Indholdsfortegnelse for 2026-01-27 i Mercury

Heartwood Properties has been approved for a secondary listing on A2X Markets. Heartwood is currently listed on the Cape Town Stock Exchange and will retain its primary listing there. Heartwood’s shares will commence trading on A2X on Monday, February 2, 2026. Heartwood is a commercial and industrial property investment and development company with a portfolio concentrated primarily in the Western Cape. The company’s decision to list on A2X forms part of its ongoing focus on enhancing shareholder value and broadening market access. The secondary listing provides Heartwood shareholders with more choice. By listing on A2X Heartwood Properties is now able to provide access to the both the retail market through the Cape Town Stock Exchange and the institutional market through A2X. A2X is South Africa’s licensed stock exchange focused on…

Economists have offered mixed reactions to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upbeat assessment of South Africa’s economic recovery, warning that while several indicators have improved, growth remains too weak to deliver meaningful job creation and sustained investment. On Monday, Ramaphosa said that in the last months of 2025, South Africa saw a number of indicators that collective efforts to rebuild the economy are bearing fruit. “The economy has posted four consecutive quarters of growth. There has been a steady reduction in unemployment, while recent data released by Statistics South Africa shows that levels of poverty and inequality have declined considerably. Confidence in our economy is rising, the stock exchange has been performing well, and the average inflation rate is the lowest it has been in two decades,” he said. Ramaphosa added that…

The World Economic Forum last week provided a prominent platform for South Africa to demonstrate that our reform story is delivering tangible results. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana led a delegation including several ministers and senior business leaders to Davos, where South Africa House on the main promenade hosted events showcasing our progress to global investors. The message was fundamentally different from a year ago. While last year we delivered hope grounded in policy commitments, this year we could point to concrete achievements: exit from the FATF grey list, a credit rating upgrade from S&P Global, stable electricity supply after ending load shedding, and progress on logistics reforms, including the Durban port concession and private rail operators accessing Transnet’s network. As Minister Godongwana put it, the delegation returned not with promises,…

Last year, Artificial Intelligence (AI) became a buzzword where most companies claimed to have some sort of AI capability. Experts remained concerned about the speed of innovation while society was still trying to develop safeguards around AIs. In 2026, I’ve noticed a new trend. AI companies have decided to focus on healthcare. Most of them used the World Economic Forum 2026 gathering as their platform to launch. The Gates Foundation and Open AI have announced the collaborative launch of Horizon 1000, a $50 million initiative designed to advance health care in Africa through AI. Amazon through its One Medical division, launched an “agentic health AI assistant” that lives inside its primary care app where it can access members’ complete medical records. The assistant is designed to explain lab results,…

Economic growth prospects in China and India is expected to boost demand for South African commodity exports this year although resurgent logistical constraints impacted coal and iron ore in November, with the Minerals Council calling for the government to speedily transport infrastructure for bulk commodities. South Africa’s mining production fell in November 2025 by 2.7% on a year-on-year basis after six consecutive months of year-on-year growth, dragged down by steep drops in coal, iron ore, gold, and platinum group metals (PGMs). However, Bongani Motsa, an economist with the Minerals Council of SA, said this production drop for the month of November was not due to weak demand for shipments from South Africa. Demand for minerals exported from South Africa is likely to remain stronger inspite of geopolitical upheavals sparked off…

The board of Barloworld, which delists from the JSE on Tuesday after 86 years on the market, would remain focused on strategy, disciplined governance and transparent stakeholder communication, said the chairman Lulu Gwagwa. The group, which focuses on heavy industrial equipment and services, and food and ingredient solutions for the consumer industries, is delisting from the JSE and A2X after being acquired by Saudi Arabia's Zahid Group. "Looking ahead under private ownership, our priorities are clear: to safeguard the well-being of our people and to execute our strategy with pace, while upholding the board's duty to act in the organisation's best interests by integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives to ensure long-term, sustainable value creation," said Gwagwa in the integrated report released Monday. She welcomed soon to be newly appointed directors and…

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Thami Ntuli has stated that a constitutional and legislative process governs any change to a provincial name, as this is a matter of profound importance to all citizens of the province and the nation. “Any formal proposal for a name change must originate from or be adopted by the Provincial Legislature. This necessitates a comprehensive and inclusive public consultation process across all communities and sectors of KwaZulu-Natal. The legislature would then need to pass a resolution supporting the change." He said the Constitution lists provincial names in Schedule 1. Therefore, altering a name requires a constitutional amendment. “A bill to amend the Constitution must be passed by the National Assembly with a supporting vote of at least two-thirds of its members and by the National Council of Provinces…

