Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-07-23 i Star

FlySafair has refuted claims suggesting that it has refused to engage with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), asserting that it has actively participated in all required discussions throughout the process. This comes as FlySafair experienced operational disruptions on Monday as it was forced to cancel 26 flights following the lockout of around 200 pilots who have embarked on industrial action. The pilots are demanding a 10.5% baseline increase alongside adjustments to flight pay and bonuses for the next financial year, and then 4.5% and 4% respectively for the two years thereafter. They rejected the proposed 5.7% salary increase by FlySafair. Trade union Solidarity had accused FlySafair of refusing to accept the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to mediate the dispute in terms of section 150…

A year on from its nadir, London’s office market recovery is gathering steam as a lack of new development and a rebound in demand for space begins to chip away at a vacancy rate that peaked at its highest this century. Prices were up 6% at the end of June from a year earlier, according to an index of transactions compiled by real estate data provider CoStar Group. The recovery began in the second half of last year as vacancy rates finally topped out at almost 11% after more than four years of virtually uninterrupted increases since the onset of the pandemic, CoStar’s data show. “Office prices are continuing to appreciate amid improved investor sentiment toward the sector and strengthening occupier demand,” said Mark Stansfield, senior director of market analytics…

Mining sector employment into the first quarter of this year has broadly followed the same downward trends as last year, where there were job losses among platinum group metals (PGM), diamond, and iron ore mining companies. This was according to the Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA), the data from which showed there were 9 493 job losses in the PGM sector last year, 1 286 job losses in iron ore, while diamond mining employment was down by 1 047. The MCSA’s 70 members represent 90% of South African mineral production by value. By the end of 2024, there were 468 898 employees in the mining sector. These three mining sectors measured by the MCSA with job losses were also those that were most affected by lower commodity prices last year,…

Sasol’s Secunda Operation (SO) and its oil refinery business Natref had unplanned disruptions that impacted fourth-quarter production, and volumes fell below guidance. The fuels-from-coal and chemicals group said in a production and sales report for the year to June 30 that Natref, one of only two crude oil refineries still operating in South Africa, saw a stronger performance in the fourth quarter, with production recovering after a fire incident in the previous quarter; however, it was then hit by an unplanned Eskom power outage. A decision in the third quarter to reduce the group’s own production of coal and supplement it with higher-quality purchased coal saw SO’s gasifier performance enhanced in the fourth quarter of the 2025 financial year. Liquid fuels sales increased, supported by higher production and purchases. “We…expect…

The global outlook for agriculture and mining remains fundamentally strong, with rising global populations and urbanisation driving the demand for food, technology, and basic materials, said Omnia Holdings CEO Seelan Gobalsamy. This is in spite of a global macroeconomic environment that is likely to remain challenging, and a subdued economic growth outlook for South Africa. Globally, geopolitical tensions, conflicts, and trade disruptions could continue to impact energy and commodity markets, and increasing trade tariffs may affect international trade flows and economic stability, he said in the group’s annual report released on Tuesday. JSE-listed Omnia is a global, diversified chemicals group supplying chemicals and specialised services and solutions that are mainly manufactured in Sasolburg, to the agriculture, mining, and chemicals application industries in 23 countries. The group is well positioned to…

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has called on City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Transport, Kenny Kunene to resign, after reports that he was found at the home of alleged mastermind of DJ Sumbody’s murder, Katiso “KT” Molefe. Kunene has confirmed that he was at Molefe’s house when police arrived to arrest the Sandton businessman, Molefe, at his home in the plush neighbourhood on Monday. News24 reported that Kunene was questioned by police on what he was doing at the scene, and he reportedly insisted that he had accompanied a certain journalist from his media company. Yesterday, IOL repeatedly tried to reach Kunene, who did not answer his phone. One of his staff members told IOL that they were not ready to respond to the allegations. However, DA Johannesburg caucus…

