Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-08-25 i Star

South Africa is currently facing a concerning spike in meat prices, primarily attributed to the ongoing outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), according to agricultural associations monitoring the situation closely. The latest report from Statistics South Africa revealed a troubling rise in consumer food price inflation, which reached an 18-month high of 5.5% in July, up from 4.7% in June. Dewald Olivier, CEO of Red Meat Industry Services, noted that the recent increase in red meat prices has been largely influenced by the FMD outbreak, which has disrupted supply chains and prompted concerns over meat availability. As of July, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks had been reported across five provinces and 249 outbreaks of these remained unresolved while 21 had undergone resolution. “From an industry perspective, the main…

In the 1980s, ANC leaders in Lusaka envisioned a South Africa where economic justice would dismantle apartheid’s structural legacy. The 1985 Kabwe Conference called for radical redistribution to empower the black majority, denied ownership, skills and capital under apartheid. Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, introduced in 2003, was meant to fulfil this promise. Yet in 2025, the vision falters. White households still earn five times more than black households, and South Africa’s Gini coefficient stands at 0.63, among the highest in the world. Despite three decades of black-led governance, state institutions such as the Department of Trade,Industry and Competition, the National Empowerment Fund and the BBBEE Commission have failed to shift structural inequality in a meaningful way. Legacy white-owned companies exploit BBBEE’s opaque metrics to achieve Level 1 or 2 status…

The All Share index on the JSE once again recorded a record level high on Friday. The index closed on 102 274 points on Friday. This represents a weekly increase of 774 points, or 0.8%. The index is now up by 2.4% over the last month and 9.3% over the last quarter. Since the beginning of the year All Share index has gained 22.0%. The main reasons are the more positive global sentiment that better trade agreements between the US and most of the developed world countries are envisaged, a possibility that there will be an end of the Russia and Ukraine conflict, a stronger and stable Rand exchange rate, lower oil prices, lower interest rates and the ongoing surges in precious metal prices. The Gold prices had advanced by…

Grindrod’s share price shot up 12.2% on Friday after shareholders cheered a special half-year dividend and news that the group is one of 11 companies that have met the requirements to operate rail services on parts of South Africa’s state-owned railway network. Grindrod on Friday declared a special half-year dividend of 32.2 cents a share for the six months to June 30. This was in addition to the 23 cents a share ordinary interim dividend. The share price closed at R14.63 on Friday. The payout was despite global commodity headwinds, with sluggish prices in iron ore, lithium, graphite, and coal, as well as slightly lower volumes. The confirmation of Grindrod’s third-party status was also received Friday morning from Transnet. “This achievement marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s rail reform…

Gold Fields, the globally diversified gold producer, reported sharply higher profit of $1.03 billion in the six months to June 30, from $389 million at the same time a year before, after an improved operational performance was boosted by the higher gold price. The dividend for the group with nine operating mines in Australia, Chile, Ghana, Peru, Canada and South Africa was more than doubled to 700 SA cents per share from 300 SA cents a year before. Attributable profit came to $1.15 per share compared with $0.43 per share the previous year. Attributable gold produced came to 1 136,000 ounces for the six-month period compared with 918 000 the previous year at the same time. Managed gold produced came to 1 171 000 ounces versus 958 000 ounces. Gold…

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) will have to update and maintain the backlog list of cancer patients awaiting radiation oncology services in Gauteng and take all necessary steps to provide treatment to those patients, whether at public or private facilities. This is in spite of the GDoH turning to the Supreme Court of Appeal to appeal a judgment issued earlier, in terms of which it was ordered to come to the aid of these patients. While the pending appeal would ordinarily suspend the order, the Cancer Alliance, supported by Section27, turned to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, to ask that the order remain in force pending the outcome of the appeal. Judge Fiona Dippenaar, in ruling in favour of the Cancer Alliance, stressed that the backlog meant that patients…