The Nkabinde Inquiry, which is assessing the fitness of Advocate Andrew Chauke to hold office, has been met with further delays as NDPP Advocate Shamila Batohi refuses to continue her testimony without securing legal counsel. The matter, which has been a point of contention since December 2025, was discussed again on yesterday, when Advocate David Mohlomonyane SC, representing the evidence leaders, confirmed that Batohi’s position remains unchanged. According to Mohlomonyane, Batohi had interrupted her testimony in December, citing the need for legal advice. Despite repeated requests, she has yet to receive the counsel she deems necessary. “On the 23rd of January 2026, the evidence leaders received a letter from Advocate Batohi informing us that the position as it pertained on the 15th of December 2025 is still the same," Mohlomonyane…

Criticism continues to mount over protests at Addington Primary School in Durban, with the Southern Africa Refugee Organisations Forum (SAROF) calling the demonstrations xenophobic and warning that the actions are unlawful and put children at risk. The demonstrations, which began when schools reopened on January 12, form part of a wider pattern of action against foreign nationals in South Africa, including preventing them access to hospitals and clinics. The protests at Addington Primary, which continued yesterday, are being led by the group March and March, which has been joined by Operation Dudula, alongside members of political parties displaying party regalia. Demonstrators are demanding the removal of foreign learners and for local children to be given space at the school. “Schools must never be transformed into arenas of political intimidation, vigilantism,…

In an inspiring revelation from the latest SuperSport episode of the documentary series Bucs Camp: Brotherhood, Cape Town-born footballer Oswin Appollis opens up about his narrow escape from a life of gangsterism. The 23-year-old Orlando Pirates star, affectionately nicknamed “10111” for his incredible speed and creativity on the pitch, reveals that many in his community believed he would inevitably follow in his father’s footsteps, a known gangster. Growing up in Bishop Lavis, a notoriously tough and gang-ridden neighbourhood in Cape Town, Appollis faced the daunting challenge of carving his own identity amidst societal expectations. Appollis’ heartfelt story goes: “My name is Oswin Appollis. I’m from Bishop Lavis, Cape Town. I grew up with my mother, my granny and my little brother, in a neighbourhood that wasn’t easy. “Life there was…

Arsenal’s charge towards a first English Premier League title in 22 years was halted by Manchester United’s stunning 3-2 victory at the Emirates on Sunday, pulling Manchester City and Aston Villa back into the title race. City and Villa, who beat Wolves and Newcastle 2-0 respectively this past weekend, are now just four points behind the Gunners. United’s victory also lifted them into the Top 4 at Liverpool’s expense after the defending champions’ long unbeaten run came undone at Bournemouth. Here, we look at three talking points from the weekend Carrick magic transforms Red Devils Michael Carrick looked to have been handed a baptism of fire with Manchester City and Arsenal dished up in the first two games of his reign. The former Red Devils midfielder returned to Old Trafford…

In the past, South African football was tainted by fan hooliganism, particularly among supporters of the leading clubs, when coaches became highly unpopular because of poor results. This situation frequently resulted in financial penalties for clubs due to inadequate crowd management. Simultaneously, it prompted many coaches to resign voluntarily as the environment became untenable. Typically, before a coach would formally resign, the club would issue a statement indicating they could no longer ensure the coach’s safety, which served as an implicit signal for the coach to step down. Last season, indications emerged that supporters were expressing dissatisfaction with coach Miguel Cardoso. A notable portion of the fan base felt that, given the squad’s strength, the club should have captured all available trophies. True, Sundowns won the Betway Premiership but lost…

South Africa’s wine export sector recorded stable value performance over the past year despite declining volumes, as producers navigated a challenging global trading environment marked by softer consumption, rising tariffs and increased trade complexity, Wines of South Africa said in a statement on Monday. Global wine consumption continued to weaken amid economic pressure, while trade barriers and higher tariffs added further strain to exporters. Against this backdrop, South Africa’s wine industry maintained its focus on sustaining value in established markets while expanding into developing and emerging regions, particularly across Africa and Asia. Total wine exports reached 264 million litres during the period, with exports accounting for 40% of total sales compared with 60% in the domestic market. Export value amounted to R9.8 billion, representing a 2.4% year-on-year decline, despite…