Detectives in Gauteng have made a breakthrough in the murder case of Mpho Mafole, the group divisional head for corporate and forensic audits at the City of Ekurhuleni. IOL previously reported that Mafole, 47, was found in a pool of blood after his vehicle was sprayed with bullets on the R23 in Kempton Park on June 30. At the time, sources insisted Mafole’s death was a hit, linked to his investigation into a massive R2 billion electricity scandal he was close to uncovering. Yesterday, Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said a 40-year-old man has been arrested by the provincial serious and violent crime detectives. “On (Sunday) 20 July, the team arrested a 40-year-old man who is expected to appear before Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on 23 July,” she…

The Gauteng Department of Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has hailed the digitisation of more than 800 000 patient files at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) in Soweto. Yesterday, the department hosted a media breakfast to reflect on the digitisation of these records at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, with plans to extend the process to other key healthcare facilities. Nkomo-Ralehoko underscored the transformative nature of the project, which replaces traditional paper-based medical records with a secure, efficient, and accessible digital filing system. ‘‘This improves service delivery, strengthens data security, and ensures compliance with privacy standards. Beyond technology, the initiative has empowered 100 young people from local communities through skills development and employment, driving economic inclusion and ownership. These individuals will now become team leaders as the project is…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andrew Chauke, with immediate effect, following claims that threaten the credibility of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and his questionable conduct in office. The presidency’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya confirmed this in a statement on Monday evening that he would be on suspension pending an inquiry into Chauke’s fitness to hold office. Magwenya said Ramaphosa had asked Chauke to provide reasons why he should not be suspended but the president decided suspension was the correct action pending an inquiry. “Ramaphosa has informed Advocate Chauke of his decision in writing and indicated that the President and the public would benefit from an independent assessment of issues that require elucidation and on which there are disputes of fact. “The President believes…

The Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has filed a no-confidence motion against President Cyril Ramaphosa citing a myriad of pressing concerns ranging from soaring crime rates to poor economic management and failures in national security. In a letter to the National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, the party also claims that Ramaphosa’s leadership has eroded public trust and allowed the country to unravel. The application was submitted last week Friday afternoon, following troubling allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi concerning political interference in law enforcement. In light of Mkhwanazi’s shocking allegations, the party opposes President Ramaphosa’s choice to retain Police Minister Senzo Mchunu rather than dismissing him. Instead, Mchunu has been placed on leave while a judicial commission of inquiry is set up. As a result, the party has…

The current media debate around Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) has brought fresh attention to the policy’s impact on the economy – raising important questions about its effectiveness, costs and outcomes. As this conversation grows louder, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of the arguments being made. This article engages critically with aspects of the debate, not to dismiss concerns, but to consider them alongside broader economic realities, the policy’s longer-term contributions and the context in which B-BBEE was designed to operate. An example from the debate is a recent study released by Solidarity and the Free Market Foundation (FMF), which arguably overlooks certain key economic implications of B-BBEE. Titled The Costs of B-BBEE Compliance, the report estimates that B-BBEE may reduce South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP)…

All year, the Kiwis have had an upper hand over the Proteas in white-ball cricket, and yesterday, the Black Caps further extended their dominance over South Africa with a comfortable seven-wicket victory in Harare. Right from the start of the year, when South Africa travelled to Pakistan for a Tri-Series against the hosts and New Zealand in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy, the Black Caps were dominant over the Proteas, beating them comfortably in the Tri-Series before going on to thrash them in the semi-final stage of the Champions Trophy. In Zimbabwe, a couple months after the Champions Trophy, New Zealand have beaten South Africa twice, securing a 21-run victory last week and a seven-wicket victory on Tuesday. Proteas opening batter Reeza Hendricks (41) and spinner Senuran Muthusamy (2/24)…

South African conglomerate Pamodzi Capital is finally set to get its day in court over a case of alleged fraud involving its former CFO and third parties, who allegedly defrauded the company of R50 million. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company confirmed that the matter has been set down for hearing at the Palm Ridge Commercial Crimes Court this Thursday and Friday. The hearing comes after what Pamodzi describes as “endless delays” that have plagued the case since 2021. Pamodzi, originally founded in 1979, grew into one of South Africa’s most prominent black-owned private equity firms. However, it has not been without financial difficulties, which affected it around 2008 when its now-defunct gold subsidiary was placed under provisional liquidation due to chronic instability and its inability to pay…

