Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-10-17 i Cape Times

Audi South Africa on Thursday announced the appointment of Markus Schuster as its new country lead, effective September 2025. It said his appointment marks an important new chapter for the brand in South Africa and reflects Audi’s long-term commitment to the local market. Schuster joins Audi South Africa with more than two decades of global automotive experience across Germany, Italy and Singapore. Most recently, he served as managing director of Audi Singapore, where he successfully led the transformation of the subsidiary into Audi’s first direct-to-customer franchise worldwide. The pioneering approach put the customer experience at the focus of Audi Singapore's activities, combining a multichannel sales platform with the Audi House of Progress Singapore. “I feel honoured to take on the role of Head of Audi South Africa,” said Schuster.…

Ministers and central bank governors push for stronger African engagement in governance Finance ministers and central bank governors from the world’s largest economies have reaffirmed their commitment to stabilising global growth, tackling debt vulnerabilities, and enhancing Africa’s voice in global financial governance. The two-day meeting held in Washington, D.C., brought together key global policymakers amid an environment of persistent uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and uneven post-pandemic recovery. The G20 noted that the global economy remained resilient in the first half of 2025 but continues to face elevated uncertainty due to ongoing conflicts, supply chain disruptions, high debt levels, and climate-related shocks. While disinflation is progressing across several economies, co-chair and South Africa's deputy finance minister, David Masondo, said members stressed the importance of maintaining central bank independence and data-dependent monetary policy…

South Africa’s motor trade sales grew by 1.9% year-on-year in August 2025, according to the latest figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Thursday, reflecting steady improvement in the country’s automotive sector. The growth was largely driven by a 9.4% rise in new vehicle sales, which contributed 2.4 percentage points, and a 4.8% increase in sales of accessories, contributing 0.9 of a percentage point. Stats SA said that seasonally adjusted motor trade sales rose 0.5% month-on-month in August, following increases of 0.9% in July and 0.4% in June. Over the three months ending August 2025, motor trade sales were up 2.8% compared with the same period in 2024. The main drivers of this quarterly improvement were 10.2% in new vehicle sales, 6.4% in sales of accessories, and 2.5%…

South Africa is considered a small emerging market in global terms, with the local stock market accounting for approximately 0.40% of the total global equity market capitalisation. This relatively small footprint underscores the importance of geographical diversification for local investors. All transfers of funds abroad originating from South Africa are subject to exchange control regulations administered by the Financial Surveillance Department of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). While these regulations aim to manage capital flows, they also provide permissible avenues for individuals and companies to transfer funds abroad. Allowances available to investors Single discretionary allowance (SDA) South African resident individuals over the age of 18 are granted an annual single discretionary allowance of R1 million per calendar year by the SARB, which can be used to externalise funds for…

Nestle, the Swiss food giant whose brands include Nespresso coffee and Perrier water, announced Thursday plans to cut 16 000 jobs worldwide over the next two years, sending its share price soaring. "The world is changing, and Nestle needs to change faster," chief executive Philipp Navratil, who took the reins of the multinational in early September, said in a statement. That included making "hard but necessary decisions to reduce headcount", he said. The company's shares shot up more than 8 percent in morning trading, helping to make the overall Zurich stock market the best performing in Europe. Navratil spoke as the company published nine-month figures showing sales down by 1.9 percent to 65.9 billion Swiss francs ($83 billion). The job cuts represent about 6 percent of its staff. The layoffs…

AS A practising psychologist I have had countless conversations with colleagues including psychologists, psychiatrists and general practitioners about the growing crisis in children’s mental health. Again and again one issue rises to the top of every discussion: excessive screen time. Never in my life when I decided to study psychology did I imagine that one day I would speak about screen use ten times a day. Yet here we are. It has become one of the most urgent and distressing topics in my consulting room. We now see children who spend more hours on screens than they do sleeping. Some report being online for up to nineteen hours a day. These children often struggle to sleep, eat poorly and find real-world interaction confusing or overwhelming. Their attention, emotions and sense…

