| HOTFOOTING ELECTIONS, PUSSYFOOTING MINISTER, UNION CAPERS, WATER CUTS |
It’s been a busy few days in the world of business and its intersection with other parts of society. Top of the pops is the local government elections coming for us like a steam train while the ANC is heaving a collective sigh of relief at the Concourt ruling to allow 181 previously excluded candidates to contest the vote, but not without some hotfooting by the IEC (see below).
Then there’s Minister Parks Tau’s pussyfooting around the protection of the local automotive industry, and manufacturing, by announcing a withdrawal of new semi-knockdown subsidies, and that while Shell service stations are rolling out EV charging stations. (see below)
Whether Cosatu’s call to ban Shein and Temu will carry weight remains to be seen, as much as whether the internal strife at NUMSA will dethrone Irvin Jim (see below).
Finally, any bets on municipalities heeding Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp’s call for pre-emptive water restrictions in a bid to soften the impact of a super El Niño? Judging by the performance of our local municipality, the chances are slim to nil. Happy weekend, back on Monday. Derek Alberts (editor)
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| REMARKABLE MEN TO SWING A CLUB FOR MEN’S HEALTH |
(ltr) Sandy Govender (Mantella Insurance Brokers), Thulani Ncwane and Chamalyn Sivanathan (both AET Security), Racquel Gounder (Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates), Richard Rangiah (Community Chest), and Nonjabulo Nkomo and Riana Jackson (both IntelliRad).
Community Chest’s annual Remarkable Man Golf Day returns to Maritzburg Golf Club on Friday, 6 November, with AET Security and Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates jointly powering the event.
The fundraiser combines golf and business networking to promote men’s health awareness and support prostate cancer initiatives. Businesses can still secure sponsorship opportunities, gaining exposure while contributing to community welfare.Contact Angie on 072 791 0311 or at chestpro@communitychest.org.za and Sma on (033) 3941031 or at rmo1@communitychest.org.za
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| SURVEY TO PUT REGIONAL BUSINESS ON NATIONAL AGENDA |
What’s holding your business back - and what needs fixing first? Have your say in a 10–15-minute anonymous survey led by South Africa’s regional chambers, supported by Stellenbosch University’s Bureau for Economic Research. Your insights will strengthen collective lobbying for practical change, from local business precincts to national policy. The survey is open to all businesses operating in South Africa. Make your experience and investment count: complete the survey by 23 October and help put business priorities on the agenda. For more about the survey, click here. To complete the questionnaire, click here.
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1952: Albert Luthuli was elected as president of the ANC.
Elsewhere, in 1978, Karol Józef Wojtyła, the Archbishop of Kraków, became the first non-Italian pope - John Paul II - since 1523.
Today is observed as International Day for Interventional Cardiology as well as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. |
CONCOURT'S ANC RULING FORCES LAST-MINUTE ELECTION RESET
The Constitutional Court has ordered the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to include 181 ANC councillor candidates whose nominations were rejected in six municipalities after the party failed to finalise submissions before the August deadline. The ANC blamed technical glitches and argued it had uploaded all required information and met other requirements.
The ruling overturns an earlier Electoral Court decision, forcing the IEC to revise its preparations with local elections just three weeks away. The commission had already printed 66% of 79 million ballot papers and must destroy and reprint affected ballots. IEC chair Mosotho Moepya welcomed the judgment’s clarity, while the late intervention raises logistical and timing pressures ahead of November’s polls. (SOURCE: The Citizen)
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LABOUR COURT SMACKS DOWN AGE-BASED SEVERANCE DISCRIMINATION
The Labour Court has ordered the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to pay an employee approximately R1.59 million after finding that its severance policy unfairly discriminated on age. In Bosch v PRASA, a 62-year-old employee with more than 44 years’ service was offered R657 906 in early-retirement benefits instead of a voluntary severance package exceeding R2 million. The court found age was the sole reason for the difference. PRASA failed to provide evidence justifying the policy and could not rely on the employee’s acceptance of payment as a waiver of his rights. The ruling highlights the need for employers to justify and document age-based distinctions in restructuring programmes. (SOURCE: News24)
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END OF THE ROAD FOR SEMI-KNOCKDOWN VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau says government will stop supporting new semi-knockdown (SKD) vehicle assembly facilities, which use fewer locally manufactured components than completely knockdown (CKD) plants. The policy shift forms part of a review of the Automotive Production Development Programme. Existing SKD operations include BAIC and Mahindra. Tau also announced that the International Trade Administration Commission will investigate the competitiveness of South Africa’s ladder-frame bakkie sector and whether additional import protection is justified. Any protection must carry commitments to production, localisation, jobs, transformation, exports and investment. The review also prioritises new-energy vehicles, critical-mineral beneficiation and battery recycling as the industry confronts technological and export-market changes. (SOURCE: Engineering News)
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... AS EV CHARGING TO FEATURE AT SHELL FORECOURTS
Abu Dhabi’s Adnoc Distribution plans to introduce electric-vehicle charging and additional services at about 580 Shell service stations it is acquiring in South Africa. CEO Bader Al Lamki said the company aims to develop the sites into destinations offering enhanced retail, car washes, vehicle-care services and liquefied petroleum gas. The transaction, announced in July, is expected to conclude next year, subject to regulatory approval. The Shell brand will remain through licensing agreements. Adnoc’s immediate priority is uninterrupted operations after taking ownership, followed by gradual improvements to the network. The company says it intends to be a long-term player in South Africa. (SOURCE: Engineering News)
