Innehållsförteckning för 2025-10-22 från Mercury

Coca-Cola HBC will pursue a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), following Tuesday’s announcement that the Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI) have agreed to sell a 75% controlling interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) to Coca-Cola HBC. The transaction is valued at roughly $2.6 billion (R45 billion). As part of the deal, the Coca-Cola Company will sell 41.52% of its 66.52% stake in CCBA to Coca-Cola HBC, while GFI will sell its entire 33.48% stake. This gives Coca-Cola HBC a 75% interest in CCBA, valuing 100% of the company at $3.4 billion in equity terms. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. CCBA is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa, operating in 14 countries and responsible for about 40% of Coca-Cola’s total…

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago confirms discussions to lower SA’s inflation target South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) Governor Lesetja Kganyago said on Tuesday that the country has entered an era of “low and stable inflation” and confirmed that discussions with the National Treasury are at an advanced stage to formally lower South Africa’s inflation target. Speaking at the SA Tomorrow Investment Conference 2025, Kganyago said a joint statement by the Sarb and the Treasury had already been issued following their meeting with the Fiscal and Monetary Policy Commission, and that a formal announcement would be made “as soon as it is politically possible.” “It was important that the joint team of the Treasury and the Reserve Bank be given time to tie the loose ends before a formal announcement could…

There has been a lot of public commentary about the challenges facing the automotive manufacturing industry and the outcomes of the 2025 Auto Week, however scant attention is being paid on one of the key takeaways of the event, namely, how intensified localisation of the vehicle production process can help to alleviate the pressure the industry is facing. The recent Auto Week 2025 conference that was hosted in the city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape was not only historically significant as the choice of venue for the event was unprecedented in the history of the sector, but it was also held at a time when the industry is at crossroads and is staving off debilitating aftershocks that pose an existential threat to the industry in the country. Gqeberha’s status…

On Sunday October 19, 2025, Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramakgopa presented the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025 during a ministerial briefing in Pretoria. A reliable power system underpins economic growth and high electricity consumption correlates with improved quality of life. The IRP’s stated objective is to ensure security of supply by balancing supply and demand while optimising environmental impact and total cost of supply. In principle, the IRP seeks to secure supply at the lowest possible cost within environmental and other constraints. In practice, the IRP 2025 does not achieve this. The plan proposes increasing nuclear capacity from 1.8 GW to 7 GW by 2039, a net addition of 5.2 GW. Global experience shows that nuclear projects almost always cost double the original budget and take twice as…

South32 reported steady saleable production at its Hillside Aluminium smelter for the quarter ended September 2025, despite ongoing load shedding by Eskom that continues to strain the operation. The diversified miner said on Tuesday that production at Hillside Aluminium unit was unchanged at 181 000 tons for the quarter. The company noted that the smelter “continued to test its maximum technical capacity, despite the impact of load shedding.” Full-year production guidance for Hillside Aluminium remains unchanged at 720 000 tons, although quarterly sales volumes declined 13% after a shipment was deferred to the December quarter. Despite what South32 described as a strong start to the year, its manganese production from South Africa dropped from 593 000 wet metric tons in the previous quarter to 551 wet metric tons in the…

KWADUKUZA Municipality (KDM) has lost more than R1 billion in one financial year due to electricity theft and non-payment by consumers. Ratepayers in the KwaDukuza have warned that the municipality is facing a financial catastrophe due to electricity theft. They emphasised that the situation is worsening and have called for an urgent meeting to tackle the issue. Residents believe that this matter should be addressed at a budget meeting scheduled for today. Mary Kassam, COO of the Dolphin Coast Ratepayers and Residents Association (DOCRRA), expressed concern about the matter. “If we do not stop bleeding cash due to electricity losses from the 2023 financial year to date we are staring down a financial crisis, the electricity business units have lost over a billion rand.” The organisation reported that energy losses…

The African National Congress (ANC) has quietly withdrawn its urgent court application to unfreeze its bank accounts after reaching a confidential out-of-court settlement with Ezulweni Investments over an R85 million debt. The ruling party confirmed on Monday that the long-standing legal dispute, stemming from unpaid services rendered during the 2019 general election campaign, has been “amicably resolved”. “Due to the lifting of the writ of execution, the ANC withdrew its two-part application after our forensic auditor, Mahier Tayob, debated the quantum with Ezulweni,” the ANC said in a statement. “Both parties agreed to enter into a new settlement agreement, supplanting all others, including the court judgment of November 2023. Its contents will remain confidential.” Earlier this month, Ezulweni Investments secured an attachment order enabling the sheriff to seize the ANC’s…

