Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-02-10 i Star

Under the then Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste, who apparently killed himself almost a year ago to avoid facing charges of fraud relating to the company’s failure, the company’s European unit claimed fake revenue of R6.4 billion while also engaging in some creative accounting to balance the books. Steinhoff, which had operations in about 30 countries through some 650 entities, was South Africa’s largest corporate scandal, collapsing after accounting irregularities were uncovered by then auditors, Deloitte, in 2017. In the 7 000-page PwC report into the wrongdoings at the company, which was officially liquidated on October 13, 2023, the consultancy firm details several accounting shenanigans. One of these included Steinhoff failing to reverse revenue for the sale of an entity that fell through. Towards the end of 2013, Steinhoff Group entity…

It’s been a long time since we have seen South African retailers talk about a positive outlook for the consumer in their trading updates. With the consumer having battled Covid-19, high interest rates, low wage growth, low gross domestic product growth and high inflation over the past five years or so. It was encouraging to see Mr Price in their 22nd January update for the 13 weeks to December 28, 2024 make the following outlook statement. “The 2025 economic growth outlook for South Africa is anticipated to improve in comparison to 2024. A steadily improving consumer environment, aided by decreasing inflation and lower interest rates, continues to build a solid platform for growth in comparison to recent years.” TFG on the rise or pension payouts and retail growth align This…

Often, a comparative analysis based on disaggregated data reveals the essentials required for significant inflection points in the life of a nation. They sharpen the lens of policy, as the comparison will ask the difficult question of what drives the differences observed in performance. The medicine for differential performance in the South African education system is not heroic, podium-based statements but digging deeper into disaggregated data. Therein lie the answers for policy, but this seems to have attracted statesman profanity. In this regard, I have been putting out information disaggregated by race on education that reflects the significant prowess made by Whites and Indians and the regressive nature of Black and Coloured education outcomes. I further worked on the subject by language and pointed to the fact that English speakers…

RCL Foods’ share price shot up 12% on Friday after it forecast a 31.2% to 38.6% increase in headline earnings per share for the six months to December 31. Headline earnings per share (HEPS) from total operations for the group with well-known South African brands such as Ouma, Yum Yum, Selati and Nola were expected to be between 106 cents and 112 cents when compared to the reported HEPS of 80.8 cents from total operations, according to a trading statement by the group on Friday. The strong results follow an equally strong financial year to end-June 2024, where underlying HEPS increased by more than 55%. The share price traded at R10.19 on the JSE Friday afternoon, a price that was little changed over 12 months from 9.30 a year before.…

Celebrity businessperson Shauwn Mkhize has suffered a major setback, further raising questions about her club Royal AM’s continued participation in the top-flight local soccer league. Her urgent application to assure the National Soccer League (NSL) of her club’s financial stability has been struck down by the North Gauteng High Court.The South African Revenue Service (SARS) welcomed the court’s decision to strike MaMkhize’s application off the urgent roll. Through the application, she was seeking an order directing the club’s curator to issue a letter assuring the NSL that her soccer club was financially sound to play its games. The Royal AM FC has, on several occasions, been unable to participate in the Betway Premiership and Nedbank Cup tournaments. On January 29, it launched an urgent application in the North Gauteng High…

In a high-stakes summit at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on Saturday, African leaders urged for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The urgent appeal by the joint Southern Africa Development Community-East Africa Community meeting comes amidst escalating violence and a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the region. Aimed to address the crisis and find a sustainable solution in the DRC, the summit was attended by heads of state who included Kenyan President William Ruto and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Kagame attended in person while the Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi joined the meeting virtually. Ruto, the current chair of the East African Community (EAC), called on all parties to actualise the ceasefire and for the M23 to halt further advancement and…

The Albertyns from Pretoria engraved their family name in the 52nd aQuellé Midmar Mile swimming race on Saturday when they secured top honours in the family race. The family of four dived into KwaZulu-Natal’s cold waters at Midmar Dam in the Midlands and came out winners in the world’s largest open swimming race. Gary Albertyn finished the race in a speedy 19 minutes and 36 seconds, while his son, Connor, registered a faster 18-minute time. His daughter, Kaitlyn, crossed the line in 23 minutes and 37 seconds and his wife, Megan, followed a minute later, finishing in 24:01. “I am very happy. I did push the first part quite a bit and then backed off a bit at the end to rest up. I was expecting a 19-minute time. So,…

