Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-05-11 i Pretoria News

SOUTH African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago has outlined the challenge facing the central bank in fighting inflation with a “very constrained policy toolkit” on the back of rising prices globally, a weaker rand and slow domestic economic growth. Kganyago was delivering a lecture on “Challenges facing the global economy: a South African perspective” at the University of Johannesburg. This comes as SARB is expected to raise its benchmark lending rate by another 25 basis points this month, in a bid to tame persistently elevated consumer inflation. SARB’s hiking cycle has had a crippling effect on the purchasing power of South African households, with more disposable income going to servicing the rising cost of borrowing. Kganyago yesterday said SARB’s Monetary Policy Committee had had to act decisively to prevent…

SOUTH African lawmakers have hauled Eskom’s top brass over the coals for failing to investigate serious wrongdoing, fraud and corruption at the power utility, following allegations made by former group CEO, André de Ruyter. De Ruyter deposed an affidavit to Parliament last month, formally stating his televised allegations of corruption amounting to R1 billion a month at Eskom by at least four politically connected cartels. Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) yesterday, that the board had convened a special meeting with De Ruyter to discuss his shocking allegations and their impact. He said the board was of the view that some of the utterances De Ruyter made had brought the utility into disrepute, and that the board had resolved to agree to the…

THE FOSCHINI Group (TFG) said yesterday it had had lost nearly 700 000 hours of trading due to load shedding in South Africa, which shaved off retail turnover by in excess of R1.5 billion for the financial year 2023. As a result the retailer was defending its gross margin and was in a consolidation phase as it slows down its store roll-outs and tightens up expenditure. In a trading update for quarter four (Q4) for the financial year 2023 and the 12 months ended March 31, 2023, it said TFG Africa lost, conservatively, 360 000 trading hours during the 12 months ended March 31, 2023 (FY2023). “The true impact, however, has been estimated at more than double this figure (ie 730 000 lost trading hours) as…

A SURVEY by Ipsos has revealed 69% of South Africans have sleepless nights worrying about unemployment, as opposed to 41% of the rest of the world that worries about inflation. The survey reveals unemployment threats continue to loom large in South Africa, with the country holding the unenviable title of the world’s most worried nation on this issue. “This trend is nothing new, as the country has been grappling with persistently high levels of concern over unemployment for many years, and the latest survey shows a worrying 5 percentage point increase compared to the previous year. What is more, even during periods of relative calm, concern about unemployment in South Africa has not dipped below 60%, highlighting the deep-seated anxiety that pervades the nation about this issue,” Ipsos said. By…

THE Gauteng Pretoria High, Pretoria, sitting in Benoni, has sentenced the Tsakane graveyard serial rapist Petetona Abel Lebele, 43, to three life terms and 30 years of direct imprisonment. Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana, said Lebele was convicted on four counts of rape. “This is after he was found guilty of four counts of rape as well as four counts of kidnapping. These offences were committed against four females, aged 7, 13, 16, and 32 over three years, from January 2017 until August 2019, when he was arrested,” Mahanjana said. The court ordered that Lebele’s name be included in the National Register for Sexual Offenders. “His first and youngest victim was a 7-year-old minor. On January 19, 2017, when the minor was on…

With the aim of helping those who have been struggling to get their citizenship papers, Layton Mabalane, a local man from Ha-Matsika, has left his job in order to help those who are struggling to get their personal documents sorted. In 2017, Mabalane decided to start a foundation called the Limpopo Show Foundation after he saw the number of people who were living without their ID books, mothers struggling to get their new-born babies’ birth certificates, and those who would pass away and struggled to get buried since they had no identities. “I used to work in a Johannesburg Builders Warehouse, where I was helping people to apply for jobs before I started my foundation, until I realised the majority of people who came to apply or look for jobs…

THERE may have been an ultimate winner for the King of the Hill title at the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna at the weekend, but if you had to ask anyone who the real star of the show was, it would hands down be Petter Solberg in his VW Polo R WRX Supercar. Both the car and the Norwegian former World Rally champion and Rallycross champion were coaxed out of retirement by Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa – and it proved to be an inspired decision, lighting up the tar and the Modified Saloon Cars. His flamboyant style, pleasant demeanour and incredible ability to take the turbo-charged, two-litre, four cylinder all-wheel drive with 419kW and 650Nm of torque up the hill at full tilt left spectators and fellow competitors amazed at the…

