Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-05-27 i Mercury

The group’s pre-tax and capital items loss improved to R237 million for the 52 weeks ending March 2 Pick n Pay's turnaround is taking shape, but initial estimates predicting the retailer would reach breakeven in the 2027 financial year have proven over-optimistic. The group now forecasts this milestone will only be achieved in 2028. The group's pre-tax and capital items loss improved to R237 million for the 52 weeks ending March 2, compared to a R1.4 billion loss in 2024. This improvement was driven by a R1bn reduction in the Pick n Pay segment trading loss, supported by a 27.3% decrease in interest paid as the recapitalisation began to impact debt service costs. CEO Sean Summers, who announced on Monday that he has extended his contract until May 2028, said…

Pick n Pay on Monday said it launched a powerful new app that brings together its on-demand delivery service asap!, Smart Shopper loyalty programme, and value-added services into a single, next-generation platform. The retailer said it is its most significant digital milestone since launching asap!. "The asap! back-end and front-end technology has been completely re-platformed over the past 18 months, resulting in the new ‘Pick n Pay asap! and Smart Shopper’ app. It features enhanced performance, AI-driven functionality, and a redesigned user experience that makes it easier for customers to shop, save, and receive groceries. These improvements are expected to drive strong growth in the coming year," Pick n Pay said. The new app is in Beta until the end of September 2025, with new features and improvements being added…

“In 2011 as MD of Microsoft SA I signed one of the first Equity Equivalent deals in the ICT sector worth about R500m. The Equity Equivalent deal paved the way for more than R25 billion Microsoft has invested in SA under the leadership of Lillian Barnard. The R25 billion direct investment by Microsoft was about building of cloud data centres in SA in the process creating youth employment and buying material from local businesses. It was never about dishing that money to individuals.” wrote Mteto Nyathi on the 25 May 2025 on X. There’s a lot to learn from what Nyathi has shared on this matter in view of current debate about Starlink. The first lesson is that it is incorrect to suggest that it was impossible for Starlink to…

African Bank, which has future plans to list on the JSE, reported a 15% surge in group net profit after tax, reaching R202 million for the six months ended March 31, 2025, driven by its ambitious Excelerate strategy as it aims for a JSE listing ahead "The results reflect the growing impact of its Excelerate strategy, as the Group continues its transformation into a diversified, fully-fledged banking institution serving both personal and business customers," African Bank said. The robust results came despite the South African economy remaining under pressure due to persistent unemployment, structural inefficiencies, and an increasing burden on welfare spending by the government. "However, the easing of inflationary pressure, further aided by the South African Reserve Bank’s decision to cut and pause further interest rate reductions, has…

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has decided to try e-voting, and it is now in the policy-making stage. IEC senior manager in the office of the CEO, Dr Victor Shale, said the commission not only seeks to deliver on the procedural aspect of elections, but it also seeks to deliver on the substantive value of elections. Therefore, the commission tries to be at the forefront of innovation. “We want to make sure that elections add value to democracy,” Shale said. Shale said that having undertaken significant work since 2013, the IEC is now in the policy-making phase. He said that policy begins when identifying an issue. “Whether we like it or not, digital technology in elections is inevitable. We are using digital technology in elections, in one way…

The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) will today turn to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria for the self-review of a tender awarded by its office for the management of a court online system. The self-review is due to procurement irregularities raised in the CaseLine project after it emerged that former OCJ officials were directors of a company subcontracted to do work under the tender. These former officials had applied to intervene in the review matter but the court has dismissed their application. The matter involved the award of a departmental tender to a company – Thomson Reuters (Professional) UK Ltd (TR) – which had subcontracted to a local company whose shareholders were the three senior OCJ officials. The court online system – where all matters before court are filed…

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has expressed satisfaction with the progress made in curbing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the province. A traceback epidemiological investigation revealed that cases were linked to an auction in Utrecht, KZN, in February. FMD has since spread to Mpumalanga and Gauteng. In KZN, an outbreak of FMD was confirmed in Amajuba, uMkhanyakude, Zululand, King Cetshwayo and uMzinyathi districts. Recently, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa conducted a site visit to the affected dip tanks. KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said she was happy with the progress so far, but noted that more work needed to be done to eradicate FMD. “We have visited different affected areas and witnessed some good work being done, we also continue to plead with our people to bring…

