Table of contents for 2025-10-15 in Star

Ratings agencies Moody’s and GCR Ratings say a positive trend is emerging in South Africa’s economic growth trajectory, with both agencies maintaining a stable outlook as reforms begin to show progress and fiscal discipline continues to hold. At a joint media briefing on Tuesday, Evan Wohlmann, vice president and senior credit officer at Moody’s, said the agency expects real GDP growth to improve to around 1.6% in 2026, supported by gradual structural reforms — particularly in the logistics sector. “There has been some notable structural reform progress. Our baseline expects reform progress particularly on logistics to continue, but the extent of private investment in new logistics infrastructure is unlikely to be sufficient to materially raise growth potential beyond 2%,” he said. Wohlmann added that while friction within the Government of…

South Africa’s business confidence continued to improve in September, boosted by stronger financial market performance, rising commodity prices, and higher export volumes, according to the latest South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) Business Confidence Index (BCI) released on Tuesday. The BCI climbed 1.1 points month-on-month and 10.9 points year-on-year to reach 121.1 in September 2025, reflecting a notable rebound in sentiment after a dip earlier this year. SACCI said the recovery followed a sharp decline in confidence from 125.8 in February to 113.2 in June, which has since been “partly reclaimed” through steady improvements in August (120.0) and September (121.1). “In the short term, the broad financial climate supported positive business sentiment, while real economic activity was fairly stable but with negative elements,” Sacci said. “Over the medium…

Climate change adaptation refers to the plans, measures and actions that we take to adapt to the impacts of a warming world. These impacts include increased drought and reduced soil moisture, extreme heat events, intensified rainfall, sea-level rise, which in turn multiply risks to food and water security, thus resulting in economic distress well suitable to ignite civil unrest arising from the scramble for shrinking resources. Many of these impacts are already ‘baked in’ regardless of how well we mitigate by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Done well, climate adaptation can help to protect society and the economy from these impacts. If we continue to under-invest in adaptation, we will pay an increasingly high price for the unmanaged consequences. Limited resources in an unfolding crisis Currently there is an…

Tharisa, the mining company dual-JSE and London Stock Exchange listed mining company reported a strong fourth quarter performance after higher mining, milling, grade and recovery metrics boosted chrome and platinum production. PGM production increased by 19.7% to 41.3 koz (thousand ounces) in its fourth quarter to September 30, 2025, compared to the third quarter, a report from the company released Tuesday showed. Fourth quarter chrome production was up 2.9% to 407.2 kt (kilotons) over the third quarter. PGM production for the year came to 138.3 koz from 145.1 koz at the same time last year. Chrome production for the year came to 1 558.2 kt versus 1 702.6 kt a year before. "We closed the year on a strong note, delivering robust production results in the final quarter. This performance…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing renewed calls to be investigated after he admitted in Parliament yesterday to knowing controversial figure Hangwani Maumela, who is linked to the alleged looting of over R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital. The President’s admission, which contradicted previous denials by his spokesperson, has ignited a political firestorm, with the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) calling for accountability. Ramaphosa, answering questions from Members of Parliament at the National Council of Provinces, acknowledged his acquaintance with Maumela, explaining that their connection stemmed from a past marriage to Maumela’s aunt, which ended 43 years ago. He initially denied knowing Maumela in 2022 (in response to a question from DA leader John Steenhuisen), a claim he now attributes to not having “encountered him and I had…

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, has arrested a 48-year-old man believed to be part of a criminal syndicate behind a string of high-value coltan scams across Gauteng. Columbite-tantalite, known as coltan for short, is a dull black metallic ore that is abundant in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Tantalum, from coltan, is used to manufacture capacitors, which are used for mobile phones, computers, automotive electronics, and cameras, among other gadgets. Bovic Tshibangu appeared briefly in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, facing a fraud charge following his arrest on October 5 at a club in Yeoville, Johannesburg. According to Hawks spokesperson in Gauteng, Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela, Tshibangu allegedly posed as a mining executive to defraud a woman of more than…

