to urge your department to prioritise the expropriation of abandoned and hijacked buildings in key urban areas such as South Beach (Point)…

City Power has welcomed the arrest of two suspected electricity thieves, Sipho Vundla and Jafta Mofokeng, over the weekend on charges of arson, tampering with essential infrastructure and extortion. Vundla (40) allegedly posed as a City Power team leader, where he exploited and extorted money from Johannesburg business owner Yusuf Suliman. The accused demanded a bribe of R97 000 from Suliman to fast-track the installation of a new electrical service connection. City Power spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, explained Suliman paid over R337 000 to the City of Johannesburg Revenue Department for the installation of a 105KVA/150A electrical connection in June 2023. However, Suliman was informed that he made a payment to the wrong department last April. “Shortly thereafter, Vundla, posing as a City Power representative, took advantage of the situation by…

The postponement of yesterday’s Portfolio Committee on Defence sitting has left some members of the committee frustrated following the death of 13 SANDF soldiers in the DRC Members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence were left outraged following a cancellation of yesterday’s scheduled meeting with the Minister of Defence and military Veterans, Angie Motshekga. The cancelled meeting was to discuss issues relating to the committee’s first term of office as well as the issues affecting the SA Military Health Services’ pharmacies reports. This meeting with the Minster comes as South Africa has reported the death of four additional members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF). Media reports on Tuesday have revealed a further loss of life on top of the initial nine deaths last week Friday. EFF MP and…

Members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) have recovered a white Toyota Fortuner in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, after the popular sport utility vehicle was stolen in Garsfontein, Pretoria East. TMPD spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said Tactical Unit members have “continuously” been recovering stolen vehicles in various areas across City of Tshwane. “The members responded to a call regarding a Toyota Fortuner that was stolen in Garsfontein, Pretoria East on Friday, January 24 2025. Working together with a vehicle tracker company, they managed to trace the vehicle to the Atteridgeville area. “The members pursued the vehicle and found it abandoned at Mokhukhu Street in Atteridgeville,” said Mahamba. No suspects were found at the scene. Another vehicle that was hijacked in Mamelodi was found abandoned by the TMPD Tactical…

A group of parents staged a protest outside Danie Malan Laerskool in northern Pretoria, burning tyres to express their outrage over allegations that the school has systematically excluded numerous black learners in an effort to preserve its predominantly Afrikaans culture and traditions. Community leader, Thamsanqa Shabangu, said the protesters took action yesterday demanding transformation and greater inclusivity at the school. “The majority of children who are residing in Pretoria north are denied access due to one classroom for English, whereas they have three Afrikaans classes. Every year, there are promises to address the situation but nothing has happened. The Gauteng Department of Education is also saying they will address the issue administratively but have failed to do that on their part,” he said. He said Danie Malan was treated like…

THE Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has expressed confidence in the stability of the current Government of National Unity (GNU), asserting that it will complete its five-year term. However, the IFP has raised concerns after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Bill into law. The Bill revokes the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975 and sets out how organs of the State may expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the IFP’s 50th anniversary celebrations, IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa highlighted the divergence in the handling of the Bela Act compared to the more recent Expropriation Bill. “The only area where the IFP is concerned is that the president did not act as he did with the Bela Act,” Hlabisa stated. He explained…

As Eskom celebrated the power utility’s 300 days without load shedding, many communities across the country had little or no reason to cheer. The community of Hammanskraal’s Ward 75 was one of those with brickbats instead of roses to throw at Eskom and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. They took to the streets on Friday to express their frustrations about the other form of blackout used by the power utility quite regularly these days to avoid equipment and network failure - load reduction. In many such communities just too many people have either not been connected to the electricity reticulation grid and some have to endure long periods of blackouts, either as a result of load reduction or faults. The significant milestone that Eskom reached last week, going for more than…

There was still no official update on the injury statuses of Bulls co-captains Ruan Nortjé and Elrigh Louw on Tuesday following their blows to the knee – but the Pretoria side are likely to face the Stormers next week without them. Nortjé and Louw went off in the early stages of each half, respectively, in last weekend’s 35-22 United Rugby Championship win over the Lions at Ellis Park. Nortjé was tackled by Lions hooker PJ Botha and still managed to his offload away to fullback Devon Williams in the fourth minute, and stayed down after his left leg buckled under him. Louw was in a similar scenario in the 42nd minute in a tackle by Lions No 7 Ruan Venter, with the Bulls flank’s left leg also getting stuck under…