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) says it has not yet decided whether it will support the African National Congress (ANC) or the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the 2026 local government elections. The trade union federation said it wanted to continue working with both parties and ensure unity within the tripartite alliance. This comes after the SACP announced it would contest the 2026 local elections independently. The ANC and COSATU held a bilateral meeting in Johannesburg this week. Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, COSATU parliamentary coordinator Matthew Parks said the federation’s focus remained on uniting the alliance. “We discussed the issue of the ANC and the SACP, and our bottom line is we want to unite the alliance. We want to continue our relationship…

A man was killed and another critically injured in a shootout on Argyle Road in Durban yesterday. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said emergency teams arrived on scene at around 9 am. “A vehicle had been shot at numerous times, leaving both the passenger and driver with multiple gunshot wounds,” said Jamieson. He said the paramedics attended to two men, believed to be in their 30s and 40s. “However, one of them, the passenger, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and there was nothing that paramedics can do for him. He was declared deceased at the scene,” he added. The driver was treated on scene. “Once he was stabilised at the scene by advanced life support paramedics, he was rushed to a nearby hospital for the urgent care that he required.” Jamieson…

KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer is set to arrange a meeting with provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to evict suspected criminals, who are illegally occupying government flats and houses in Ulundi. The houses in the old legislature precinct were used by the ministers and officials under the then KwaZulu Government before the 1994 elections. They were left unused in 2004 when the ANC took over the provincial government and relocated the legislature to Pietermaritzburg. The involvement of the police’s top brass follows an incident where Public Works and Infrastructure’s asset audit team was threatened with guns during a recent visit to the properties. Speaking at an event yesterday, Meyer said he had decided to ask for a meeting with the provincial commissioner because the people who…

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said yesterday he would no longer crack down on his youthful squad following a spate of sendings-off than he would harshly discipline his own children. “I have four kids. When they do something wrong, I don’t punish them, I try to teach them to do the right things. I try to treat the players in the same way, to try to help them understand,” Maresca said. “This is the way I see things. It can be right or wrong, I don’t know. But it’s the way I like to do things.” The Blues have collected red cards in each of their last four matches and in five of their last six. Maresca was himself dismissed at the end of the 2-1 win against Liverpool earlier this…

FEW would disagree with the presumption that Tristan Stubbs was playing for his Proteas Test career in the first innings on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium yesterday. And after Stubbs dropped a straightforward catch in the first over of Pakistan’s innings on Monday, there would even be those of the opinion that it served the Proteas right for sticking with a player clearly devoid of confidence. But Shukri Conrad has not built up this World Test Championship-winning squad without supporting his players through both the good and the bad times. So instead of dropping Stubbs, Conrad pushed the tall right-hander back up to No 3 – where he was initially selected in the Test side, and had scored his maiden Test…

Lamontville Golden Arrows head into tonight’s away fixture against Stellenbosch FC in Cape Town knowing that a win is imperative. Currently ninth in the Betway Premiership, with 13 points from nine matches (four wins, one draw, four defeats; 10 goals scored, and nine conceded), they need to translate ambition into results – and doing so on the road raises the challenge significantly. Veteran coach Manqoba Mngqithi has been vocal about the team’s potential, yet admits consistency remains a work in progress. “They excite me … the team has improved in leaps and bounds in many aspects,” he said, “but we will have to see when it comes to real business whether we are where we think we are or still have a lot of work to do.” Mngqithi said his…

The Sea Robbers’ sails have been blown wide open, but they remain the masters of their own destiny when it comes to their domestic and continental campaigns. Orlando Pirates were hammered 3-0 by Saint Eloi Lupopo in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second-round preliminary qualifier in Lubumbashi over the weekend – putting them under immense pressure ahead of the second leg at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (3pm). Pirates need to win the match to qualify for the group stage. And, should they fail to qualify, they will have squandered the opportunity to build on last season’s semi-final run under coach Jose Riveiro. And perhaps therein lies the problem. When Abdeslam Ouaddou was appointed as the new Pirates coach, he took the job knowing full well that he…

