Star 2025-06-27

Beleagured sugar producer is poised to emerge from tumultuous shadow of its past Tongaat Hulett, the beleaguered South African agro-processing firm, is poised to emerge from the shadow of its tumultuous past, thanks to new leadership and a significant restructuring initiative. Gavin Dalgleish, the company’s new CEO, has expressed optimism about the path towards stability following a protracted period marked by scandals and heavy debt that once threatened its existence. Dalgleish was appointed as CEO with effect from 1 June 2025, marking a significant step in the final phase of implementing the approved Business Rescue Plan and setting the stage for a seamless transition of Tongaat Hulett’s business, assets, and people to Vision, the consortium acquiring the group. In a recent interview, Dalgleish detailed the pivotal changes occurring at Tongaat…

Tshepiso Moahloli has been appointed as the Director-General of the New Development Bank (NDB) Africa Regional Centre (ARC), effective from 20 June 2025. This decision follows an international competitive recruitment process, signalling the NDB’s commitment to harness talent to enhance its operations across the continent. Her appointment marks a significant milestone for the bank as it embarks on its next decade of operations aimed at fostering sustainable infrastructure development across Africa. Moahloli’s responsibilities will encompass the management of the NDB’s African regional operations. Her role will involve leading efforts in project origination, preparation and implementation supervision, acting as the vital interface between the bank and key stakeholders such as governments, private sector players, and civil society. As the NDB celebrates a decade of existence, it has already made strides in…

Household finances in South Africa are expected to remain strained on the back of accelerating unemployment rate and rising debt levels, resulting in slow expenditure trends. According to the Quarterly Bulletin released by the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) on Thursday, growth in real gross domestic expenditure (GDE) eased to 0.4% in the first quarter of 2025 following an increase of 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024. Real final consumption expenditure by households increased at a slower pace in the first quarter of 2025 but nevertheless contributed most to growth in real GDP. By contrast, real final consumption expenditure by the general government and gross fixed capital formation contracted further, alongside a further deaccumulation of real inventory holdings, albeit at a slower pace. “Growth in real final consumption expenditure…

Thungela Resources management on Thursday said coal production in South Africa during the six months to June 30 was bolstered by incremental underground production. However, the opencast operations, primarily at Isibonelo and Khwezela, were impacted by higher-than-expected rainfall, the chief financial officer Deon Smith said in a pre-close statement. In Australia, production and export saleable product qualities in the first half were affected by challenging geology. Smith said Thursday that production is expected to improve in the second half of the year. The share price fell by 4.81% on the JSE to R82.91 in the afternoon, continuing a decline from R111.46 a year ago. Smith said they remained disciplined in executing strategy amid a challenging operating environment, characterised by volatile coal prices and fluctuating foreign exchange rates. In South Africa,…

Biovac, a biopharmaceutical company in South Africa, and Biological E, a Supplier of vaccines globally from India, have signed a groundbreaking technology transfer agreement to manufacture and distribute a vaccine against pneumonia across Africa. Pneumococcal infection, which the vaccine protects against, is a cause of significant disease, being a leading cause of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sepsis. The World Health Organisation estimated that in 2005, pneumococcal infections were responsible for the death of 1.6 million children worldwide and while this has reduced significantly over time, newer and better vaccines are still needed. The agreement aligns with the African Union Commission and Africa CDC’s 2022 commitment to ensure that 60% of vaccines used in Africa are manufactured on the continent by 2040. Currently, Africa produces only about 1% of its…

In a world being transformed by AI and an unrelenting war for skills, South Africa stands on the brink of an unprecedented opportunity: to become not just a source of talent, but a global talent hub. For too long, we’ve watched our brightest minds leave in search of opportunity, recognition, or growth. But what if South Africa could flip the script? What if we became the place the world looks to when it needs digitally savvy, globally minded, socially conscious professionals. That future isn’t a fantasy. It’s a strategy. And it begins with reframing our national identity — not as a country struggling with unemployment, but as a country brimming with untapped human capital that is ready to lead the industries of the future. The Case for South Africa as…