Foreign companies’ stranglehold on fuel storage threatens sovereignty, while concerning empowerment schemes block genuine transformation. Five multinational oil companies wield such extraordinary power over South Africa’s fuel supply that they can override government foreign policy, refuse to service the military, and effectively hold the country's national security hostage while running elaborate fake empowerment schemes to maintain their 63-year stranglehold on the industry. Shell, BP, Engen, Total, and Astron Energy – known as “the majors” in industry circles – control the strategic fuel storage facilities that are the lifeblood of a nation consuming 27 billion litres annually, creating what industry insiders describe as the most dangerous concentration of economic power in post-apartheid South Africa. Their grip has become so absolute that South Africa’s military cannot guarantee fuel for its own operations.…

President Cyril Ramaphosa engaged in pivotal discussions with key European leaders on Saturday, focusing on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and efforts to broker peace. The discussions, initiated by the recent meetings convened by former US President Donald Trump with both President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, underscored South Africa’s commitment to fostering a resolution to the war. During a series of telephone calls, Ramaphosa spoke directly with his counterparts, including President Zelenskyy and President Emmanuel Macron of France. He has also been in touch with Finland’s former Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, to discuss a collaborative approach to the escalating situation. The Presidency said these conversations come on the heels of a briefing from President Putin, following his own recent discussions with President Trump, indicating…

In conjunction with the peace-loving people and nations worldwide, the South African Communist Party (SACP) expresses grave concern regarding the belligerent posture of the imperialist United States regime towards the state and people of Venezuela. The placing of United States warships in the Caribbean waters with the obvious intention to provoke Venezuela is an act of war. The United States government, under the command of Donald Trump, has once again initiated conditions for military intervention in Latin America in the service of its unending ambitions for territorial expansion and political domination of its neighbouring nations. The actions of the United States regime, through its military, to violate the sovereignty of Venezuela constitute a continuation of its official policy of political destabilisation and economic asphyxiation of the entire South American region,…

Cyril Ramaphosa speaks as if he is leading a liberation struggle, but governs like a manager of Western interests. On the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) stage he calls for de-dollarisation, multipolarity, and resistance to Western domination. At home, he keeps the banking system tied to United States (US) compliance rules, the rand pegged to the dollar’s movements, and our major corporations fully exposed to American jurisdiction. This talk-left, keep-right approach has delivered the inevitable: Washington has found its opening and is using it to maximum effect through the MTN Group Limited (MTN) grand jury probe. On August 18, the United States Department of Justice (DoJ), via a grand jury, launched an investigation into MTN over its past operations in Afghanistan and its 49% stake in Iranian…

Sipho Chaine once again proved he has a safe pair of hands, emerging as one of the heroes in Orlando Pirates’ march to the MTN8 final for the fourth time in a row on Saturday. Pirates beat rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 4-1 on penalties in the semi-final, after the tie finished 2-2 on aggregate over two legs. The second leg was played in Atteridgeville on Saturday, where Iqraam Rayners opened the scoring for Sundowns before Kamogelo Sebelebele found the equaliser. Sebelebele, who also scored in the 1-1 draw in the first leg, bagged his second goal of the tie and claimed the Player of the Match award. Chaine, however, had the final laugh. He saved Sundowns’ first two penalties out of three, while his teammates converted all four of theirs. This…

World No 1 Jannik Sinner begins the defence of his US Open crown on Monday as the Italian looks to extend his remarkable dominance on hardcourt Grand Slams. The 24-year-old opens against unseeded Czech Vit Kopriva, aiming to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend the title in New York. Federer’s victory 17-years ago capped a run of five straight championships, the last time a man managed to retain the crown at Flushing Meadows. Sinner, who has already added back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2024 and 2025 to his collection, has not lost a Grand Slam match on hard courts since being beaten by Alexander Zverev in the fourth round of the US Open two years ago. The Italian’s bid for successive titles, however, is…