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MINISTER CALLS FOR EARLY WATER RESTRICTIONS AS EL NIÑO LOOMS
Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp has warned of a potentially scorching, dry summer as a powerful El Niño threatens crops, livestock and water supplies. Despite September rainfall and favourable dam levels, he expects hot, dry conditions from November to January and urges municipalities to impose water restrictions proactively rather than wait for disaster declarations. Farmers are advised to concentrate planting on their most fertile land and reduce livestock numbers to prevent overgrazing. Fertiliser prices have risen more than 300% since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Meanwhile, 70% of South Africa’s 13-million-plus cattle herd has been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease, with 80% targeted by year-end. (SOURCE: Daily Maverick)
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COSATU JOINS CALL TO BAN SHEIN AND TEMU
Cosatu has backed a call by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) for government to ban online retailers Shein and Temu, warning cheap imports threaten 34 000 local jobs by 2030. Sactwu says the platforms are undercutting domestic manufacturers and retailers, putting pressure on wages and working conditions. The companies generated R7.3 billion in South African sales in 2024, capturing 37.1% of the clothing, textile, footwear and leather e-commerce market. However, economists warn an outright ban could fuel black-market trading rather than address manufacturing weaknesses. Following SARS’s removal of low-value import tax exemptions, Shein’s growth slowed to 11% in 2025, while Temu’s monthly sales declined by an average 42%. (SOURCE: Daily Maverick)
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... AS NUMSA REGIONAL LEADERS TAKE TOP OFFICIALS TO COURT
Regional leaders of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have launched an urgent Labour Court application to compel the union’s national leadership to convene an ordinary National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting within 14 days. The application names general secretary Irvin Jim, president Andrew Chirwa and treasurer Mphumzi Maqungo as respondents. The applicants allege the union has breached its constitution by failing to hold an ordinary NEC meeting since February 2025, arguing special meetings do not meet constitutional requirements. They want the agenda to include national congress preparations, funding for outstanding regional congresses, and scrutiny of minutes and monthly financial statements, amid escalating internal leadership tensions. (SOURCE: BDLive/Sowetan)
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TANZANIAN COURT STRIKES OUT MOTSEPE’S R3.2 BILLION CLAIM
A Tanzanian court has struck out Pula Group’s $195 million (R3.2 billion) damages claim against billionaire Patrice Motsepe and affiliated companies, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) announced. The dispute concerns alleged breach of a non-compete agreement following Motsepe-linked investment in Australia’s Evolution Energy Minerals, whose graphite project neighbours Pula’s Tanzanian operation. ARM welcomed the ruling, calling the claim “unfounded and fabricated”. However, the court did not determine whether the agreement was breached or award damages. Pula appealed the earlier ruling and says it could refile the case, insisting the dispute is far from over. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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AFRICA’S GROWTH MASKS RISING INFLATION RISKS, WARNS IMF
The International Monetary Fund has raised its 2026 growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa to 4.5%, from 4.3%, but warns inflation pressures and fragile financial buffers threaten hard-won gains. Median inflation is projected to rise from 3.4% in 2025 to 4.3% this year and 5% in 2027. Interest payments already consume about 12% of government revenue, while rising US bond yields threaten higher borrowing costs. Debt restructuring delays, falling foreign aid and widening gaps between commodity exporters and importers add pressure. El Niño could cut regional growth by 0.5 percentage points and increase inflation by 2.6 points in 2027. (SOURCE: Reuters)
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HORMUZ FERTILISER DISRUPTION THREATENS FOOD SECURITY
The United Nations warns failure by the US and Iran to agree on safe fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz within weeks could trigger food-security crises across parts of Asia and Africa. A UN taskforce has proposed a mechanism that could be activated within seven to ten days of an agreement. Before the conflict, the strait carried about one-third of globally traded urea and nearly half of seaborne sulphur, a key fertiliser input. Missing planting seasons could sharply reduce agricultural productivity and push food prices higher. The proposed system would coordinate safe passage for five vessels daily through the strategic waterway. (SOURCE: Reuters)
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MORE THAN HALF OF UK FIRMS FEAR AI JOB CUTS
More than half of major UK businesses expect artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce headcount over the next year, according to a Deloitte survey of finance chiefs. Some 52% of chief financial officers anticipate job cuts, while 67% say they have achieved only a quarter of the changes they ultimately expect from AI. Rising employment costs are also encouraging companies to expand with fewer workers. Yet the financial gains remain uncertain: only a third of CFOs expect AI to improve profit margins within a year. Deloitte surveyed 66 CFOs between 17 September and 1 October. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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SINGAPORE HAZE SPARKS AIR PURIFIER-BUYING SPREE
Wildfires in neighbouring Indonesia have blanketed Singapore in its worst smog episode in more than a decade, triggering a rush for air purifiers and N95 face masks. Appliance retailer Gain City reported purifier sales at nine times normal seasonal levels, with popular models selling out. Air quality reached unhealthy or very unhealthy levels across several regions. Authorities are distributing masks, opening haze shelters and restricting some outdoor activities. Indonesia has recorded more than 8,000 fire hotspots this month, the highest October tally since 2015. Malaysia has closed schools and cancelled flights amid persistent haze. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle. Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.
Walt Whitman |
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