Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-12-12 i Star

Isabel Fick has resigned as general manager of the System Operator at Eskom and joined Africa GreenCo, a licensed renewable energy buyer and trader operating in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia. Africa GreenCo on Wednesday announced that Fick, a seasoned system operations specialist, will join the company in 2026 as group head of trading and operations, following the completion of her responsibilities at Eskom and the newly established National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA). GreenCo said Fick will only assume her new role once her duties at Eskom and NTCSA are fully concluded, ensuring continuity during what it described as a critical period of transition for South Africa’s electricity sector. Fick, who has spent her career at the centre of South Africa’s power system…

South Africa’s key productive sectors began the fourth quarter of 2025 on firmer ground, with both mining and manufacturing reporting growth in October as demand conditions continued to support output. However, analysts warn that underlying momentum remains fragile amid policy uncertainty, rising costs and weakening forward-looking indicators. Data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Thursday showed that mining production expanded by 5.8% year-on-year in October, accelerating from a revised 1.4% increase in September. This marks the sixth consecutive month of growth and the sector’s fastest annual performance since February 2024. Jean-Pierre Terblanche, principal service statistician at StatsSA, said the main positive contributors were iron ore, platinum group metals, manganese ore, and chromium ore. “Iron ore was the most significant positive contribution in October, expanding by 24.8%. Nickel, manganese ore,…

The crypto downturn has pushed a slew of Bitcoin miners to the brink of unprofitability, prompting operators to scale back the energy-hungry machines that keep the blockchain running. A closely watched measure of mining revenue known as the hash price recently touched a record low, according to Hashrate Index. The median cost to mine - including overhead investment and financial expenses - remains above that level, meaning that total expenses are greater than revenue for most of the publicly-traded miners they track, according to industry publication and data provider TheMinerMag. “As hash price falls, we have seen almost a 8% drop in network hashrate, this is a result of miners using firmware to underclock their machines to save power,” said Ethan Vera, chief operating officer at mining services provider Luxor…

After soaring for nearly two years, cocoa prices dropped sharply in 2025. However, chocolate, in demand ahead of the festive holiday season, has seen prices rise. Ivory Coast and Ghana are the world's biggest suppliers of pods - the fruit of the cocoa tree - from which cocoa beans are extracted to make chocolate. The two west African countries account for more than half of global production, with most of the remainder coming from Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Indonesia and Nigeria. The geographic concentration of plantations makes the cocoa market highly vulnerable to West Africa's weather patterns and tree diseases. Cultivation is meanwhile carried out by a very large number of independent smallholders. Cocoa harvests between 2021 and 2024 failed to meet demand, which sent prices soaring. "That was the result…

American actress Pamela Anderson has confirmed that her budding romance with Naked Gun co-star Liam Neeson has come to an end. We all saw how Anderson and Neeson could not keep their hands off of each other in July for the premiere of the comedic movie The Naked Gun. They sparked romance rumours for months, which they both kept denying, but the chemistry was enough to prove that they are more than an on-screen couple. However, the pair kept saying they just have chemistry as actors, nothing more. “And we discovered we had a lovely budding chemistry as two actors. It was like ‘Ooo, this is nice, let’s not mould this. Let’s just let it breathe.’ And that’s what we did,” Neeson shared during their segment on the Today Show.…

We are back this week with piping hot tea about all things celebrity. From new music, bittersweet endings, celebrations and shocking revelations, let’s dive into this week’s entertainment gossip: 1Christall Kay teases new music, sparks online reaction South African reality TV star Christall Kay teased her new Christmas track titled God Knows I Could Fall for You on social media. Kay said that the song is inspired by a love that feels powerful enough to bring someone to their knees and she encouraged listeners to open themselves to love this Christmas. The snippet of the song sparked quite a conversation on social media, with users having very mixed reactions. 2 Vuyokazi Nciweni opens up about her relationship with the Mseleku family The former Uthando Nes’thembu reality star recently took to…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has launched a search and seizure operation across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, targeting a syndicate allegedly responsible for defrauding the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) of more than R161 million through fraudulent Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) claims. The operation, which is backed by various specialised units of the South African Police Service (SAPS), including the National Intervention Unit (NIU), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, and the Tactical Response Team (TRT), is being executed at multiple locations across the two provinces. According to SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting that a well-organised syndicate orchestrated the submission of false TERS applications on behalf of individuals who were not employees of the applicant companies. “The substantial funds…

