| SARS (NON) COMPULSORY DECLARATION LEAVES TRAVELLERS IN DARK |
South Africa's new mandatory online traveller declaration has got off to a rocky start, with many passengers unable to complete the required SARS form after technical glitches hit both the website and mobile app. Although the declaration became compulsory on 1 July, SARS says travellers will not be refused entry or departure solely for failing to submit it online, with officials available to assist at ports of entry.
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| A SALUTE TO CITY HEROES STARING DOWN THE TACTICS OF FEAR |
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Authorities spent millions of Rands to contain the anti-migrant protests in what was a disproportionate amount to rein in the fear tactics of a relatively few supporters, as this image of a march in Pietermaritzburg shows.
During the darkest days and longest nights of Pietermaritzburg's migrant crisis, a few unsung heroes and heroines quietly restored faith in humanity. While frightened migrant families sought refuge from intimidation, ordinary residents, churches, charities and volunteers delivered food, blankets, medicine and reassurance without seeking recognition. Their quiet acts of kindness stood in stark contrast to the intimidation of a relatively small number of agitators whose actions dominated headlines and spread fear far beyond their ranks.
The irony is striking - a small minority imposed enormous financial and social costs on society, compelling authorities to deploy substantial police resources, intelligence capacity and public funds to prevent violence and protect vulnerable communities.
Xenophobia rarely flourishes in isolation. It feeds on unemployment, poverty, failing governance and weak law enforcement, while opportunists exploit genuine frustrations for political or ideological ends.
Spare a thought then for ordinary South Africans whose compassion and kindness demonstrated that the country's moral majority remains far larger than the handful of voices seeking to divide it. Derek Alberts (editor)
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| 'ROCK STAR CHEF' TO HEADLINE CLUB MED OPENING FANFARE |
Celebrity chef Barq Guessoum, renowned for launching Club Med resorts worldwide, will lead the new R2.1 billion Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari resort opening this weekend at Tinley Manor on the North Coast. Dubbed the "rockstar chef" of Club Med, Guessoum has launched luxury resorts from the Maldives to the French Alps. The landmark development combines an Indian Ocean beach holiday with a linked Big Five safari experience in Pongola, creating South Africa's first international beach-and-bush resort. However, uncertainty over proposed shark nets continues to cast a shadow over the high-profile opening.
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1992: South Africa’s FIFA membership was reinstated.
Elsewhere, in 1962, Algeria gained its independence from France after 132 years of French rule and a violent seven-year war.
The odious legacy of one of humankind’s most ubiquitous inventions is observed today on International Plastic Bag-Free Day.
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TRANSFORMATION DENTS TOP MANAGEMENT MAKE-UP MARGINALLY
White and Indian men continue to dominate South Africa's top management ranks despite making up a small share of the economically active population, according to the Commission for Employment Equity's latest report.
Whites occupy 57.1% of top management posts despite representing just 7.7% of the economically active population, while Indians hold 12.2% of top positions against an economically active population share of 2.4%. Africans, who comprise 81.3% of the economically active population, occupy only 21.1% of top management posts. Men remain more than twice as likely as women to hold top management positions, underscoring persistent race and gender inequalities in corporate leadership. (SOURCE: SAGovnews)
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TREASURY TO TAP SUKUK MARKET IN R52 BILLION FOREX DRIVE
National Treasury plans to tap its existing Rand-denominated sukuk bonds during the current fiscal year as it broadens funding options to support government priorities. The timing and size of the issuance will be announced once approvals are complete. South Africa last accessed the Islamic debt market in 2023, raising R20.4 billion in an offering that attracted nearly twice the targeted demand. The move follows Treasury's completion of its $3.2 billion (about R52 billion) foreign-currency borrowing programme for 2026/27 and comes alongside plans for quarterly infrastructure bond auctions to help address a R13 trillion infrastructure funding gap. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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EXPORT SLUMP PUSHES SOUTH AFRICA INTO R1.8 BILLION TRADE DEFICIT
South Africa recorded a preliminary R1.8 billion trade deficit in May as exports weakened and imports increased, reversing April's revised R14.4 billion surplus. According to SARS, exports fell 5.7% to R178.8 billion, while imports rose 3.1% to R180.6 billion. Lower shipments of gold, platinum group metals and passenger vehicles weighed on exports, with precious metals declining 21% month-on-month. Higher crude oil, vehicle and equipment imports lifted import values. Despite the monthly setback, South Africa's cumulative trade surplus for the first five months of 2026 improved to R85.8 billion, from R60.1 billion a year earlier. (SOURCE: FreightNews)
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... AS BORDER BOTTLENECKS UNDO DURBAN PORT'S EFFICIENCY GAINS
Operational improvements at the Port of Durban are being offset by severe delays at key border posts along the North-South Corridor, according to a TradeMark Africa performance review. While the port has become more efficient, freight continues to face lengthy hold-ups at crossings such as Kasumbalesa, Beitbridge, Chirundu and Kazungula, disrupting regional trade. Some trucks are delayed for more than 100 hours, increasing transport costs and reducing supply chain reliability. TradeMark Africa says closer cooperation between border agencies, streamlined customs procedures and improved digital systems are essential to unlock faster trade and maximise the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area. (SOURCE: FreightNews)
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TOURISM ARRIVALS SURGE 12.8% ON US, BRAZILIAN GROWTH
South Africa welcomed 4.22 million international tourists between January and May 2026, a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year, reflecting continued recovery and growing global demand. Arrivals from Africa rose 14.7%, while Europe recorded an 11.1% increase. In May alone, 861 750 international visitors entered the country, up 7.2%, with the United States remaining the largest overseas source market. Brazil posted the strongest growth, with arrivals soaring 40.6% ahead of the launch of a new direct LATAM Airlines service linking Cape Town and São Paulo, expected to boost tourism, trade and investment. (SOURCE: Bizcommunity)
