Sunday Tribune 2025-05-18

South African Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, will be hoping that the third time’s a charm this coming week as he is set to deliver his Budget Speech once again, this time, without the Value Added Tax (VAT) increase. Parliament will gather and South Africans will tune in for a third time this month in relation to the country’s Budget that will be tabled on Wednesday this week, after the minister’s first attempt was thwarted as he included a hefty 2% VAT increase. Godongwana then presented his March 2025 Budget, where the VAT increase was dialled down to 1%, with 0.5% coming into effect this year and the other half in 2026. The decision was once again met with much discontent from the public and opposition political parties, with the DA,…

As WE mark 2025 Africa Day under the African Union’s theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, the conversation must evolve beyond apologies, acknow- ledgements and symbolism. Reparative justice demands capital – real, sustained and strategic financial commitment. Without it, justice risks becoming little more than rhetoric. The moral case is long established. Centuries of slavery, colonialism, and racial extraction built Western wealth while impoverishing the African continent. These were not passive injustices, but deliberate systems of economic dispossession. The legacies remain: weakened institutions, broken infrastructure and generational poverty. Reparations are not charity. They are overdue investments in rebuilding what was systematically plundered. The AU’s proposal to establish a Global Reparations Fund is a visionary step toward shifting the conversation from grievance to economic strategy. However,…

In a world where luxury often feels inaccessible, two Johannesburg entrepreneurs, Ahalya and Catherine, are turning the tables with their innovative business, Glamorizta. Founded in 2020, this personalised shopping experience aims to bring the elegance and customer-centric approach of high-end shopping destinations like Paris and Milan directly to its clients in South Africa. “At Glamorizta, the focus is on creating a unique and tailored shopping environment that prioritises individual client needs,” Catherine told Business Report. The business offers an array of authentic designer items from illustrious brands such as Hermès, Gucci, Burberry, and Prada, many of which are not available anywhere else in Africa. This curated selection is complemented by a deep commitment to customer satisfaction; shopping with Glamorizta feels more like enjoying a luxurious experience rather than conducting a…

Ryan Kiera Armstrong has been cast as the lead character in the highly anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. Starring opposite the beloved Sarah Michelle Gellar, who will reprise her iconic role as Buffy Summers and serve as an executive producer, Armstrong is set to forge a new chapter in the Buffyverse. The new series, which has received a pilot order from Hulu, promises to delve deeper into the world established by the original series, bringing fresh perspectives and stories to the forefront. While specific plot details remain under wraps, Armstrong’s character is described by casting materials as an introverted high-school student. Set to be directed by Oscar-winning film-maker Chloé Zhao, the pilot is penned by the dynamic sibling duo, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Gellar expressed her admiration, stating: “From…

The wait is almost over for fans of the multi-award-winning series, The Bear. Disney+ has confirmed that season 4 will be premiering on Thursday, June 26, and will feature all 10 episodes ready for binge-watching. Created by Christopher Storer, the show will continue to capture the chaos and creativity of the culinary world through the eyes of chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, played by Jeremy Allen White. Following a dramatic cliffhanger in season 3, where the stakes were raised by a scathing review from the Chicago Tribune, the anticipation for what comes next has reached fever pitch. In the nail-biting finale, Carmy's fine-dining restaurant faced an uncertain future, meanwhile, Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), Carmy’s gifted sous chef, found herself tempted by an offer from another establishment, leaving the fate of both…

Social media is abuzz with talk of The Royals on Netflix. Curious about the high praise, I decided to binge the eight-part series while recuperating from a severe flu. Echoing the allure of Bridgerton, this series delves into the captivating history of a royal family, revealing hidden love affairs, concealed family truths, and monetary difficulties. The plot, while simple and lacking significant depth, serves as a platform for the talented cast to inject considerable energy and dynamism into the narrative. Admittedly, I wasn’t bowled over after two episodes, but I put aside my misgivings and continued. And I’m glad I did. The series and the characters grow on you. Episode one plays out like the pages of a Mills & Boon novel: a dreamy guy, shirt open, showcasing his chiselled…