Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-07-06 i Pretoria News

Edward West MARA Phones South Africa has come out of business rescue following the signing of a management buyout (MBO) purchase agreement at the end of last month, the company said in a statement. The acquisition for an undisclosed sum and terms was made possible through a strategic partnership be- tween the MBO team and Lebashe Investment Group, a 100 percent black-owned unlisted investment holding company with assets in financial services, technology media and telecommunications. Mara Corporation, an international multi-sector business with interests across 24 countries including 22 in Africa, launched the new smartphone factory in Durban in 2019 with a planned investment of some R1.5 billion. But after failing to be recognised as a preferred supplier to the government of smartphones, and other commercial challenges, it emerged…

One-year agreement has been signed with three recognised labour unions DEBT-LADEN power utility Eskom has been slapped with escalating costs and will now have to find an additional R1 billion within its budget to fund the new wage deal it signed with workers unions to end the crippling strike. This comes as Eskom, which has a debt burden of more than R400bn, has burnt R5.3bn worth of diesel in the first half of the year – R1.54bn in June alone – at its open-cycle gas turbines to keep the lights on. The struggling power utility has implemented more than 60 days of varying stages of rotational load shedding from January to date, leading to overspending on diesel as it consumes more of the fuel than expected as its generation…

NAMPAK’S share price increased by up to 14 percent yesterday morning after the biggest packaging manufacturer on the continent said it had reached agreement with its funders to again extend by six months the terms of its debt obligations. “Shareholders are advised that Nampak’s funders have agreed to extend the date by which the company is required to reduce net interest- bearing debt by R1 billion, either through asset disposals or a combination of asset disposals and an equity capital raise, to April 1, 2023,” a statement said. The share price closed 2.56 percent higher at R2.40 on the JSE yesterday, but it is still well below the R10.92 it traded at three years ago, and R19.78 five years ago. The extension will effectively align the debt…

Idina Menzel has to “watch what she says” at her son’s basketball games. The Frozen actress is “very competitive” and admitted she’s prone to getting carried away on the sidelines when cheering on 12-year-old Walker, who she has with ex-husband Taye Diggs. She said: “I’m very competitive. I have to watch what I say at my son’s basketball games.” Menzel – now married to Aaron Lohr – has her own fashion line, inspired by seeing stylish moms when she was doing the school run. She told Us Weekly magazine: “I was inspired to design my clothing like, Encore by Idina Menzel, when I realised how well put together all of the other moms were at school drop-off in the morning.” Although Walker is almost a teenager, the 51-year-old actress still…

As the country battles with rising fuel prices, stage 6 load shedding and “Farmgate”, calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside continue to grow. Speaking to Power FM Power Talk host Lerato Mbele, ANC struggle veteran Dr Mavuso Msimang reiterated the calls made by opposition parties, for Ramaphosa to stand aside and let the legal processes clear him, before he continues his tenure. “As a head of state he has an extraneous burden, which makes it extremely difficult to focus on what needs to be done in resolving these issues, as he still has these swords hanging over his head. “I really think it would have been good for the leadership of the party to ask him to just move to the side until his problem is resolved and,…

An unhealthy interface between the political and administrative side of local government is crippling municipalities, disrupting service delivery and often leading to community protests. This is the grim picture that Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma painted on the state of municipalities when addressing delegates at a local government indaba in Durban yesterday. Council representatives from across KZN attended the gathering aimed at strengthening the local government sphere and ensuring effective delivery of services. Dlamini Zuma said the department was concerned by some of the matters raised by Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke on municipal finances last month, when she presented her report on municipalities, but many of the problems had also been identified by the department when it conducted an assessment last year. “The interface between…

WHILE Eskom workers have agreed to a one-year 7% wage deal which has ended their strike, the power utility is expecting to extend Stage 5 load shedding into today and Thursday. According to Eskom, the strike resulted in maintenance work being postponed leading to a backlog that will take time to clear. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity have been in wage talks with Eskom at the Central Bargaining Forum (CBF) for nearly two weeks. This triggered protests at various Eskom power plants leading to Stage 6 power cuts. The unions met Eskom management yesterday after collecting mandates from all workers in all regions to accept the wage proposal. The signed agreement was a 7% salary increase across the board…

Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock demand to leave Manchester United has thrown new manager Erik ten Hag’s plans into disarray as he scrambles to contain the fall-out from the Portugal star’s power play. Just one year after returning to United in a blockbuster move from Juventus, Ronaldo has already grown so disenchanted that he is trying to force his way out of Old Trafford. The 37-year-old is reported to have told United he wants to be sold, with his agent Jorge Mendes said to have held talks with Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli as he seeks a club capable of satisfying Ronaldo’s ambitions. Ronaldo’s frustration mounted throughout a turbulent campaign that saw United go through three managers as they finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League. Although Ronaldo was United’s top…

DEON Fourie has the nickname Branna on account of his liking for a certain beverage and after he makes his debut for the Springboks on Saturday in the second Test against Wales, a “double brannas” will surely help him celebrate the occasion. Fourie, who was named on the bench in an overhauled Springbok team, will have an additional reason to celebrate because he will break the record for the oldest player to make his Bok debut, eclipsing Transvaal flank Deon Lotter, who also made his debut at 36 (in 1993), but Fourie will be a few months older than Lotter was. “It is fitting that it is all happening in Bloemfontein for me because that is where the Branna nickname originated way back in 2007, at Bloemfontein Airport, but maybe…

MASSMART subsidiary Game said yesterday that its 115 stores across the country had been “refreshed” to provide consumers with a better store experience, as part of the company’s turnaround strategy. In 2020, Massmart reported lower revenues and foot traffic at Game brought about by the pandemic and lockdowns in South Africa. In the year to December 31, 2021, Game’s trading loss widened substantially to R1.03 billion from a R532 million loss the year before. The blow meant Massmart had to close its DionWired outlets. “The new Game Store strategy to revise sales is okay, but it is higher risk and the competition is getting rougher,” said Mergence Investment Managers head of equities Peter Taka- endesa. “From a competition and consumer point of view it is a challenging environment…

DR IQBAL Survé, the chairperson of Sekunjalo Investments, on behalf of the African diaspora, thank you. This is in response to Survé’s call for a Social Democratic Movement led by youth. We must follow your lead, in asking young people to put their country first and put themselves second. That is the same message that a young JFK (John F Kennedy) used some 60 year ago as a way to change the world. Your commitment to provide the resources surely will encourage the present and future generations to embrace your challenge, recognising that the greatest economic generator is the building of homes and the infrastructure associated with creating communities. Ten million homes, not just houses. There is a difference with great distinction. This is doable. You are the conscience of…

Drinking beer is beneficial to the gut and has the potential to prevent chronic diseases, according to a research by the Centre for Research in Health Technologies and Services (Cintesis), a non-profit research and development unit in Porto, northern Portugal. “Beer consumption contributes to the improvement of the composition of the intestinal microbiota, a factor associated with the prevention of common chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases,” said Cintesis in a statement on Monday. As part of the study, healthy men aged 23 to 58 drank 330ml of beer daily, with or without alcohol, for four weeks. The results showed beer consumption “increases the diversity of the intestinal microbiota, without increasing weight and fat mass”. Drinking beer “does not significantly interfere with cardiometabolic biomarkers” such as glucose,…

Living between two homes is a growing reality for many children as more couples split up and co-parent. And while the new arrangements may work to a certain extent, it is also a fact that children spend more time with one parent than the other, typically visiting the second parent every second weekend. This translates into four visiting days a month. So how do parents handle the logistics in terms of bedroom accommodation for visiting children? While many homes may have the space for each child to still have their own bedroom at “mom or dad’s house”, what happens when they do not? And even more importantly, what happens if their parent has remarried and their step-siblings who live in the home permanently have their own bedrooms? This can be…

Acting Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka has defended her decision to grant President Cyril Ramaphosa more time to respond to questions as part of the ongoing investigation into the Phala Phala Farmgate saga, in which millions of undeclared dollars were stashed in his furniture. Gcaleka said her decision was based on a request from Ramaphosa’s lawyers and the amount of information required on the matter. The investigation was initiated by suspended Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane – who was removed by Ramaphosa two days after announcing she would probe the president’s alleged involvement in breaking laws, kidnapping and bribing people not to disclose information about questionable activities at his farm. Gcaleka said: “He was afforded an extension on the basis of his response, through his attorneys on June 17, 2022,…