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SHOE MAKERS BOOT UP TO WIN BACK THOUSANDS OF JOBS
South Africa's footwear manufacturers are calling for tougher action against under-invoiced and counterfeit imports, warning they are eroding local production and costing thousands of jobs. About 75% of the 250 million pairs of shoes sold annually are imported, while domestic output has fallen from 50 million pairs before Covid-19 to 42 million a year. Industry employment has shrunk to about 7 400 workers, with an estimated 4 000 to 5 000 jobs lost since 2015. Manufacturers say some importers declare R500 shoes as worth only R100, reducing the 30% import duty they should pay. Local producers are urging retailers to source more South African-made footwear, saying stronger domestic support would help revive factories, create jobs and rebuild the industry's competitiveness. (SOURCE: FreightNews)
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LAST FERROCHROME SMELTER SHUTS DOWN ON HEFTY POWER COSTS
South Africa's last operating manganese smelter has halted production, with Transalloys blaming crippling electricity costs and delays in securing tariff relief from Eskom. The shutdown of the Mpumalanga facility marks another blow for the country's mineral beneficiation sector, raising concerns about job losses, reduced export value and the future of energy-intensive manufacturing. Industry leaders warn that soaring power prices are making local processing increasingly uncompetitive, encouraging companies to export raw minerals instead of producing higher-value products domestically. The closure also highlights the urgent need for affordable electricity to sustain South Africa's industrial base and economic growth. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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TIGER BRANDS SQUEEZES 100% VALUE FROM LOCAL ORANGES
Tiger Brands has sourced 100% of the oranges needed for its Oros beverage range from South African growers for a second consecutive citrus season, ending its reliance on imports. The company buys about 45 000 tonnes of oranges – roughly 275 million fruit – each year to produce 3.5 million litres of orange concentrate, enough for 1.75 million two-litre bottles. Previously, only 65% of its citrus requirements were sourced locally. The oranges, grown in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Western Cape, support local farmers, jobs and investment, while strengthening domestic supply chains despite strong international demand for South African citrus. (SOURCE: Engineering News)
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NATIONAL BEE PLAN TO KEEP R11.9 MILLION HONEY EXPORTS FLOWING
The Department of Agriculture is finalising a National Beekeeping Strategy to safeguard the pollination services that support South Africa's agricultural exports. Managed honeybees pollinate about 80% of the country's fruit crops, making them vital to the export economy. The strategy will strengthen biosecurity, disease management and export certification, while research continues into American Foulbrood, a disease threatening bee colonies. South Africa exported R11.9 million worth of natural honey during the first four months of 2026, up 35% year-on-year. Officials say healthy bee populations are essential for sustaining fruit exports, rural jobs and food security. (SOURCE: FreightNews)
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... AS AMAZON'S SPEKBOOM PLAN TACKLES 50 000 DEGRADED HECTARES
Amazon has committed to one of the world's largest nature-based restoration projects, investing in the rehabilitation of more than 50 000 hectares of degraded land in the Eastern Cape by planting 180 million spekboom shrubs. The initiative is expected to create about 11 000 jobs by 2030 and generate more than R8 billion in economic value for local communities. Amazon will purchase 1.95 million tonnes of carbon removal credits from the project, supporting biodiversity restoration, improved drought resilience and South Africa's growing role in the global carbon credit market while boosting sustainable rural livelihoods and climate action. (SOURCE: Moneyweb)
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SOUTH32 DEAL TO RAISE ALCOA'S BAUXITE MARKET SHARE TO 13%
Alcoa's acquisition of South32's aluminium assets will propel the US company past Rio Tinto to become the world's largest bauxite miner, increasing its global market share from 8.5% to 13%. The deal includes South Africa's Hillside Aluminium smelter, Australian bauxite and alumina operations, and Brazilian mining and smelting assets. Analysts say the transaction strengthens Alcoa's position across the aluminium value chain while delivering an estimated US$900 million (about R14.6 billion) )in synergies. For South32, the sale accelerates its strategic shift towards copper, reducing future decarbonisation costs and funding new growth projects through the end of the decade. (SOURCE: MininngWeekly)
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OIL BUYERS GIVE IRAN'S 58 MILLION BARRELS A WIDE BERTH
Iran is struggling to sell a growing stockpile of crude oil despite the temporary easing of US sanctions, with more than 58 million barrels now stored at sea awaiting buyers. Most cargoes have no confirmed destination, reflecting weak demand from key Asian markets, particularly China and India. Tehran has until mid-August to secure sales before the 60-day US sanctions reprieve expires. Analysts warn that unsold oil could deprive Iran of vital revenue and weaken its negotiating position with Washington. Buyers remain cautious over possible sanctions returning, while ample global supplies have further dampened demand for Iranian crude. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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The PMCB welcomes the following new members:
Mboss Engraving – Chemical etching, specialised sandblasting and welding – 072 552 9160
VOCO Labour & Employment Consultancy – Labour and employment consultancy – 083 779 8410
Eqlibrium – Emotional Intelligence Facilitator, Mental Fitness Coach, Speaker and Author – 082 772 9312
Metro Café – Restaurant - 074 662 0285
Bubbles Laundry Service - Commercial and domestic laundry solutions, dry cleaning and garment supply – 033 386 4865
To find out more about chamber membership and the many benefits click here. |
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And as I've gotten older, I've had more of a tendency to look for people who live by kindness, tolerance, compassion, a gentler way of looking at things.
Martin Scorsese |
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