Table of contents for 2025-10-10 in Star

Leila Fourie, the dynamic leader of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), has announced her retirement as Group Chief Executive Officer effective 31 March 2026. As Fourie prepares to step down, the JSE Board has appointed Valdene Reddy, the current Director of Capital Markets, as the new Group Chief Executive Officer effective 1 April 2026. The Board expressed confidence that Reddy's extensive industry expertise and strategic insights will enable the JSE to navigate the challenges of an evolving financial landscape successfully. Since her appointment in 2019, Fourie has guided the JSE through a significant transformation, characterised by strategic innovation, operational resilience, and, notably, a strong commitment to inclusive leadership. Fourie's tenure has not only been defined by robust financial outcomes but also by a fervent dedication to sustainability and regulatory excellence.…

Motor vehicles, parts & accessories, and transport equipment registers highest growth rate, expanding by 4.7% year on year South Africa’s manufacturing sector remained under pressure in August, with output contracting by 1.5% year-on-year, extending July’s revised 1.3% decline. The continued slump means the sector is likely to drag on overall economic growth in the third quarter. Data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released on Thursday showed that the largest negative contributors were the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, and metal products and machinery division, which contracted 5.9%, and the food and beverages division, which fell 3.0%. Stats SA’s Director of Industry Statistics, Nicolai Claassen, said that weaker production in the food and beverage industry was a notable drag on output as it fell by 3% year-on-year. "On…

When the final whistle blew and the Springboks lifted the Rugby Championship trophy — shortly after defending their Rugby World Cup crown — a wave of unity swept across South Africa. For a brief, golden moment, 62 million people stood as one. It wasn’t just about rugby. It was about belief. It was about seeing ourselves — resilient, diverse, unstoppable — reflected on the world stage. The Springboks have achieved what many thought impossible: winning back-to-back World Cups and the Rugby Championship in the same cycle. But their greatest victory isn’t only on the scoreboard. It’s in the blueprint they’ve given us — a model for how South Africa can rebuild trust, confidence, and momentum in our economy. Because what works on the field, works in the nation. 1 Shared…

As South Africa prepares for significant changes in its employment equity landscape, the countdown to the Employment Equity Amendment Act’s full implementation is generating both excitement and apprehension among businesses nationwide. With the Act set to take effect on 1 January 2025, it shifts the definition of “designated employers” to include any company with 50 or more employees, discarding the previous turnover threshold. This broadening means that many more organisations will now be compelled to meet stringent new numerical targets across 18 sectors. However, the move has sparked legal challenges alleging the regulations are unconstitutional and could stifle economic growth and job creation. Beginning 1 September 2025, designated employers must develop five-year plans to meet these targets and report their progress annually until 2030. As the deadline approaches, many firms…

Due to the presiding magistrate’s illness, the highly anticipated ruling in the case of eight former members of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP protection unit has been delayed until next month. The officers filed a Section 174 application citing a lack of sufficient evidence, which is the subject of the ruling. In September, the application was debated. The officers are Shadrack Kojoana, Johannes Mampuru, Pomso Mofokeng, Harmans Ramokgonami, Phineas Boshielo, Churchill Mkhize, Lesibana Rambau, and Moses Tshidada. They are accused of driving carelessly and recklessly, causing malicious damage to property, and assault with intent to cause serious bodily harm. Members of Mashatile’s protection unit were caught on camera allegedly attacking cadet soldiers on Johannesburg’s N1 highway in 2023, which is the basis for the charges. The video went viral and…

A pastor from the Jesus Is the Answer Ministries (JITAM) in Mamelodi East was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl and the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, both of whom were congregants in his church. The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court ordered that the sentences run concurrently with life imprisonment and that his name be entered into the Register of Sexual Offenders, Gauteng NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said. The pastor, whose name was not disclosed by the NPA, was further declared unfit to work with children and to possess a firearm. In explaining what happened, Mahanjana said that during November 2021, the 13-year-old went to church in Mamelodi East for choir practice. When she arrived early, she found the pastor on the church premises, who instructed her…