Domestic carrier Flysafair has confirmed that its flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) have been disrupted amid the suspension of the airport’s Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) for Runway 05. This is a setback that aviation stakeholders attribute to the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) missing key regulatory deadlines. The suspension, which affects aircraft operations in poor weather conditions, comes at a crucial time as South Africa’s tourism sector gears up for the busy festive season. "Yes, unfortunately we are affected with flights into KMIA given the suspension of those flight procedures - obviously this is only in the relevant weather conditions - when weather is clear we can get in. We are reviewing each instance as it arises," said Kirby Gordon, Flysafair chief marketing officer. "When the weather…

South Africa’s largest listed companies are demonstrating resilience despite facing persistent structural challenges, high borrowing costs, and infrastructure bottlenecks, according to analysts at Moody’s Investors Service. While the country’s economy remains constrained by weak growth, high unemployment, and ongoing energy and logistics challenges, blue-chip corporates on the JSE continue to leverage strong balance sheets and diversified funding strategies to weather the difficult environment. “These are diversified, blue-chip corporates with access to international financing as well, though more domestic than international,” said Iker Ballestero Barrutia, corporate finance analyst at Moody’s. “But this varies significantly by sector and company size.” Despite improved access to capital through local and international markets, the cost of capital has risen significantly over the past five years. A recent decline in benchmark interest rates is beginning to…

South Africa’s inability to meet the targets of its National Development Plan (NDP) is rooted in years of corruption, political fragmentation, and institutional decay, according to Professor Somadoda Fikeni. Speaking at the launch of the Maphungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection’s (MISTRA) latest publication, The State of the South African State, Fikeni said the country’s governance structures have been severely weakened, with poor implementation following commissions of inquiry and well-intentioned policy proposals. The new MISTRA book, authored by leading scholars, interrogates the capacity, ethics, and accountability of the South African state, offering recommendations to strengthen governance and restore institutional integrity. Fikeni said the implosion and internal divisions within the African National Congress (ANC) had spilled over into key state institutions, resulting in poor discipline and compromised appointments. "The weaknesses identified are…

As South Africans brace for yet another round of electricity tariff hikes, with Nersa announcing increases of 8.76% in 2026/27 and 8.83% the following year, the business community is facing mounting pressure. Operational expenses will rise further, while persistent grid instability disrupts planning and productivity. At the same time, unpredictable weather patterns, from heavy rains to extreme heat, are straining an already fragile grid. Against this backdrop, the urgency for businesses to accelerate investment in renewable energy has never been greater. The demand for renewable energy in South Africa is rising and shows no signs of slowing down. Across the region, persistent electricity shortages have triggered a surge in alternative power generation. While hydrogen and gas-fired plants play a role, renewables hold a clear edge thanks to shorter construction timelines…

Zeder Investments’ share price increased 5% on the JSE Tuesday morning even though it reported a 21.9% decline in net asset value to R1.68 per share in the six months to August 31. The JSE-listed company said in results released Tuesday the drop in net asset value mainly arose from a 31 cents a share special dividend and a downward adjustment in the valuation of its unlisted investments. The share price traded at R1.26 per share - a year it was at R1.95. The headline loss per share surged by 143.9% from 4.1 cents to 10 cents, mainly as a result of the downward valuation adjustments, countered by dividend income received. The investment in Zaad, which invests and operates in the specialised agri-inputs industry, with a focus on emerging markets,…

A spectacular daylight robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris has shocked the world of art and history. Over the weekend, a small team of thieves entered the gallery housing the French crown jewels and in a matter of minutes slipped away with a trove of Napoleonic-era regalia. The audacity of the raid, executed in broad daylight yet completed before many realised what was happening, has left France reeling. Authorities have now launched a major manhunt as the full magnitude of what’s been lost begins to emerge. These are the jewels, their history and value. Crown of Empress Eugénie One of the most iconic pieces in the haul is the imperial crown of Empress Eugénie, consort of Napoléon III. Crafted in 1855 by Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier, the crown features golden eagles…

ANC MP Xola Nqola said the relationships between suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and tender kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and controversial North West businessman Oupa Brown Mogotsi were a concern. The proceedings yesterday at Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, began with evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse SC concluding his questioning. Arendse started by examining the Mchunu’s relationship with alleged mastermind and tender kingpin Matlala and Mogotsi. Matlala, believed to be connected to fraudulent transactions at Tembisa Hospital, was arrested this year on unrelated charges. He was arrested in April for allegedly orchestrating the 2023 attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane. He is currently in custody after being denied bail. Mogotsi has been implicated in the alleged unlawful…