‘Everything we have achieved in 29 years of bilateral relations has strengthened our ties’ Twenty-nine years ago, on May 11, 1994, diplomatic relations were established between Cuba and South Africa. This was during Fidel Castro’s visit to Pretoria to attend the inauguration of anti-apartheid and ANC leader Nelson Mandela. The formalisation of bilateral relations with Cuba was considered one of the first foreign policy acts of the democratic South African government, and Cuba was the first country to receive diplomatic recognition from the ANC government, led by Mandela. However, our strong and unbreakable friendship goes beyond establishing diplomatic relations. Our ties go back to the ’60s when the first anti-apartheid fighters went to Cuba to study, receive medical care and military training. Our relations were strengthened during the Struggle against…

Mamelodi Sundowns expect to face a Wydad Casablanca side that will play a slightly higher defensive line than they used to when the two teams meet in their CAF Champions League first leg semi-final tie at the Stade Mohammed V on Saturday night (kick-off 9pm). Brazilians coach Rulani Mokwena said that he has studied their perennial Champions League adversaries, who are now under the guidance of a new coach, and has spotted a difference in their approach. “The new coach … there’s not too much in terms of the profile of the team that has changed. The profile of the team before the coach was (that they had) very good players, very aggressive wing play, very aggressive possibility to threaten on the counter-attack,” Mokwena explained, having said that he and…

THE dream of CAF Confederation Cup glory for Marumo Gallants now hangs in the balance following a 2-0 semi-final first leg defeat to Young Africans yesterday which could so easily have been kept to just one goal. But late in the match inside the magnificent National Stadium of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Gallants meekly capitulated. At 1-0 with just the four minutes of added on time to play, the South African team appeared to switch off and allowed Young Africans to score a second goal. Substitute Bernard Morrison gave the home side the cushion that will see them visit South Africa for the second leg at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium with confidence. The Ghanaian was on the end of a counter-attack that saw Washington Arubi having to leave his…

Tristan Stubbs may not recently have hit the highs that attracted the attention of T20 franchise owners all around the world but he is not letting it get him down. Stubbs, still only 22, shot the lights out in Cricket South Africa’s T20 Challenge in Gqeberha last year, where he muscled 293 runs at an average of 48.33 and strike-rate of 183.13. It earned Stubbs promotion to the Proteas’ T20 team, where he booked his place for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia with a blistering 72 in his first international innings against England in Bristol. That set a whirlwind of events in motion, with Stubbs being picked up by Indian Premier League powerhouse Mumbai Indians, the Manchester Originals in England’s Hundred competition, before the Sunrisers Eastern Cape broke…

Psychological blows will want to be landed on Saturday when Orlando Pirates face Sekhukhune United in the penultimate round of the DStv Premiership. The two Gauteng teams are set to face each other in the Nedbank Cup final at the end of May, and although both teams will certainly play down that encounter when discussing their league clash this weekend, one suspects it will occupy a healthy space at the back of each club’s collective mind. The match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off) is a crucial one, and it will be up to coaches Jose Riveiro and Brandon Truter to keep their charges focussed on their respective target and objectives. The Sea Robbers, after all, are looking to secure second spot and CAF Champions League qualification for next…

Big plunge in half-year earnings because of ‘uncertainty of future cash flows’ SHARES in Transaction Capital, the holding company for SA Taxi and used-car firm WeBuyCars, plunged by more than 35% on the JSE yesterday after it reported a worse-than-expected fall in half-year earnings, with analysts saying this was because of uncertainty regarding the group’s future cash flows. The shares later closed the day on the JSE at R7.11. Transaction Capital fell into a massive loss of nearly R1.9 billion in the interim period to end March, retreating off a R615 million profit in the prior year’s contrasting period. This meant the company was skipping a dividend payment to shareholders. Core earnings on a continuing basis for the group amounted to R353m, down 46% on the previous…