The City of Tshwane has come under criticism for its snail-paced electrification of informal settlements, with a warning that it may take over 116 years to complete the programme at its current pace. In the past 15 years, only 25 798 households have been electrified, according to a mayoral report submitted during a council sitting yesterday. The report outlines a proposed implementation plan to electrify informal and formal settlements in Tshwane, aiming to reduce illegal connections and electricity losses in the city's network. It also notes that informal settlements in the city are proliferating alarmingly due to rapid population growth and urbanisation, driven by people seeking employment and better living conditions. As of October 2023, there were 579 recognised informal settlements, a number that continues to rise annually, according to…

It has been confirmed by renowned South African author Zakes Mda that he is one of several authors who prevailed in a historic class action lawsuit in the US against the artificial intelligence firm Anthropic for using their works to train AI models without permission. Regarding the result, Mda stated that he disclosed a few months prior that his and Nadine Gordimer’s novels were used to train AI without their consent. “We did sue and there was a case they call class-action in the USA called Bartz v. Anthropic, which we, fellow writers whose books were used without our permission, won,” he said. A $1.5 billion (R25,745,805,000) settlement was reached as a result of the case, which was brought by a group of writers that included several well-known authors. Mda…

The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria ruled that it is only fair that a wealthy husband contribute R1.5 million towards his wife’s legal costs in their protracted divorce proceedings. The wife (the applicant) turned to the court to demand a contribution of R2m towards her legal fees, as she claimed her husband was a man with substantial financial means. She said she wanted to be on the same footing as him during their legal fight, as divorce is a costly business. The applicant is a Human Resource Management Consultant in the motor industry. The husband (respondent) is a specialist consultant in dams and hydro-power, an engineer and a businessman who serves as a director and shareholder in various local and international companies. He is currently residing in the UK. The parties…

Ruben Amorim has been given three years to prove himself at Manchester United after co-owner Jim Ratcliffe insisted he will not make a knee-jerk decision about the under-fire manager’s future. Amorim has endured constant speculation about his job throughout this season as United lurched from one crisis to another. The former Sporting Lisbon boss, hired by Ratcliffe in November 2024, admitted earlier this term that he had considered quitting during United’s darkest moments. United finished 15th in the Premier League last season – their lowest top-flight finish since 1973/74 – and missed a chance to qualify for the Champions League after losing the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham. Tenth-placed United have fared little better this season, losing three of their first seven league games and suffering a shock…

How about this for a fixture that would rival a World Cup final — the British and Irish Lions versus a Rugby Championship Dream Team? We know it bothers the north that, of the 11 World Cups to date, the southern hemisphere has bagged 10 of them. Will the north ever add to that sole triumph of England’s in 2003? Of course, the Lions don’t feature France or Italy, so how about a Six Nations Dream Team up against their Rugby Championship counterparts? The southern hemisphere tournament has just finished, and what a thriller it was. Picking the best 15 from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and South Africa is both a selector’s dream and nightmare, given how closely matched the sides were. I mean, who would you pick between Ardie…

Speculation has incorrectly linked the Public Investment Corporation’s (PIC) suspension of its chief investment officer (CIO), Kabelo Rikhotso, to its investment in AYO Technology Solutions. These matters are quite distinct, and this is a deliberate strategy to use AYO as a distraction. Rikhotso, CIO in Africa’s largest asset manager since May 2022, was placed on precautionary suspension following a whistleblower report alleging misconduct within the PIC. The suspension stems from internal governance concerns raised in that report and makes no reference to AYO. According to an official PIC statement, the suspension is interim, procedural, and effected under applicable labour legislation and internal policies to ensure a fair, objective, and independent investigation. “Rikhotso’s suspension follows allegations of misconduct that were levelled against him through a whistleblower report. Effected in line with…

The business community in South Africa is hoping that the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg will pivot actionable solutions and proactive strategies to tackle Africa’s $100 billion financing gap. This comes as South Africa in November will host the annual Summit of the Group of 20 (G20) sovereign countries, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) in response to developments in the global economy. The G20 is responsible for creating the foundation for global economic stability, a vital catalyst for economic development and implementing consequential global commitments such as the Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030). The Business 20 (B20), which serves as the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community, is of the view that South Africa’s G20…

The Infrastructure Fund, a partnership between the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), National Treasury and Infrastructure South Africa, has secured a R550 million grant from Dutch-based Invest International to support the rollout of the City of Johannesburg’s landmark Alternative Waste Treatment Technology (AWTT) Project. Valued at approximately R5.7 billion, the AWTT Project represents a major step in South Africa’s shift towards sustainable waste management and renewable energy generation. Implemented as a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Infrastructure Fund, the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and private-sector partners, the initiative aims to divert about 500 000 tons of municipal solid waste per year — around 31% of the city’s annual waste — away from landfill sites. At the heart of the project will be a dirty Materials Recovery Facility (dMRF) and…

