Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-08-03 i Pretoria News

This comes after Minister Ebrahim Patel changes the plan for local-content quotas THE DOMESTIC solar PV industry has called for “data-driven policy implementation” on local content requirements by renewable energy producers, which will be appointed for additional electricity capacity to the grid. This comes after Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel announced late on Monday the cutting of red tape on solar projects in a bid to end load shedding. Under Bid Window 5, Patel said, bidders would now only need to get 35 percent of their solar photovoltaic (PV) cells from local suppliers when previously the requirement was 100 percent. This meant the remaining 65 percent of the solar PV panels could be imported as the local industry might not be able to fully realise…

The Brinks served some couple goals on Instagram recently, with their body-positive posts and marriage advice. Clint Brink, 41, and Steffi van Wyk-Brink, 30, are both fitness enthusiasts, they work out together and share a passion for their body-building hobby. Clint took to Instagram on Monday, sharing a topless picture of the couple, flexing their muscles and captioning it: “Respect each other. Build & lift each other up. Marriage is what you make it.” Steffi, Miss Namibia in 2015 and a Survivor SA participant, ended up at a training camp with the Blitzbokkies – the SA women’s 7s rugby team – but hurt a knee. She is now in Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts. Clint plays Dr Steve Abrahams in Binnelanders and “Tino” Martens in Scandal! The couple…

THE sections of Tembisa that were plunged into darkness after an electricity substation was set alight by protesters will remain without power for now. According to the City of Ekurhuleni, the blackout will continue because the technicians were not able to access the area and repair the burnt substation. “Parts of Tembisa are without power due to a substation that was set alight during a community protest on Monday. “While the city is aware of the situation regarding the power in the area, technicians are unable to attend to the problem in the area as it remains volatile, thus putting their lives in danger,” the municipality said. The electricity went off at about 1pm yesterday. On Monday scores of residents went on a rampage protesting about service and electricity, which…

THE Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) has dismissed claims that it admitted it has not referred any Western Cape cases of material irregularity (MI) for further investigation in the last three years. This after ANC provincial legislature leader Cameron Dugmore called for the Auditor-General (AG) to “up its game” after the AG briefed the standing committee on local government in the legislature. “In 2018, the president signed the Public Audit Amendment Act into law to enhance the AGSA’s powers, expanding its mandate to go beyond simply auditing and reporting in an effort to strengthen accountability mechanisms. “These amendments, which provide valuable instruments for implementing effective consequence management and taking remedial action, centre on the concept of a material irregularity,” said Dugmore. He said they were concerned that despite increased powers…

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has rejected claims made by the DA in which the party alleges that the department wasted more than R450 million in a failed automated identification project. Motsoaledi singled out portfolio committee on home affairs member and MP Angel Khanyile for repeating a “lie from the media” that the department had wasted R450m through the Automated Biometric Identification System (Abis) which is required to improve the security of South Africans against identity fraud that’s experienced due to the outdated two-step biometric Home Affairs National Identification System (Hanis). Motsoaledi said Khanyile knows very well how the contract was managed, adding that the department had called on an improved identification system more than five years ago that resulted in the contract. “Ms Khanyile knows very well that…

The freedom that comes with football players signing pre-contracts with a club of their choice is a double-edged sword: a masterstroke, or your downfall. And Siyethemba Sithebe endured the latter part of those sentiments after deciding to sign a pre-contract with Kaizer Chiefs without getting the blessing of AmaZulu. Sithebe continued to train with Usuthu and take home his monthly salary, but he was frozen out of the match-day squad week-in and week-out. It was a tough period for Sithebe, 29, given the fact that AmaZulu were playing in the CAF Champions League. A change of coaches – after Benni McCarthy was sacked and replaced by Brandon Truter – didn’t help his cause as he continued to be sidelined. The decision was made by club boss Sandile Zungu, who was…

Burly Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has raised the ire of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fans by openly dismissing talk of the Soweto giants breaking Masandawana’s dominance in domestic football. Mngqithi has been firing his salvos on the eve of Friday’s Premiership opener as Chiefs and Pirates raise hopes of reclaiming lost glory this season. Mngqithi told the media that the two Soweto teams should rather target improved log positions, which were fifth and sixth last season. He feels Sundowns’ toughest opponents in the new campaign are those that finished below them in the next three positions. They are Cape Town City (second), Royal AM (third) and Stellenbosch (fourth). “The teams who are in direct competition (with Sundowns) at this stage are Cape Town City, Stellenbosch and Royal AM,”…