The Regional Court sitting in Whittlesea has sentenced a 38-year-old to life imprisonment for the murder of his father and an additional 15 years for the earlier murder of a relative, both crimes committed while under the influence of alcohol and the latter while he was out on bail. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said Zuko Sigenu’s violent spree began on September 25, 2021, during a traditional ceremony at his family home. The court heard that he got into a heated, alcohol-fueled altercation with a relative. While out on bail for this offence, Sigenu murdered his father on August 12, 2023 “The State led evidence from two witnesses and successfully secured a conviction based on a combination of direct and circumstantial evidence,” said Tyali.…

When the world’s rugby powers gath- ered in South Africa 30 years ago for the Rugby World Cup, the soundtrack was Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise while OJ Simpson’s flee from justice was one of the first “crimes” captured on television. The American football star would be found not guilty by a court of murdering his girlfriend Nicole Brown, with 150 million people watching on live television, but many apartheid villains would not be as Nelson Mandela established the Truth and Reconciliation Committee in South Africa. It was a cleansing experience for a Rainbow Nation that continued its welcome into the wider world after democratic elections in 1994. This was the year when Microsoft’s Windows ‘95 swept the across the world and altered how we operated computers. This was the first year…

Iga Swiatek said her defeat at last year’s Paris Olympics proved she is not unbeatable at Roland Garros, as she launched her bid for a fourth consecutive French Open title with a 6–3, 6–3 victory over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova yesterday. Swiatek extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 22 matches, yet the Pole has dropped to fifth in the world rankings after a year-long trophy drought and has appeared unusually vulnerable on clay of late. The 23-year-old has not reached a final this season and is no longer the overwhelming favourite at the tournament she has dominated since claiming her first title there as a teenager in 2020. Asked whether stepping onto Court Philippe Chatrier fills her with the same sense of invincibility that once surrounded Rafael Nadal, Swiatek…

Debt experts and economists believe that an interest rate cut of 25 basis points is likely when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets on Thursday. This follows Statistics South Africa announcement last week that CPI inflation edged up slightly from 2.7 % in March 2.7% to 2.8% in April Reza Ismail, the head of bonds at Prescient Investment Management, said that he believes there will be an interest rate cut on Thursday. “The observed 3-month Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR) of 7.45% and the 1x4 FRA (Forward Rate Agreement) at 7.26% suggest that markets are currently pricing in a modest easing bias. This reflects a forward rate expectation approximately 20 basis points below the current 3-month interbank rate, implying a probability-weighted scenario of a 25 basis point repo rate cut…

We've all been there. You're at a great restaurant, the food is exceptional, the company is sublime, but the table wobbles incessantly. Every time you reach for your drink, it rocks. Every bite of food becomes an exercise in careful coordination. The solution is simple—slide a matchbook under the short leg—but somehow no one ever does it. Instead, we spend the entire evening managing around the dysfunction, accepting the irritation as part of the experience. The global financial system suffers from the same wobbly table problem, only instead of disrupting dinner, it's costing African businesses billions and perpetuating economic exclusion on an industrial scale. The matchbook solution might finally be at hand, in the form of stablecoins. But the questions surrounding this fix demand careful scrutiny. $286 billion blind spot…

Barloworld, still the subject of a controversial takeover bid by Saudi Arabia-based Zahid Group and CEO Dominic Sewela, nearly halved its interim dividend to 120 cent a share (210 cents per share). This followed a 20.5% decline in headline earnings per share (HEPS) to 423.2 cents for the six months to March 31, with the results impacted by a weak performance in the Russia business due to the impact of sanctions in that country. Many JSE-listed companies exited their businesses in Russia after the onset of the war in Ukraine, but Barloworld opted to retain Vostochnaya Technica (VT). Excluding VT, normalised HEPS was flat at 356 cents per share. Sewela said trading conditions were broadly aligned with their expectations of stable to modest economic growth, guarded optimism, moderated by cyclicality…