JSE LIMITED shareholders have called for the bourse to review the way it conducts its business, and requested it to consider share buybacks for shareholders while listing more companies on the exchange. Speaking at the JSE’s annual general meeting on Tuesday, shareholder Howard Lowenthal said the JSE issuers were complaining about the red tape. “We’ve got a big moat. We don’t need you investing our cash for us. Warren Buffett will tell you that he’s never paid a dividend at Berkshire Hathaway, and they embark on share buybacks, and so do numerous others”, Lowenthal said. “We are appealing to you to review despite all the hard work that goes on here. Quality of earnings. All of these things are vital and required regardless. But R94 on an 8% dividend yield?…

BUSINESS leaders in Zimbabwe are concerned that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is seeking to institute price controls after the cabinet resolved on Tuesday to engage manufacturers, retailers and other businesses over the current spate of price increases sparked by continued loss in value for the local currency. Zimbabwe’s local unit of exchange has been nose-diving in the past few weeks, plunging to US$1:ZW$2 200 on the parallel foreign exchange market this week, compared to nearly half of that value on official channels. This has sparked a new wave of daily price increases for goods and commodities. “The cabinet is concerned by the spiralling prices of the 14 basic goods, especially bread, flour, cooking oil and mealie-meal. The Minister of Industry and Commerce is already engaging the concerned stakeholders including…

Whether you want to create a full glam look or a simple, barely-there make-up look, concealer is an important step in applying your make-up. The main reasons we use concealer is to cover up blemishes, dark rings and, in conjunction with your foundation, to help even out your complexion. Concealer can also be used as a highlighter when contouring. However, finding the perfect shade for your skin tone can often be tricky. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect shade for you. Determine your skin tone The first step to choosing the right concealer shade is to find out what your skin tone is. One of the ways to check this is to look at the colour of your veins on the inside of your…

A woman who described her role in the Rivers of Living Waters Church as a “prayer warrior” told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that the day their leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo “shoved his private part into her mouth, she could see he is not a man of God.” The alleged victim, who claimed that Zondo sexually violated her in December 2018 in an office at the church, was for the second day grilled by the bishop’s advocate about her allegations. The elegant looking woman, who is highly qualified and is a state employee, earlier broke down as she testified that while Zondo prayed for her in his office, she felt him shoving his private part into her mouth. Defence advocate Piet Pistorius SC, told the witness that her allegations…

With gender-based violence and femicide known as profound and widespread problems in South Africa, many hoped that Thuli P’s case would take a different turn. Thuli P’s (real name Thulisile Phongolo) withdrawal of charges against DJ Maphorisa was met with disappointment, although not surprise. The former Generations: The Legacy actress has joined a list of other women who have opted to withdraw assault charges against their partners. Phongolo, who alleged she was physically attacked by the popular amapiano DJ, appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, infuriating many by her decision. Women For Change, a non-profit organisation that advocates for the constitutional rights of women and children, also weighed in. “Thuli Phongolo and Nicole are not the first women to open a case against their alleged abuser and then…

THE friend of slain Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has denied ever providing officials with a description of the gun that was used by the intruders who accosted them at the Vosloorus home of Kelly Khumalo in October 2014. Mthokozisi Thwala, under cross-examination by advocate Charles Mnisi, denied that he had provided the sketch artist with a description of one of the intruders wielding ‘an old revolver’ upon entering the home. Thwala said he never mentioned the type of gun as he didn’t know the types of guns available, and that the sketch artist may have included that detail on their own. This was despite Thwala previously testifying while under cross-examination by advocate Sipho Ramosepele that the gun in the intruder’s possession was short, and not long. Mnisi also questioned…

A WHOPPING R33 million is to be injected into a water security project launched in the City of Tshwane this week. The three-year project, a collaboration between Tshwane and the Danish city of Aarhus, is aimed at helping to improve the metro’s capacity to manage its water resources. Part of the deal would afford Tshwane a chance to learn from its counterpart metropolitan city about water resource security and management. The project, it was said, could potentially assist in addressing water challenges in areas such as Hammans- kraal and other parts of the metro. Mayor Cilliers Brink said: “We know we face many water challenges in Tshwane, such as in Hammanskraal and other parts of Tshwane. Therefore, it is important that we work with other world-class cities and learn from…