Now that the stakes are at its highest for the Springboks, coach Jacques Nienaber has shown his hand and picked a bold team for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Mbombela Stadium. Nienaber must be given credit for not going the conservative route with his starting XV and replacements bench. It would have been the safer option to recall Willie le Roux at fullback, and bring in the experienced Jesse Kriel at right wing. Instead, Nienaber’s decision to stick with Damian Willemse at No 15 and start Kurt-Lee Arendse in place of the injured Cheslin Kolbe at No 14 shows that the Bok coach wants to take the next step in this team’s growth. “We’ve got a like-for-like replacement there, but we’re also rewarding performance. “I think…

MOTORISTS could be in for another big petrol price cut in September as global oil prices have fallen into a bear market on fears of weakening fuel demand due to the looming recession. This comes as fuel prices eased for the second time this year at midnight as the cost of both types of petrol fell by R1.32, while diesel fell by 88 and 91 cents, and illuminating paraffin was slashed by R1.44 a litre. Falling fuel prices were being driven by a slump in international petroleum prices but were offset by a weaker rand/US dollar exchange rate. But the price of Brent crude oil dipped below the $100-mark per barrel for the second day in a row yesterday after closing strongly at $110 (R1 817) per…

TELKOM, which has started negotiations about its possible acquisition by MTN, said yesterday that it had achieved stable growth in active subscribers in its first quarter ended June 30. Its active mobile subscribers were up 7.8 percent to 17.3 million year- on-year, the group said in a trading statement. MTN announced last month that it wishes to acquire all of Telkom shares in return for shares or a combination of cash and shares in MTN. “Discussions are at an early stage and still in progress,” Telkom’s management said yesterday. Its pre-paid subscribers grew 7.7 percent year-on-year to 14.5 million. Mobile data traffic increased solidly by 12.4 percent to 263 petabytes supported by a 2 percent growth in broadband subscribers to 10.7 million…

THE JSE DELIVERED a strong first half performance driven by global market volatility, a business model that diversifies earnings through new business lines and revenue growth, chief executive Dr Leila Fourie said yesterday. The largest bourse on the continent, which has faced criticism from the market recently for the growing number of delistings and high cost of being listed, lifted headline earnings per share by 29 percent to 542.7 cents in the six months to June 30, after total revenue increased 11 percent to R1.38 billion. “Throughout this period, uncertainty in the markets manifested in volatility and higher trade activity. The depth of the JSE’s operational capabilities has ensured resilience during this volatile period,” Fourie said at the release of the interim results yesterday. She said…

Activities such as household chores, exercise and visiting family and friends may help lower the risk of dementia, research suggests. According to the study, carrying out household chores is associated with a 21% reduced risk. People who were highly engaged in activity patterns including frequent exercise and daily visits to family and friends had 35% and 15% lower risk respectively, compared with people the least engaged. Researchers found the associations even in people at genetic risk for dementia, suggesting the activities may be effective in preventing dementia. Study author Huan Song, of Sichuan University in China, said: “Our study found that exercise, household chores and social visits were linked to a reduced risk of various types of dementia.” The study looked at the effects of these activities, as well as…

Zikalala expected to step down over concerns about two centres of power As SPECULATION grows over the future of KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala and his possible resignation, insiders in the provincial ANC say such a move would pave the way for a provincial cabinet reshuffle. This as intense consultation is taking place before an announcement can be made. The ANC KZN’s provincial executive committee (PEC) is expected to meet tomorrow for the first time since the provincial elective conference, where Sboniso Duma was elected chairperson. While it is not clear if discussions will centre on the issue of a reshuffle, sources say that while Zikalala has not been pushed out of office, he was expected to resign as a matter of principle as there are concerns over two centres of…

The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial will resume in September “with no further delays”. Instructing attorney TT Thobane informed the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria that he remained on record for four out of the five accused. After adjourning last month, Thobane appeared in court yesterday following the unceremonious withdrawal from proceedings by advocate Malesela Teffo. Thobane was appearing on behalf of Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa. At the time, Teffo informed the court he was quitting because of what he said was “harassment” from the court and the state. Thobane started by informing the court yesterday that he believed a postponement to seek new legal representation for the four men had been an error as he was still representing them. He distanced himself from utterances by Teffo…