A 52-year-old resident of Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is facing serious charges after being arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit for the cultivation of cannabis. The investigation was initiated based on a tip-off regarding activities at a residence in Howick, the Hawks said. Acting on the intelligence gathered, the Hawks undertook a disruptive operation that led them to the suspect’s home. Upon arrival, Mashinga Khanyile’s property was searched and officers found 382 cannabis plants. Provincial Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, said the street value of the plants is estimated to be around R1.2 million. Mhlongo said that following Khanyile's arrest, he was charged with cannabis cultivation. He added that officers from the police’s Forensic Science Laboratory had seized the plants. Khanyile made a…

The alarming reality of mental health struggles among first responders in South Africa is becoming increasingly evident. On average, one member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) dies by suicide every week, reflecting the profound toll that relentless job stress and inadequate mental health support impose on those tasked with ensuring public safety. During the 2024/25 reporting period, 54 SAPS members took their own lives, and a staggering total of 300 police suicides have been recorded over the past seven years, revealing a concerning and rising trend. Other first responders are also experiencing challenges — including paramedics, ambulance personnel, nurses, doctors and firefighters — with levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this group far exceeding those of the general population. A recent study conducted…

The Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal has dismissed an allegation that a newborn baby died at Durban's Addington Hospital because of staff negligence. According to social media posts, a woman informed nursing staff that she was in labour. The posts claimed that the woman was told to walk to the labour ward on her own, and during this time, she gave birth. It is further alleged that the baby fell and died. Responding to the backlash, the Department of Health dismissed the allegations as false. “We are deeply troubled by the false and distressing claim that the newborn infant passed away. “Contrary to false reports, the child has not died. Both the mother and baby are in good health. The child is healthy, and both were discharged in a stable…

A helicopter belonging to the Gauteng Traffic Police, transporting Hawks members, hovered over the controversial businessman and murder-accused Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe’s home for about 10 minutes during his arrest, not to help detectives working on the case, but to stop ‘a bogus operation’. More Hawks detectives had gathered outside Molefe's property, where the arrest was being effected by teams from the Organised Crime and Tactical Response units, monitored by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). This was revealed by Witness A, a detective with the Organised Crime Unit of the SAPS in Gauteng, during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating allegations of collusion and corruption between politicians, senior police, prosecutors, intelligence operatives, and elements of the judiciary, after they were brought to light by KwaZulu-Natal…

Once the dominant force in the McLaren camp, Oscar Piastri now finds his once-comfortable points buffer evaporating – and quickly. After a difficult weekend at the US GP in Austin, where a crash in the sprint and a fifth-place finish in the main race saw his lead shrink to just 14 points over teammate Lando Norris and 40 over Max Verstappen, Piastri, however, insists that his title ambitions remain firmly intact. At the start of the season, Piastri looked ice-cool: winning race after race, consistently extracting the maximum from the car and building what seemed like an unassailable lead. But in the closing stages, some unforced errors and a bit of misfortune – from a first-corner sprint crash to difficulties during qualifying – have raised questions about whether the pressure…

Banyana Banyana will have to navigate uncharted territory without their key sources of inspiration when they face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first leg of the second and final round of the 2026 Fifa Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers on Wednesday afternoon. The team assembled for camp on Sunday without head coach Desiree Ellis and four overseas-based players: Amogelang Motau, Thembi Kgatlana, Sinoxolo Cesane and Hildah Magaia, all of whom play in Mexico. The absence of Ellis is particularly notable. She is not with the team as she has yet to agree to terms with the South African Football Association (Safa) on a new contract. This is surprising, considering Safa had ample time to offer her a new deal. Ellis has been working on a month-to-month…

While the record 5-1 scoreline in the final of the African Hockey Cup of Nations against hosts Egypt in Ismaila may suggest that the SA men’s team had things all their own way in booking their 2026 World Cup ticket, interim head coach Devon van der Merwe revealed that it was far from the case. “A lot of experienced coaches that have been through the process will tell you how tough it is to win an Africa Cup, let alone an Africa Cup in Egypt,” Van der Merwe told Independent Media Sports after their triumphant return. In fact, the struggles began long before the tournament kicked off, with scheduling issues resulting in a clash with club commitments for the bulk of the SA players based in Europe, who arrived after…

