Innehållsförteckning för 2025-11-18 från Mercury

Groundbreaking research says Africa-focused green investments can outperform global benchmarks The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has released groundbreaking new research showing that Africa-focused green investments can outperform global benchmarks while generating significantly more jobs and long-term economic value than traditional sectors. The paper titled “Scaling Institutional Capital for Green Jobs in South Africa” was developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford and published on Monday ahead of the G20 Leadership Summit. It forms part of the PIC’s Perspectives: G20 Dialogues series and is the fourth such research contribution this year. With the right policy environment and coordinated public-private action, the paper argues, South Africa can position itself as a continental leader in green finance, job creation and industrialisation while delivering competitive returns for long-term investors. The study finds that…

The United Nations, alongside leading South African and global business figures, on Monday launched the South Africa Business Initiative for Impact (SABII)—a new platform aimed at accelerating sustainable development, inclusive economic growth, and job creation across the country. SABII is South Africa's national anchor of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI). It brings together business, the United Nations, and government through four pillars or national priorities: Energy Transition, Digitisation, Human Capital Development, and Food Systems Transformation. The partnership includes the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, the UN Global Compact, business champions including Naspers as founding partner, and the South African government. SABII is the first country-level platform under the UN’s GABI and is designed to strengthen local entrepreneurship, expand South African business access to African and global markets, and attract foreign…

Good governance has always been described as the framework that holds organisations together. Yet beneath the visible structures of committees, policies and disclosures lies something less tangible but far more decisive. It is the culture that determines whether governance principles are lived with conviction or performed by routine. Culture is the invisible architecture of governance, shaping how people behave when no one is watching. Culture gives substance to governance. It is the shared set of values, beliefs and habits that influence decisions long before policies are consulted. A board may approve sound strategies and establish strong controls, but if the prevailing culture tolerates inconsistency, division or silence, governance weakens quietly from within. In every organisation, culture becomes the unwritten code that defines how power is used, how mistakes are handled…

No matter where you look, South Africa has been enjoying what seems to be great technological advancements. In the very near future, South Africans will have a digital ID, which will enable ease of access to government services. On the AI front, Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has made significant progress with its landmark project to establish Africa’s first network GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offering. As the first preferred NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) in Africa, these secure data centre facilities, located across South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco, will mark the company's long-standing leadership in providing world-class digital solutions on the continent. The Minister of Telecommunications has been criss- crossing the tech events landscape to express the country's appreciation of these tech advancements. At the same time,…

MTN Group’s previously loss-making Nigeria subsidiary reported positive retained income and net equity positions and resumed dividend payments, the telecoms group said in a third-quarter trading update for the nine months to September 30, on Monday. Group service revenue was up a strong 22.6%, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 41.1%, while the EBITDA margin increased by 6.7 percentage points to 45%. Subscribers increased by 5.8% year-on-year to 301.3 million. “We are particularly pleased to have crossed a formative milestone in connecting over 300 million customers across our markets,” they said. Data revenue was up 35.4%. Revenue from the group fintech businesses was up by 23.1%. The number of active data subscribers increased 9.1% to 165.8 million. Data traffic was up 26.6%. MTN SA’s service revenue…

Naspers, the JSE-listed ecommerce group with investments that cater to over 2 billion consumers worldwide, said on Monday it expects core headline earnings per share to increase between 20.8%-27.8% for the six months to September 30. The board considers core headline earnings a useful indicator of operating performance, as it adjusts for non-operational items. Headline earnings per share for continuing operations were expected to rise between 5.6%-12.6%, the directors said in a trading statement on Monday. “Both of the above measures are driven by strong revenue growth and profitability of our consolidated ecommerce businesses and our equity-accounted investments, particularly Tencent. Core headline earnings per share also benefited from the exclusion of foreign currency translation losses, which are included in headline earnings,” the directors said. A 30.2%-37.2% increase in earnings per…