Transnet has announced the formation of a leasing company to facilitate the refurbishment of its rolling stock, welcoming the entrance of 11 new private sector operators onto its rail network. This comes after Transport Minister Barbara Creecy on Friday announced that she has approved the selection of new train operating companies, a major milestone in South Africa’s rail reform programme. Michelle Phillips, CEO of Transnet, confirmed these developments over the weekend, illustrating a determined response to alleviate a significant shortfall of 90 million tons in freight capacity expected by the latter half of next year. The new train operating companies (TOCs) are poised for operation within a timeframe that varies from the second half of 2026 to as late as 2028, reflecting a broader ambition to ramp up freight rail…

As part of the global logistics and business community, I see every day how decisions made by G20 economies influence opportunity across sectors. These choices shape whether people, especially women can access credit, find decent work, and rely on social safety nets during challenges times. With South Africa chairing the G20 for the first time, we have an opportunity to turn aspirations around gender equality and inclusive growth into a sustained action. That said, the global picture shows how much work remains. Only 17% of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are currently on track to be achieved by 2030, and over a third show little or no progress. Goal 5, focused on gender equality, continues to face significant barriers. As economic pressures mount and governments navigate rising debt and…

The need for the national convention and a national dialogue is substantively a Socrates dilemma of democracy visiting South Africa. In this context the merchant politicians trade in the illiterate plebiscite as both currency and merchandise. This is a feature where people have been stripped of culture and geography and remain with economy that is represented by substantively consumptive rather than productive power. An economy is not one when it is stripped of culture and geography. This is the reality of the Black and Coloured people in South Africa, and there is little wonder that there is no economy of which they can talk. Their language is not an economic asset in public discourse and in advertising through the media. The invisibility of this substantial majority accounting for 90% of…

Adcock Ingram Holdings, which will be delisted following global group NATCO Pharma's acquisition of a 36.7% shareholding, rebounded strongly in the second half of its year to June 30, with headline earnings per share (HEPS) up by 36% compared with the first half. The South African pharmaceutical group’s revenue was up 1% to R9.76bn. Gross profit increased by 3% to R3.22bn. Operating profit was up 1% to R1.77bn. Full-year HEPS increased by 1% to 625.6 cents. A final dividend of 165 cents per share was declared, bringing the total up by 2% to 280 cents per share. “The group delivered an outstanding operational and financial improvement in the second half, underpinned by strong demand for its over-the-counter (OTC) and consumer healthcare products, supported by management's focus on customer service, brand…

A case before the Eastern Cape High Court, in which it had emerged that an attorney allegedly wrote a judgment on behalf of a magistrate to favour her clients, was described by a judge as “unprecedented in the annals of the judiciary in the country”. This followed an application by the SA Legal Practice Council, in which it asked the court that the name of attorney Zoleka Ponoane be struck from the roll of legal practitioners due to misconduct. The misconduct complained of occurred in the regional magistrate’s court at Sterkspruit, during 2012. Ponoane represented various plaintiffs in an action against the minister of police, based on alleged assaults, unlawful arrests and detentions by the police. The six plaintiffs were all represented by Ponoane as their attorney of record. After…

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party wants former Police Minister Bheki Cele to testify before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee probing claims by KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of corruption and criminal networks in SAPS and the judiciary. The Ad Hoc Committee was established earlier this year in response to Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations. He claimed that powerful criminal syndicates had infiltrated both the police and the judiciary. In response, Parliament set up the Ad Hoc Committee to probe the claims. Last week Friday, the committee unanimously adopted its terms of reference following extensive discussions and amendments by all political parties represented in the committee. In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, MK Party MP David Skosana said Cele must be called to appear before the committee because the problems within the police…

The Western Cape High Court has dismissed the application from advocacy group My Vote Counts (MVC), which sought to have the Political Party Funding Act declared unconstitutional. This takes place as ActionSA, which opposed the application, welcomed the court’s judgment, saying the application was “misguided”. The judgment, handed down last week Thursday, has prompted My Vote Counts to engage with its legal team to study the court’s decision. My Vote Counts initiated legal proceedings earlier this year, wanting the donation limitation and disclosure threshold declared unconstitutional on various grounds. The group contended that all donations should be made public to enhance transparency and accountability, and raised concerns regarding the lack of provisions to address cumulative donations from interconnected donors. In his judgment, Judge Nathan Erasmus determined that the challenge became…