After MI Cape Town completed a remarkable comeback after being basement dwellers to champions at the third time of asking, sweeping former double champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape aside in the final in a manner befitting the new kings, coach Robin Peterson believes this was payback for the die-hards who stuck with the franchise through the difficult times. “I think every time you’re involved with Mumbai Indians, you are expected to win,” Peterson said after the 76-run victory over Sunrisers at the Wanderers. “It’s no different here, even though the first two years we did try our best, things didn’t work out. “Bringing Rash back, getting Boulty here and a couple of new additions definitely made the difference. “Not only in the dressing room but on the field as well with…

The ICC Champions Trophy is only a week away, and South Africa have already arrived in Pakistan, as the search for an ICC trophy continues. Before competing in the prestigious tournament, the Proteas are facing a tri-nation series against New Zealand and Pakistan which has already gotten underway. Captain Temba Bavuma is at the helm of a relatively young squad, with several star players remaining in South Africa after recently participating in the SA20 final over the weekend. Bavuma, along with coach Rob Walter, sees this ongoing series as an opportunity to learn about the local conditions and make adjustments that can benefit the wider group in preparation for the Champions Trophy. For the younger players in the tri-series, this represents a chance to showcase their skills and readiness to…

The Lions and Sharks will have watched the North-South derby between the Stormers and Bulls with a hawkeye trying to figure out what to expect in the local derbies this coming weekend. After having a break from the United Rugby Championship (URC) over the last two Saturdays, Ellis Park will host the Cape outfit, while the Durbanites are set to travel to Loftus Versfeld with a weakened side as they restart their bid to stay in the top-four of the URC. The Lions are four points behind the Stormers on the table and can leapfrog their opponents this weekend should they pick up a bonus point win in Johannesburg and prevent the Capetonians from getting points from the clash. That is what they will be after, knowing John Dobson's team…

SEKHUKHUNE UNITED (0) 1 Mokhuwana 49 SUPERSPORT UNITED (0) 1 Nurkovic 90 GAVIN HUNT is a tough taskmaster — a hard coach to please. On an afternoon when his team stole a point at the death courtesy of a spectacular goal by Samir Nurkovic, Hunt still cut a forlorn figure — a man who was clearly not satisfied. At the final whistle, the multiple championship-winning coach sat glued to his chair, then spread his hands out as if to say, "What just happened?" He hardly celebrated Nurkovic’s stunning bicycle kick that gave man of the match Badra Sangare in the Sekhukhune goals no chance. Hunt walked behind the dugout flailing his arms in disappointment. Later on, he gesticulated wildly with one of his players, clearly lamenting the chances that could…

The Black Business Council (BBC) has successfully advocated for a crucial amendment to Transnet’s recently published Network Statement. The Transnet Network Statement outlines the terms and conditions for access to the national rail infrastructure by private sector players, including access conditions, capacity allocation and pricing structures. This initiative is a key milestone in the implementation of the National Rail Policy White Paper and the Freight Logistics Roadmap, which aim to position rail as the backbone of South Africa’s transport system. The document, originally issued in December, has been called into question due to the exclusion of black empowerment initiatives, leading to widespread concerns that Transnet’s rehabilitation efforts would disproportionately favour established, predominantly white businesses. The BBC’s insistence on including black empowerment provisions is a pivotal move in the ongoing struggle…

Davos is not merely an event; it is an altar of power, where the world's true presidents, ministers, billionaires, and corporate titans—converge to carve out the future of economies and nations. More than 3 000 delegates descend upon this Swiss stronghold, yet mere attendance is meaningless. Influence is not measured by credentials but by access, by the silent nods exchanged in the corridors of the Congress Centre, where only 500 of the chosen few are permitted entry. This is where the 0.1% of global decision-makers shape the future, away from the noise, with conversations that later set the course of industries, economies, and policies. There is one lunch, an event so exclusive it is barely spoken about even in the highest circles. To be invited is to be confirmed as…

The 2025 State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa comes as South Africa faces some of its most testing challenges. Cosatu welcomes its progressive commitments and are encouraged by progress achieved over the past year but remain extremely worried about the slow pace of implementation in many instances. Workers and society face severe crises, in particular a 41.9% unemployment rate, high levels of poverty and inequality, weak economic growth, endemic crime and corruption, overwhelmed public and municipal service and struggling state-owned enterprises (SOEs). We applaud the impressive work done to rebuild Eskom and overcome loadshedding. Eskom and our electricity infrastructure remain fragile and need urgent investments to unlock new generation, transmission and distribution capacity. These must be anchored upon Eskom as our publicly owned utility and…