Jose Riveiro and Mandla Ncikazi are a match made in heaven and that is why they’ve been able to build a solid foundation at Orlando Pirates over the last 31 months. Pirates have turned over a new leaf since Riveiro took over the reins in the winter of 2022 and have won five trophies – the MTN8s and two Nedbank Cups; while just missing out on the Premiership, finishing as runners-up in back-to-back seasons. This season they want to go for the jugular – an unprecedented quadruple which includes the MTN8, Nedbank Cup, Betway Premiership and Caf Champions League. The Wafa Wafa cup is already in the bag, while they are second in the league, in the Nedbank Cup last 16 and in the Champions League quarter final. Their Spaniard…

Proteas Women’s team all-rounder Annerie Dercksen believes she is “living a dream” after being named ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year. The 23-year-old debuted in Test and ODIs last year after first tasting international action in the T20Is against the West Indies in 2023. She has fast developed into a regular across formats for the Proteas, featuring in 17 T20Is, four ODIs and two Test matches in 2024 - taking 11 wickets and amassing 291 runs. Dercksen also played an important role in the Proteas' journey to a second consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final in the United Arab Emirates last year - providing crucial middle-order runs while contributing with the ball. “It genuinely feels like I’m living a dream. I still have the same excitement as when…

South Africa is steering clear of significant ramifications from an outbreak of Goss wilt in maize and Gut rot in palm products, threatening the integrity of a continental agricultural produce market valued at more than $13.2 billion (R250bn). This month, neighbouring Botswana and Namibia hastily imposed bans on critical imports following the detection of the aforementioned crop diseases in South African provinces, raising alarms about its implications for local and regional food security. With Namibia’s recent ban coming into effect last Friday, the stakes became apparent as South Africa found itself on the verge of losing substantial export volumes. The affected crops encompass approximately 155 882 tons of white maize and 46 969 tons of yellow maize for the 2024/25 season. Namibia, which has historically been South Africa’s second-largest white…

As South Africa takes the helm of the G20 in 2025, it faces an unprecedented opportunity to champion agricultural reforms that resonate across continents. As the global spotlight turns towards transforming agrifood systems, enhancing food security, tackling climate change, and fostering sustainable development, South Africa can leverage its position to advance its own agricultural interests and elevate Africa’s agricultural aspirations on the global stage. The G20, a forum where the world’s largest economies come together, has long recognised the transformative power of agriculture in achieving economic growth, food security, and sustainability. However, the agricultural sector remains fraught with challenges, from protectionist trade policies and climate-related impacts to inadequate financing for smallholder farmers. For South Africa, a key player in global agriculture, this chairmanship represents a golden opportunity to drive policy…

KPMG South Africa, in partnership with the African Development Bank participated in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit this past week. Held in Dar Es Salaam, the summit brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and investors to explore strategies for leveraging Africa's vast natural resources in pursuit of sustainable economic growth. Africa stands at the forefront of the global green energy transition, with vast reserves of critical minerals essential for clean energy solutions. Africa is home to approximately 30% of the world's critical minerals required to power the energy transition. This presents a significant opportunity to attract investment, fast-track development, and achieve key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, challenges such as currency and convertibility risks have traditionally hindered large-scale financing efforts. "The demand for critical minerals will continue to grow…

Shoprite Holdings and Woolworths Holdings, two of South Africa’s biggest retailers, on Tuesday reported solid and similar sales growth during the second half of 2024 amid continuing low levels of consumer disposable incomes. Shoprite Holdings said in an operational update for the six months to December 29 that its merchandise sales increased 9.6% to about R128.6 billion, excluding the furniture business, which is being sold to Pepkor. Meanwhile, Woolworths South Africa saw turnover and concession sales growth of 9.1% for 26 weeks to December 29. Within the food business, turnover and concession sales growth of 11.4% and 7.3% was driven by volume growth from improved availability, ongoing innovation, and an enhanced value proposition. Shoprite's Supermarkets RSA division, contributor of 83.7% of group sales, achieved sales growth of 10.4% versus 14.6%…

The music industry was devastated by the passing of Liam Payne, a former member of One Direction, at the age of 31 last year. He was found after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fans, friends and family have been reeling from the devastating loss, and now, the BRIT Awards are preparing a special tribute to honour the late singer. According to The Sun, the BRIT Awards ceremony in 2025 could see Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan reunite on stage to honour their late bandmate. This would mark the first time the four remaining members have shared the stage since the band parted ways in 2016. A source close to the band told the tabloid: “The tribute to Liam at…

Theatregoers are spoilt for choice this week as Dancing Queen: A Tribute to ABBA, My Fair Lady and The Jungle Book open on different stages in Johannesburg. Of course, each stage production has its allure – depending on what you are looking for – supported by a stellar cast, deft directing and incredible sets. Meanwhile, there are several productions worth watching in the coming weeks. I’ve had the pleasure of catching Alan Committie in several comedies – Fast and (Reasonably) Furious and Love Factually – over the years. I will say this, he’s a riot on stage. His knack for unpacking relatable scenarios through the lens of life in South Africa is always spot on. He never misses a punchline and, of course, no two shows are the same as…

