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Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has promised that e-tolls to be permanently scrapped
During his state of the province address, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed that the e-tolls will be scrapped in the province. The announcement was made by him during his State of the Province address at the Johannesburg City Hall on Monday evening. The Gauteng government is to pay 30% of the South African National
Devastating Eskom load shedding hampering agricultural projects
The effects of the ravaging load shedding are still felt in the farming sector and this has delayed the implementation of agricultural programmes. According to the Agricultural Business Chamber’s CEO, Wandile Sihlobo, he said further deterioration in the electricity crisis had been a major cause of delay in the implementation of agricultural programmes intended to
How much it costs to sell your own items on Takealot – and what to look out for in hidden fees
Takealot, South Africa's largest online retailer, began as a typical retail business, offering things it sourced directly and privately to the general public. It modified its business strategy in 2015 to stay up with global online retailers, allowing third-party merchants to offer items through its marketplace solution platform. To the casual consumer, it made little
Where should you invest your funds right now
Alternatives for savers seeking better returns on their money. South Africa has gone through a lot in recent years. Along with the Covid-19 outbreak, we've had a brief recession, higher gasoline prices as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and now rising interest rates. As inflation is beginning to slow and interest rates continue
Tax red flags in South Africa: what to anticipate this week
South Africans should limit their expectations for an ideal budget delivery this week, and instead prepare for a more bleak reality, according to Professor Andre Roux, an economist at Stellenbosch Business School. Roux stated in a pre-budget study on Monday (20 February) that finance minister Enoch Godongwana would have the difficult challenge of reconciling the
Concerns over a new visa designed to attract qualified workers in South Africa
After a spate of announcements aimed at attracting talented workers to South Africa, including a remote working visa, experts have expressed doubt about their viability. President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the need for more qualified employees in the country during his most recent State of the Nation Address (SONA). He reaffirmed SONA 2022 pledges, saying the
Eskom intends to implement stage 8 load shedding
Eskom says it is revising its documents and timetables that govern load shedding stages in order to prepare for stage 8 if the nation reaches it. The power company stated that the review process is now continuing and that it is meeting with regulators and industry to look at possible phases of load shedding and
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to incorporate a credible debt-relief strategy
South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is tasked with implementing a realistic debt-relief plan for the ailing state power provider into the national budget while also stabilising government finances in the face of unprecedented blackouts. According to the minister, the state would assume between one-third and two-thirds of Eskom's R400 billion obligations by October 2022.
The Rand is on edge as markets await the budget
South Africa's rand traded smoothly on Monday (20 February), but stayed lower as markets anticipate fiscal policy measures by the finance minister in his budget statement this week on Wednesday (22 February). The dollar was likewise slightly changed against a basket of world currencies, according to Reuters. The rand in South Africa has experienced its
More companies are relocating to Cape Town
Cape Town is experiencing a surge in corporate relocation as companies seek dependable service delivery. According to Brent Townes, Commercial Property Chief Operating Officer at Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty, semigration is driving not just the movement of families but also the relocation of companies, as Cape Town sees growing demand for company premises. Townes
South African internet connectivity is under threat, and load-shedding is to blame
Load-shedding is jeopardising Internet connection in South Africa, and users have little recourse. According to Paul Colmer, executive management committee member of the Wireless Access Providers' Association (WAPA), purchasing backup power solutions for connection is pointless unless your network provider can maintain their network operational. “It’s very easy to buy a device off the shelf
More people bought cars in December 2022 than the previous year
Motor trade sales climbed by 16.6% in December 2022 compared to the same month the previous year, according to Statistics South Africa figures released on Thursday. In November, automobile trade sales increased 14.4% year on year. New car sales saw the greatest yearly rise in December, increasing by 30.7%. According to StatsSA. This was followed
Ramaphosa's Big Job Creation Lie
President Cyril Ramaphosa's assertion that 1.5 million jobs have been generated since 2021 is false, since South Africans currently have less jobs than they did two years ago. Ramaphosa stated in his 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA), “between the third quarters of 2021 and 2022, around one and a half million new jobs
House price growth is slowing as consumer debt levels rise
According to the most recent FNB Residential Property Barometer, house price growth is decreasing. In January of this year, annual growth was 2.7%, compared to 2.9% in December of 2022. According to the index assessment, the significantly "softer" demand is the result of rising living costs and declining affordability. The high interest rate hike cycle,
The CEO of YouTube has resigned
Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, is stepping down after nine years leading Google's video division, signalling the end of an era for one of the Internet's foundational businesses. In a blog post, Wojcicki stated that she intended to "start a new chapter" focusing on her family, health, and personal initiatives. She will also serve as
South Africa 'temporary' assistance grant costs the nation R2.7 billion every month
According to the Department of Social Development, almost 8 million grant applications for the social relief distress grant (SRD) were authorised in January alone. “As of the end of January, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) received over 13.5 million applications for the SRD. Of this number, between 7.4 million and 7.8 million clients
South Africa now has new passport and Smart ID service centres
South Africans will soon be able to receive their passports and Smart IDs at certain malls in South Africa, according to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, as his administration seeks to expand services to additional outlets. During his answer to the State of the Nation Address this week, the minister stated that systems and equipment
A peek at Gauteng's new 'mega-reservoir,' one of the world's largest
Rand Water has announced the opening of a new 'mega reservoir' in the Gauteng city of Ekurhuleni. According to the utility, the freshly constructed 210 megalitre Vlakfontein Reservoir is South Africa's largest cylindrical and circular reservoir, and one of the largest in the world. The reservoir, at 210 megalitres, can contain enough water to fill
Western Cape's Plans to avoid load shedding, include 'power packs' for certain homes
With significant investment plans on the horizon, the Western Cape is continuing its journey away from the national grid and towards energy independence. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde remarked in his State of the Province Address (SOPA 2023) on Thursday (16 February) that the province is South Africa's last chance for a better future, particularly
South Africa will not give up coal
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, abandoning coal as a fuel source is a myth that must be debunked. South Africa is caught in a catch-22 situation in which it needs to reduce its reliance on coal to comply with its Just Transition framework yet is still largely dependant on coal due to the current energy