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has expressed deep worry about diamond miner, Petra Diamonds’ plans to retrench 200 employees from its South Africa operations. Petra Diamonds’ prospects for free cash flow generation could be reduced by the slow diamond price recovery, analysts from S&P Global recently said. The company has been restructuring its cost base while it also reported a 9% decline in like-for-like diamond prices for the quarter to end of September 2024. Its plans to lower costs includes retrenching employees and this has not gone down well with labour unions who are resisting this move. “The National Union of Mineworkers strongly rejects the purported retrenchments of about 200 workers at Petra Diamond,” said the mineworkers union on Sunday. “This decision is unacceptable as it will have…

Actress Brenda Ngxoli has been announced as part of the supporting cast of a South African romantic comedy A Scam Called Love set to premiere nationwide on the big screen next month. Ngxoli recently made headlines after sharing a video on her Instagram page that captured an argument with her mother, revealing her struggles with homelessness and the emotional toll of staying silent about her pain for so long. The award-winning actress received financial support from the public after digital creator Mandisi Tshingana raised over R100,000 for the actor and she landed a new hosting gig, for the South African Traditional Leaders Awards (SATLA) and now she will be on cinema screens. A Scam Called Love stars award-winning actress Didintle “Didi” Khunou as Zola, an ambitious chef chasing her culinary…

In a bid to resolve the diplomatic standoff with the United States, President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to send a high-powered delegation to Washington to negotiate with President Donald Trump. The move comes after Trump signed an executive order halting all aid and assistance to SA, citing claims of “race-based discrimination” against Afrikaners, including the country’s Expropriation Act. According to sources, the real reason behind Trump's decision is believed to be linked to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service, which so far has been denied a licence to operate in South Africa due to its refusal to follow the country's black economic empowerment (BEE) laws. Musk, who has close ties with Trump, is reportedly using his influence to pressure the SA government to relax its BEE requirements. The delegation to Washington…

Just days before being gunned down, an ANC Mandeni Local Municipality councillor had written to his party’s regional office saying he felt he was the “only councillor who is against corruption and poor management within the municipality”. Phendukani Mabhida was gunned down on Tuesday and his sister was wounded, hours before he had been expected to air his grievances with what was happening in the municipality. Police said suspects were arrested hours after the incident—while three suspects, linked to Mabhida’s murder and the killing of two off-duty police constables and the attempted murder of four other people at a tavern last week in Sundumbili, were killed by police on Saturday. KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the three suspects were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police…

PARTIES in the Government of National Unity (GNU) have expressed themselves on the inclusion of their proposals in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week. Ramaphosa had to make a balancing act in accommodating the many proposals from the GNU partners. This happened as the DA recently declared a dispute with Ramaphosa in a move to reset the relationship after the signing of the Expropriation Act, the inclusion of the NHI in the Medium-Term Development Plan, and the failure to set up effective dispute resolution mechanisms in the coalition. DA leader John Steenhuisen said he was extremely proud that their policies were front and centre in Ramaphosa’s address. He said DA-led initiatives were highlighted and acknowledged as key drivers of progress and reform.…

A mother who had murdered her three-year-old daughter—who was so severely tortured by her parents over a long time and who eventually died when her mother gave her a blow to the head—received a lifeline when the court reduced her life imprisonment sentence to one of 15 years. Three judges of the Gauteng High Court said while they did not condone what the mother had done to her child, the judge who sentenced her in 2019 failed to substantiate why he imposed the maximum sentence. Welmarie Smith, who was 39 when she was sentenced, also at the time received a further 25 years of imprisonment for the prolonged assault of her daughter. But on appeal, the court now substituted this with a five-year sentence and said 25 years for assault…

THE National Assembly’s portfolio committee on police has distanced itself from claims that it is behind alleged arrests of senior crime intelligence officers and dismissed the allegations as disinformation. A message doing the rounds on social media platforms claims the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) issued arrest warrants against five senior police crime intelligence officers. However, Ian Cameron, the chairperson of the portfolio committee, said he spoke to one of the members of the SA Police Service (SAPS), who was with a general mentioned in the message, and was told there was no raid or arrest as claimed. “There is a very strong attempt at the moment to create extreme doubt and destabilisation in the SAPS and I know that there are a lot of very serious…