Current rally bodes well for South Africa’s economy as jittery investors seek safe havens The current rally in the gold price to new higher levels above $5 000 per ounce bode well for South Africa’s economy and local bullion producers, analysts said on Monday as jittery global investors whetted their appetite for safe haven assets due to international trade and geopolitical upheavals. Gold prices rocketed past $5 000 per ounce Monday morning as the US Dollar weakened against other international and emerging currencies. Appetite for South African assets also yielded up, with the rand breaching the R16 to the dollar threshold, leaving analysts’ eyebrows for further prospects leveled at the R15:$1 level. Market analyst Simon Brown told Business Report that the rally in the price of gold would be beneficial…

There has been a welcome reaction to the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC), a division of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, announcing that the sugar tariff review process has been gazetted regarding the Dollar-Based Reference Price (DBRP). ITAC's review comes after the South African Sugar Association (Sasa) applied for an increase in the current DBRP while the Beverage Association of South Africa (Bevsa) applied for a reduction in the current DBRP. ITAC said that Sasa applied for an increase in the current DBRP from $680 (R10 900)/ton to $905 (R14 400)/ton. “Sasa, citing amongst other reasons the need to protect the local sugar industry and ensure its sustainability. This application was made known to industry stakeholders, who were provided the opportunity to submit preliminary comments.” ITAC added that…

Last week's piece examined what survives the AI agent layer collapse — the gap between automating tasks and enabling purpose. But survival is one question. Who benefits is another. And cue Part 2. Two recent publications offer competing lenses on AI's economic promise: The Anthropic Economic Index Report, a data-driven analysis of how people actually use Claude; and Stephen Deng's "Africa’s Narrative Lock-In" essay, a venture capitalist’s (VC) diagnosis of why African tech is stuck telling the wrong stories. Both contain useful observations. Both are shaped by the interests of those producing them. The Anthropic data Anthropic's Economic Index white paper landed in mid-January 2026, within days of the company shipping Claude Cowork — the desktop automation feature that prompted Eigent to open-source itself. The timing is instructive. The report…

As South Africans await the 2026 budget announcement next month, the beer industry is warning that another above-inflation tax increase could harm small brewers, threaten thousands of jobs, and push consumers towards the illicit alcohol market. This warning comes as Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana is set to table the 2026 budget on February 25, 2026. The association has noted that past excise hikes have already squeezed profit margins and limited investment, placing small brewers under significant financial strain. Last year, the government raised beer excise by 6.75%. The association has called on the National Treasury to implement a predictable, CPI-linked excise framework that would give brewers certainty and protect jobs. "The reality is that beer companies — large and small — already carry a double tax burden: corporate income…

Mrs SA 2025 Erin Jane Miller is currently in the US to proudly fly the SA flag high at the prestigious and globally acclaimed 2026 Mrs World beauty pageant. In 2024, Miller was crowned Mrs SA at the Theatre of Marcellus in Emperors Palace on November 15. The beauty queen departed for the US on January 21, and Independent Media Lifestyle spoke to her about how she feels as she will be joining women from around the world in celebration of beauty, leadership and advocacy. She shared that it is an honour for her to be entrusted with this responsibility. “It is truly one of the greatest honours of my life to be entrusted with this responsibility. It is not one I take lightly, but I feel I am the…

Garden Route artist Bevan van Druten appeared in the dock of the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court yesterday, charged with the murder of former detective Anneke “Nicky” van Heerden. Van Druten, who appeared gaunt and dishevelled, told the magistrate, Zukiswa Hans, in Afrikaans: “I want to apply for a state lawyer.” This came after prominent Garden Route attorney Carl Jeppe refused to represent the 53-year-old man, a decision Jeppe himself confirmed. Van Druten was assigned a Legal Aid attorney, while the State withdrew its request to have him sent to a district surgeon for mental evaluation. Hans said she had not been informed of the application and was hearing of it for the very first time. The matter has been postponed to Thursday for Van Druten to bring a formal bail…

It may have been just a throwaway line, but when JP Pietersen said his centres might end up on the flanks in the return match against the Stormers, it was not as far-fetched as you might think, as the coach tackles a loose forward crisis. Andre Esterhuizen, we know, is an accomplished hybrid centre-cum-flank for the Springboks, while the strapping Hooker certainly has the physical attributes to one day follow in the footsteps of his midfield partner. For Pietersen and the Sharks, the epic defeat of the Stormers in Cape Town came at a heavy loose forward cost – Manu Tshituka was injured in the 21st minute, Phepsi Buthelezi, who had a brilliant first half, went down 10 minutes into the second period, and replacement flank Siya Kolisi limped off…