The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) has called for urgent and comprehensive investigations into corruption across all public hospitals and government institutions. This follows comments by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, in which he stated that Tembisa Hospital may not be the only institution with immense corruption allegations. PSA spokesperson Madimetja Mautla said the union shares Cachalia’s concerns that the rot may be far more widespread than initially believed. “The problem is not only isolated to Tembisa Hospital. Books and supply chains of these hospitals should be checked so that we can eliminate this corruption.” Speaking at a Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation event on Sunday, Cachalia said: “We are all rightly outraged by the brazen shamelessness and cruelty of the grand larceny at the Tembisa hospital. And I’m sure…

Have you received a ‘ghost fine’ recently? South African motorists have been warned of a surge in fake traffic fine scams doing their rounds. It would appear there is a fair amount of confusion surrounding the upcoming Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO), which is set to come into effect from December 1, and criminals are taking advantage of this. Fines SA says it has seen a notable increase in complaints from motorists who claim they were tricked into paying fines that never existed. Victims usually receive a message via WhatsApp, SMS or email, claiming that an outstanding fine needs to be paid in order to “immediately avoid penalties.” They are prompted to click a link, which opens a cloned payment page that resembles a municipal or aggregator site.…

Arsenal eye chance to pull clear in EPL title race Arsenal have a great opportunity to cement their new-found status as English Premier League title favourites when league action resumes, with closest challengers Liverpool facing an extremely challenging run in their next five fixtures. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners face a trip to Fulham next up on Saturday, which will be followed by league matches against Crystal Palace at home, Burnley away, Sunderland away and a derby against Tottenham at home. Arsenal will have a point to prove, especially in the first two matches, having dropped points against Fulham and Palace last season in finishing a distant second behind Liverpool. Arteta’s team have momentum on their side, though, and demonstrated that they are a different beast this season with wins over Newcastle…

Scores: BAFANA BAFANA 3 (2) Mbatha 6’, Appollis 25’, Makgopa 73’ RWANDA 0 In the heartbeat of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit, the sun shone brightly on Hugo Broos and his Bafana Bafana boys as they successfully knocked on God’s window to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Bafana beat Rwanda 3-0 to reach the promised land – automatically qualifying for the first time since 2002 – after finishing top of Group C, thanks to goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa. The victory was also made possible by an unexpected source – Nigeria, who beat Benin 4-0 on home soil, dethroning them from the No 1 spot in Group C. With this region of the country also boasting the Big Five, Broos and Bafana deserved to feast on the…

World champions Proteas will need to make history in Lahore if they are to extend their 10-match unbeaten streak. No team has scored more than the 277 the visitors require for victory at the Gaddafi Stadium. It was reduced to 226 when stumps were drawn on the third evening, but captain Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder are already walking casualties. Both were victims of that wily old customer, Noman Ali, who added the two scalps to his six-for earlier in the day that had reduced the Proteas’ first innings to 269 – a deficit of 109 runs. The veteran left-arm will pose the premier threat again on a wearing sharp-turning surface, and the likes of Ryan Rickelton and first innings centurion Tony de Zorzi, who are the unbeaten batters at…

Gold prices have continued their record-breaking rally, driven by sustained buying from central banks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), even as South Africa’s domestic gold output continues to shrink under rising production costs and regulatory pressures. Data from StatsSA on Tuesday showed SA’s gold production slumping by 3.6% year-on-year in August, marking the second consecutive monthly decline following a 0.4% drop in the previous month. However, gold prices have rallied to levels around $4 141 per ounce despite a stronger dollar amid a looming trade war with China, a government shutdown in the US and global economic growth uncertainty. John Meyer, an analyst with UK-based advisory firm SP Angel, said on Tuesday that gold prices have “pressed higher again, climbing past record highs on sustained buying from ETFs and central bank”…

The world is entering a new energy era, one defined by technological mastery. In this emerging reality, the countries that lead will not be those with the largest fossil fuel reserves, it will be those that can produce, store, and use electricity efficiently across every sector of their economies. This is the beginning of the age of electrotech and the rise of what can be called the electro-state. An electro-state is a nation whose economy runs primarily on electricity-based technologies rather than on fossil fuels. The shift toward this model is neither ideological nor optional. It is structural, economic, and inevitable. It represents the point where physics, economics, and geopolitics intersect. This transformation is driven by technologies that make it possible for electricity itself to be classified as primary energy.…