Baseball is one of many American sporting codes that requires specialists in each position rather than players who can fulfil multiple roles. You’re basically pigeonholed early on – pitchers pitch, hitters hit, and catchers … well, you get the idea. But then Shohei Ohtani came along and blew baseball fans’ collective minds. Before reading this column, you may not have heard of the sport’s latest phenomenon. I certainly didn’t know this bra from a bar of soap before he started popping up on my TikTok algorithm, with clips of his unbelievable performances with both bat and ball. Ohtani is Major League Baseball’s two-way marvel. His 160km/h fastballs and towering home runs belong to different universes of skill, yet he merges them seamlessly, night after night. The Japanese superstar doesn’t just…

The Foschini Group (TFG) shares plunged over 19% on the JSE Tuesday afternoon after it reported that headline earnings per share for the six months to September 30 are expected to be 20% to 25% lower than the same period last year. The group directors said the SA economy had softened “significantly” towards the end of its interim period. Consumer sentiment and discretionary spend in South Africa had remained subdued for longer than expected, despite moderating inflation and recent interest rate cuts, the South Africa, UK and Australia clothing and homeware retail group said in a trading statement. The share price traded at R97.25 on Tuesday afternoon, a price that was also well down on R145.05 a year earlier. Negative operating leverage arose in the group from subdued sales growth…

The global climate agenda has entered a decisive decade. The April 2022, flooding in KwaZulu-Natal overwhelmed economic and social infrastructure and forced Toyota’s Prospecton assembly plant to halt production for four months. That kind of disruption is exactly the kind which manufacturing firms face firsthand, and a crude awakening on the what the hard knock of climate impacts on production can and are becoming. The impact affected production lines and logistics routes but also disrupted suppliers across and into the province, demonstrating how physical risks cascade through industrial ecosystems. Similarly, the 2023/24, drought cut national maize yields by roughly 15%, affecting agro-processing and food exports. From agriculture to automotive, the message is clear: climate resilience is now a pillar of economic competitiveness. Building adaptive infrastructure and climate-proof logistics, has to…

BHP gathered strong momentum through its first quarter to end-September and is on track to deliver on full-year guidance and further progress its growth pipeline across Australia and the Americas, CEO Mike Henry said Tuesday. In an operational review released Tuesday, BHP said group copper production increased 4% to 494 000 tons, driven by record concentrator throughput at its flagship Escondida mine in Chile. Performance at Copper SA was strong, and major planned maintenance was safely executed. Copper production guidance for the 2026 financial year was unchanged at between 1 800 000 and 2 000 000 tons. "We’ve made a strong start to the year, highlighted by disciplined operating performance and execution of scheduled maintenance,” said Henry. Iron ore output from Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) was down 1% to…

Tomorrow the world marks World Edible Insect Day, a global reminder that the future of food might just crawl. As the planet faces population growth and rising food insecurity, insects are emerging as a sustainable and nutrient-dense solution. And here in South Africa, Matomani, founded by Wendy Vesela-Ntimbani, is leading this movement by transforming the humble Mopani worm into a modern superfood. While cattle require about 10kg of feed to produce 1kg of beef, Mopani worms need only three kilograms of Mopani leaves, making them one of the most efficient protein sources on earth. Across the globe, more than 1 900 species of edible insects are consumed by roughly two billion people, a practice known as entomophagy. From Thailand’s crispy crickets to Mexico’s famous chapulines (grasshoppers), insects have long been…

THE ANC has vehemently rejected the DA proposal to eliminate South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy, reigniting tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU). This latest clash between the two largest partners in the GNU appears to have exposed deep ideological divisions, with the ANC doubling down on its commitment to BEE and stating unequivocally that the legislation will not be removed. President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking in his capacity as ANC president during a visit to Soshanguve in Pretoria on Monday night, made it clear that any amendments would need to align with the policy's constitutional underpinnings. “Currently, we have a BEE policy that is rooted and underpinned by our Constitution, so if anyone wants an amendment to the BEE Act, they must table their proposals, and they…

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the highest number of murder and rape arrests in the country during the latest week of Operation Shanela - police nationwide arrested more than 17 000 suspects and confiscated 179 unlicensed firearms. According to the national police, the province topped the list in two major crime categories, with 40 murder suspects and 119 rape suspects arrested in the period between between October 13 and 19. KZN also recorded 418 arrests for possession of drugs, the highest among all provinces, followed by Gauteng with 308. Police said the latest results were achieved through “intelligence-led takedowns, high-visibility patrols, and strategic interventions across multiple provinces.” The national operation, which is part of ongoing crime-fighting efforts ahead of the festive season, resulted in the arrest of 17 223 suspects across South…

