Sunday Tribune 2024-03-10

Ian Wyles Auctioneers will be auctioning a sectional title unit in Sibaya on March 27 at 11am. The property is at 54 Eagle Drive, Salta Estate, and is in proximity to all amenities. The luxurious, neat home features sea views and comprises: An open-plan kitchen (with granite tops). A dining room. A living room. Four bedrooms (two en-suite). A family bathroom. Two reception rooms. Two garages. Two parking bays. An inverter system. Prepaid electricity. American shutter blinds. Upgraded finishes. Excellent sea views. A patio. A garden. 24-hour security. The estate, which is pet-friendly, offers a variety of facilities, including The Press Club restaurant, entertainment areas, braai pods, family adventure zones, kids’ play areas, business hub, an on-site shopping centre and a gym. The auction will be held live, and online…

In2assets will be auctioning an industrial park in Ladysmith on March 19 at 11am. The property is at 19-25 Hyde Road, Egerton, just north of the Lady- smith CBD. Ladysmith’s industrial sector includes manufacturing, mining, agriculture and other related industries. The park is enclosed by Hyde Road, Philip Frame Road and Jasmin and Rapson streets. Access could be attainable from each of the streets, if required, with necessary approvals and consents from the municipality. The N11 highway, which provides access to Newcastle in the north and Bergville in the south, is about 2km away. All necessary amenities can be found in the Ladysmith CBD. The property is positioned opposite the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and within walking distance of the Transnet Railway/Danskraal Station Depot. Formerly the Frame Textile Company, the…

An abstract painting by Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, who surprised her country by abdicating earlier this year, has been sold at a Copenhagen auction at 160 000 kroner (R438 000), exceeding the estimated price of 75 000 to 100 000 kroner. The artistic works of the 83-year queen has long been publicly known, and several of her paintings have been exhibited at museums in Denmark and abroad. The unnamed 1998 acrylic painting, whose starting price was 45 000 kroner, was sold late on Tuesday at Denmark’s main auction house to an unidentified buyer. The painting was originally a gift to a former aide who died in 1989, and was in the family’s possession. The works by Margrethe, who also has designed ballet costumes and sets, church vestments and dinnerware, and made…

It is not news to anyone that South Africa faces a conundrum on both ends of the employment spectrum. On one hand we have a crippling youth unemployment crisis, with 6.84 million young people aged 15–34 unemployed, according to the recent Statistics SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey. On the other, we have a persistent talent shortage impacting business growth and gross domestic product. According to CareerJunction, South Africa is experiencing a critical skills shortage across almost all sectors, with an urgent need for skills in the IT and finance sectors. The crux of the problem lies in a misalignment between the skills South African employers demand, and the skills our young people possess. We know that our education system is failing to equip our youth with the practical skills and…

Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by just 0.1% in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023 over the previous three months, narrowly avoiding a technical recession, with six out of 10 industries keeping the economy growing, data from Statistics SA revealed this past week. The 0.1% growth was lower than the market’s forecast of 0.3%. Brina Biggs, a senior manager at 1Life Insurance, told Business Report that the GDP data showed little surprise with the slow growth as it was in line with expectations from the Bureau of Economic Research. “The biggest detractor of -9.7% from the agricultural, forestry and fishing department, showed the knock-on effect of an avian flu outbreak last year, hurting growth. Notable was the decreased economic activity reported for wholesale, retail and motor trade and accommodation, as…

The country’s food security is in the spotlight, with current weather conditions posing a threat to farmers that is large enough to cause a potential yield loss of their crops, following the heat waves and sparse rainfall in February. This is coupled with the financial strain of a petrol price hike this week. The price hike would place a heavy financial burden on the nation’s farmers, at a time when they are struggling to keep their heads above water. Wandile Sihlobo, the chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, said weather conditions in various areas, where significant summer grains such as maize, sunflower seeds, and soya beans are in the pollination stages, were not optimum, and should ideally have higher moisture levels at this stage of production…