After nearly 20 years of navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child, Dorothy Pietersen has turned her story into a book aimed at inspiring and guiding other families. Her debut book, The Beauty in Being Different, was officially launched in Grassy Park, last month , with all proceeds going toward a foundation. Pietersen, a Mitchells Plain resident, established to support families of children with special needs and to invest in the community. The book chronicles her journey supporting her 24-year-old son, Jean Pietersen - born in 2001 and diagnosed on the autism spectrum - through school, higher education, and the ongoing struggle to find employment, highlighting both the hardships and the hope that have shaped their lives. Pietersen’s son attended Northwood Primary in Woodlands and later Spine Road High…

Global rugby icon and Springbok legend Bryan Habana has opened up about how he found out his father had been stealing money from him when he acted as his agent. Habana burst onto the scene with the Lions in 2003 and went on to have one of the most remarkable rugby careers in the history of the sport. Between 2004 and 2016, Habana played over 100 Tests for the Springboks, scoring 67 tries, the most by a Springbok. He was also a key member of the Springboks’ 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad. Today, he sits in second place on the list of top international try scorers, two behind Japanese great Daisuke Ohata. In the early years of his career, Habana was represented by his father Bernie, whom he credits for…

In a moment that has cemented global animal welfare, Indian billionaire and Anant Ambani has been awarded the prestigious Global Humanitarian Award by the Global Humane Society (GHS), making him the youngest recipient to receive this honour. The award, presented at an international event in Washington, DC, recognises Ambani’s groundbreaking work through Vantara, a massive wildlife conservation centre in India that has redefined rescue, rehabilitation, and species preservation on a global scale. Ambani, founder of Vantara, was lauded for his “visionary leadership” in establishing what GHS describes as “one of the most extraordinary commitments to animal welfare anywhere in the world”. The centre, which recently earned the rigorous Global Humane Certified distinction, integrates ex-situ care – providing support outside animals’ natural habitats – with in-situ protection efforts within native ecosystems.…

Siviwe Gwarube, the minister of basic education, confirmed yesterday that an employee of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is connected to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam paper leak. Gwarube said the leak involved seven exam papers, which were accessed by learners in seven schools in Pretoria ahead of the scheduled exams. In a media briefing yesterday, Gwarube detailed how the breach was detected and addressed through the department’s stringent security protocols. She emphasised that the incident, while concerning, was an isolated event and that the department’s robust systems had functioned as intended to identify and contain the breach. “Our system has worked exactly as it was designed to do: to detect, isolate, investigate, and address any manipulation of the NSC examinations,” Gwarube said. The breach was first flagged…

Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has stressed the importance of starting their AFCON campaign with a victory, saying that will set the tone for the rest of the tournament. Bafana will return to the continental showpiece — to be held in Morocco from December 21 to January 18 — as dark horses, having been on an upward trajectory that includes qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Hugo Broos’ men and the rest of the nation share the belief that they should improve on their third-place finish from the last edition in Ivory Coast and aim to go all the way in Morocco, they remain grounded and cautious. Bafana are planning to take it one game at a time, starting with their opening match against Angola on December…

Proteas Women captain Laura Wolvaardt revealed that a new-look playing XI will take the field in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Ireland Women. South Africa dominated the recently concluded T20I series, winning 2-0, after the third and final match was abandoned due to rain at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Wednesday evening. The squad will now switch focus to the ODIs, with the first of three matches set to start in East London tomorrow. The Proteas Women head into the ODI series high in confidence, having reached the final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Navi Mumbai last month. This three-match series will be the team’s first ODI assignment since falling short against India Women in the final. Captain Wolvaardt expressed excitement within the squad about playing…