When someone says school bullying is simply harmless banter, we need to pause because in South Africa, the consequences are very far from harmless. Take the recent case at Milnerton High School in Cape Town: a video of a Grade 10 learner being beaten with a hose-pipe, belt, and hockey stick which went viral. The image of a peer pleading for the assault to stop shocked the country, triggered a criminal investigation, and sparked harsh condemnation from the Western Cape Education Department and the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Why should we care? Because this isn’t an isolated case, and the ripple effects last a lifetime. Studies show this is happening far more often than many think. One research project found that 64% of Grade 9 learners in South Africa…

Ebrahim Rasool, a former South African Ambassador to the United States, has urged people of colour to exercise caution when visiting the United States. This after health and political activist Zackie Achmat was detained by the US Customs and Border Protection for several hours while returning from Canada. Achmat, 63, was detained by US customs and border agents at Pearson Airport. He was travelling to Cape Town with a connecting flight through Newark. Achmat had received the inaugural Paul Farmer Award for Global Health Equity, which was established in honour of the late Dr Paul Farmer, a physician, advocate, and global health icon. While initially receiving the award last year, Achmat only arrived last week to accept it in person. Speaking on his ordeal, Achmat said, “A very dumpy MAGA…

Calls are rising for South African employers to grant paid leave to women who want to participate in the Women For Change (WFC) national shutdown on November 21. Songezo Zibi, the leader of Rise Mzansi, was among those calling for this, saying he supports the initiative. “WFC is not a partisan organisation and is not affiliated with any political party, and is highlighting a critical issue,” he said. “South Africa is a violent country, particularly to women and people of the LGBTQI community...The country is too violent for women. This constitutes a crisis, a state of emergency, and we must respond to it as such.” He maintained that men must also take responsibility. “This is not just a woman's problem; it is primarily a societal problem and a man's problem.…

Lieutenant General Mary Motsepe, head of the Serious and Violent Crime Division, initially denied that the 121 dockets assigned to KwaZulu-Natal’s political killings task team (PKTT) had been left untouched in Pretoria but later admitted they went uninvestigated for about three months. Testifying before the Madlanga Commission yesterday, Motsepe defended her statement by saying inspections and itineraries were done, but not actual investigations. “The dockets were not gathering dust because these dockets were only three months here with us—approximately, maybe three months. And then, in March and April, the itineraries were completed. “When General [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi refused the dockets, the National Commissioner [Fannie Masemola] said that General [Shadrack] Sibiya must use his own discretion. The dockets were transferred from the PKTT to the SAPS national headquarters in Pretoria during March…

The Springbok Women’s Sevens are refusing to get carried away by their near-flawless display in the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup in Nairobi, where they outplayed hosts and main contenders Kenya in Sunday’s final to defend their continental title and maintain an unbeaten record in the competition. “This is the first step in the right direction for us. Now we are going to recover and refocus for the SVNS Division 3, where we want to qualify for Division 2 and get back into the global series,” skipper Nadine Roos said after the victorious campaign in Nairobi, where the team scored 214 points without conceding a single point. Roos (48) scored the most points for the team and was also named player of the final. Maria Tshiremba (7), Simamkele Namba (6)…

The Springboks’ most experienced player, Eben Etzebeth, says his teammates are unlikely to alter their approach after a spate of red cards on their European tour. The Boks face a crunch clash against archrivals Ireland on Saturday in Dublin, and the 139-cap veteran suggested that the team cannot afford to play cautiously out of fear of officiating. “I don’t think it will affect our game too much; we must keep being aware of level change,” he said. “You feel that if you level change, you should be safe and get the benefit of the doubt. For me personally, I will keep playing the game I play, and I think the other locks will do the same.” Lood de Jager is awaiting an appeal hearing regarding the four-week suspension he received…

