Sunday Tribune 2024-07-14

wE HAVE have fought hard for our seat at the leadership table; and even when we get there, the battle for survival, respect and recognition continues. Sadly this battle is also fought on the pay front. Women earn on average 27-30% less than their male counterparts for the same job. While South Africa overall ranks 20th out of 146 countries on gender equality, we only rank 111th on economic progress (which includes pay parity). That being said, we also know that South Africa has a very high number of households led by single mothers (above 40%, according to Statistics South Africa). In addition, women are stuck in jobs that are low paying and offer few opportunities for upward growth. While we see more women in leadership, we must remember that…

Nigel-born entrepreneur Zano Mnguni is expanding his 100% black-owned haircare business after striking a deal to supply selected Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores in Gauteng. In less than a year, Mnguni Afro Hair went from supplying just five to 15 stores. Mnguni has been able to employ eight people and foresees more jobs being created as the business grows. His small enterprise is making big strides, recently moving from its rented facility into bigger factory space in Pomona, east of Johannesburg, and purchasing new machinery he previously couldn’t afford. Mnguni left the corporate world in 2013 to pursue entrepreneurship and the idea to start a haircare brand came from his experience helping friends who owned a salon in Duduza in Nigel. Initially Mnguni sold the products through social media, salons…

There are about 12 million registered motor vehicles in South Africa. But when excluding light and heavy delivery trucks, taxis and motorcycles, fewer than one in five adults has a personal vehicle. There are roughly 8 million motor cars and station wagons as measured by eNaTIS, but not all are owned by private individuals. According to National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), new passenger vehicle sales have been declining with 2023 showing 347 695 units sold, a decrease of 4.4% compared to 2022 which had 363 692. A difference of nearly 16 000 cars. The trend has continued into 2024, with year-to-date new sales by April down by 5.1% year on year. Eighty20, a consumer insights and data science firm, provides interesting insights into the decline in…

As South Africa commemorates Savings Month this month, the country’s financial landscape presents a unique opportunity for retail investors to bolster their savings. Interest rates continue to hover at elevated levels and the predictions are that there will only be gradual decreases in the latter part of the year. This means that Savings Month is an opportune time for South Africans to reassess and optimise their saving strategies. “Given the continued high interest rates but gradually declining inflation, we encourage South Africans to take advantage of this distinctive saving environment that will undoubtedly reward strategic financial thinking. Taking the time to do some balanced planning will deliver financial resilience and accelerated savings growth,” said Himal Parbhoo, the CEO of FNB cash investments. Parbhoo highlighted the importance and value of taking…

South African musician Sjava has stepped into fashion as he partners with Omega Footwear. The multi-award-winning musician took matters into his own hands when he approached Omega for a collaboration. It is one of his favourite shoe brands. As a person who’s on the move and constantly performing, Sjava said he loves Omega shoes because of the comfort. He said the Omega x Sjava collaboration was exciting because it allowed him to express his style in a versatile way. As an artist, he liked to explore different styles by incorporating them into his Zulu traditional wear, which he adored. “I feel like my style has always been a blend of different trends, cultures and eras. I’m easily able to style a very traditional or cultural piece of clothing in an…

In today’s world, sugar is everywhere – from the sweetness in our morning coffee to the hidden sugars in our favourite snacks. But why is this ingredient often portrayed as a villain in our diets? We are constantly told not to consume too much sugar. But not all sugar is bad. Naturally occurring sugars provide fuel for the body in the form of carbohydrates. As far as diets are concerned, “free sugars” are the bogeyman. These are the processed and refined sugars added to food and drink and the type of sugar found in honey, syrup and fruit juice. They are described as “free” because they’re not found inside the cells of our food. These sugars are easier to consume without realising and are linked to poor diet and elevated…