A month ago, Proteas T20 captain Aiden Markram instructed his national teammates to “have as much fun as you can” in the Betway SA20. But now that South Africa’s premier domestic T20 competition has come to a thrilling conclusion at Newlands on Sunday, with Markram’s former team, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, claiming their third title in four seasons, the time for serious business has arrived. The Proteas face the West Indies in the first of three T20Is in Paarl today followed by a second in Centurion on Thursday before wrapping up their ICC T20 World Cup preparations with the inaugural “Pink T20I” at the Wanderers on Saturday. “Yeah, it’s exciting, the boys are still coming in drips and drabs at the moment, so I think it’ll be good once we’re all…

For the past month Shai Hope has enjoyed one of the best seats in the house watching Dewald Brevis go about his work in Betway SA20. But now the Pretoria Capitals teammates will be on opposite sides when the West Indies face the Proteas in a three-match T20I series, starting in Paarl tonight. Brevis, fresh off a scintillating century in the Betway SA20 Final at Newlands last Sunday will no doubt be eager to transfer that form to the international arena against the Windies. Hope was certainly impressed with the 22-year-old Rising Star, and is fully aware of the threat Brevis poses. “He oozes confidence. He’s one of those characters that feels he can get the job done in any situation at any time,” said Hope, who was named Windies…

Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt believes his side will emerge stronger from their Caf Confederation Cup setback against CR Belouizdad as they prepare for a decisive return leg, with squad reinforcements also set to boost their campaign. Stellies suffered their first defeat of the group stages on Sunday evening after going down 2–0 to the Algerian outfit, a result that leaves the Cape Winelands side second in the group standings, two points adrift of Belouizdad at the halfway mark. The Cape Winelands side were originally scheduled to face Golden Arrows tomorrow, but with their continental commitments, the clash has been postponed. This has afforded Hunt valuable time to refocus his squad ahead of a crucial return leg that could play a major role in determining their chances of progressing to…

Germany has offered South Africa loans at significantly below-market rates, with longer tenures and grace periods, German Special Envoy for the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), Rainer Baake, has said. Briefing the media on the current state of the JETP, Baake said the National Treasury had also confirmed the highly concessional nature of the financing, which he said was lower than listed debt market rates. Baake steered clear of directly addressing comments by Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, made on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week. Ramokgopa had said Eskom would need to turn to other, more affordable funding options—such as banks, private investors, and the bond market—after a pledge of more than R213 billion by major Western powers was rejected due…

Boards are rarely judged on the quality of their frameworks. Policies, charters and codes create structure, but they do not decide. Governance is tested in moments where rules are silent, information is incomplete and timing matters more than certainty. Boards are ultimately judged on the quality of their judgement when it matters most. Most boards operate within well defined governance architectures. Delegations are clear. Reporting cycles are established. Assurance mechanisms are in place. Yet governance failures continue to occur, often in organisations that appear compliant, stable and well governed on paper. The explanation is rarely the absence of rules. It is the quality of judgement exercised when those rules do not offer clear direction. Judgement is tested when risk is credible but not provable. When ethical discomfort exists without a…

The AI disruptions of the past few years have only been the prologue to what's coming in 2026: AI’s full integration into data centre processes and builds. It’s a moment we’ve been building up to ever since OpenAI’s ChatGPT brought Artificial Intelligence into the mainstream in late 2022, sending shockwaves through everything from academia and mental health care to every type and size of business. A truly profound transformation will begin to take hold in 2026 as AI becomes ever more ingrained in every aspect of life and the focus shifts from Large Language Models (LLMs) to AI inferencing. In some ways, 2026 will be the year the rubber truly hits the road when it comes to AI. AI rewires functions and industries According to McKinsey’s latest State of AI…

Cashbuild said revenue declined by 2% for its 309 existing building materials stores in the three months to December 28, 2025. The share price fell by a sharp 5.3% to R149.51 on the JSE on Monday in early trade - a year ago the share price was trading at R197.84. Cashbuild South Africa, the division that made up 83% of revenue and which managed to increase revenue 7% in its first quarter, saw only 1% growth in the second quarter, the listed Southern Africa retailer said in an operational update. The builder's holiday was between December 12 and December 31, 2025. The Cashbuild Common Monetary Areas division reported 10% growth in the first quarter, and growth was flat in the second quarter. The addition of 15 new stores compared with…

Pan African Resources share price shot up over 5% Monday morning after it announced gold production was up by more than half in a market where the yellow metal price is hitting new highs. The mid-tier JSE and London mining group said Monday in an operational update for the half-year to end-December 2025 that it also wished to initiate the payment of a half-year dividend - a 12 cents per interim dividend was proposed. "Pan African's safety, operational and financial performance in the first half, together with the boon of record gold prices, has positioned us to deliver outstanding results for the full year. During the first half the group de-geared its balance sheet, and is also boosting cash returns to shareholders," said CEO Kobus Loots. The high gold price…