Brad Binder ended his 2025 MotoGP season with an eighth-place finish in Valencia, bringing to an end what has been a tough year for the Red Bull KTM rider. Binder finished the riders championship in 11th place, a difficult step back after ending the previous campaign in fifth. It is the first time the South African has ended a season outside the Top 10 since 2020, which was also an eleventh-place finish, with the last four years ranging from a high of fourth to a low of sixth. The season was marred by poor qualifying, and that trend continued this past weekend, in stark contrast to teammate Pedro Acosta, who managed to out-qualify Binder for the entire season after moving up from the Red Bull Tech3 team at the start…

The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has welcomed the United States’ decision to exempt South African citrus, particularly oranges, from import tariffs, saying the move restores competitiveness and opens the way for growth in the 2026 season. South Africa exported 4.3 million 15kg cartons of oranges to the US in the past season. While the 2025 season has already concluded, the CGA on Monday said the exemption will significantly benefit exports from April 2026 onwards. The CGA said the exemption once again makes South African oranges competitive in the US market, a market that holds opportunities for increased exports and local job creation. The 30% tariff on South African citrus imports only came into effect in August 2025, near the end of the export window, limiting its impact…

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has welcomed the government’s decision to revive the country’s Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) programme, saying it marks the beginning of a new era in reactivating the full nuclear fuel cycle and restoring South Africa’s leadership in advanced nuclear technologies. This follows Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s announcement on Sunday that the PBMR will be lifted out of care and maintenance and formally transferred from Eskom to Necsa. The move brings back to life one of the country’s most significant scientific and industrial assets, mothballed since 2010. Necsa Group CEO Loyiso Tyabashe said the decision represents a major milestone for the country’s nuclear innovation pathway. “Nuclear energy remains central to achieving a low-carbon, sustainable energy mix that supports industrial growth and job…

South Africa’s business community and leading economists have welcomed S&P Global Ratings’ upgrade of the country’s long-term foreign and local currency credit ratings — the first upward revision in nearly 20 years. S&P lifted South Africa’s foreign currency rating from BB– to BB, while the local currency rating improved from BB to BB+, reflecting stronger fiscal performance, a more stable economic environment, and improving investor sentiment. North-West University Business School economist, Professor Raymond Parsons, said the upgrade, though widely anticipated, marks an important vote of confidence in the economy. “It recognises the extent to which certain recent positive economic developments have improved SA’s fiscal position and growth outlook, and which have strengthened investment sentiment,” Parsons said. “The S&P decision has now opened the way for SA to eventually extricate itself…

A commenter on my first YouTube Short, dubbed “McKinsey Uses ChatGPT. So What Are You Actually Paying For?”, told me I had "no idea what I was talking about." He then proceeded to explain McKinsey's AI strategy to me with the confidence of someone who'd just discovered it. A bit of sleuthing reveals he might be a senior manager at a boutique enterprise tech consultancy specialising in Oracle solutions, with undergraduate and master's degrees in IT from a university Forbes ranks 114 in the US. In other words, someone who'd actually know his way around enterprise AI deployments. The irony being that my 3-minute riff on AI disrupting consulting was based on months of research, multiple conversations with ecosystem players, and a 1,200-word piece I'd published days earlier examining exactly…

WeBuyCars Holdings lifted its final dividend 20% to 30 cents a share following another year of growth and market share gains in South Africa’s tempestuous car market. The company that listed on the JSE in April last year said revenue was up 13% to R26.4 billion and core headline earnings increased 15% to R937.6 million for the year to September 30. The company bought 180 576 vehicles and sold 179 006 in the year, representing increases of 7.7% and 8.4% respectively. “Despite a tough economic environment, we delivered robust results by focusing on what matters most – our customers, our people, and our technology. We have significantly expanded our capacity and invested ahead of the curve in people and technology. These steps position us well to reach our goal of…

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has assured South Africans that the country will host a successful G20 Leaders' Summit. Lamola said the country’s ability to host a truly Pan-African summit remains unaffected by the absence of major powerhouses such as the United States and Argentina. The much-anticipated gathering is set to take place on November 22 and 23 at the Nasrec Conference Centre, with heads of state from G20 member countries and delegates from other countries in attendance. Yesterday, Lamola, alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, briefed the media on the country's state of readiness for the summit. The United States and Argentine President Javier Milei have boycotted the much-anticipated summit, while China and Russia will be represented by senior government officials. Lamola…