A KNYSNA man has been sentenced to 25 years behind bars for strangling his partner to death in a jealous rage. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the High Court of South Africa: Eastern Circuit Local Division sitting in Knysna sentenced Sandiso Faku for the murder of his partner, Ntombizodwa Mei. The State charged Faku with murder and defeating and obstructing the administration of justice, and he confessed to the crimes in Section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, Act 51 of 1977 statement. Faku and the deceased were in a romantic relationship and stayed together. “On April 25, 2025, the deceased’s work transport dropped her off at their residency at 9pm, and they visited Noxozola and her brother, where they drank. They later left for home, where they…

Lessons From My Father Melinda Ferguson and Steve Anderson Melinda Ferguson Books In a country where fatherhood is often defined by absence, silence and struggle, a new book titled Lessons From My Father seeks to rewrite that story. Published by Melinda Ferguson Books and co-edited by author and publisher Melinda Ferguson and educationist Steve Anderson, the collection gathers thirty-two essays from prominent South Africans who reflect on the men who shaped their lives. The contributors include Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, Springboks legend Nick Mallett, Olympic champion Chad le Clos, activist Zelda La Grange, musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, singer Zolani Mahola, Lindiwe Hani, chef Karen Dudley, radio personality Darren Simpson, humanitarian Imtiaz Sooliman and television presenter Maps Maponyane, among others. Each essay offers a personal story about fatherhood – not as…

Run-hungry Marnus Labuschagne slammed his fourth century in five innings yesterday to make an emphatic case to be in Australia's side for the opening Ashes Test against England. The Queensland captain was dropped ahead of Australia's mid-year Test tour of the West Indies after an extended lean spell. But he has come roaring back to stake his claim to be part of the team that pads up in Perth on November 21. Batting at three, he crunched 159 off 197 balls against South Australia, while Test opener Usman Khawaja hit a composed 46. Labuschagne's ton backed up the 160 he made in the opening Sheffield Shield round against Tasmania. He has also blitzed two 50-over centuries this season. The 31-year-old opened with Khawaja in June's losing World Test Championship final…

It says a great deal about how seriously the Sharks view their precarious United Rugby Championship (URC) position that they have rushed back Eben Etzebeth for tomorrow’s crucial home clash with Ulster. Etzebeth had seemed certain to take paternity leave this week as his family welcomes a baby daughter — the second girl in the Etzebeth household — but the Springbok enforcer has chosen to play on for a Sharks side that will be delighted to have his presence. The Durban outfit currently sit 14th on the URC log. The Sharks host Ulster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, in a match of growing importance given that they returned home from a winless tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They lost to the Glasgow Warriors and Leinster,…

South Africa’s food security has shown modest progress, according to the latest Shoprite SA Food Security Index, released on Thursday. The Index rose to 56.5 in 2024, up from 44.9 in 2023, signaling an improvement but still lagging behind the 2019 score of 65.8, when hunger levels were significantly lower. While Shoprite and civil society groups have welcomed the improvement, they warn that hunger and malnutrition remain deeply entrenched challenges across the country. Sanjeev Raghubir, Shoprite’s chief sustainability officer, said the findings offer “a glimmer of cautious optimism,” but stressed that hunger continues to affect millions of South Africans — including at least one in 10 children. “This index is designed to monitor the country’s progress in addressing hunger and to close the significant research gap that exists on this…

By any measure, the cost of unaddressed mental health in South Africa is staggering. Depending on how it's calculated, mental health challenges are costing the South African economy between R161 billion lost in reduced productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, and staff turnover. These numbers, drawn from credible studies by institutions such as Investec should give business leaders pause. Because this is not just an economic issue—it’s a workplace crisis in plain sight. And something that is worth highlighting as October marks Mental Health Awareness Month. Presenteeism, where employees show up physically but are too mentally unwell to function properly, accounts for the lion’s share of the loss. Unlike absenteeism, which is easier to track and quantify, presenteeism is insidious. An employee may be logged on or at their desk, yet disengaged, overwhelmed,…