Bytes Technology Group’s share price slumped over 10% on the JSE Tuesday after it reported a 7% drop in operating profit as it navigated changes to Microsoft partner incentives and adjusted to a new sales structure. The share price slumped even though the UK software, security, cloud and AI services group raised its interim dividend by 3.2% to 3.2 pence. The share price traded at R85.30 around midday, a price also 22.6% lower than the R110.16 it traded at a year ago. The London Stock Exchange-listed company with a secondary listing in South Africa said headline earnings (HEPS) a share fell 5.1% in the six months to August 31 to 12.03 cents from 12.67 cents at the same time last year. Gross invoiced income (GII) increased 9.1% to £1.34 billion,…

​ In Hey! You Ought to Forgive, author Mahlatse Nchabeleng addresses one of the hardest commands of the heart: forgiveness. She speaks not from theory but from personal confrontation with disappointment, betrayal and pain. “I wrote this book because I once lived with silent wounds,” she says, “wounds so deep that even when I smiled, my soul still bled.” This book rises from that inner dialogue, from the moment she realised that unforgiveness had become a prison she was living in. Nchabeleng does not present forgiveness as an easy choice. Instead, she walks readers through the emotional weight of carrying resentment. She reflects on those hidden scars people learn to live with. “So many move through life functioning yet broken,” she says. “They master strength on the outside but crumble…

Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by the South African Police Service’s KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, are set to tackle the persistent issue of conflict of interest when they meet today. The issue first arose on Monday when proceedings were delayed for over an hour after suspended deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, raised the issue of conflict of interest. MPs from uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and the DA, who are part of the committee, are complainants in criminal cases lodged in the wake of Mkhwanazi’s July 6 briefing. The cases led to the search and seizure raid on Sibiya last week. The MPs heard that the terms of reference of the ad hoc hearing do not empower them to make any decision on conflicts of…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has suspended Lesiba Arnold Malotana, the head of Gauteng Department of Health and Wellness, with immediate effect amid mounting pressure over ongoing investigations into corruption and irregular tenders at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital. Lesufi announced the move yesterday, saying it forms part of the provincial government’s renewed commitment to accountability and ethical leadership. Dr Darion Barclay, who currently leads the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), has been appointed as acting head of the Health Department to ensure “stability and continuity” in the province’s most critical portfolio. “Dr Barclay’s appointment highlights the importance of prioritising seamless service delivery,” said Elijah Mhlanga, spokesperson for the Gauteng Provincial Government. “The Gauteng provincial government reaffirms its full support for the work of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)…

An Eastern Cape man has been arrested for the murder of a man who was found dead inside a vehicle. A 37-year-old non-verbal man from Qunu was arrested after a 45-year-old man was found dead in a vehicle following a wedding ceremony. He had been fatally strangled. Police spokesperson Welile Matyolo said that the victim was found dead last week Friday morning. “It is alleged that the intoxicated victim was asleep in the Quantum during a wedding ceremony when the suspect used a shoelace to strangle him to death,” said Matyolo. Matyolo further stated that preliminary investigations led to the recovery of the deceased’s belongings from the suspect, as he claimed that revenge was the motive behind his action, as he was once stabbed by the deceased but survived. “The…

Czech fugitive and jailed organised crime boss Radovan Krejčíř faced a dilemma as the court earlier granted him permission to use his laptop in his cell for study purposes, but he cannot charge the device overnight, as he has no plug point in his cell. Krejčíř told the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, that correctional services are refusing to allow him to charge his laptop via an extension cord to an electrical device outside his cell. The department offered to charge his laptop overnight and give it back to him the next morning, but Krejčíř is refusing this offer. He explained that he had signed an indemnity agreement with the department that he will not hold it responsible if anything happened to his laptop. He was earlier given the green light…