A dome-fronted submersible sinks beneath the waves off Indonesia, heading down nearly 1 000 metres in search of new species, plastic-eating microbes and compounds that could one day make medicines. This month, AFP boarded one of two submersibles belonging to OceanX, a nonprofit backed by billionaire Ray Dalio and his son that brings scientists onto its OceanXplorer ship to study the marine world. The ship boasts labs for genetic sequencing, a helicopter for aerial surveys and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capable of descending up to 6 000 metres (19 700 feet) under the ocean surface. Its two submersibles have everything from hydraulic collection arms and suction tubes to high-definition cameras, allowing them to uncover the improbable life found in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. The ship’s latest…

Local government experts have welcomed the ANC's bold plans to strengthen service delivery at the local government level but say the strategy will not work if plans are only spoken about and not executed. The party announced new plans to deal with service delivery at its NEC Lekgotla gathering in Boksburg at the weekend. However, the experts have cautioned against the party going it all alone and without the involvement of members of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and other stakeholders who have a say at the local government level. President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking on the opening day of the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) Lekgotla, pledged the party's commitment to local governance as they gear up for the 2026 local government elections. This commitment follows the alarming findings…

The SA Police Service has been found liable for damages in an incident where a pupil was shot amid a protest at an Eastern Cape school over poor school infrastructure. Siphelele Totseka (plaintiff) instituted an action against the Minister of Police in the Eastern Cape High Court, claiming damages for the assault on him by the SAPS. He testified that he was a Grade 10 learner at Madala Senior Secondary School in 2019 when the incident occurred. The students assembled for prayer as per his school schedule. Instead of singing the usual gospel songs, he, along with his fellow learners, initiated a protest concerning the dilapidated state of the school’s infrastructure. According to the plaintiff, the school toilets were blocked, and windows were cracked, exposing them to harsh weather conditions.…

The outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) should be declared a disaster in the province. The disease, the DA and the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government have said, is beyond a crisis, and the national government must intervene. DA spokesperson for Agriculture, Sakhile Mngadi, has formally written to MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, and Premier Thami Ntuli, calling for the urgent declaration of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) as a provincial disaster. “FMD is no longer a looming threat in KZN – it is an active and escalating emergency that is already causing serious harm to farmers, rural livelihoods, and food security across the province. “The scale of the outbreak now requires decisive provincial intervention and the immediate activation of disaster management mechanisms,” he said. Recent developments in Howick illustrate the pressure…

Kaizer Chiefs coach Khalil Ben Youssef has stressed the importance of experience and patience after his side secured a vital away victory against Zesco United in Zambia, a result that breathed new life into their CAF group-stage campaign. The win marked Amakhosi’s first set of three points in the competition and lifted them to third in the group standings. Chiefs now sit a single point behind second-placed Zamalek and three adrift of leaders Al Masry after three matchdays, keeping qualification firmly within reach. For Ben Youssef, the significance of the result went beyond the points. He emphasised that the current campaign is as much about growth as it is about results, particularly for a squad largely unfamiliar with continental football. “From the beginning, as a club we said that we’ve…

The Springboks will target the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks as the one trophy they want to win this year; however, England in the Nations Championship in July will also be a priority for the world champions. While the South Africans are excited to face New Zealand in four Tests – three at home and the fourth in the United States – Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus aims to start the 2026 season on a positive note against the English. He confirmed yesterday that this will be another year of mixing and matching teams as they keep their sights on the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The Springboks will specifically focus on the high-flying English and see that Test at Ellis Park as the perfect preparation…

Jannik Sinner sent an Australian Open statement by rolling into the quarter-finals yesterday, but fellow champion Madison Keys was dethroned as Melbourne braced for extreme heat. Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti battled stifling conditions to set up a last-eight showdown with Novak Djokovic, while six-time major champion Iga Swiatek progressed in rampant fashion. Two-time defending champion Sinner raced to a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) victory over fellow Italian and close friend Luciano Darderi. Tomorrow the second seed plays US eighth seed Ben Shelton, who beat Norway’s 12th-seed CasperRuud. Djokovic and Sinner are on course for a blockbuster last-four showdown, with the Serbian great also in action tomorrow against Musetti. The latter vowed yesterday to push Djokovic “to his maximum”. The Italian powered past ninth-seeded American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 and…