Renewables have maintained their cost leadership in global power markets, a new report Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024 released on Tuesday by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) found. Renewables maintained their price advantage over fossil fuels, with cost declines driven by technological innovation, competitive supply chains, and economies of scale, the report said. In 2024, solar photovoltaics (PV) were, on average, 41% cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternatives, while onshore wind projects were 53% cheaper. Onshore wind remained the most affordable source of new renewable electricity at $0.034/kWh, followed by solar PV at $0.043/kWh. The addition of 582 gigawatts of renewable capacity in 2024 led to significant cost savings, avoiding fossil fuel use valued at about $57 billion (R1 trillion). Notably, 91% of new renewable power projects…

Poised at a critical crossroad, South Africa finds the complexities of its just transition encompassing both profound challenges and significant opportunities – illuminated by the recent G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting and Minister Parks Tau’s budget speech for the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition. These two events offer a glimpse of how the country could leverage its leadership position internationally and domestically to drive a sustainable, equitable and transformative economic shift. As South Africa approaches the G20 Summit in November 2025, the G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting held in Durban last week demonstrated the country’s standing in building unity and the influencing global financial ecosystem. The meeting culminated in the issuing of a communiqué consented to by all members that centres on strategic…

Hackers exploited a security flaw in common Microsoft software to breach governments, businesses and other organisations across the globe and steal sensitive information, according to officials and cybersecurity researchers. Microsoft over the weekend released a patch for the vulnerability in servers of the SharePoint document management software. The company said it was still working to roll out other fixes after warnings that hackers were targeting SharePoint clients, using the flaw to enter file systems and execute code. Multiple different hackers are launching attacks through the Microsoft vulnerability, according to representatives of two cybersecurity firms, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. and Google’s Mandiant Consulting. Hackers have already used the flaw to break into the systems of national governments in Europe and the Middle East, according to a person familiar with the matter.…

In Hollywood, celebrity breakups often come wrapped in public statements, polite words and carefully curated social media posts. But sometimes, the real story is darker and heartbreakingly human. This week, actor and reality TV star Denise Richards, 53, stepped into the spotlight to reveal shocking allegations of domestic abuse against her estranged husband, Aaron Phypers, 52. According to court documents filed last Wednesday and reported by People, Richards has been granted a temporary restraining order after accusing Phypers of a pattern of physical and verbal abuse. The details, raw and unsettling, pull back the curtain on a relationship once painted as glamorous and supportive. “Aaron would frequently violently choke me, violently squeeze my head with both hands, tightly squeeze my arms, violently slap me in my face and head, aggressively…

In his debut novel The Customs Man, former customs official Zain Aboobaker offers an unflinching dive into the hidden world of smuggling, corruption and the deeply personal cost of doing the right thing in a compromised system. Set in modern-day South Africa, the story is as much a crime thriller as it is a commentary on the state of the nation – a place where justice is fragile, morality is tested and the boundaries between law enforcement and lawbreaking are often indistinguishable. At the heart of the story is a dedicated customs officer whose moral compass is tested when he becomes entangled in a web of organised crime, internal betrayal and administrative corruption. As he navigates a dangerous professional landscape, he is forced to choose between upholding the law and…

President Cyril Ramaphosa was compelled to yield to the DA’s pressure to dismiss Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane to secure the Appropriation Bill’s passage today. Ramaphosa’s move comes ahead of the National Assembly’s vote on the Appropriation Bill, which allocates funding to each national department. The DA had threatened to withhold support for Nkabane’s departmental budget following allegations of misconduct and misleading Parliament regarding appointments to Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) boards. Following Nkabane’s dismissal, the DA’s spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, confirmed yesterday that they would vote with the ANC in every department, paving the way for the Appropriation Bill to pass without major challenges. The ANC, as well as ministers in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, have found temporary relief after Nkabane’s axing. This follows…

Johannesburg Water has announced a series of planned maintenance works that will cause water supply disruptions in various parts of the city next week. The outages are expected to last up to twelve hours in some areas, affecting thousands of households and businesses. The first interruption will take place on Wednesday, 23 July, in Region D, specifically in Bramfischerville Phase 4. Water supply will be affected from 8 in the morning until 5:30 in the evening. Johannesburg Water explained that the outage is needed to accommodate road upgrades being carried out by the Johannesburg Road Agency. This includes the conversion of open drains to underground drainage systems. Residents in Bramfischerville Phase 4 should expect either very low water pressure or no water supply during this time. Following this, residents in…