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said that Ithala SOC stands as a testimony to the visionary leadership of the IFP’s Founding President, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Ntuli was speaking at a briefing yesterday, following the recent developments surrounding the province’s development finance institution Ithala Bank. The announcement by the Prudential Authority (PA) on the alleged insolvency and non-compliance by Ithala has caused widespread concern and panic. Ntuli described Ithala as an institution that champions economic justice and inclusion, providing vital banking services to rural and under-served areas for decades. Ntuli said that Ithala has been at the forefront of empowering small businesses, fostering savings through stokvels, and supporting Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) that have been excluded from mainstream financial assistance. Ntuli questioned the timing and motives behind the recent actions…

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has advised the public to use the organisation’s social media platforms for further weather information. This comes after the weather entity’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems collapsed on Sunday evening following a security breach from cyber criminals. SAWS senior manager Oupa Sigalwe confirmed that this was the organisation’s second cyber attack following a failed security breach on Saturday evening. Sigalwe revealed critical services such as aviation and marine have been disrupted, including SAWS’ email system and website, which is the hub of critical weather information. The Star can indeed confirm that SAWS’ website was down yesterday. Sigalwe noted that the SAWS has put in place alternative ways to disseminate important information such as the weather forecasts. “The SAWS’ ICT service providers have been…

A JUDGE had harsh words for the Mafube Local Municipality in the Free State and some of its senior officials, including its Executive Mayor, who have simply turned a deaf ear to court orders compelling them to pay the pension contributions of workers over to the pension fund. In the latest of a series of judgments on this issue, the Bloemfontein High Court ordered the municipality, the mayor Tloane Motsoeneng, the CFO and the municipal manager, to personally pay more than R14.7 million over to the Municipal Workers Retirement Fund. Judge Mareena Opperman said the municipality and the officials are jointly and severally responsible for this amount, which will run interest come February 1. She also ordered the registrar of the court to forward a copy of this judgment to…

A group of 20 young people in Jukulyn, Soshanguve Block Y, have taken matters into their own hands to combat crime in their community by developing a mobile app equipped with panic buttons, set to launch soon. Jeffrey Zambo, speaking on behalf of the group, said they are taking a multi-faceted approach to community safety, not only by developing the mobile app but also by conducting nightly patrols of the area. He revealed that the community has rallied behind their initiative, providing the youth patrollers with monthly stipends to support their ongoing efforts. Their tools of trade are equipment like radios, torchlights, and sjamboks. “I can’t say we are not scared, but we are trying to be brave for the sake of our community. People in Jukulyn live in fear,…

A Lutzville man has abandoned his bail application as he stands accused of beating his partner to death with a broom earlier this month. Elizabeth McGregor, 53, was allegedly beaten to death on January 13 by her 62-year-old partner, Joseph Goliath, at their Uitkyk Farm home in Koekenaap, Lutzville. According to reports, after assaulting her, the suspect reportedly left the victim on the bedroom floor and went to sleep in another room before later proceeding to clean the room in which the murder scene occurred. He had also allegedly changed his clothing before attempting to leave the farm home. Anti GBV organisation founder at Matzikama Broken Angels, Bianca du Toit, speaking outside court said they were happy that the bail application was abandoned at the Lutzville Periodical Court, despite a…

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates legend Marks Maponyane feels the upcoming Soweto derby between the two clubs might have a surprise result. The Amakhosi and the Buccaneers will clash at the FNB Stadium on Saturday at 3pm, reigniting a rivalry that has dominated domestic football for more than five decades. The two teams head into this encounter in contrasting mindsets with Pirates high-flying on both the continent and locally, while Chiefs are still managing the newly initiated project of head coach Nasreddine Nabi. Fresh from their recent conquests in the CAF Champions League, where they upstaged Africa's 'Club of the Century', Al Ahly, Pirates returned to local action to warm up for the derby with a league outing against Richards Bay over the weekend. Chiefs also made light work of…

I recently bumped into Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. It was on the morning of their clash against Cape Town City later that day, and he seemed surprised that someone had recognised him in the mall. We exchanged some pleasantries, and I wished him well in trying to turn things around at the Amakhosi after a tumultuous start. He looked like he was carrying the world on his shoulders, but vowed to keep pushing to create new memories and end the club’s trophy drought, adding that it would take time as he tries to build a formidable team. He went on his way, along with a few Chiefs staffers who were with him. Unfortunately, for the Glamour Boys, they lost 1-0 to City…