PSG Financial Services’ advice-led and diversified businesses continued to drive earnings growth and competitiveness in a tough financial services market during the six months to August 31, boosted as well by higher equity market returns. Recurring headline earnings per share for the group that is owned by PSG Group, which was founded by billionaire Jannie Mouton and Chris Otto in 1995, increased by 22%, with an impressive return on equity of 28.6%, up from 26.2% at the same time last year. The interim dividend was raised to 20 cents a share, considering the strong cash position, compared to 17 cents at the same time last year. CFO Mike Smith said in an interview the group continued its steady trend of growing major financial metrics since listing on the JSE in…

RFG Holdings’ share price shot up over 38% to R22.20 after a surprise announcement Thursday that South African consumer foods and packaged goods company Premier Group plans to acquire it in a share swap transaction. Investors appear stoked with the proposed acquisition, as Premier’s share price also increased by 8.3% to R166.40 in the morning, while the share price of one of Premier’s main shareholders, Brait, also increased by more than 8% to R2.11 per share. The proposed transaction to acquire all of RFG’s shares was structured in a ratio of one Premier share for 7 RFG shares, and was based on a RFG Holdings price per share of R22, and a reference price of R154 per share. The offer represented a 35.6% premium based on the closing prices of…

LAWYERS representing ex-president Jacob Zuma believe the State officials who unlawfully granted him the money for his legal fees should be held accountable. The Presidency and State Attorney seek to recover more than R28 million spent on Zuma’s legal fees. However Advocate Thabani Masuku for Zuma told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that his client was not granted the money through corruption, but that the legal fees were paid from the State coffers following wrong legal advice to the state. He said while Zuma did benefit from the money, it was not his doing that it was given to him. Those officials who allowed the State to pay for his legal fees up until the court in 2019 put an end to this, should be held liable…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is a frequent visitor to alleged Tembisa Hospital looter Hangwani Maumela's house. This is according to a neighbour living on the exclusive Sandton street where Maumela's mansion was raided by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) last week in connection with the R2bn Tembisa Hospital scandal. Following mounting pressure on his alleged links to Maumele, Ramaphosa Ramaphosa admitted to knowing Maumela during a question and answer session in Parliament this week. He previously denied ever meeting him. The SIU has identified Maumela as the primary beneficiary of a syndicate tied to 1,728 procurement bundles worth R816 million, involving 41 suppliers. Last week the SIU used a convoy of removal trucks to remove Maumela's fleet of luxury cars, including three Lamborghinis, each worth several million rands, from his three-story…

Representing the Stellenbosch Region at the 45th Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF), 13-year old Zachary “Zhara” du Toit from Laerskool Lochnerhof in Strand stood out not only for her innovative thinking, but also for her incredible personal journey of resilience and hope. Held at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre in Kempton Park, the 2025 Eskom Expo ISF brought together hundreds of brilliant young minds from across South Africa and several international countries. The event celebrated innovation and problem-solving in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation (STEMI). Cancer survivor, Zhara was awarded the first place SAICE Environmental Engineering Division Award, winning R7 000 and a Silver medal for the research project, “Designing a Reusable Crate for Sustainable Grocery Delivery”. Zhara’s path to the ISF was not an easy one. “Two…

EXTORTION and targeted shootings at Somali-owned shops in Nyanga have spiralled “out of control” and require a coordinated response. About 60% of Somali-owned shops in the area are reported to have shut down due to extortion-related threats, said Nyanga Community Police Forum (CPF) secretary-general Dumisani Qwebe. He said recent incidents include raids on shops along Ngulube Road, where some owners were shot, and further attacks at other locations in Philippi. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed that Nyanga police registered a murder and two counts of attempted murder following a shooting at a supermarket on Ngulube Road on Wednesday. “A 40-year-old male was fatally wounded, and two others were injured. The injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. “Reports indicate that five unidentified males entered the shop…

The Fortress of Lost Memories William Yamaguchi Dobson Multi-cast narration AUDIBLE ORIGINALS THIS month, The Fortress of Lost Memories by William Yamaguchi Dobson hit the audiobook shelves. Running just under six hours, it’s a tale that mixes heart, imagination, and a touch of magic. What we get is a story that dances between fantasy and the familiar pain of losing someone we love. At the center of it all is twelve-year-old Jonty, a boy whose world is shaken when his beloved grandfather begins slipping away into the haze of dementia. That moment – watching someone you love start to forget – becomes the spark for Jonty’s daring journey through the mysterious Gate of Memory. It’s not just a fantastical adventure, though. It’s a heartfelt quest to bring back his grandfather’s…