Proteas Women aim for perfection ahead of facing Sri Lanka The Proteas women have won three consecutive matches in the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, having beaten New Zealand, hosts India and recently Bangladesh as they recovered impressively from the embarrassing loss to England in the first match of the tournament. Although coach Mandla Mashimbyi’s side has been successful, there are still quite a number of concerns about their performances. Too often, the team unnecessarily complicate matters making what should be easy games to win into close encounters. In the match against Bangladesh earlier this week, South Africa had them 78/5 in the 23rd over, but allowed them back into the game as the subcontinent team ended up setting 233 runs as a target. Chloe Tryon’s 60-odd was key…

“The good die young” is something we often hear these days. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock news of the passing of 42-year-old Cape Town-born rugby coach Warren Abrahams on Friday night. Rugby has lost one of its most vibrant and dedicated coaches after Abrahams collapsed next to the field at the Safari Sevens tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, while in charge of the Belgium Women’s sevens team. His death came as a huge shock to the rugby community. In response, the Belgian Rugby Federation withdrew their team from the tournament and announced immediate support for players and staff as they dealt with the loss. Abrahams had joined the Belgium Women’s sevens team as head coach in recent years, bringing with him a wealth of experience gained through…

IMF’s October 2025 World Economic Outlook shows that growth is expected to hold at 1.2% in 2026 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slightly upgraded South Africa’s economy by 0.1 percentage points to 1.1% in 2025, up from a previous forecast of 1% projected in April, and up slightly from 0.5% in 2024. The IMF's October 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) released on Tuesday showed that growth is also expected to hold at 1.2% in 2026, signaling a slow and uneven recovery as global and domestic constraints weigh on output. The IMF’s forecast underscored the country’s fragile momentum within a volatile international environment marked by rising trade barriers, weaker global demand, and tightening fiscal positions across developing economies. While power supply stability improved following reforms at Eskom and new renewable…

South Africa is navigating an energy challenge characterised by intermittent load reduction/shedding, ageing infrastructure and limited generation capacity. The country also faces a transmission backlog that affects the seamless integration of renewable energy sources. Addressing these issues is essential for fostering economic growth and enhancing investor confidence. Although new renewable generation capacity is being developed, the current transmission infrastructure may not fully support the connection of these sources to the national grid or adequately deliver power to areas of high demand. As such, limitations within the transmission grid present an important consideration in efforts to expand generation capacity. This is where the Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs) become essential, unlocking private sector investment to accelerate the expansion of South Africa’s transmission network and enable the integration of new generation sources. The…

Seriti Green, a black-owned South African renewable energy company, on Tuesday announced that it has achieved financial close and commenced construction on the third phase of its flagship Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm in Mpumalanga. The project will ultimately deliver over 900 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity across seven phases. The company has already installed 25 wind turbines near Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon. Seriti Green said in a statement, "This marks a major milestone in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), with Seriti Green leading delivery at scale from the heart of the country’s traditional coal region. With turbines in the ground and thousands of people gaining skills and employment, the Just Energy Transition is no longer theoretical but in action." Seriti Green has successfully closed three 155MW phases…

South Africa will host the first-ever G20 Summit on the African continent in Johannesburg in November, amid unprecedented geopolitical and economic turmoil. The threat by the leader of the most powerful country in the world, US President Donald Trump, to boycott the summit may be a bit of a downer, but Pretoria is determined to host a successful event and will be banking on support from India, Brazil and other BRICS countries to achieve the goals set out for this year’s summit. Both India, which hosted the 2023 G20 Summit, and Brazil, which was the host country in 2024, not only share South Africa’s economic aspirations for the developing world and the Global South, but all three countries are also bearing the brunt of some of the harshest US tariffs…

Ballet is often perceived as an art form catering to a niche and sophisticated audience. However, it isn’t. In fact, Mzansi Ballet has, over the years, made it appealing to a crossover audience through its myriad offerings. And it is doing so once again through its year-end production Private Presley – The Ballet. International ballet sensation Jorge Wade from Mexico stars as Elvis Presley, with prima ballerina Angela Revie portraying a graceful and passionate Priscilla Presley. The audience will get to experience the triumphs, tribulations, and personal life of the “King of Rock and Roll” through this offering. Stealing herself away for a chat from rehearsals, Revie couldn’t help but sing the praises of the production. “I’ve been with Mzansi Ballet since its creation with Dirk Badenhorst. I’ve been working…