Lobby group AfriForum has called on G20 countries to use the upcoming summit in Johannesburg and subsequent diplomatic engagements with South Africa to urge the government to respect property rights and take stronger action to address farm murders. The organisation stated that it had written to the embassies of G20 member states, outlining concerns about what it described as the erosion of property rights and the rise in violent attacks on farmers, and had also presented what it called practical solutions to both issues. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel stated that the lack of progress in addressing these matters had already impacted the G20 summit, pointing out that the United States had decided to boycott the gathering due to such concerns. “G20 countries can play a constructive role in stabilising both…

UMngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas has blasted the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport for its failure to manage provincial roads. In a statement posted on social media, Pappas said the department is a threat to the growth of the provincial economy. Pappas's frustration comes as the mayor recently wrote to the MEC of Economic Development, Musa Zondi, highlighting the issue. Pappas said KwaZulu-Natal’s economy is finally showing early signs of recovery. Construction jobs are returning, the agricultural sector recorded welcome growth in the last quarter, and investor confidence is tentatively re-emerging across several regions. “Yet this recovery is under serious threat from the ongoing failure of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport to maintain the road network that underpins every aspect of provincial economic activity," he said. Pappas stated that the Department…

The Proteas’ historic Test victory at Eden Gardens was significant for a number of reasons, but none more so than the culmination of the spinners’ revolution that has been unfolding. South Africa have traditionally endured an uncomfortable relationship with spin bowlers, often viewed as nothing more than a luxury possession – always “nice to have”, but never considered an essential element of attaining success. It is easy to understand the reasoning. Pitch conditions in South Africa have generally favoured the fast bowlers. Since 2000, in a sample size of 120 Test matches, fast bowlers have prospered the most with 3 083 wickets at an average of 28.30. It stands to reason, then, why South Africa’s top eight highest Test wicket-takers of all time are seam bowlers. Domestically, however, there has…

Ireland’s vastly experienced No 8, Jack Conan, says the Springboks are reinventing rugby, but his team “love a challenge” and cannot wait to tackle the South Africans on Saturday in Dublin. While it is an uncomfortable fact for the Springboks that they have lost four of their last five games against the Irish, and have never won in Dublin under Rassie Erasmus, the Boks have grown their game significantly over the past year or so, while many feel Ireland have regressed. Eighteen months ago, the teams drew a series 1-1 in South Africa. Recently, the Irish played poorly in losing to New Zealand in Chicago and in beating Japan in Dublin, but they were much improved in thrashing the Wallabies 46-19 last week. “You always want to be playing well,…

Derbies often show little respect for form, reputation or past history, the best-laid plans often dissipating in the heat of drama, raw emotion and chaos that accompany these grudge matches. The north London derby rarely arrives without baggage, but this weekend’s meeting carries a particularly intriguing narrative: Arsenal, the would-be champions, against Tottenham, the project under reconstruction after the woes of last season that Uefa Champions League qualification could not disguise. The stakes feel bigger than ever. Not only can Arsenal reclaim pride after the frustrating draw with Sunderland, they can also land a statement blow in the title race against Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s men have been on a charmingly consistent run this season, blending youthful exuberance with defensive solidity. The problem? The 2-2 draw against Sunderland before the…

In a significant move aimed at bolstering labour rights and ensuring compliance with employment regulations, Minister of Employment and Labour, Nkosazana Meth, has announced plans to petition the National Treasury for additional funding. This funding is intended to increase the number of labour inspectors across all nine provinces of South Africa. The move comes as the Department reports persistent non-compliance in workplaces across the country, with non-compliance rates ranging between 13% and 66% across provinces and sectors over the past five years. Between 2021/22 and 2025/26, the Department conducted 1,265,135 workplace inspections and received thousands of complaints regarding non-compliant workplaces. During the same period, a total of 1,662 labour inspectors were employed. In a parliamentary reply to questions posed by Rise Mzansi MP Songezo Zibi, Meth said that the Department…