LAUNCHED earlier this year, the New Ford Raptor has taken the popular South African bakkie market by storm. In fact they’re so popular that as they land from Thailand they’re sold to happy customers who continue to put their names on waiting lists. So why not take the petrol V6 3.0-litre twin-turbo with 292kW and 583Nm to the Simola Hillclimb and see what a stock standard bakkie can do? Which is what Ford did to show that apart from its undeniable off-road prowess, it’s able to scuttle up a 1.9 kilometre stretch of tar in one of the most popular motorsport events in South Africa. With well-known racing driver Anthony Taylor at the wheel, the Ranger Raptor quickly became a crowd favourite as it carved its way up the hill.…

Following South Africa’s automatic qualification for the 50-over World Cup, a relieved Proteas limited-overs coach Rob Walter says the idea of Faf du Plessis being selected in the squad is unlikely. Calls for Du Plessis to be part of the Proteas white-ball set-up have grown exponentially following the 38-year-old’s 500-plus runs in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). Walter, though, insists it is “unlikely“ Du Plessis will be part of the one-day international squad – though he did not rule it out entirely. “First and foremost, for 50-over cricket there’s a slight chance, but not a great one that Faf would play,” Walter told IOL Sport yesterday. “He’s got a few things that he needs to take care of physically that will allow him to continue to play T20 cricket,…

How much anger and intensity the Stormers pitch up with in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final against Connacht is in their own hands. That’s why captain Steven Kitshoff wants his team to lay down a marker early on in the match to prevent their opponents – who are heading to the Cape Town Stadium as underdogs – from getting their tails in the air. Over 32 000 tickets have already been sold for the semi-final (4pm kick-off), with another vocal, capacity crowd expected to get behind the home side. But Kitshoff has warned about the “dawg” (fighting spirit) in Connacht, who will be buoyed after an unexpected victory over Ulster in last weekend’s quarter-final in Belfast. “They are a tough team and also have a good run of form…

The Blitzboks have arrived in Toulouse with a squad boosted by a core of experienced players that have returned for the final two legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The France Sevens is the penultimate tournament of the current World Series, and assistant coach Philip Snyman has welcomed back old campaigners in Justin Geduld, Dewald Human, Ronald Brown, Shilton van Wyk and James Murphy. Snyman, himself a former Blitzbok captain, said they are not expecting miracles from the five, but said they add confidence to a squad that has been rocked by injuries. Half-a-dozen debutants have been among the 28 players the Springbok Sevens team have been forced to use. “We have a lot of playmakers back, and that changes things. The reality is that they were out of…

SOUTH Africa’s 44 basic basic food items basket as tracked by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMEJDG) had surpassed the R5 000 mark to R5 023.95, way above the around R4 000 minimum wage, programme co-ordinator at the organisation Mervyn Abrahams said yesterday. Consumers are facing the increasing pressure consumers of higher food prices and persistent load shedding, he said. Abrahams said there had been a R481, or 10.6%, year-on-year increase in the current crisis that was largely precipitated by loadshedding. “People are cutting back. The cost of the baskets exceeds the general workers salary and many people cannot afford that in the townships. “This may lead to major health issues when people have to cook a meal for two days, they cannot buy…

TRADE union Solidarity announced yesterday that it had served a summons on President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Department of Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi, the Director-General of Employment and Labour, and the Employment Equity Commission over the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of 2020. The union said it had taken these steps after the President, earlier this year, signed the amendment bill on employment equity. Solidarity said it disputed the constitutionality of the amendment bill in its court papers. It said it further contends that this law is contrary to international labour conventions and that the government is guilty of being in contempt of such conventions. Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said: “The level at which the government wants to normalise discrimination in the workplace is shocking. The government wants to…

When it comes to Mother’s Day, there’s nothing more fun than a luxurious brunch. And the good news is it is so simple to host an effortless and beautiful brunch for any special day! The combination of breakfast and lunch has been around since the late 19th century. Brunch is the one meal to rule them all. The term brunch comes from the union of the English words breakfast and lunch and is usually served from 10am to 4pm. Nowadays, many places offer brunch any day of the week, although Sundays are the standard excellence for this meal and the day we all have in mind. With Mother’s Day being celebrated on May 14, it is the perfect opportunity to host a simple yet beautiful brunch. Below, chef Theo…