STAFF in the Durban Solid Waste (DSW) unit have embarked on an illegal go-slow due to the entity’s overtime budget being slashed by 50%. The city issued an alert to eThekwini residents yesterday that waste collection services in some areas and street-sweeping services in the municipality were being affected by the go-slow. The reduction of overtime was implemented on August 1, 2022, the city said. The city passed a resolution in June that required that all units cut their spending on overtime by 50% and use this amount to fill vacancies in those units instead. DSW and metro police are among the units that are spending exorbitantly on overtime, city records have shown. The units have in the past justified their overtime spend pointing out that they were short staffed…

By virtue of being the Chippa United coach, Daine Klate’s name will be touted in conversations and predictions about who will be the first coach to be sacked in the upcoming Premiership season. However, there is hope among some that controversial Chilli Boys owner Siviwe Mpengesi will show added faith in Klate, an Eastern Cape native who has also been involved in the club’s development structures prior to being appointed head coach. “I earned my stripes in the Diski League. I am within the club’s structures. I am working with some of the former Diski guys here in the first team,” Klate said. “The process of football goes like that. Some of the players were scouted by us three years ago to the Diski team and are now in the…

MASSMART Holding’s share price took a massive dip of 7 percent yesterday on the JSE after it flagged a “disappointing” trading update, saying that in the 26 weeks ended June 26, 2022, it expected its headline loss to balloon. This as the retailer fails to turn its fortunes around, with sales falling over the past two years. The shares closed 6.42 percent down at R34.09 on the JSE yesterday and have decreased by 27.3 percent in the past three years. Massmart said its headline loss was expected to broaden to between R910.3 million to R974.3m, compared to R645m in the previous period – a drop of between 41 to 51 percent. Headline earnings per share were likely to fall by between 40.7 to 50.7…

AS ROYAL Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) yesterday delivered interim earnings that had halved, the miner said it had taken a “conservative approach” to its interim dividend due to the global recession outlook as well as a declining platinum group metals (PGM) basket price. In its interim results for the six months ended June 30, RBPlat said headline earnings decreased by 54.5 percent to R2.2 billion, while headline earnings per share decreased by 58.1 percent to 767.3 cents. “Taking into consideration the declining basket price, the uncertain demand fundamentals, global recession fears and the continuing uncertainty brought about by the M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity, the board decided to adopt a conservative approach in declaring the interim dividend,” RBPlat said. The group declared an interim gross cash dividend…

Organic cacao is a worthy addition to the list of so-called ‘superfoods’. It’s an excellent source of antioxidants and other nutrients that can significantly improve your health over time if consumed as part of a healthy diet. While raw cacao, such as powder or nibs, is produced organically without the use of chemicals, cacao used in most other chocolate products undergoes significant processing, which removes many of its beneficial health properties. Kirsten Gerrard, a doctor and dietician who consults for wellness brand Tony Ferguson, expands on the benefits of organic cacao. It’s an antioxidant In comparison to blueberries, raw cacao has 40 times more antioxidants per 100g. Due to its high antioxidant content, it can help renew the skin and repair age-related cell damage. Additionally, antioxidants prevent the growth of…

Our clothes can suffer a lot of wear and tear, especially favourite pieces worn day in, day out – whether it’s trusty blue jeans, a timeless black blazer, or a cosy jersey that gets you through chilly months. Inevitably, garments will (like their owners) start to show signs of age. But just because a button falls off or stitches come undone, doesn’t mean you have to bid them goodbye. Learning how to make do and mend (as the old saying goes) helps to reduce waste, makes our wardrobe more sustainable and, in most cases, is cheaper than buying a replacement. You don’t even have to own a sewing machine. Here, sewing experts offer six simple fashion fixes you can do yourself. Replace buttons Designer and Great British Sewing Bee finalist…