The South African men’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, enjoyed a rare favour from archrivals Nigeria last night as they ended a 23-year World Cup qualification hoodoo. Bafana pulled on the style, beating Rwanda 3-0 at Mbombela Stadium, as Nigeria did the same to Benin in Lagos during the last round of Group C of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers last night. They had no business to, but South Africa took a long route to booking their ticket to the global showpiece, which will be hosted by Mexico, the US, and Canada. After leading Group C of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers for over a year, Bafana were pencilled in the list of nine representatives for Africa. And why not, after all? For the first time in over…

Five suspects – including four Limpopo police officers – arrested in connection with a house robbery in Mashishing (Lydenburg) have appeared in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga, where their case was postponed to Friday. The court case was postponed for a bail application and for both the State and defence to finalise the necessary information. Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli stated that the accused will remain in custody until their next appearance. The suspects were identified as: Senama Sarafina (35), Huma Malesela Daniel (34), Shogole Lesiba Lucky (41), Ledwaba Macdonald (34), Komane Johannes (29) – a civilian. The group was arrested last week following a house robbery involving Ethiopian nationals in Mashishing. During the incident, the suspects allegedly used police-marked vehicles to carry out the attack. Investigators…

Operation Dudula has accused former President Thabo Mbeki of weak border controls and a lack of decisive leadership during his tenure, saying this led to a large influx of migrants into South Africa, and has called on him to “fix his mess”. This follows comments by Mbeki, who said it “hurts” him to see Operation Dudula blaming foreign nationals for the country’s problems. “Operation Dudula has noted with regret the dishonest and hypocritical statement made by former President Thabo Mbeki, referring to Operation Dudula as ‘this thing,’” the group said in a statement. “Dear former President Thabo Mbeki, Operation Dudula is not ‘this thing.’ We are a political party with foundations in South African communities and among military veterans. You would do well, Mr. former President, to enjoy your pension…

The words “some police are useless”, spoken by an innocent civilian to a friend, within earshot of police officers, which resulted in his vicious attack, undignified treatment and abuse at the hands of SAPS officials, will cost the taxpayer R1.8 million. “Their conduct violated the constitutional mandate, which defines their role, and which they ought to embrace with pride,” an acting judge of the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg remarked. This was after Ramothopo Ratshwene turned to court to claim damages from the police following his harrowing ordeal when he was severely assaulted by some officials who took umbrage at him describing some as useless. Acting Judge B Ford, in ordering against the police, remarked: “Sadly, their unlawful conduct has now given rise to a delictual claim of considerable financial proportions,…

You would have expected the head honchos at Kaizer Chiefs to have learnt their lesson by now. But such is the questionable nature of management that they seem not to care anymore. Chiefs announced this week that they had officially parted ways with head coach Nasreddine Nabi after suspending him due to licensing and mistrust issues. That was a smart move. The relationship between the two parties seemed disconnected — almost as if Chiefs needed Nabi more than he needed them. But while that decision to end the relationship showed that Chiefs’ big shots have nerves of steel, they went on to undo all their good work by retaining Nabi’s former trusted lieutenants, Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, as co-coaches for the rest of the season. You see, the…

Former Orlando Pirates attacker Andries Sebola believes his former club are finally showing the consistency and balance needed to compete for top honours both domestically and on the continent. The Buccaneers will continue their CAF Champions League journey this weekend when they travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to face Saint Eloi Lupopo in the second preliminary round at the Frederic Kibassa Maliba Stadium on Sunday, after an impressive start to the season. The Soweto giants breezed past Lesotho Premier League outfit Lioli FC with an emphatic 7-0 aggregate victory in the first preliminary round. While they will be keen to improve on last season’s semi-final finish, their domestic league form has been equally impressive. The Sea Robbers are on a five-match winning streak, with much of their confidence…