The ANC/EFF coalition in the Ekurhuleni Metro is under threat following Julius Malema’s tweet that the majority party in the council was allegedly responsible for the theft of waste collection trucks while still in power. Malema posted the damning tweet on his Twitter account which has millions of followers, alleging that “on its database, the City of Ekurhuleni has 103 waste collection trucks. Since the EFF occupied the office of the MMC for Waste Management, we can only confirm the existence of 32 trucks, meaning these thieves, before us, have stolen 71 trucks of the city. “We call on the people of Ekurhuleni to alert the EFF and SAPS wherever you see a waste collection truck, the possibility is that it is stolen!” The tweet sparked an outcry from the…

WITH fuel prices constantly fluctuating, mostly increasing, South African motorists have had to bear the brunt of various factors beyond their control that has a serious impact on their budget. For this reason diesel engines continue to be popular locally but they are becoming scarcer, especially with local importers, as global legislation frowns on oil burners no matter how technology has advanced in terms of their CO2 emissions. For now, at least, Kia have bucked the trend with the introduction of the CRDi Sportage to complement the 1.6-litre turbo-charged petrol range launched last September, in the compact and medium SUV segment. There aren’t many diesel options available in the segment. The CRDi engine is good for 100kW and 320Nm powering the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.…

Jack Grealish said Manchester City are confident of finishing the job against Real Madrid at home to reach the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw in their semi-final first leg on Tuesday. City have won all 14 games at the Etihad this year by a combined score of 49-7 as Pep Guardiola’s team close in on a potential treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. But it is conquering Europe for the first time that matters most to the English champions. City suffered heartache against Real at the same stage of the competition last season as a late collapse in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu saw the Spanish giants go on to win the competition for the 14th time. But home advantage for the return…

Regular matches between New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides and teams from Japan’s League One could be on the cards after the countries’ rugby unions signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday. The agreement, aimed at helping the game grow across the Asia-Pacific region, will also see New Zealand and Japan meeting more regularly in internationals for both men and women at all levels. “We have a long-standing and strong history of collaboration and mutual respect on and off the field,” said New Zealand Rugby (NZR)’s chief executive Mark Robinson. “The intention is for teams across the spectrum to play more regular matches, while also looking at how our men’s and women’s competitions could work together in the longer term.” Beneath Test level, Japanese rugby has been carrying on in isolation…

The Sharks travel to the defending champion Pumas for a vital Currie Cup game tomorrow (5.05pm kick-off), but they are in no hurry to boost their team with reinforcements from the United Rugby Championship (URC) squad that lost to Leinster last week. Instead, the URC players are going to have to work hard to force their way into Joey Mongalo’s side that have won three games in a row, including impressive away victories over the Cheetahs and Blue Bulls. Reniel Hugo has been captaining the side, and he said that those who played a lot of rugby in the URC and the Champions Cup will enjoy a few days off, but then will have to put their hand up to make the Currie Cup side. “There are guys coming back…

They say a week is a long time in football, and for Kaizer Chiefs, the past two weekends must still feel heavy on their shoulders as a potentially positive conclusion to the season may have just gone bust. Amakhosi’s most recent defeat to Soweto rivals Swallows FC in the league, and a semi-final exit from the Nedbank Cup at the hands of Orlando Pirates, has ruled out a possible return to the CAF Champions League and an opportunity to take home any silverware, respectively. This means the Naturena-based club are now going to suffer a ninth year without a trophy. Chiefs, led by an under-pressure head coach Arthur Zwane, will next take to the field readying themselves for perhaps their only ‘cup final’ this season: a huge clash against SuperSport…

Golden Arrows midfielder Velemseni Ndwandwe has admitted that tension and pressure is at an all-time high in the club’s camp as they look to fend off arch-rivals AmaZulu in the pursuit for a top-eight spot. Abafana Bes’thende will welcome Usuthu to the Princess Magogo Stadium in the final KwaZulu-Natal derby on Saturday at 3pm. AmaZulu, who have had an underwhelming campaign, will make the short trip to Kwamashu knowing that a first victory in three outings against their enemies might see them leapfrog them in the pursuit for a potential top-eight berth. Usuthu currently occupy 11th spot on the DStv Premiership standings, a point behind eighth-placed Royal AM and ninth-placed Arrows, which opens up a world of possibilities ahead of the final two league matches. Ndwandwe, who has been…