A NEW design and the installation of a catchment system would revive, heal and restore the Hennops River in Centurion. This is high on the wish list of Hennops Revival, which yesterday said the new catchment system would cost an estimated R150 000. It would be used to trap pieces of both large and small litter that fall into the river, said founder Tarryn Johnston. She said there was no functional catchment system in place, and the project was in need of sponsorship to modify and install the new design. "The most expensive part of installing a catchment system is the maintenance and ongoing cleaning by the Hennops Revival crew. "The initial catchment system was funded by BrandIQ. Hennops Revival is not funded; we receive donations from the community and…

The kneejerk reaction to the team selected by coach Jacques Nienaber for the second Test against Wales on Saturday is that he is fielding a dirt-tracker combination but closer examination suggests it is arguably a better team than the one that narrowly won the first Test. The return of Handre Pollard for Elton Jantjies at flyhalf, alone, is a vast improvement and there is quality throughout a side of form players from the United Rugby Championship (URC) and they will be hungry and determined to play themselves above the “regulars” that have made way. The loose trio alone is something of beauty. At No 8 is the URC Player of the Tournament Evan Roos, on one flank is the 2019 World Players of the Year in Pieter-Steph du Toit, and…

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been cleared to play in the second Test against New Zealand, according to assistant coach Mike Catt, after confusion about the flyhalf’s head injury assessment (HIA) in the first Test. But the All Blacks were dealt a blow when delayed concussion ruled veteran lock Sam Whitelock out of the Dunedin rematch on Saturday. Sexton left the field after taking a blow to the head 30 minutes into the first Test, won by the All Blacks 42-19, and when the playmaker did not return it was assumed he had failed his HIA. A World Rugby crackdown on head injuries requires players with concussion symptoms to be rested for a compulsory 12 days. But Catt said yesterday that Sexton had passed two subsequent tests and was available…

SOUTH Africa’s economic salvation may yet come from the travel and tourism sector, which was projected to grow at an average rate of 7.6 percent annually over the next decade, a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released yesterday found. This significantly outstrips the 1.8 percent growth rate of the country’s overall economy. The forecast from WTTC’s Economic Impact Report shows the South African Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) by 2032 could reach more than R554.6 billion, or 7.4 percent, of the total economy, injecting nearly R287bn into the national economy. The sector is also expected to create more than 800 000 jobs over the next decade, to reach more than 1.9 million by 2032.…

NATIONAL Treasury yesterday published final amendments to Regulation 28 under the Pension Funds Act, which apply to investments in infrastructure, hedge funds and private equity. The amendments are in line with changes announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his Budget speech in February. The Pension Funds Act governs the allocation of assets in retirement funds. Regulation 28 protects fund members’ savings by limiting the extent to which a fund may invest in a particular asset or asset class, thereby reducing concentration risk – excessive exposure to a single investment or type of investment. On February 25, the South African Reserve Bank published the Exchange Control Circular No 10/2022, which detailed changes to the prudential foreign investment limits for South African institutional investors. Pension funds and Regulation-28-compliant unit trust funds…

THE LIQUID Fuels Wholesalers Association of South Africa (LFWA) yesterday called for South Africa to get its refineries up and running again, build up strategic stocks and create an agreed plan going forward on how to keep the country supplied. The organisation, which has 32 members who are entrepreneurs engaged in activities relating to the wholesaling of liquid fuels in South Africa, also wants a full review of all fuel cost recoveries/margins, with an independent oversight. This follows the price of petrol breaching R25 a litre for the first time ever yesterday. Fuel prices in South Africa have risen 20 percent since the beginning of the year, and around 40 percent from a year ago, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; strong consumer demand and weak supply. This…