This is a big week for South Africa, as we host the leaders of many of the world’s biggest economies at the G20 meetings, while business leaders from across the world meet at the B20 Summit. This comes hot on the heels of an upgrade in our sovereign credit rating by S&P Global from BB- to BB, which maintains a positive outlook. These provide both the opportunity and the evidence to demonstrate to the world that South Africa is back in business. We have a government that is starting to regain control of the nation’s finances and turning the trajectory toward sustainable, growth-supporting fiscal management. The medium-term budget policy statement last week showed continued fiscal discipline, with Treasury on track to deliver another primary surplus despite weak growth. We have…

Building on her early successes, Kerry Janse van Rensburg has become a driving force in South African retail technology, leading initiatives that bridge operational efficiency with customer-centric innovation. “Change is a constant in retail, especially in the digital space. It can be daunting, but embracing it is essential if you want to remain relevant and competitive,” van Rensburg said. Under her leadership, Pick n Pay has introduced AI-driven insights to better anticipate consumer demand, personalised digital shopping experiences, and improved supply chain responsiveness. These innovations have not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also set a benchmark for the industry. van Rensburg’s approach to leadership is grounded in empowering teams. She prioritises creating a culture where experimentation is encouraged, and successes are celebrated. “Our teams are the heart of digital transformation,”…

Astral, the integrated poultry producer that lifted its 2025 dividend by 112% to 1 100 cents per share, plans to maintain a strong balance sheet due to the volatile environment, to fund a large pipeline of capital projects and to even possibly consider acquisitions, CEO Gary Arnold said. Speaking in an online presentation on Monday, Arnold said the group staged a good financial recovery in the second half of its year to September 30, after earnings came under pressure in the first half. The group has been on a turnaround path since 2023, when its financial position was badly impacted by load shedding and avian influenza. He said the group would reach volume production capacity at the end of this month and, “we have a good pipeline of strategic projects,…

Barloworld, which last week announced cleared a last hurdle in its takeover by a consortium of Saudi investors, ahead of its delisting from the JSE, said on Monday that its headline earnings fell in the 12 months to September 30. Group headline earnings per share (HEPS) fell 21% to 810 cents. Excluding Barloworld Vostochnaya Technica (VT), the loss-making subsidiary in Russia and Caterpillar dealership, group HEPS declined by 14%. Free cash flow for the industrial processing, distribution, and services group, which has two primary focus areas—industrial equipment and services, and consumer industries (food and ingredient solutions)—reported group revenue lower by 10% to R37.7 billion. Excluding VT, revenue declined by 4.7% compared to the prior period. Net debt improved by 37% to R884 million, and net asset value per share grew…

We’ve all met one. The boss who believes they’re the office oracle. The friend who can’t take feedback without turning it into a TED Talk. Or that influencer whose captions sound like commandments from Mount Instagram. This is more than an exploration of ego; it's a closer look at how the God complex blurs confidence into unchecked entitlement, creating problems for individuals and those around them. In today’s self-optimised, hustle-obsessed culture, it’s easy to glorify certainty. We love people who “know their worth”. But when that belief morphs into an unwavering conviction that one can do no wrong, it’s no longer empowerment; it’s entitlement dressed in designer confidence. Unpacking the God complex? The term “God complex” was first coined by psychoanalyst Ernest Jones in Essays in Applied Psychoanalysis to describe…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has emerged stronger following a tense meeting of the ANC’s national leadership, where he dared those calling for his resignation to confront him directly. An ANC leader present at the meeting said after the president pushed back against gossiping about his job, he received support from both his supporters and detractors alike. There have been rumours that the president could be asked to resign in a matter of weeks. The ANC leader said during the tense national executive committee (NEC) meeting this past weekend the ANC Youth League warned anyone seeking to challenge the president to “go through it.” NEC members who would ordinarily challenge Ramaphosa were among those calling for him to receive support. The rank and file of the party also told The Mercury that…