As hundreds bemoan the FlySafair strike, Solidarity has released a statement expressing the real reason why pilots have downed their tools – and it’s not just about the money. While pilots overseas can earn up to R3 million plus housing and extras, earlier reports indicate that FlySafair pilots requested a raise. FlySafair responded stating that their Captains earn between R1.8 and R2.3m annually, which, according to them, places the pilots within the top 1% of earners in South Africa. With regards to workload woes, FlySafair noted that its Captains spent an average of 63 hours last month in the cockpit flying passengers. It added that this is “well within regulatory limits set by the Civil Aviation Authority, IATA, and ICAO”, which cap flight duty at 100 hours per month. While…

The City of Joburg must conduct a new valuation of Sandton City following the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg which set aside its determination of the country’s fourth biggest shopping mall’s more than R10.1 billion market value. Sandton City, which is owned by the Liberty Group and property investment company Pareto Limited, successfully challenged the municipality’s valuation of the five plots of land of the nearly 137 000-square metre Sandton City, which includes a shopping centre, office blocks and a hotel. The owners of the mall objected to its valuation by the City of Joburg’s municipal valuer Piet El​off, who dismissed their objection and the Valuation Appeal Board also dismissed the appeal. In terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA), the board is empowered to hear and decide appeals…

City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, has lashed out at Joburg residents who are beneficiaries of Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and social housing, to protect and care for their properties. Mabaso criticised South Africans who refuse to pay for government services and those who damage and disrupt infrastructure during a site handover ceremony at the Riverside View Social Housing project, located north of Johannesburg near Fourways. “We have thousands of our people who want to be accommodated. If we can’t collect rent and services, we cannot build new spaces. Everyone needs to be accommodated, and I do not agree with the notion that we should only focus on the RDP social housing programme. We need various housing solutions to cater to…

The Digital Law Co (DLC) has achieved a landmark moment in the fight to protect South African children from digital harm by securing an order in which the technical giant agreed to cooperate in the fight against child porn on its sites. Over the past two weeks, Emma Sadleir and her team fought a fierce legal battle against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and WhatsApp, in a bid to have disturbing posts of children removed from public sites. In the latest turn of events, DLC has secured a consent order, issued in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, in which Meta has agreed to work closely with DLC. This case arose in response to the widespread circulation of sexually exploitative material involving South African schoolchildren on Meta-owned platforms. Meta had…

We fully agree with Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa”s clear and succinct statement to a television station: the cost of electricity in South Africa is “unsustainable” and is forcing many households into energy poverty. He elaborated further, explaining that the government was revising electricity tariffs. “It”s unaffordable,” Ramokgopa added. He summed up the situation by saying many poor people would rather buy bread than purchase electricity units. This is a sad reality faced by millions of South Africans every day. When those with a regular income complain about the cost of electricity, it is evident that the situation has spiralled out of control. We will not discuss the costs involved – the bottom line is that it is expensive. Before 2007, when Alec Erwin made his public declaration about…

The Springboks’ dominance in world rugby currently owes much to their formidable pack of forwards, and they are arguably the most dominant in Test rugby at present. Following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, South Africa’s forward depth remains a key weapon of their success. While a handful of senior players and second stringers were absent during the mid-year Tests due to injuries and Steven Kitshoff retiring, others stepped up to the plate to stake a claim ahead of the Rugby Championship. We take a look at the depth in the forwards. Eighth man This is probably the position that the Springboks are ‘concerned’ with the most. While they have players that can fill the gap at any given time, they haven’t, over the four matches that started the season, found…

Maluleke says malpractice observed in Joburg is part of a broader trend across major municipalities The Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has drawn attention to the alarming reality of irregular expenditure within the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), revealing that the municipality was leading the nation in this regard with contracts exceeding R1 billion awarded to contractors with connections to officials. In a webinar hosted by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) Conversations, Maluleke pointed out that the malpractice observed in Johannesburg is not an isolated issue, but part of a broader trend seen across major municipalities in South Africa. However, she said a concerning aspect of this issue related to existing National Treasury regulations that allow municipalities to pay start-ups in advance for transactions not exceeding R2 000. She highlighted that…