Jake White is one of the more sprightly 61-year-olds around, but even he is feeling the effects of the maverick rugby genius that is Willie le Roux. The Bulls boss was able to smile and said that he was “going to enjoy tonight” after a heart-stopping finish to Saturday’s 33-32 United Rugby Championship win over the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium. The Pretoria side were on top for large portions of the game, but made some frustrating errors that White warned would be addressed in Monday’s video session as they allowed the Stormers to hit back in the second half with tries by Evan Roos and Warrick Gelant. Then, just when the Bulls seemed to have sewn up the bonus-point victory, Stormers flank Ben-Jason Dixon scored a last-minute try –…

Liverpool suffered a humiliating FA Cup exit as Championship strugglers Plymouth ended their quadruple bid with a stunning 1-0 win in the fourth round on Sunday. Arne Slot's decision to field a weakened Liverpool team came back to haunt him, with Ryan Hardie's second-half penalty sealing Plymouth's epic upset at Home Park. Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Cody Gakpo were among the stars rested as Slot made 10 changes from the team that thrashed Tottenham 4-0 in the League Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday. In a remarkably successful first season in charge of Liverpool, it was a rare blunder by the former Feyenoord boss. Liverpool's fourth defeat in all competitions this season was just the third time the Premier League leaders had failed to score under…

After whetting the appetite of millions of MMA fans with his Hollywood-like callout to Alex Pereira, Dricus du Plessis made it clear that Khamzat Chimaev is next on his calendar. South Africa's UFC Middleweight champion Du Plessis imitated the mythological warrior Achilles from the Hollywood blockbuster Troy during his challenge for UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, after beating Sean Strickland of the US via unanimous decision at UFC 312 in Sydney on Sunday morning. After referencing Achilles in the build-up to his fight in which Du Plessis told Strickland, “There are no pacts between lions and men." Du Plessis was feeling mythological once again in his post-fight speech, looking over Strickland’s shoulder and into the eyes of Pereira, who helped corner the No 1 contender. "Is there no one else?…

Expert says Trump is sending a strong message to South Africa and the ANC A foreign policy expert has warned that South Africa’s trade relations with the US, its second largest trading partner, could begin to deteriorate significantly ahead of handing over the G20 Presidency and the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). This comes after US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an Executive Order to cut funding to South Africa over the government’s land expropriation policy and resettle white farmers whose land will allegedly be expropriated. Without providing any evidence, Trump accused South Africa’s government of “egregious actions”, saying the recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 (Act) would seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation. Professor Michael Walsh, a senior fellow in the…

Although President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Thursday evening, tried to indicate the structural adjustment economic processes that the Government of National Unity is likely to introduce in the next three years, analysts, political commentators, and economists remain sceptical. Some of the strategies were already supposed to be introduced under the previous ANC government, but they did not materialise. These include: “Eskom is on course to complete its unbundling process by December 2022.” (2022 SONA); “Within 100 days, we will finalise a comprehensive social compact to grow our economy, create jobs, and combat hunger.” (2022 SONA); “Our economy today is three times larger than what it was 30 years ago.” None of these indeed succeeded. Eskom is not unbundled; the social compact is non-existent,…

The business rescue of Tongaat Hulett remains on track although the regulatory approval process is taking longer than anticipated, according to the Vision Consortium. The consortium led by entrepreneur Robert Gumede has taken a significant role in the business rescue process after it won the bid to rescue the southern African sugar and property group, by purchasing its debt and converting most of it into equity. This has ended months of uncertainty about whether a suitable buyer could be found for Tongaat. The implementation of the approved and adopted business rescue plan remains on track as all sales agreements have been concluded except the agreement for the sale of the Mozambican subsidiaries, which is expected imminently, Sashir Milne, Vision Group’s Chief People Person said in a note to staff. Milne…

The private sector has sounded alarm for years about the breakdown of municipal services and infrastructure, and it has the capability to provide expertise and resources, but the government needs to move beyond selective engagement to meaningful partnership. This was according to Chris Campbell, CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa, who commented after the State of the Nation Address (Sona), where President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government would spend over R940 billion on infrastructure over the next three years, with R375bn of this to be spent by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to build roads, bridges, dams, waterways, and ports. “It reminds me of a 'bird perched on a wire' – aware of its surroundings but not yet taking flight. Years have passed, and despite numerous policy frameworks and statements of intent,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa continues to face backlash over the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where 14 soldiers have been killed. This was after a Congolese politician, Dr Alexis Ruberwa, criticised Ramaphosa's recent statement ‘that the 14 deceased were African heroes’. In a statement issued on February 3, 2025, Ramaphosa said the soldiers are in the DRC as part of the South African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). “As a nation, we pay tribute to our fallen soldiers. They are South African and African heroes. They lost their lives in defence of the defenceless: the men, women and children who are the victims of one…