Former Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvethe has urged Hugo Broos and his side to remain focused on their journey as they chase qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. South Africa finds itself in a strong position heading into their next clash against Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (6pm kick-off) on Friday. They are level on 14 points with Group C leaders Benin, who top the standings only on goal difference. Their second fixture in this round of qualifiers will see them take on a Rwanda side that beat them 2-0 in the first leg, at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday. Bafana last featured on the global stage when the tournament was hosted on home soil in 2010.…

A Western Cape police officer has been arrested after being found in possession of explosives. According to Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson, Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, the arrest stems from information received on February 13, 2022, after a Sergeant from the Mossel Bay Explosives Unit was contacted by a Sergeant from the Langeberg K9 Unit in Mossel Bay regarding an operation linked to the recovery of a suspected M26 hand grenade. “The K9 Sergeant reportedly informed their counterpart from the Explosives Unit about an operation scheduled for February 14, 2022, to recover a suspected M26 hand grenade.” She added that on the day of the operation, the explosives unit was called to a scene next to the N2 highway near Kwanonqaba to inspect the suspicious device, which was…

Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, has distanced himself and his administration from the postponed ‘national day of prayer’ event, which was meant to be held at the Tembisa Hospital yesterday afternoon. This comes as scores of South Africans on social media slammed the circulation of a poster, with Lesufi’s image on it, purporting to be from the provincial government and other concerned members of the community, which called for prayers over the R2 billion looted from the hospital between 2018 to 2022. Last week, the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) revealed that more than R2bn of taxpayers’ money was stolen of by corrupt tender syndicates, working in cahoots with Gauteng Department of Health officials and low-level workers at the hospital. Patricia Lethole, the mother of Shonisani Lethole, a young businessman who…

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) yet again experienced some uncomfortable moments yesterday during its interviews to fill vacancies in the superior court across the country – this time when Chief Justice Mandisa Maya had to rebuke a candidate for referring to a female who had lodged a complaint against him, as “that woman”. This was during the interview of an attorney, Malizo Gwagwa who was the first to take the hotseat to fill one of the vacancies in the KwaZulu Natal Division of the High Court. He was questioned about a complaint by the sister of a deceased who claimed that he did not comply with his legal obligations in finalising the estate of the deceased. Gwagwa’s remark in referring to her as “that woman” prompted Justice Maya to tell…

A decades-old lease that shielded a Pretoria East property from paying municipal bills has officially been scrapped, as the City of Tshwane moves to recover R3.8 million in unpaid rates from the owner, JL Van Druten. Under a 1996 agreement with the former City Council, the Watloo-based property was reportedly exempt from paying for municipal services – including water and electricity – for nearly 30 years. But Tshwane officials have now declared the lease outdated and invalid. MMC for Health and EFF councillor Oratilwe Blessing Mashabela led a revenue enforcement operation at the site on Monday as part of the City’s Rea Tima campaign. “JL Van Druten holds a lease agreement dating back to 1997, which stipulates that he is not required to pay for municipal services to the former…

Proteas fast bowler Kwena Maphaka will undergo rehabilitation over the next four weeks after MRI scans revealed a Grade 1-2 hamstring injury. The 19-year-old seamer will, therefore, miss Saturday's once-off T20I against Namibia in Windhoek and the subsequent white-ball tour of Pakistan later this month. Earlier this week, Independent Media revealed that Maphaka was set for an MRI after tweaking his hamstring during the CSA 4-Day Series fixture between the Lions and Western Province last week. Maphaka, having missed out on a place in the Test squad for the two-match series starting on Sunday against Pakistan in Lahore, had turned out for the Lions in an attempt to get valuable game time. With Maphaka ruled out of the white ball leg of the Pakistan tour, Dolphins fast bowler Ottneil Baartman…

France coach Didier Deschamps has admitted that he has had to learn to adapt to the younger generation of players rather than impose his ideas on them, to avoid becoming an “old fool.” The 56-year-old – a World Cup winner as captain in 1998 and coach in 2018 – has been at the helm of France since 2012, and said that even in that time, he has seen an evolution in the behaviour and temperament of young players. “Players are more sure of themselves, they have more confidence,” Deschamps said this week, ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan today and Iceland on Monday. “Before, young players did what we told them to do and that was it. Now, they’re more comfortable because they are ready earlier, they play earlier,…