The National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa) on Tuesday upped its anti against Employment Equity sectoral numerical quotas and wrote an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth. This comes hot on the heels of Neasa and Sakekuga earlier this month lodging an urgent legal challenge against the employment equity quotas and accompanying administrative regulations. Neasa said although this challenge deals with both procedural and substantive defects relating to the new numerical sectoral quotas, another major obstacle, which has been amplified by the new quotas, stands in the way of employers even contemplating complying with these regulations. It stated that the Employment Equity regulations and the unconstitutional obligation placed upon employers to classify employees by their race and disability is ethically…

Solar and battery systems have got so cheap that many private individuals, farmers and companies are waking up to the fact that in many locations in South Africa it is now less expensive to be off the electrical grid than to be on it. This has been driven by two key factors: First is the rapidly rising cost of electricity supplied by Eskom and municipalities in South Africa, where tariffs have increased above inflation every year for the last 17 years. The second has been the rapidly declining cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and lithium batteries over the same period of time, with manufacturing volume of such growing exponentially each year, always exceeding even the most optimistic projections. Until recently installing solar and battery systems was done to save…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, has announced that Gita Gopinath, the current First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD), will be leaving the organisation at the end of August. After more than four years at the IMF, where she served as chief economist before her promotion to FDMD in January 2022, Gopinath is set to return to her academic roots as the inaugural Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Georgieva said Gopinath has been an outstanding colleague—an exceptional intellectual leader, dedicated to the mission and members of the Fund, and a fabulous manager, always showing genuine care for the professional standing and wellbeing of the IMF staff. "She came to the Fund as a highly respected academic in macroeconomics and international finance," Georgieva said.…

Samthing Soweto has opened up about the creation of his latest work, Touch Is a Move: Good Morning, and working with Sicelo on Ndandatho. Mdolomba’s sophomore album, Touch Is a Move: Good Morning, is a 17-track masterful blend of storytelling and music that takes listeners to the vibrant streets of Soweto in the 1990s through young Mdolomba’s point of view. The storytelling begins with the album art, featuring the Deda singer on the floor of his childhood home, where his family gathered for a prayer to wrap up the night. The album kicks off like a typical day in Soweto, narrated by a young Mdolomba and his brother, Bhut’Lungisa. The pair play a crucial role in capturing the energetic morning vibes, slowly transitioning into the reflective moments of the evening…

ActionSA has thrown down the gauntlet to the City of Joburg and all Gauteng municipalities, after the Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, suspended the controversial fixed electricity surcharge. Calling the Ekurhuleni decision a wake-up call to municipalities, the party’s Gauteng Chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, said: “It is no longer acceptable to balance municipal budgets by squeezing the most vulnerable residents while protecting bloated expenditure and inefficiencies in city administrations.” This comes in the wake of public outrage and violent protests in Tembisa, where police resorted to firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds. The unrest was sparked by the City of Ekurhuleni’s implementation of new electricity tariffs, which came into effect on July 1 for the 2025/26 financial year. ActionSA said the latest development reaffirms its long-standing position that the electricity…

A case that has gripped South Africa for years, Judge Irma Schoeman has dismissed the National Prosecuting Authority’s attempt to seek clarification regarding her earlier ruling that acquitted Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso and two of his co-accused. The court’s recent decision marks another dramatic chapter in a legal battle that has garnered national attention and sparked public debate over justice, procedure, and the rights of the accused. Earlier this year, Judge Schoeman handed down a ruling in the Eastern Cape High Court that effectively cleared Omotoso and his co-accused of charges including human trafficking and sexual assault. The April judgment stunned many observers, especially given the serious nature of the allegations. The prosecution, evidently dissatisfied with the outcome, had hoped to gain further insight into the court’s reasoning before proceeding…