A massive crime prevention operation in Tshwane's Villieria and Silverton areas has led to the arrest of 328 suspects, including arrests for serious crimes such as murder, rape, and gender-based violence. Operation Shanela, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, also tackled drunk driving and illegal immigration. Tshwane district police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk reported that during the first phase of the operation, 247 suspects were arrested for serious offences. These included 66 for gender-based violence, 30 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, six for murder, one for attempted murder, one for armed robbery, and five for rape. Van Dyk added that undocumented individuals were detained during the operations. “46 undocumented individuals were detained and are awaiting legal proceedings for deportation. Additionally, another person was arrested and fined…

The South African Police Service has reported that it was investigating an incident of preferential treatment after corruption and money laundering accused Louis Liebenberg was seen kissing his wife, Dezzie Liebenberg, after emerging from a police van. On Tuesday, Liebenberg appeared before the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court, where his case alongside his wife Dezzi and seven co-accused was postponed to July 8, while Liebenberg is expected to apply for bail on February 25. The accused face 42 charges including fraud, theft, racketeering and money laundering. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Liebenberg is seen emerging from the back of a police vehicle with his wife waiting for him outside a police station. SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. in a statement, indicated that the SAPS has taken note of…

Following their humbling defeat at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro asserted that the loss will not determine the rest of their season. The Sea Robbers suffered their third setback in the Betway Premiership campaign with a crushing 4-1 defeat away to the defending champions. As they tend to their wounds and attempt to rebuild from the rubble, their next stop will be against Baroka FC in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday. The road ahead will be steep and unyielding for Jose Riveiro and his troops, as they now face a nine-point deficit, with one game in hand, to displace the Brazilians from the throne they are clearly not ready to let go of yet. In a match…

South Africa’s Proteas showed great fighting spirit in Sunday night’s Netball Nations Cup final against England, pushing the hosts until the end, despite being a player down for a big part of the third quarter. The Roses eventually lifted the title at Copper Box Arena in London with a 61-55 win that was celebrated by a boisterous home crowd. World No 5 South Africa got off to a flying start and the score was 15-12 at the end of the first quarter. Rolene Streutker started at goal shooter, somewhat of a surprise call by coach Jenny van Dyk, considering the form of Elmere van der Berg, who dropped to the bench. Nichole Breedt, the star of the last match as goal attack, also had to settle for a place on…

Coach Miguel Cardoso is clear about what he wants from Mamelodi Sundowns. And that’s why he’ll continue to take no prisoners in ensuring that he stamps his authority onto the club, even after dashing past Orlando Pirates this past weekend. Clad in a white golf-t-shirt, black pants and white sneakers, the bald-headed Portuguese lit up Loftus Versfeld Stadium’s auditorium after the 4-1 win in the Betway Premiership. Cardoso, incredibly, showed that the ‘sky is the limit’ as he steered the Brazilians to cloud nine after a masterclass triumph, that brought the Sea Robbers sinking back to would-be champions. Sundowns hammering of the Bucs at Loftus Versveld, sent a strong message about their intentions to win a record eighth title in a row. That victory tasted sweeter for Cardoso – not…

Kaizer Chiefs’ coach Nasreddine Nabi is putting together the puzzle at Kaizer Chiefs. Hence, he wants to sure that every piece fits in perfectly. Chiefs had a rollercoaster run last week. They lost to arch-rivals Orlando Pirates 1-0 in the Soweto-derby before drawing 2-2 with AmaZulu. They finally returned to winning ways on Friday night as they beat Stellenbosch 1-0 away from home courtesy of Makabi Lilepo’s early first half goal. The win against Stellenbosch eased the pressure on Nabi, who’s been expected to rebuild the team, while bagging results along the way. The Tunisia-born coach has struggled with the latter, but he’s been getting the best out of the youngsters and goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma this season. The 29-year-old finally got his clean sheet – his third in the league…