THERE is now, at last, a ceasefire in Gaza. The bombs have stopped falling, the skies no longer scream with drones, and the death toll, for the moment, has paused its upward march. But to speak of peace, or even of “progress,” in the shadow of so much devastation, is to mock the very notion of justice. What has been achieved is not peace; it is merely silence, a silence purchased with tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, and one that conceals the deeper crime that the world refuses to confront: the complete and deliberate evasion of justice. Justice was never part of the ceasefire negotiations. It was never raised in the corridors of power or the emergency sessions of the UN Security Council. The world’s diplomats spoke of “humanitarian…

Proteas Women’s premier spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba is determined to do well for the team against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup continues. The slow left-arm orthodox has had a good record in Colombo, having taken six wickets in three games at the venue during the Tri-Series against hosts Sri Lanka and India earlier this year. As the Proteas return to Colombo to face Sri Lanka in their fifth fixture of the ongoing showpiece event, Mlaba is determined to do what she does best and contribute to the team’s success. “I think it’s my second time playing here because we had a Try-Series against, obviously, Sri Lanka and India. It's always good to come back here and hopefully this time…

I can still recall my first reaction to hearing the official 2010 Fifa World Cup song — and, incidentally, it’s the same reaction I have to it now. A fierce grimace befalls my face whenever I hear Waka Waka by Shakira, even though I’ve been told multiple times that it’s the best of the theme tunes and a banger of a song. I can only shrug my shoulders and wonder why it was that a Colombian — from a country roughly 11 000km away and very much not on the African continent — was chosen to sing a song about Africa and its first Fifa World Cup. Thank goodness Freshlyground were in the studio next to Shakira when she recorded it – or so the legend goes; they are the…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth to hold steady at 4.1% in 2025, with a modest pickup anticipated in 2026, according to its October Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa released on Thursday. While the region continues to show resilience, the IMF warned that global headwinds — including weaker demand, softer commodity prices, and tighter financial markets — are testing its recovery and reform momentum. “Six months ago, our assessment highlighted the region's strong efforts and that growth had exceeded expectations last year,” said Abebe Aemro Selassie, director of the African Department at the IMF. "But we also noted the sudden realignment of global priorities and increasing turbulent external conditions, marked by weaker demand, softer commodity prices, and tighter financial markets. Today, these global headwinds continue…

“The button has been turned.” Those five words from Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, following the team’s draw against Zimbabwe, reveal more about championship mindset than most business books ever could. On Friday night at Moses Mabhida Stadium, the players walked off the pitch devastated. A goalless draw when victory was within reach. The kind of setback that breaks spirits, erodes belief, and, for many teams, marks the end of a dream. But here’s the difference between ordinary teams and extraordinary ones: champions know how to turn pain into power. And in that moment, Broos proved that leadership is not about avoiding disappointment — it’s about managing recovery. Having spent two decades interviewing leaders across five continents, I’ve seen this pattern time and again. Championship teams and world-class organisations share…

dieketseng.maleke@inl.co.za Nearly 80% of surveyed businesses are unregistered, excluding them from finance and formal opportunities, according to Standard Bank’s inaugural Township Informal Economy Report. According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), unregistered businesses operate outside formal regulatory frameworks, including VAT registration, labour regulations, and tax compliance. These businesses are often not incorporated as legal entities, which prevents them from accessing finance, formal markets, and digital tools that could support their growth. Despite these constraints, the township’s informal economy remains a vital part of South Africa’s labour market, accounting for nearly 19.5% of total employment in the last quarter of 2024. Recent estimates place its value at nearly a trillion rand, a significant figure when compared to South Africa’s nominal GDP of R7.3 trillion in 2024. The report, released recently, offers…