The National Assembly of South Africa unanimously agreed to revive a motion aimed at investigating the statutory rape of young girls and reviewing existing laws, with specific consideration for amending them where necessary. The motion, which was first introduced by the EFF in August last year, was read out by ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli to revive the work started by some committees, but they could not conduct public hearings. Ntuli said the portfolio committees of Social Development, Basic Education, Health, Justice, and Police were mandated to receive submissions on the statutory rape of young girls, review legislation, and if necessary, recommend amendments to enforce mandatory reporting of statutory rape by teachers and nurses. The committees were mandated to report to the House by March 31, but the actual hearings…

The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development faces renewed scrutiny, accused of bias for spending over R5 million to prosecute a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who has been suspended with pay for more than a year. Meanwhile, a deputy director-general (DDG) facing more serious charges remains at work without suspension. The CFO, whose name is known to the publication, is undergoing a disciplinary process for insubordination, dereliction of duty, and absenteeism. Meanwhile, the DDG, whose name is known to the publication, remains at work despite facing more severe charges. These charges include gross misconduct, maladministration, and financial misconduct related to the controversial Mayibuye Primary School project in Tembisa. The project had been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and corruption allegations. According to a leaked charge sheet, the DDG is accused…

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Velenkosini Hlabisa says the upcoming National Dialogue must not be a costly talk shop, but rather a serious, inclusive, and solution-driven process to address South Africa’s long-standing social, political, and economic challenges. Speaking in his capacity as part of the cabinet preparatory team for the Dialogue, Hlabisa expressed concern over the excessive budget allocated for the process and called for a comprehensive review of its costs. The IFP views the National Dialogue, set to take place on August 15, as a continuation of the CODESA talks that ushered in political freedom in 1994 but left many key issues unresolved. “We are opposed to the excessive cost in relation to the National Dialogue,” said Hlabisa. “It must not be done at an exorbitant price.” He…

A routine MRI scan turned fatal for 61-year-old Keith McAllister, who died after being pulled into a magnetic imaging machine while wearing a 9kg metal neck chain. The freak incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI in Long Island, New York, while his wife was undergoing a knee scan. According to a GoFundMe post created by McAllister’s stepdaughter, Samantha Bodden, the tragedy unfolded when an MRI technician asked McAllister to help his wife off the imaging table, but allegedly failed to instruct him to remove the chain. As he stepped into the MRI room, the powerful magnetic field yanked him towards the machine, leaving him pinned for close to an hour. Despite desperate attempts by the technician and McAllister’s wife to free him, they were unsuccessful. Emergency services were called, but…

Earlier this month, more than 3 600 scientists, activists, policymakers, and journalists gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, for the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science. It was the first time this major global event took place in an African city outside South Africa, marking a powerful recognition of the continent’s critical role in the global HIV response. The conference came on the heels of deeply concerning news: in January, the US government announced sharp cuts to funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a move that cast a long shadow over the global fight against HIV, particularly in Africa. The numbers are staggering: of the 40.8 million people living with HIV globally, over 26 million (65%) are in Africa. And more than half of all…

For the first time since joining Red Bull as a teenager a decade ago, Max Verstappen will compete in a Formula 1 race without his former boss Christian Horner in his corner. The paddock unfolds this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, considered to be one of the sport’s greatest circuits and a home race for Verstappen in Belgium. But it’s going to include some uncomfortable feelings at first, or maybe even a few races after this week, as the World Champion acquaints himself with his new boss Laurent Mekies. Horner was sacked earlier this month as the team struggled to reel themselves back from a slide that saw them go from the most dominant team in 2023 to bottom of the top four contenders this season. Mekies has an almost impossible task…

Mamelodi Sundowns will enter the 2025/26 Premiership season with their sights set on an unprecedented ninth consecutive league title. Their recent showing at the FIFA Club World Cup further highlighted the gulf in class between them and the rest of the domestic competition. While most teams have spent the off-season preparing for the upcoming campaign, the Brazilians had their schedule extended by international commitments. Their participation in the expanded Club World Cup saw them go toe-to-toe with some of the world’s elite, leaving them with limited time to rest before turning their focus back to local matters.That short turnaround could be a blessing in disguise. For a squad used to juggling multiple competitions throughout the season, a brief break may be just enough to recharge without losing sharpness. It…