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has been criticised for overstepping its mandate after the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg dismissed its application to supervise the Municipal Employees Pension Fund (MEPF) general meeting and election of trustees. The MEPF was due to hold its general meeting on Thursday, 11 December. The FSCA sought to supervise the meeting and the elections and had requested for unredacted information about attendees among other information. The FSCA had also raised allegations that the MEPF was being irregularly run, raising governance and administrative irregularities. It was against this backdrop that the FSCA applied to be allowed to intervene and supervise the elective general meeting of the MEPF. However, the MEPF, its principal officer and Akani Retirement Fund Administrators, were cited as first, second and…

The colossal purchasing power of consumers, the public and private sector, is the only saving grace that can salvage thousands of jobs that will be potentially lost by the local sugar industry, which is buckling under the flurry of cheap imports. Simmering concerns about the influx of cheap sugar imports onto South African shores are not unfounded. South African Cane Growers Association recently reported that for every ton of foreign sugar sold in South Africa, the local industry loses R7 600. Considering the drop in local sugar sales this year of 100 000 tonnes, this equates to a loss of more than R760 million to the local sugar industry. Industry figures compiled by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) also attest to the dire state the industry finds…

South Africa’s business sentiment strengthened sharply in November, with the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) Business Confidence Index (BCI) rising from 121.1 to 132.3, according to data released on Thursday. The improvement follows last week’s RMB/BER Business Confidence Index, which rose by five points to 44 in the fourth quarter of 2025. Sacci said November’s BCI was 14.2 index points higher than the same month in 2024 — the largest annual increase since June 2021, when Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. On a monthly basis, the index gained 2.7 points between September and October and a further 8.5 points in November, marking an 11.2-point surge over two months. However, the chamber cautioned that the sharp rise did not signal a broad-based improvement in overall business conditions. “Apart from…

South Africa recorded a marginal uptick in jobs in the third quarter of 2025, with total employment rising by 29 000 jobs (0.3%) between June and September, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on Thursday. However, employment was still 0.7% lower year-on-year, highlighting the economy’s ongoing labour market fragility. According to Stats SA’s Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES), the quarterly gains were driven largely by increases in community services (+39 000 or 1.4%), trade (+6 000 or 0.3%), and mining (+5 000 or 1.1%). Employment levels in electricity and transport were unchanged. Declines were reported in business services (-12 000 or -0.5%), manufacturing (-5 000 or -0.4%), and construction (-4 000 or -0.7%). Overall, total employment fell by 79 000 jobs year-on-year between September 2024 and September 2025. Full-time employment shrank…

As World Aids Day was commemorated earlier this month, we should be celebrating one of the greatest global health successes and the incredible progress made against HIV and Aids. However, this year’s celebration was overshadowed by funding cuts which are actively reversing decades of life-saving work. Experts are warning that the hard-won gains that have been achieved are rapidly slipping away due to a severe reduction in international financial aid. The global fight against Aids is facing its most serious setback in decades. Why the money is vanishing The primary source of international HIV/Aids funding has historically come from a small group of wealthy nations, including the US, the UK and several European donors. The painful truth is that many of these major donors have implemented sharp reductions in foreign…

The ANC has announced that it has trained more than 125 000 party members who have completed the compulsory five-module training on leadership in the past year. This was announced by the party’s head of political education, David Makhura, during a National General Council (NGC) media briefing yesterday. Makhura, who addressed a media briefing yesterday, alongside other ANC NEC members Andries Nel and Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, said while this renewal is currently at its early stages, its work within the party and all its structures is taking effect. Part of the briefing was to update the media on the outcomes of critical commissions, including the National Democratic Revolution (NDR), Strategy and Tactics, as well as the economic and social transformation pillars that anchor the movement’s programme of action for the next…