OVER the last two years, I may have penned more than 20 opinion pieces and countless posts online. I must respond to that person constantly asking me, believing that I was prey to idleness, why do I write so proliferously. I will spare you with the cliché such as the pen is mightier than the sword but pay special tribute to my high school English teacher and my mother. The former led me to the vault of expression. The latter gave me the combination to that vault. The rest is history. Here I am close to 3 000 published letters to the editor and 20 opinion pieces since 1973, seven years after Israel routed the Arabs on June 6, 1967, after a battle that lasted a mere six days. My…

DEBT crisis in Msunduzi Municipality is worsening due to theft and non-payment for services, with the municipality now owing its key service providers close to R2 billion. Reports detailing the payments owed to Eskom and uMngeni-uThukela Water Board reveal that the municipality owes these two entities close to a billion rand each. The details of the debt are contained in a report tabled before the city’s Municipal Public Accounts Committee, which was presented at its recent meetings. City councillors have attributed the debt to the theft of water and electricity, estimating that this theft costs the municipality about R3 million each month. Councillors have raised concerns about thousands of bypassed water and electricity meters in the city, which prevent the municipality from generating revenue from these services. They noted that…

Matter against Israel will not be withdrawn THE South African government has confirmed that it will not back down on its International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel, despite concern from some senior ANC officials that President Cyril Ramaphosa was considering withdrawing the case after a meeting with US President Donald Trump. The case, which accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, has generated significant international interest and support and has been thrust back into the spotlight after concerns were raised by ANC senior members that Ramaphosa was considering doing a U-turn on government’s stance on Israel. Ramaphosa, with his delegation last week visited Washington to meet with Trump after the US President made fake allegations that a genocide was being carried out against white Afrikaner farmers. Ramaphosa said that…

FORMER South African President Thabo Mbeki has called on African governments to take decisive steps to revive and emphasise the teaching of African history in schools to avoid repeating past mistakes. His appeal comes amid concerns that the continent’s youth, lacking historical awareness, risks repeating past mistakes that have hindered development and unity. After delivering the annual Thabo Mbeki Lecture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Mbeki emphasised the importance of fostering a shared understanding of Africa’s struggles, victories, and the lessons learned. In an interview with Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on Power FM yesterday, he highlighted the critical role that historical education plays in promoting African unity and resilience. Mbeki underscored the need for “African unity and solidarity,” asserting that acting together is essential to confront the continent’s ongoing challenges. “We…

South Africa urged the world’s largest economies to take more decisive action against illicit financial flows that are depriving African countries of essential resources needed for their development. During her address at the G20 Development Working Group meeting in KwaZulu-Natal this week, Maropene Ramokgopa, the Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, said humanity faces significant intertwined global challenges, including extreme poverty, inequality, geopolitical tensions, conflict, insecurity, climate change risks, extreme weather, and economic instability. “Notwithstanding all of these factors, our collective commitment and capacity as humanity to address and tackle these challenges and exploit the opportunities is key,” Ramokgopa said. Speaking on one of the key focus areas for the meeting, she emphasised that the continent lost around $88.6 billion (over R1.58 trillion) each year due to…

McLaren tightened their grip on both the world drivers’ and constructors’ championships with another commanding display at the Monaco Grand Prix, reinforcing their position as the pacesetters of the 2025 season. Despite Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc splitting the pair, McLaren once again underlined their status as the team to beat, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing first and third, respectively. With each passing race, the title battle is increasingly shaping up to be an internal affair between the two McLaren drivers. Here, Obakeng Meletse looks at three major talking points following the iconic Monte Carlo showdown. Norris finds his groove again Lando Norris arrived in 2025 widely tipped to lead McLaren to their first drivers’ championship title since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008. Having wrapped up last year’s constructors’ title,…

Ace South African sprinter Akani Simbine made it a hat-trick of wins this year in the 100m at the Diamond League meet in Rabat on a great weekend for South African speedsters. The fastest man in the world so far this year was again imperious over the final 50m as he streaked away from a strong field that included African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and former world champion Fred Kerley of the US. Simbine stopped the clock at 9.95 seconds in the 100m sprint, not far off his world-leading time of 9.90, to remain unbeaten this year over his specialist distance. Omanyala was second in 10.05 while Kerley took third place in 10.07. What made Simbine’s feat all the more impressive was that it came in the…