DRD Gold directors say the high price of the yellow metal has increased liquidity and cash, and this would be applied, among other things, towards their extended capital expenditure programme for the year to June 30, 2026. This was according to an operational update for the quarter ending September 30, released Thursday, which showed that cash operating costs increased by 8% to R179 per ton for its second quarter, while its gold production increased by 2% to 1 191 kg. The group should benefit more in its third quarter from the current high gold prices; which peaked at its highest price this year at R70,307 per ounce on October 10, or R2.26 million per kilogram. In DRD Gold’s second quarter, it obtained an average gold price of R1.94m per kilogram,…

THE theft of prescription medicine, in particular ARVs, found at the scene of a bus crash that claimed the lives of 43 foreign nationals this week, undermines the fight against an HIV free region, says Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. The bus, carrying 91 passengers, was travelling from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe and Malawi when it crashed on the N1 near Louis Trichardt. “Furthermore, the Cabinet has expressed its disappointment and disquiet about the buckets of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and other prescription medications which were discovered among the wreckage of the bus with no documentation for medical cargo. “A full-scale investigation has been launched, and law enforcement agencies are also treating this accident as a potential case of pharmaceutical smuggling. The theft of prescription medicine, in…

WATER leaks and malfunctioning air conditioning systems are just some of the issues that National Treasury staff have long complained about leading to workers including Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and his team having to vacate the historic 40 Church Square head office. The department will now be moving to the Public Investment Corporation (PIC)-owned Riverwalk Office Park in Ashlea Gardens, Tshwane in December. Plans presented to representatives of Treasury staff last week show that as part of records clean-up all documents at 40 Church Square will be archived and/or disposed of before the move as this aligns with reducing the need for physical storage in the new offices. The lease agreement between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and the PIC has been finalised and signed, with the…

WHILE suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu faced the grilling of MPs over his alleged interference at SAPS, his ‘comerade’ and controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi’s property was visited by police. “The SAPS confirms that there is police presence at the business premises of Mr Brown Mogotsi in Seweding village in Mahikeng. This visit is part of an ongoing investigation that has already been discussed before the ad hoc committee and the Madlanga commission,” said police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. The ad hoc committee yesterday heard Mchunu’s version of events following KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s damning allegations that he interfered in SAPS operational matters to benefit criminal cartels. At the centre of the allegations are Mkhwanazi’s claim that Mchunu disbanded the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in December 2024 for…

FOUR men are expected in court today in connection with a violent service delivery protest in Thembeni and Empolweni on Wednesday evening where a police Nyala was burnt. The unrest erupted around 8:40pm as community members took to the streets demanding electricity, leading to chaos when a petrol bomb was reportedly thrown at a SAPS vehicle. According to Western Cape police spokesperson FC van Wyk, members of the Public Order Police Faure (POPS) were responding to the protest, where approximately 180 residents had gathered. “Allegedly, the crowd was pushed back utilising a police Nyala. When the members were reversing back to Baden Powell, they noticed smoke inside the vehicle, and they jumped out of the vehicle and noticed that it was on fire. Fire and Rescue were called to extinguish…

Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma will begin his road back to recovery on the upcoming South Africa A tour of India next month. Bavuma was included in the 16-player squad for the second four-day match of the series. The 35-year-old is currently undergoing rehab on a calf strain, which he sustained on the recent tour of England, forcing Bavuma to miss the on-going tour of Pakistan. The skipper was sorely missed over the past week as the world Test champion Proteas went down by 93 runs in the first Test in Lahore. Bavuma will be closely monitored during the South Africa ‘A’ series as he works towards a comeback for the much-anticipated Test series against India in November. Proteas teenage seamer Kwena Maphaka has also been included in the South…

McLaren's duelling pair of world championship leader Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will be looking warily in their rear-view mirrors this weekend at the United States Grand Prix for Max Verstappen. With six rounds remaining the two McLarens are separated by just 22 points, with four-time champion Verstappen adrift of Piastri by 63 points but revelling in his recent form after beating both in the last three races. Red Bull's Verstappen has turned a seemingly lost cause into a thrilling late, if unexpected, charge for a fifth title. Jacques Villeneuve, who won the title in 1997, believes the Dutchman can do it and told Italian daily La Gazetta dello Sport that it will be his "best world championship". "The two McLaren drivers are suffering too much from the pressure and…