Becoming Meg Dashwood Rebecca Humphries Multi-cast narration Audible Originals IN A delightful twist on 19th-century feminism, Becoming Meg Dashwood ushers listeners back to an era defined by stringent social norms and unyielding expectations - only this time, it’s looking at the other side of the coin. An Audible Original that runs four hours, the audiobook, executive produced and starring the brilliant Emma Thompson, offers not just a sequel but a scintillating reimagining of Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility. The story leaps into action through the eyes of Margaret Dashwood, a spirited young woman who, rather than succumbing to societal dictates about love and marriage, audaciously declares that she will not be caged by the institution. It opens with a prophecy of sorts: “When you are thirteen years old,…

After years of uncertainty, the Laudium community can finally breathe a sigh of relief after the notorious sinkhole that first appeared at the local soccer grounds in 2019 has been successfully repaired. Kholofelo Morodi, City of Tshwane MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, said the recent rehabilitation of the sinkhole started in May this year and came with a hefty price tag of R3.2 million, saving R300 000 from the original estimate. Meanwhile, the city is struggling to secure funds to address over 50 other sinkholes, leaving residents living in uncertainty. Morodi previously said the municipality has a budget shortfall of more than R180m after allocating a R14.7m budget to tackle the sinkhole crisis. Regarding the Laudium sinkhole, she said: “We recognise the disruption this has caused to the Laudium…

A human trafficking complaint filed at the Brixton Police Station on November 26 has triggered a widening investigation that now stretches into Gauteng’s industrial and corporate sectors. The Star can confirm that Nishant Jain, a vice president at the investment firm Velocity Capital Management, is under formal investigation following allegations involving the exploitation of foreign labour. Police stress that no charges have been laid and that the inquiry remains in its early stages, but investigators describe the complaint as significant enough to warrant heightened multi-unit operations. Sources in the police reveal that the initial complaint described a pattern of coercive control involving several foreign nationals allegedly working under conditions that restricted their movement. The complainant claimed that some workers had their passports withheld, while others were threatened to ensure compliance…

“A pat on the back from the guys in the same industry as you is everything, and this award means a lot.” That was the reaction from Springboks flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after being voted Players’ Player of the Year for 2025 by fellow players and teammates in South Africa. MyPlayers is the representative body for professional rugby players in the country, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu received the honour yesterday after being chosen by his peers. Other nominees included loosehead prop Ox Nché, hooker Malcolm Marx, loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, and utility back Damian Willemse. The 23-year-old enjoyed a stellar season with both the Springboks and the Stormers. Blitzboks star Donavan Don claimed the Sevens Player of the Year award, while the fleet-footed Byrhandré Dolf was named Women’s Player of the Year.…

Unhappy Bulls fans are questioning why their star flyhalf, Handré Pollard, is being “rested” for their away Champions Cup match against Northampton, despite having barely played this season. The Bulls named their tour squad for tomorrow’s clash at Franklin’s Gardens, with Keegan Johannes and new signing from the Lions, Kade Wolhuter, the two flyhalves selected. The omission of the two-time World Cup winner was attributed to “Springbok resting protocols”. Supporters are growing restless after a difficult start to the campaign — the Bulls have lost four of their seven matches, including back-to-back defeats at Fortress Loftus. Of those seven games, Pollard has played just twice: the United Rugby Championship loss to Ulster on 7 October and last week’s Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux. After the heavy 28–7 loss in Belfast,…

The Lions travel to the north of England on Saturday to take on the Newcastle Red Bulls, the team that has been bottom of the English Premiership for the last three years despite being given wings by their energy drink sponsors. In August of this year, Red Bull took on the previously known Newcastle Falcons as something of a pet project, but the team remains rooted to the bottom of the table, having lost all six of their games. But last week, there was hope for the perennial wooden-spoonists when they beat Lyon in a Challenge Cup fixture in France, although their fans won’t be getting overly excited because Lyon are near the bottom of the French Top 14. Still, a win is a win, and Newcastle will view the…