The City of Tshwane has been found wanting for paying salaries of R88.4 million to employees between November 2019 and October 2020 for doing nothing. The 627 workers were hired by the City to assist at waste management on a 12-month contract but were never allocated work. The millions spent on workers who were idle were flagged by Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke in the latest Municipal Finance Management Act report for 2020/21, which characterised the payments as material irregularities. The report said: “The City of Tshwane (Gauteng) paid salaries of R88.4m to employees between November 2019 and October 2020 without any work being allocated to these employees.” The workers in question have been embroiled in a legal fight with the municipality upon the termination of their contract. At least 88 of…

THE Department of Home Affairs has dismissed two employees for fraud relating to selling of South African identities to foreign nationals who did not deserve the documents. “Another four officials have been suspended for similar offences. “Phathisani Outshiki, from the Benoni office, was found guilty of gross misconduct for processing 111 documents for undeserving foreign nationals using particulars of South African citizens for a fee of R1 000 per application,” said Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza. He said 98 of the documents were passports and 13 were IDs. “Outshiki pleaded guilty and he was subsequently dismissed. “However, he is appealing his dismissal. Morena David Motsamai, from the Germiston office, was found guilty of gross misconduct in that he processed 13 passport applications for undeserving foreign nationals using particulars of South…

THE former head of Police Crime Intelligence Richard Mdluli has been released on parole. The Department of Correctional Services confirmed that Mdluli has been placed on parole “effective from July 5, 2022.” Mdluli was sentenced to five years imprisonment for kidnapping, assault and intimidation on September 29, 2020. “He qualified to be considered for parole placement after serving one-third of his sentence, as he falls under the Phaahla Judgment regime (crimes committed before October 1, 2004). “It is critical to highlight that the crimes he was found guilty of were committed on October 23, 1998,” said the Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo. Nxumalo added that the decision was taken by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board after assessing Mdluli’s profile and other material submitted for the purposes of…

THE cause of the server crash at the Government Printing Works (GPW) in February 2021 was due to the poor maintenance of the ICT infrastructure. This is one of the findings of a seven-member ministerial review panel appointed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to probe the crashing of the server that led to loss of data at the entity. It also affected the printing of the Government Gazette and caused delays in compiling its annual reports for the past two financial years. Briefing the home affairs portfolio committee yesterday, panel chairperson Papati Malavi said the chief information officer (CIO) and his team did not know how to perform proper functions on the server, including loading discs, scrubbing them before loading new data and ensuring proper back-ups should there be…

The South African women’s national team kicked off their Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (Wafcon) campaign with an impressive 2-1 victory against defending champions Nigeria on Monday evening. Banyana Banyana, although battering the Super Falcons in their last encounter, came into this match as underdogs having not beaten Nigeria before in the Wafcon. Coach Desiree Ellis’ troops emerged victorious and in stylish fashion too, marking themselves as one of the favourites for this year’s trophy. Ellis praised her team for executing a well thought out plan. “I placed strong emphasis on the importance of winning the first game and even more so because our first game was against Nigeria. We knew we needed a good start to give us the momentum and to give us the confidence and my players…

Just when Novak Djokovic's troubling year looked like hitting another low, he salvaged his bid for a fourth successive Wimbledon title by coming back from two sets down to beat Italian Jannik Sinner yesterday. The Serbian top seed had looked in all kinds of trouble against the inspired 20-year-old after being outplayed for two sets but stormed back to win 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. In the end there was an air of inevitability about the outcome as the battle-hardened 35-year-old seized control to reach his 43rd Grand Slam semi-final and 11th at Wimbledon. Djokovic has not been able to add to his 20 major titles this year after being deported before the Australian Open following a Covid-19 standoff and then losing to Rafa Nadal in the quarter-finals of the…

AUSTRALIA prop Angus Bell says the team must improve their set-piece against England in the second Test on Saturday in Brisbane, after failing to dominate the visitors in the series opener in Perth. The Wallabies won the opening match of the three-Test series 30-28 at the weekend, despite being reduced to 14 men following lock Darcy Swain’s first-half sending off. But Bell said the hosts can make further improvements in their forward play to ensure they take charge against Eddie Jones’s side in Queensland. “It’s about our team execution,” Bell told reporters yesterday. “I was pretty unhappy with our set-piece. Could be better. “We’re not here to be even with England, we’re here to dominate them. “We didn’t quite get that right in areas, through things like the red card.…