I think the PA leader, Gayton McKenzie, is a populist and an attention seeker. McKenzie also likes drawing attention to himself. He behaves as if he’s the best thing that has ever happened to South Africa. Shame! As the minister of sports, arts and culture, part of his role is to promote social cohesion. This is important because of South Africa’s undesirable past, which includes many years of racial discrimination. Unfortunately, the nation is struggling to cohere. Instead of promoting social cohesion, McKenzie portrays Coloureds as victims. He also presents himself as the Coloureds leader and Messiah. As a result, he draws his support from this nationality. The following question needs to be asked: Is McKenzie the right person to lead the sport, arts and culture department? The answer is…

I wonder how many rich countries in the world have a student funding system that operates in the same fashion as our own NSFAS does, where everyone who starts schooling every year is assured of proceeding to tertiary education and given as many years as possible to stay at university or TVET college, no matter how bad their academic performance might be Where they are funded by the state until they end up dropping out of the education system on their own volition, as they give up ever succeeding in their quest for education. Many choose courses which they believe are easy to pass, only to find they are more challenging than they assumed; but those are the faculties with high enrollment figures and few employment opportunities, resulting in many…

The Proteas may have left Australia with their fifth straight ODI series triumph over their arch-rivals, but the road ahead to the 2027 World Cup remains a long one. The record-breaking 276-run defeat in the final match of the tour in Mackay on Sunday illustrated just how vulnerable the side remains. While it hardly diminished the excellence of their earlier play, which yielded comprehensive wins in the first two matches, the weaknesses in particular the seam bowling depth cannot be disguised. The Proteas were without Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger - both rested after their exertions on the first two-matches - and the injured Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. But so were Australia devoid of their first-choice World Cup-winning pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.…

Kwagga Smith doesn’t mind whether he starts or comes off the bench, as long as he plays for the Springboks, he’s content. The utility loose forward was thrust into the starting XV this past weekend against Australia in the Rugby Championship and played a defining role in the 30–22 victory. He scored a crucial try in the first half, giving the Boks a healthy lead at halftime. While he’s often made an impact off the bench for the world champions, injuries to Siya Kolisi, the suspension of Jasper Wiese, and Jean-Luc du Preez falling ill, saw Smith step up to wear the No 8 jersey in the second Test against the Wallabies. He put in a strong performance, and it will make him a contender to face the All Blacks…

The midweek round of the Betway Premiership brings Mzansi’s football fans to one of the most highly anticipated fixtures in the PSL, as Kaizer Chiefs prepare to host Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday. As the reigning champions take on their historic rivals, fans are bracing for what promises to be a thrilling encounter. With Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi expected to return to the sidelines, Chiefs supporters are eager to see how his strategies may differ from those employed by his assistant, Khalil Ben Youssef, who has led the team to a flawless start this season. Holding onto a perfect three-in-three record in the Premiership, Chiefs have not only won all their matches so far but have also kept clean sheets, a feat that will surely boost their…

Finance Minister says MTBPS will be tabled on November 12, to set expenditure framework Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has warned that the rising levels of unemployment and muted economic growth in South Africa were posing challenges to the fiscus ahead of November's Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS). This comes as the official unemployment rate in South Africa rose to its highest in one year from 32.9% in the first quarter to 33.2% in the second quarter as the jobless population surged by 140 000 in the three months to June, resulting in a total of 8.4 million individuals seeking work. Godongwana on Friday announced that the MTBPS will be tabled on 12 November, setting the agenda for the three-year medium-term expenditure framework after protracted efforts to table the National Budget…