US seeking to restore stability to Washington’s flagship trade programme with sub-Saharan Africa US legislators have introduced a bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) for three more years, seeking to restore stability to Washington’s flagship trade programme with sub-Saharan Africa after it lapsed on 30 September. The Agoa Extension Act (H.R. 6500), sponsored by Representatives Jason Smith (R-MO) and Adrian Smith (R-NE), aims to renew the programme until 31 December 2028, giving US companies and African exporters much-needed certainty as policymakers consider a longer-term overhaul. Agoa, first enacted in 2000, provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for more than 1 800 products, in addition to the more than 5 000 products that are eligible for duty-free access under the Generalized…

Ever since 2010, I have been haunted by a question that refuses to let go: How do we bottle the magic our visitors experience when they come to South Africa — and how do we turn that magic into a permanent national asset? During the FIFA World Cup, I had the privilege of leading South Africa’s national brand ambassador programme. Our mandate was ambitious: train 500 000 service employees – from hotel staff and airport officials to taxi drivers, police officers and volunteers – in one unifying discipline: how to make every visitor feel seen, safe and welcomed. What surprised me most was not how much people had to learn, but how little they needed to change. The warmth was already there. The generosity of spirit was already embedded. Our…

HEINEKEN Beverages said on Wednesday that it was carefully considering the Labour Court judgment and assessing its next steps. This comes after the Labour Court in Cape Town on Monday ruled that HEINEKEN acted unlawfully when it withheld short-term incentive (STI) bonuses from 39 Solidarity members because they took part in a two-day protected strike in February 2023. In a detailed 60-page judgment, Judge R Lagrange found that HEINEKEN breached sections 5(1) and 5(2)(c)(vi) of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), which prohibit employers from discriminating against or prejudicing employees for exercising rights conferred by the Act, including the constitutional right to strike. HEINEKEN on Wednesday acknowledged the court judgment. It said the company’s decision at the time was informed by the collective bargaining dynamics at play as well as the…

The race to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the African National Congress (ANC) is heating up, with fresh polling and high-profile political maneuvers indicating an increasingly volatile field of contenders. This week’s ANC National General Council (NGC) meeting in Boksburg has become the backdrop for the growing succession debate, even as party officials downplay the idea of an imminent leadership battle. The NGC, held at the Birchwood Conference Centre, marked the beginning of the final phase of Ramaphosa’s presidency, with the ANC’s next elective conference scheduled for 2027. However, talk of who will lead the ANC after Ramaphosa is already dominating internal discussions, fuelled by the findings of a recent Social Research Foundation (SRF) poll that paints a highly competitive picture. While the race to lead the ANC…

The race to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the African National Congress (ANC) is heating up, with fresh polling and high-profile political maneuvers indicating an increasingly volatile field of contenders. This week’s ANC National General Council (NGC) meeting in Boksburg has become the backdrop for the growing succession debate, even as party officials downplay the idea of an imminent leadership battle. The NGC, held at the Birchwood Conference Centre, marked the beginning of the final phase of Ramaphosa’s presidency, with the ANC’s next elective conference scheduled for 2027. However, talk of who will lead the ANC after Ramaphosa is already dominating internal discussions, fuelled by the findings of a recent Social Research Foundation (SRF) poll that paints a highly competitive picture. While the race to lead the ANC…

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has slammed the intensifying power struggle between supporters of Johannesburg’s newly elected regional chairperson, Loyiso Masuku, and those backing mayor Dada Morero, warning that this won’t help the party survive. Masuku’s historic victory, becoming the first woman to chair the ANC’s biggest region after defeating Morero 184 to 149, has fuelled internal chatter that she should now ascend to the mayoralty. But briefing the media on the sidelines of the party’s National General Council (NGC) Mbalula has dismissed the debate as a “destructive obsession with titles”, insisting that Joburg is a coalition-run city the ANC no longer controls. “Being a chairperson doesn’t give you the status of mayor, especially in a city we have lost,” he said. “Even the fact that Dada became mayor was a…