The Lions would be crazy not to thrust returning Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg straight into their line-up for their URC clash against Benetton in Treviso tomorrow. The Lions urgently need direction, and the energetic Van den Berg, forming a halfback pairing with the experienced Chris Smith, would put a firm hand on the rudder. Van den Berg travelled from the Springboks in London to join the Lions squad in Treviso, where they face a difficult proposition in Benetton. The Italian team are packed with internationals and have had a promising start to the new season. They beat former champions Glasgow in Treviso, and put up a fight in Galway last week in a 26–15 defeat to the fast-improving Connacht. “Krappie actually got here before we did,” assistant coach…

The Competition Commission said Thursday it has approved the acquisition by asset management firm Differential Capital of Murray & Roberts (M&R) subsidiary TCCA, a company that owns Cementation Africa and other mining contracting businesses, without conditions. Differential Capital operates in South Africa and manages investments - retirement funds and hedge funds - on behalf of its clients. M&RL’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) said in their latest creditors' update that the Differential Capital transaction to aquire M&RL's last major asset, its mining engineering operations, is a key component of the business rescue plan. “The BRPs and Differential Capital continue to work and make progress towards the conclusion of definitive agreements and towards the fulfilment of suspensive conditions. The South African merger application was filed with the Competition Commission in the last…

The Road Freight Association (RFA) has reviewed the recently released White Paper from Port of Gauteng and it notes that the developers have targeted a very ambitious project to address the huge shortfalls in the current logistics network, especially around rail and multi-modal operations involving rail, as well as the fundamental necessity of involving and allowing the private-sector to drive the integration of logistics. The R50 billion project represents a pivotal opportunity to address the systemic inefficiencies crippling South Africa’s economic arteries, particularly the Durban-Gauteng freight corridor. The RFA has long championed an integrated, multimodal logistics network where road and rail function as collaborative partners, not competitors. The vision outlined in Port of Gauteng White Paper, “to create a premier trade gateway that restores balance to our supply chain”, resonates…

The two-part second instalment of Great African Crimes returned to the History Channel last week. Hosted by true-crime author Mandy Wiener, the show explores historical crimes and their profound impact on communities. In the first episode, which aired last Friday, South Africa’s first unrecorded serial killer, who was linked to as many as nine separate murders in the early 1900s, was in the spotlight. Pierre Basson, an insurance salesman, mirrored modern-day serial killer Rosemary Ndlovu, dealing in death through the sale of insurance premiums. The second episode delves into the case of Maria Mouton, the sole white woman executed for murder in the Cape Colony during the 18th century. She was found guilty of murdering her husband with the assistance of two enslaved individuals, one of whom she was having…

The ongoing financial crisis engulfing the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has reached a critical point, with security service providers and school meal suppliers raising alarm over months of unpaid invoices, threatening the safety and well-being of learners across the province. Security firms contracted to protect high-risk schools have reportedly not received payment for several months – some outstanding since October 2024, with the bulk unpaid since April 2025. As a result, these providers were instructed to withdraw their security personnel by the end of June 2025, leaving vulnerable schools exposed to crime and violence. Despite multiple reassurances, a security service provider speaking to IOL on Wednesday voiced frustration over the department’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations. “Instead, service providers were instructed to withdraw all security guards at the…

The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) has welcomed the decision by Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber to extend the validity of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) and the Lesotho Exemption Permit (LEP) until 28 May 2027. According to the Foundation, the extension will allow current ZEP and LEP holders to remain lawfully in South Africa while the minister conducts nationwide consultations. This follows a 2023 Pretoria High Court ruling in which HSF successfully challenged a previous decision to terminate the ZEP programme without prior notice or public consultation. The minister’s directive clarifies that ZEP and LEP holders cannot be arrested, detained, or deported under section 34 of the Immigration Act due to an invalid exemption certificate. Holders may also freely enter or depart South Africa under immigration regulations and will…