A man who was accused of being drunk at work has won the legal battle against his employer. Ntsabi Mahlo has been working as a general worker at Unilec SA since December 2021. On September 19, 2022, Mahlo went to work to consult with an in-house doctor, as he was not feeling well. After the examination, it was found that he was sick and the doctor booked him off from work. A second opinion from another doctor the next day confirmed his illness, resulting in further sick leave for September 21, 2022. However, the tide turned when management alleged that Mahlo had reported for duty under the influence of alcohol on September 19, 2022. A disciplinary hearing was held, and he was found guilty of the charge and was…

Bail proceedings for a taxi boss, charged with attempted murder of senior advocate Coreth Naudé, who was shot while representing SARS during a tax inquiry, were delayed yesterday at the Durban Magistrate’s Court as he changed lawyers. Kholwani Prayman Ntanjana is facing charges after Naudé was shot in the neck, face, and shoulder at the Premier Hotel entrance in uMhlanga on July 18, 2024. She had been working on the tax inquiry of Shauwn Mkhize’s son, Andile Mpisane. Two armed men ambushed Naudé as she drove into the hotel. Despite being shot multiple times, she managed to drive to the parking lot, where a doctor heard her cries for help. Naudé survived but required reconstructive surgery on her jaw. During court proceedings yesterday, attorney Sizwe Cele told the court that…

The Oyster Box Hotel in uMhlanga celebrated their famous cat, Skabenga, by unveiling a bronze sculpture of him yesterday. The stray cat who strolled into the five-star hotel and made it his home, died in March at the age of 19. Following his death, regular visitors to the luxury hotel sent messages and posted photos of their interactions with the establishment’s resident feline who they met during their visits. The Tabby cat roamed the halls and charmed guests, sneaking treats from unsuspecting visitors to lounging regally in various nooks of the hotel, ruling the domain like a king. Recognising the significant impact Skabenga had on everyone, the hotel staff sought a way to honour his memory in a manner that his fans could appreciate and to ensure that his legacy…

Former Sharks coach Hugh Reece-Edwards believes the ailing team could benefit from the presence of more players knocking on the Springbok door, to complement and cover for the plethora of Boks in John Plumtree’s squad. The Sharks suffered a shock defeat against Irish visitors Ulster on Saturday that leaves them languishing near the bottom of the United Rugby Championship table, still searching for a first win after four rounds of the campaign. They are under growing pressure to deliver results despite boasting one of the most star-studded rosters in the competition. For Reece-Edwards, the Sharks’ solution lies in recruitment that looks beyond marquee names to those who can grow into Springboks. “You need that depth. It’s not just about numbers. If Eben Etzebeth is away, you want a player who’s…

Proteas Women’s senior player Marizanne Kapp delivered a stellar all-round performance to guide South Africa to their fifth consecutive win at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, beating Pakistan by 150 runs (DLS method) yesterday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Kapp produced an outstanding new-ball spell in the rain-affected clash, claiming three wickets in her five-over burst to set South Africa up for another commanding victory in the ongoing tournament. The 35-year-old finished with figures of 3/20, while right-arm off-spinner Nondumiso Shangase and seamer Ayabonga Khaka chipped in with figures of 2/19 and 1/14 respectively, helping South Africa record five consecutive World Cup wins for the first time in their history. The result keeps the Proteas second on the table, behind only Australia – the side they are…

The flying start to the campaign that had Kaizer Chiefs fans believing their club was ready to challenge for the championship, is now a distant memory. Amakhosi and Betway Premiership victories have suddenly become like the parallel lines of a railway track – destined never to meet. Granted, the Glamour Boys are still sitting fourth, with 15 points, trailing leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by a mere six points, having played two matches fewer than the reigning champions. Mathematically, they are still in the hunt for their first title since being crowned champions back in 2015 under Stuart Baxter. But recent poor form, which saw coach Nasreddine Nabi sacked, has undermined their assertion that they have what it takes to dethrone Sundowns. Of particular disappointment has been their inability to secure maximum…

Nuno Espirito Santo admitted “we have a problem” after West Ham suffered a lacklustre 2-0 loss at home to Brentford on Monday. A night that started with a boycott by one set of Hammers fans ended with those who remained at the London Stadium booing the home side off the field, as goals from Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen secured a first away win of the season for Brentford – who should have won by a larger margin. Nuno’s first home match in charge coincided with a planned stay-away organised by supporters’ groups in protest against the club’s board. Defeat meant the Hammers had lost their opening four home matches of a season for the first time in their history, with this reverse coming on the same day former boss…