Star 2025-07-07

The potential upgrade of the Vaalputs nuclear waste storage facility in the Northern Cape has triggered alarm bells among agricultural stakeholders. The farming association TLU SA expressed deep concerns about the implications this development may have on the agriculture sector, an industry vital to the region’s economy and food security. The urgency of clear and transparent communication regarding this upgrade has been underscored as local communities grapple with uncertainty surrounding the proposed changes. Recent reports highlighted that the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) is advancing design plans to develop a Centralised Interim Storage Facility (CISF) for long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from Koeberg Power Station, set to commence in 2030. Riedewaan Bakardien, CEO of NRWDI, presented this update during a session with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Electricity…

BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro from Sunday are expected to decry Donald Trump’s hardline trade policies, but are struggling to bridge divides over crises roiling the Middle East. Emerging nations representing about half the world’s population and 40% of global economic output are set to unite over what they see as unfair US import tariffs, according to sources familiar with summit negotiations. Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive tariffs. His latest salvo comes in the form of letters due to be sent starting Friday informing trading partners of new tariff rates expected next week on July 9. Diplomats from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have been busy drafting a statement…

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has seen a staggering increase of over 200% since the onset of the occupation of Palestine nearly two years ago, according to a damning new report from Francesca Albanese, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories. Published on Thursday and aptly titled “From economy of occupation to economy of genocide,” Albanese’s report highlights how the very fabric of the global economy has intertwined with the devastation faced by Palestinians, particularly in the face of the ongoing conflict. “In the past 21 months, while Israel’s genocide has devastated Palestinian lives and landscapes, the Tel Aviv stock exchange soared by 213%, amassing $225.7 billion in market gains—including $67.8bn in the past month alone. For some, genocide is profitable,” Albanese…

Minister unveils plans of credible, investable projects designed to revitalise key sectors in SA Petrochemical giant Sasol is engaging with a team from the European Union (EU) to explore the production of clean aviation fuel in a bid to address impending trade challenges posed by Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) taxes on South African exports. Minister for Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, highlighted this strategic collaboration during his Budget Vote on Friday, emphasising the government's proactive approach to mitigate the potential impact of CBAM. CBAM has raised concerns in many sectors, being perceived not only as an environmental mechanism but also as a barrier to trade. Tau stated that the South African government was actively negotiating with the EU, alongside garnering support at global platforms such as the World…

In a continent too often defined by its dependence on imported solutions, a significant shift is taking place as a result of South Africa’s Biovac signing an agreement with India’s Biological E to manufacture a life-saving pneumonia vaccine for use across Africa. If successfully implemented, this partnership will not only save hundreds of thousands of lives and prevent millions of cases of disease but will mark a fundamental shift in how Africa protects its people: through its own science, its own laboratories, and its own processes. The agreement between the two pharmaceutical firms centres on the PCV14 vaccine, which protects against pneumococcal disease, a leading cause of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, sepsis and other illnesses that can be dangerous for children under five. The collaboration will see Biological E transfer the…

In 1994, South Africa emerged from apartheid with global goodwill, democratic legitimacy and the promise of shared prosperity. Yet three decades later, that promise remains unfulfilled. With an overall unemployment rate of 31.9% and youth unemployment at 59.6% (Q4 2024, Stats SA), the country faces a structural crisis that is eroding its economic base and social cohesion. This is not an isolated issue but a national reckoning that follows a pattern common to both collapsing companies and declining states. Jim Collins, in How the Mighty Fall, outlines five stages of institutional decline: hubris, undisciplined growth, denial of risk, superficial solutions and eventual stagnation. These stages offer a sobering framework for understanding South Africa’s current position. “Denial is the most dangerous stage of decline,” Collins warns, “because it blinds leaders to…