Unathi Kamlana, Commissioner of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), has called for a renewed commitment to market integrity as South Africa grapples with significant economic challenges. Speaking at the opening of the South African Institute of Financial Markets Summit on Friday, Kamlana said that market integrity was crucial during the challenging global economic times that South Africa is facing. Kamlana underscored that the current global economic climate remains fraught with uncertainty, capturing the complex interplay of trade relations and geopolitical tensions. “The IMF’s latest economic outlook report, published in July, describes a world where growth is still positive, but uneven and subject to significant downside risks. Geopolitical tensions are elevated, and trade frictions are beginning to reshape the way economies relate to each other.” While new United States tariffs…

The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) recently held a conference with its sister union from the United States, the Screen Actors’ Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA); and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the National Union of Metal Workers to chart a path to ensure that South African actors and performers, like all other workers, can enjoy the full protection of our labour laws. SAGA has been relentless in championing the rights of these vulnerable workers and shining an important spotlight on a sector whose dark side all too often goes unreported. The film industry is a major source of domestic and international investment, something our economy struggling with 1% annual growth for the past decade plus desperately needs. It’s a chance to…

Bitcoin, once the unruly child of finance, is showing signs of maturity as its wild swings fade, forcing speculative traders to hunt for a new playground. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency is behaving more like a blue-chip stock as Wall Street’s buy-and-hold investors plunge in. Annualized volatility has dropped to a once-unthinkable 38% from close to 200% more than a decade ago. It is now comparable to the likes of Starbucks Corp. or Goldman Sachs Group Inc., according to Bytetree Asset Management. Investors chasing price swings are instead turning to rival Ethereum, the second-largest virtual currency. On several trading days this month, Ether exchange-traded fund volumes have matched or surpassed their Bitcoin counterparts on the heels of a corporate-buying frenzy. BlackRock’s Ether ETF launched only in April, already accounts for $5.5…

South Africa’s women continue to live under the shadow of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide at levels likened to war zones, despite government promises and community interventions aimed at tackling the crisis. According to the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), 51% of women in the country have experienced GBV, while 76% of men admit to perpetrating violence against women. The country holds the third-highest rape statistics globally, after Botswana and Lesotho. “South Africa remains a society profoundly marked by violence and continues to grapple with the enduring effects of decades of institutionalised racism, sexism, exclusion, structural violence, and other factors that have persistently undermined human development and positive social cohesion,” said a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) report. For many women, these statistics are not numbers…

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has welcomed the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) decision to reappoint 353 former detectives on a one-year contract, saying the move will help ease the mounting pressure on the overstretched investigative unit. “This urgent measure comes at a time when the SAPS is facing a critical shortage of detectives, which has severely impacted the investigation and resolution of criminal cases across the country,” POPCRU said. The union said that detectives across South Africa are buckling under extreme caseloads, with each officer often managing between 200 and 300 dockets. In some provinces, detectives are handling up to 500 dockets each. POPCRU said this situation is both unsustainable and detrimental to the effective administration of justice, adding that the 1.9 million case backlog is…

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Council for Medical Scheme (CMS) is seeking legal opinion on appropriate actions to take following the investigation into systematic discrimination against black healthcare providers by medical schemes. Motsoaledi was responding to parliamentary questions posed by ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape, who wanted to know the measures he intended to implement to hold medical schemes accountable for the racial discrimination that was uncovered by the Independent Section 59 Panel. Letlape also asked whether the department has engaged or consulted with the CMS to ensure that sanctions were imposed on medical schemes found to have engaged in discriminatory practices. In his response, Motsoaledi said CMS was in the process of procuring a firm of attorneys to develop a comprehensive legal opinion to advise it on appropriate actions…

After sold-out tours across the USA and Canada earlier this year, the international smash-hit tribute show TINA: The Ultimate Tribute to the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll returns to Johannesburg for a limited three-night run on the Mandela Stage at the Joburg Theatre, from 29 to 31 August 2025 – just in time to celebrate Women’s Month. This spectacular tribute honours the life, music, and legacy of the incomparable Tina Turner – a global symbol of strength, resilience, and female empowerment. What better way to close out Women’s Month than with a show that celebrates one of the most powerful female icons in music history? The role of Tina is brought to life by the phenomenal Caroline Borole, known for her performances on South African Idols and her critically acclaimed…