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has lifted the lid on alleged political interference within the SAPS, implicating former police minister Nathi Mthethwa and members of the Gupta family. Mthethwa, who later served as South Africa’s ambassador to France, died in Paris last week. His death has cast a fresh spotlight on his years in government, particularly his tenure as police minister under former president Jacob Zuma – a period frequently dogged by allegations of political interference in the country’s security structures. Appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee in Cape Town, which is investigating corruption and maladministration within the police service, Mkhwanazi alleged that Mthethwa once pressured him to drop disciplinary action and criminal investigations against former Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli. He told MPs that Mthethwa’s instructions were…

Former Kaizer Chiefs forward Brian Abbas Amidu and his co-accused have been denied bail by a Zimbabwean court and will remain in custody pending trial on drug trafficking charges. Amidu, also known as Tumirai Matsika, appeared in the Kwekwe Magistrates’ Court alongside Kudzai “Reuben” Mhlanga after their arrest over the seizure of about 780kg of dagga, with an estimated street value of US$78,000 (more than R1.3 million). The court ordered that the pair remain behind bars as the prosecution prepares for trial. The arrest has reignited debate around Amidu’s age, with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) recording him as 29, while football databases such as FotMob and Transfermarkt list his birth year as 1990, which would make him 35. The Herald newspaper in Zimbabwe reported that prosecutors described the bust…

SOUTH Africa is home to over 400 registered political parties – a staggering number for a country of just over 60 million people. At first glance, this might appear to be a hallmark of a vibrant, participatory democracy. In reality, it is a symptom of a deeper malaise – a society where too many people, often unemployed and lacking in economic opportunity, turn to politics not out of ideological conviction or a desire to serve, but as a means of personal survival and upward mobility. The proliferation of political parties is not a sign of a healthy democracy. It is a reflection of economic desperation and the failure of our society to channel ambition into productive, wealth-generating avenues. The alarming number of political entrepreneurs – many with no track record…

Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has called for focus and composure as the national team enters a decisive phase of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. South Africa will host Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday evening (6pm) before travelling to Mbombela to face Rwanda next Tuesday — two fixtures that could define their route to North America. “We know what’s at stake, it’s the business end of the qualifiers,” Williams said ahead of the match. “We’ve been good for the last three or four years but we need to finish it off on a good note.” The Bafana skipper’s comments come as the squad seeks to channel its recent consistency into tangible progress. Under coach Hugo Broos, the national team has shown steady improvement, reaching the…

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored twice to help Egypt beat Djibouti 3-0 in Casablanca on Wednesday, sealing their place at the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The 33-year-old has now netted nine goals in a marathon qualifying campaign that began two years ago, and Egypt’s victory gave them an unassailable five-point lead over Burkina Faso in Group A. Twice African Footballer of the Year, Salah helped Liverpool win the Premier League for a record-equalling 20th time last season and captured the Golden Boot with 29 goals. However, the Egypt captain has struggled for form with Liverpool this season, scoring just three goals in nine matches in all competitions. Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring for Egypt in the eighth minute, with Salah doubling the lead six minutes later and adding a third…

Polokwane City coach Phuthi Mohafe has tipped his dependable full-back Thabang Matuludi to become a long-term fixture in the Bafana Bafana setup as competition for the right-back position intensifies. The 26-year-old defender returns to the national team after a lengthy injury layoff, coinciding with the comeback of first-choice right back Khuliso Mudau. The Mamelodi Sundowns star missed the previous international camp after club issues saw him lose game time, prompting coach Hugo Broos to omit him from the squad. In Mudau’s absence, Broos turned to Sekhukhune United’s Nyiko Mobbie for the two World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria. However, Mobbie picked up an injury in the clash against Lesotho, forcing the technical team to call up Sundowns’ Zuko Mdunyelwa as his replacement. Mdunyelwa started against the Super Eagles but…

The Sharks are bracing themselves for a Leinster backlash in Dublin tomorrow after the champions lost twice in South Africa because of a “lack of physical intent”. Those were the words of Leinster forwards coach Sean O’Brien, who, as a player, was coached by John Plumtree when the Kiwi served as an Ireland assistant coach. Plumtree smiled when reminded of O’Brien’s call to arms for the Leinster forwards ahead of the visit of the Sharks. “If Leinster felt they were lacking physical intent in South Africa, it’s the wrong country not to bring it to,” he said. “That’s a big part of the game, and you need it if you want to dominate collisions and the set piece. “Neither will function without physicality. “We’re expecting them to up their physicality,…