Picking a list of the ‘best’ players in a certain league is highly subjective most of the time. At others it can seem impossible. This English Premier League season falls into the latter category as the Top 6 morphed into a Top 8 during the recently concluded campaign. Liverpool’s title triumph was among a number of shocks in a campaign where there have been three winners of the three major domestic trophies: the League, FA Cup and League Cup. The rise of the likes of Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth and FA Cup kings Crystal Palace has also coincide with the fall of giants Manchester United and Tottenham. Spurs managed to salvage some redemption in the Uefa Europa League final win over the Red Devils. United and noisy neighbours Manchester City…

The South African rand maintained its position below R18 against the US dollar on Monday, buoyed by a weakening greenback as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on trade tensions with Europe. The rand traded at R17.82 to the dollar in morning sessions, benefiting from a broader decline in the US currency, which softened after Trump threatened Europe with 50% tariffs and criticised the region on social media. By 4.30pm the rand was at R17.87 to the dollar, 0.2% up. “The dollar’s weakness stems from investors shifting away from U.S. assets amid heightened trade rhetoric,” said Bianca Botes, a director at Citadel Global. The rand, however, remained stable against other major currencies, trading at R24.11 to the pound and R20.32 to the euro. Market participants await the…

We are a nation of firsts and paradoxes. The first on the continent to industrialise and the last to align our education system with our economy. The most connected generation in our history is also the most unemployed. South Africans are not confused about what is broken. Ask a teacher, an employer, or a young job-seeker and they will all tell you the same thing: how we prepare people for work no longer works. It is not a lack of money or effort. It is the absence of a system that speaks to our economy, our people and our moment in history. The data confirms this disconnect. According to Statistics South Africa, only 7% of Grade 12 learners qualify for STEM-related degrees despite growing demand for engineers, technicians and digital…

South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has dismissed an appeal by Springbok Solar Power Plant against Renergen’s helium extraction rights at the Virginia Gas Project, affirming the company’s legal authority to extract and commercialise helium as a by-product of natural gas. The decision, announced on Monday, ends a protracted dispute and strengthens Renergen’s position as a key player in South Africa’s helium and natural gas sector. The ruling follows a thorough review of legal and scientific arguments, resolving a contentious debate over whether helium should be classified as a mineral or a petroleum by-product under South African law. The Minister’s decision confirms that helium extraction falls within Tetra4’s existing Production Right, a subsidiary of Renergen, aligning with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act. The Minister said this…

You can sit on a board and still fall short of leadership. In the evolving architecture of corporate governance, there is often confusion between having a seat at the table and truly discharging the duties that come with it. Being a director is not ceremonial; it is a fiduciary commitment. One that demands more than occasional attendance and rubber-stamping decisions. It demands diligence, judgement, independence, and above all, accountability. Too often, we invoke the language of “oversight” or “strategy” in vague terms. But what does it actually mean to govern well? South African company law sets the standard with quiet clarity. Directors must act honestly and with the care and skill expected of someone entrusted with protecting the interests of others. They must remain free of conflicts, act in the…

If you and your partner struggle to communicate, you’re not alone. Relationships can feel like an uphill battle when arguments pile up and moments of connection become rare. Maybe it feels like there’s no way to break the cycle of misunderstandings, hurt feelings and frustration. But what if the key to saving your relationship lies in avoiding a few critical pitfalls? Love researchers John and Julie Gottman, the founders of the renowned Gottman Institute, have studied relationships for decades. Their research has identified four destructive communication habits they call the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” of relationships. These behaviours – criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling and contempt – can predict divorce with over 90% accuracy if left unchecked. Understanding and addressing these behaviours could help you build a healthier, happier partnership. 1.…

Once again the Mobeni Heights crematorium is in the news and for all the wrong reasons. The closure, due to administration issues, has caused inconvenience and frustration for those who rely on its services. Ensuring compliance with regulations, including emission certificates, is crucial for the smooth operation of such facilities. The consequences of failing to renew the certificate are severe. Administrative oversight should not hinder the dignity and respect due to the deceased and their families. This shows the negligence of the city’s parks and gardens department. The eThekwini Municipality needs to replace staff with more competent individuals, who have the necessary skills and expertise; this could be a step towards resolving the issues at the crematorium. The incinerators have been out of action for over ten years. The closure…

DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development acting director-general Nomthandazo Moyo has set the record straight on reports of genocide in South Africa. Moyo was speaking during the opening of the G20 Development Working Group in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. Moyo said that while the country deals with development issues, it also faces challenges and every country deals with crime. Moyo also said issues of public safety are something that affects everyone, irrespective of whether you are in the south, the north or the east of the globe. As the administrator responsible for land, Moyo confirmed that there is no expropriation of land without compensation when it comes to land redistribution issues and there is also restitution for those whose land was taken during apartheid. “When we restitute the land,…

A new study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has called for increased awareness and prevention efforts against rabies in South Africa. Rabies is a “viral disease transmitted primarily through the saliva of infected animals, mostly dogs, through bites, scratches, open wounds, or mucous membranes”. According to the NICD’s surveillance data covering the period from 2011 to 2023, a total of 98 743 animal bite cases were reported across the country, with an overall incidence of 131 per 100 000 population. The study showed that 60% of these cases originated from the Vhembe District in Limpopo, which recorded an annual average of 4 857 incidents. The study also noted that during the same period, 32 human rabies cases were confirmed, with a median age of just eight years.…

A 29-year-old man who posed as a US government official and swindled almost R100 000 is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court this week. The man who was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) faces charges of fraud and money laundering. Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said the arrest follows an investigation into fraud allegations, including the swindling of R85 800 from an unsuspecting victim in December 2022. “It is alleged that the complainant was contacted via e-mail by a suspect who introduced himself as a representative of the government of the US. The complainant was promised a Covid-19-related grant on condition that she deposit money into a certain bank account,” Matoti said. The suspect sent the victim a list…

KwaZulu-Natal police have arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting that claimed four lives in the Mzomusha area of Dundee on Friday. The suspects, aged 26 and 32, were apprehended in the Dundee CBD on Sunday night after a community tip-off. Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the violent incident unfolded when two male victims, aged 31 and 35, were gunned down outside a home. The attackers then stormed into the house, where they demanded money and drugs from a 29-year-old woman. A confrontation ensued, during which she was shot multiple times and fatally wounded. A 14-year-old girl was also shot and died at the scene. “Two victims, a woman who was inside the house and a man who reportedly managed to leave the room after hearing…

Veteran allrounder Marizanne Kapp will make her much-anticipated return to the Proteas Women’s team on their upcoming tour to the West Indies. Kapp was sorely missed during the recent Tri-Series in Sri Lanka, where the Proteas failed to qualify for the final of the competition involving the hosts and India. The Proteas won just one of their four ODI’s played in Colombo. Kapp will not only add valuable experience, but also her quality with the ball especially after the Proteas bowlers leaked runs at will during the Tri-Series. The 35-year-old will be joined by fellow seamers Tumi Sekhukhune and Ayanda Hlubi, who replace Seshnie Naidu and left-handed batter Lara Goodall. Nineteen-year-old leg-spinner Naidu played just one game, recording figures of 1/40, while Goodall only managed 61 runs at average of…

Sharks and Springbok sledgehammer André Esterhuizen feels that Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final against Munster is the game where his team will finally click on attack after weeks of frustration. The Sharks boast a backline filled with Springboks – including the Hendrikse brothers, Jaden and Jordan, Esterhuizen himself, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am, and Aphelele Fassi – as well as future Boks in Ethan Hooker and Jurenzo Julius. Yet, cohesion in attack has often eluded them. “We have a lot of confidence going into this game with four good wins in a row,” Esterhuizen said. We have not played our best rugby, but it feels good that we know we can grind out wins if needed, especially at a wet Kings Park – it…

Xabi Alonso is returning to Real Madrid, with the former midfielder set to take over as head coach from Carlo Ancelotti and lead the team at the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup. Here, we examine three key areas the 43-year-old Spaniard will need to address in the weeks and months ahead as he seeks to steer Los Blancos back to major trophies, following a season in which they finished empty-handed. Restore the Balance Alonso’s predecessor, Ancelotti, spent much of last season lamenting that his team was unbalanced and lacked “collective commitment”. In short, the squad featured too many attackers he felt obliged to fit into the starting line-up, while injuries ravaged the defence, and no replacement was signed for midfielder Toni Kroos, who retired the previous summer. The arrival of…