United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Bantu Holomisa, lost his temper during a live broadcast on Gagasi FM, clashing with both a listener and host Alex Mthiyane in a fiery exchange that left listeners stunned. The confrontation began after a caller phoned in to express frustration with Holomisa’s attitude, accusing him of arrogance. “I’m noticing that the general is arrogant,” said the caller. “The whole purpose of inviting him was so he could answer questions we have as citizens. There was a previous caller, and the general responded by saying the person was speaking in his own language and questioned whether he had been taught respect in his language. For me, that is discrimination,” said the caller. Holomisa fired back, saying: “This is…

The Democratic Alliance is again calling on Premier Panyaza Lesufi to fire Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko following the urgent judgment by the Gauteng High Court to enforce their earlier ruling on the treatment of cancer patients. In a judgment in the matter of Cancer Alliance v MEC for Health, Gauteng and 10 Others, Judge Dippenaar noted the ‘‘dire consequences’’ of the backlog of cancer patients requiring urgent radiation treatment. This included ‘‘irreversible and permanent harm’’ as some patients had died while waiting for treatment, and the cancer had spread in other patients, making them ineligible for radiation treatment. The Gauteng Health Department has appealed the Court ruling on 27 March this year, which found their failure to provide cancer treatment was unlawful and unconstitutional. They were ordered to update…

On August 16, 2012, 34 miners were gunned down by the bullets of the South African police while demanding nothing more than a living wage. Ten others had already been slain earlier that week under the same shadow, bringing the death toll to 44. History has since named this tragedy the Marikana Massacre, a wound reopened each year on its anniversary. For the victims and their families, little has changed to transform their lives or the fate of the broader community. Despite the mineral wealth beneath their feet, poverty still greets visitors as they enter Marikana. Residents speak of unchecked criminality, families struggle with basic needs such as healthcare, food, shelter, and a sense of neglect lingers. The town’s economic lifeblood is mining, a sector that predominantly employs men, leaving…

The Springboks won’t forget their mishap at Ellis Park any time soon, but Saturday’s victory in the second Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Cape Town will serve as a massive panacea for that wound as they shift focus to New Zealand. Another positive for the Boks was Argentina’s gritty win over the All Blacks, which has blown the tournament wide open, with all four Southern Hemisphere teams now sitting on one win and one loss. The world champions, however, will head into their double Tests against the Kiwis with some winning momentum, following the 30–22 victory at DHL Stadium. South Africa will face New Zealand in Auckland (6 September) and Wellington (13 September). Those two games could determine whether the Boks defend their Rugby Championship title. As attention…

The Springbok Women’s team are up and running at the World Cup and looking red hot after routing Brazil 66-6 at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton. While the weakness of the opposition must be taken into account — Brazil are ranked 24th in the world, 12 places below the South Africans — the Bok Women stuck to their structures and ticked most of the boxes coach Swys de Bruin would have listed. Apart from a flat patch in the middle of the first half, the Boks were impressive. The Brazilians never gave up and tackled like terriers, making this an ideal opening game for South Africa as they had a valuable workout in match conditions. De Bruin will be pleased to have their first match out of the way, and attention…

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says his side is yet to operate like a well-oiled machine this season, adding that fatigue is taking a toll on his players. Sundowns have been the dominant force in South African football, winning eight league titles in a row, but they have faltered in cup competitions, enduring a four-year drought. Rivals Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, have been soaring, claiming five trophies during that period — three MTN8 titles and one Nedbank Cup. Pirates lived up to their ‘Cup Kings’ tag once again as they recently reached a fourth successive MTN8 final at the expense of Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium. The Buccaneers triumphed 4-1 on penalties after the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate over two legs. Sundowns started brightly at home, with Iqraam Rayners putting…