Law firm LHL Attorneys Inc. has announced that it is investigating a potential class action against pharmaceutical giant Bayer (Pty) Ltd in connection with a packaging error for oral contraceptive pills that left women in South Africa vulnerable to unintended pregnancies. The defect, which affected a batch of YAZ PLUS oral contraceptive pills distributed from November 2023, led to a nationwide Class II recall by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) on November 21, 2024. According to SAHPRA and Bayer, blister packs from batch number WEW96J contained 24 hormone-free (light orange) tablets and only four active hormone (pink) tablets, the reverse of the intended 24 active and four placebo sequence “drastically undermining contraceptive efficacy.” In a media statement, Angelique Pienaar, managing associate at LHL Attorneys Inc., said: “Birth…

A former FirstRand Bank employee has been debarred from working in the financial sector after she accessed her ex-boyfriend’s account without authorisation. The woman is further accused of accessing her family members’ accounts. All accounts were allegedly accessed at least 417 times without authorisation. The bank debarred her after they had established that she no longer met the requirements of a fit and proper person to work in the financial services industry. It was found that she had conducted herself in a way that lacked honesty, integrity and good standing. While she admitted to accessing the accounts, she argued that the access was not for private purposes, but it was done with the client's authorisation. In an effort to overturn the decision, the woman sought relief at the Financial Services…

Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald says his department has tightened security measures to curb the flow of contraband cellphones into prisons. This comes in response to a parliamentary question by Member of Parliament Janho Engelbrecht, who asked what steps were being taken to stop inmates from accessing illicit devices and how officials who collude in smuggling would be held accountable. Groenewald said the department was applying a range of daily security measures aimed at preventing inmates from obtaining banned items. He said the department “has implemented various measures on a daily basis that strengthen security through conducting intensive searches on inmates, staff and visitors, including contractors, to prevent smuggling of contraband such as cell phones from entering correctional facilities using metal detectors, body scanners, X-ray machines, CCTVs, sniffing dogs…

The comments made by social media followers of Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla in response to her posts on Twitter on the July unrest came into focus at her incitement trial yesterday. Zuma-Sambudla is on trial in the Durban High Court. She is accused of inciting terror and public violence linked to the July 2021 unrest. At the crux of the matter are the tweets she posted about the looting and violence that erupted after her father, former president Jacob Zuma, was taken into custody to serve a sentence for being in contempt of court. The contempt matter related to his failure to appear before the Zondo commission of inquiry. Zuma-Sambudla has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Brigadier Janine Kollette Steynberg, a digital forensic investigator, gave evidence…

England wrapped up their flawless World Cup qualifying campaign with a record-setting 2-0 win against Albania on Sunday. The Three Lions, who took maximum points from their eight games, became the first European team to win every one of their World Cup qualifiers without conceding a single goal in a campaign lasting at least six matches. Here, we look at three key factors that can help Thomas Tuchel’s side triumph at next year’s tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico: Tuchel’s tactical acumen After a slow start to his reign, Thomas Tuchel has gradually revitalised England over the last 11 months, with his astute tactical moves proving especially influential. Tuchel’s predecessor Gareth Southgate was often criticised for his cautious gameplan and slow response to situations that demanded substitutes to change…

In the stillness of the international break, the usual chaos of a match week had given way to a slower, more deliberate rhythm at training. The noise is different now — less frantic, more intentional — the sound of a squad tightening bolts, sharpening edges and using the pause not as downtime, but as a strategic opportunity to reset before the season gathers pace again. For Durban City assistant coach Pitso Dladla, this is no accidental breather. It is a ring-fenced window the technical team has long planned for, knowing how critical such periods can be in a long and unforgiving campaign. “This break is something that we expected and planned for because it’s there in the calendar,” Dladla says, watching from the touchline as players rotate through tightly curated…