With less than three months to Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, a Goodwood couple has penned their second children's book in their faith pillar series. Journalist Nurah Tape and her husband, author and publisher Zaahied Sallie, launched We Love Ramadan at Mosque Shafee, a historic mosque located at the corner of Chiappini and Church Streets in Bo-kaap last week. Ramadan will probably start mid-February next year, depending on the sighting of the moon. Muslims fast for 29 to 30 days. The Hijri calendar is lunar, meaning it follows the moon cycle for its months, with each month beginning when a new crescent moon is sighted. Sallie is the son of renowned Islamic jurisprudence teacher and author Sheikh Abdurraghiem Hasan Sallie, who led the mosque congregation from 1979 until…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has once again found himself at the centre of controversy, refusing to clarify his ties to alleged diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg, who gifted a diamond to Mashatile’s wife. This latest development follows a scathing recommendation from the Ethics Committee that Mashatile be reprimanded and fined R10 000 for failing to disclose the diamond in the confidential section of the register of financial interests. The situation gained momentum following a thorough inquiry initiated by DA Chief Whip George Michalakis. After lodging a complaint with the Ethics Committee in March, Michalakis posed pressing questions regarding the nature of Mashatile’s relationship with Liebenberg, particularly as attention shifted towards additional gifts that might have been exchanged over the past five years. Mashatile previously indicated that he was waiting for a…

The Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations have done the country a grim favour: they have stripped away the veneer of respectability from our public service and shown us the rot beneath. What is unfolding in those hearings was not the odd lapse or a few bad apples. It was a pattern. A culture of mediocrity, patronage and protection that has been normalised at the highest levels of state power. We are watching senior officials and political appointees stumble through testimony, offering “I don’t recall” after “I don’t know”, producing no documents when pressed, checking phones in the witness box and, in some cases, contradicting sworn statements. Former municipal managers, ministers’ chiefs of staff and senior police leaders are exposed…

Quinton de Kock and the new-ball bowlers showed off the Proteas’ bouncebackability as the visitors levelled up the five-match series at 1-1 with a 51-run victory in the second T20I in New Chandigarh yesterday. After a two-ball duck a couple of days ago, De Kock showed the fickleness of the T20 game with a spectacular 90 off just 46 balls to power the Proteas to 213/4 after being inserted on a glorious batting surface at the Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium. De Kock put himself right back in the frame for T20 World Cup selection, and the IPL shop window with the auction set to be held in a few days' time in Abu Dhabi, with a scintillating innings that was kickstarted with a couple of sixes off Arshdeep Singh and…

It may be a stretch to suggest that the Sharks’ clash with Saracens in Durban this weekend is a warm-up for next year’s Springboks versus England Test, but there will nevertheless be a host of players from both sides involved in that fixture. Saracens are mid-table in the English Premiership but, like the Sharks, are expected to climb the ladder now that their international players have returned from the November Test window. The Sharks will field the likes of André Esterhuizen, Siya Kolisi, Ethan Hooker, Grant Williams, Makazole Mapimpi and Bongi Mbonambi, while Saracens welcome back heavyweight England (and British & Irish Lions) players Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell and Jamie George. They also boast a new sensation in teenage wing Noah Caluri, who made his England…

Reflecting on 2025, Proteas Women’s coach Mandla Mashimbyi highlighted his focus on team culture as the key ingredient to their success. The 45-year-old added that creating synergy in language and work ethic across girls’ cricket, domestic cricket and the international game remains high on his to-do list for the future. When Mashimbyi took over as head coach, he immediately implemented culture camps, making his intentions clear early in his tenure. Ultimately, the Proteas Women made history, becoming the first senior South African side to reach an ICC World Cup final after beating England Women to book their place against hosts India in Navi Mumbai. Although they lost the final, they left an enduring mark on the global stage — proof that a team with a healthy culture can defy the…