SENZO Meyiwa murder trial presiding officer, Gauteng High Court, Pretoria’s Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, said he had a physician called Jesus and needed no augmentation. “But this might not be a story for today,” the judge said, responding to allegations of witchcraft levelled against him by advocate Malesela Teffo, who was representing four of the five Senzo Meyiwa murder accused. The court was seeking to appoint legal counsel for the four ahead of the main trial in September. Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa were left without legal counsel after Teffo informed the court three weeks ago he was quitting as their legal counsel. Teffo, in the absence of his instructing attorney, TT (Timothy) Thobane, told the court he was exiting the matter as a result of “harassment”…

Economists in the country have urged consumers to be vigilant about their savings and spending as more developed economies in Europe, and the US, have slipped into recession, while China has recorded an economic slowdown. Last week, the US Federal Reserve announced that interest rates would be hiked by 75 basis points for the second consecutive time. The announcement follows the US recording two consecutive quarters of negative growth, pointing to signs of a technical recession. Professor Irrshad Kaseeram, of the University of Zululand’s economics department, said inflation in the US was at an all-time high which had led to the interest rate hike. “Unfortunately when interest rates rise, although it helps with inflation, it is not good for business, hence we see America recording two quarters of negative growth.…

THE City of Tshwane is gunning for customers who reconnected their electricity after being disconnected for the non-payment of their municipal bills. In this regard, Mayor Randall Williams continues to lead the City’s strict programme to maximise revenue collection as part of the Tshwane Ya Tima drive. The campaign focuses on ensuring that all defaulters pay for water and electricity. Another aim is to remove all illegal connections. The City’s Energy and Electricity Department, working with the Tshwane Metro Police Department and the SAPS, yesterday disconnected 1 000 illegal electricity connections in Lotus Gardens. Williams said: “This area has been negatively affected by overloading due to illegal connections. “The multistakeholder operation focused on illegal connections in Fig, Acer and Eucalyptus Avenue, including five mini substations that were tampered with. “An…

SHE was bruised and battered, silenced and endured pain and all forms of abuse since 2018 at the hands of her boyfriend, but has come out as a survivor. This is a story of a domestic violence survivor Janelle Laattoe, who related her story yesterday about how she endured abuse at the hands of her former partner. With Women’s Month in full swing, two civil society organisations, Action Society and Philisa Abafazi Bethu, are shining a light on the country’s criminal justice system, which they said failed in supporting victims of GBVF, and they gave Laattoe a platform to tell her story. Laattoe, who told of how she endured gruesome abuse from her boyfriend since 2018, said when she finally dared to open a case against him in 2019 he…

The usually patient Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber was a touch exasperated when asked to comment on what has become the theme of the week – the “desperation” of the All Blacks ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener at the Mbombela Stadium. Indeed, the frantic All Blacks and how the Boks will deal with them has been the overriding discussion before this match, and Nienaber says the mental state of the Kiwis has nothing to do with the South Africans. Speaking at his team announcement press conference in Nelspruit yesterday, Nienaber said: “We can only live in our reality, because that is all we can control. It is useless for us to spend energy thinking about how the All Blacks are feeling and what they could change – we have no…

Percy Tau’s future at Al Ahly has been thrown into doubt once again. The Bafana Bafana vice-captain has missed the club’s last two Egyptian Premier League matches against Misr Lel Makkasa and Al Mokawloon, with coach Ricardo Soares saying that this was due to an issue of being “match fit”. “Tau is not match fit yet, and he was not selected for the game. We also have to keep in mind that we have a long list of injuries, which causes us to be cautious when making any decisions,” Soares said during a press conference. This season has been below average by the standards of Al Ahly. They surrendered the CAF Champions League to Wydad Casablanca, which was Pitso Mosimane’s last game in charge of the club. Moreover, they look…

Aiden Markram knows all about being “the next big thing” in South African cricket. It’s a poisoned chalice that weighed heavily around his neck ever since lifting the ICC Under-19 World Cup trophy in Dubai in 2016. And it only grew heavier after a superb introduction to Test cricket, where he was the 13th fastest to 1 000 runs. Since those heady beginnings, Markram has almost undergone a complete evolution that has him on the outskirts of the current Test side, while dominating white-ball cricket – particularly the T20 format, where he’s now ranked No 3 on the ICC’s global charts. With time also passing by, Markram – now 27 – is among the more experienced Proteas and can only look on as the new generation, led by the exciting…