| PROTEST MARCH TO DISRUPT PIETERMARITZBURG CBD TOMORROW |
Residents and businesses are advised to avoid the Pietermaritzburg CBD tomorrow morning in view of a planned protest march by March and March scheduled to begin at 9 am. Starting at Dales Park in Mayor’s Walk, the march will proceed to City Hall as part of a campaign against illegal foreign nationals. The demonstration is part of a broader anti-immigration campaign. Law enforcement authorities are expected to maintain a strong police presence along the route to ensure public order and safety. Motorists are urged to plan alternative routes and allow extra travel time due to anticipated road closures and disruptions.
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| EQLIBRIUM AT FOREFRONT OF HUMAN-CENTRED LEADERSHIP |
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Meet Eqlibrium, active in the learning and development sector, and a new member of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business. Based in Pietermaritzburg, Eqlibrium offers specialised leadership, emotional intelligence, mental fitness, and human-centred leadership programmes tailored for the age of AI.
Founder Libby Edmonds (pictured) explains that Eqlibrium, a portmanteau of equilibrium and Libby, provides coaching, facilitation, speaking, and workshops designed to strengthen self-awareness, team dynamics, and leadership capability across multiple sectors. Products include the leadership book Connect Lead Succeed 2, EQ assessments, leadership and team vital signs tools, brain styles and brain talents profiling, and change leadership resources.
Customers benefit from over 30 years of experience in education, business, healthcare, and community development, with practical, evidence-based methods delivered through Eqlibrium’s BUILD Q™ framework. Edmonds says Eqlibrium's integrative approach is key to optimising Ai in a rapidly changing world.
"Our human-centred approach,.based on the integration of speaking, coaching, facilitation, and assessment, has helped to translate emotional intelligence into practical leadership actions," she says.
"To date, we've engaged more than 5 000 participants and helped organisations build courageous, collaborative, and future-ready teams in a rapidly changing world context."
Contact Eqlibrium on 082 7729312 or at libby.eqlibrium@gmail.com. View the website here.
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| BIZZ-LINK APOLOGY, RESCHEDULED FOR 30 JUNE |
Due to communication and confirmation delays, today's Bizz-Link speed networking meeting at the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business has been rescheduled to 30 June. The session will feature 90-second business pitches, with participants competing for the Bizz Bee award, to be featured in eBizBlitz. Attendees will also receive coffee and a muffin with experienced business and media hack Derek Alberts explaining a six-step formula to turn events, achievements and milestones into compelling marketing stories. The event aims to boost word-of-mouth promotion and networking effectiveness. Attendees are urged to confirm their attendance with Thabisile at (033) 3452747 or at info@pmcb.org.za. Apologies for any confusion and inconvenience.
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| LAST CHANCE TO JOIN THE ZANY OTT RELAY ... WITH A PRIZE! |
Entries are pouring in for tomorrow's OTT Enterprise Relay at Maritzburg College, promising its trademark mix of fun, networking and high-energy competition. The Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business is making a final call for members to sponsor lucky draw prizes to boost the event’s prize pool. Businesses are encouraged to contribute items or experiences to enhance participation and visibility. Interested sponsors can contact Kay Reddy at 033 345 2747 or chamber@pmcb.org.za.
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1911. Civil engineer John Weston took off in a home-built Weston-Farman biplane from Kimberley and set a South African flight record of 8.5 minutes.
Elsewhere, in 1815, Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.
Eat outdoors today on Internationl Picnic Day. It’s also World Tapas Day and International Panic Day. |
MAY INFLATION SPIKE RAISES RATE HIKE RISKS
South Africa’s annual consumer inflation rate accelerated to 4.5% in May, while prices rose 0.7% month-on-month, increasing the likelihood that the South African Reserve Bank could keep interest rates higher for longer or consider further tightening.
The biggest pressure came from housing and transport costs, with transport inflation surging to 9.4% year-on-year as fuel prices climbed amid Middle East tensions and higher global oil prices.
There was, however, some relief for consumers. Food inflation eased to 1.9% from 2.9% in April, helping to moderate household grocery bills.The decline offers a measure of comfort to cash-strapped households, though it may not offset concerns over rising borrowing costs if inflation remains elevated and prompts another interest-rate hike in coming months. (SOURCE: BDLive/News24)
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UNIONS SPEAK OUT AGAINST MIGRANT-WORKER INTIMIDATION
South Africa’s two largest labour federations, Cosatu and Saftu, have rejected calls for foreign nationals to leave their jobs by June 30, urging workers to report for duty and not place their employment at risk. The federations warned against heeding unofficial ultimatums amid rising tensions over illegal immigration and anti-foreigner protests. Labour leaders stressed that immigration and employment matters must be addressed through lawful processes, arguing that no group has the authority to order workers from their jobs. The federations said workplace disputes should be resolved within the framework of labour and immigration laws, not through intimidation or vigilante action. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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IDC STEPS INTO BREACH TO HELP SAVE TONGAAT
The Industrial Development Corporation will become a significant shareholder in Vision Group under a rescue deal for Tongaat Hulett, extending post-commencement finance until September and converting funding into equity to stabilise the capital structure. Vision will acquire Tongaat’s South African and regional operations, with the aim of preserving about 250 000 jobs across the sugar value chain. The High Court has allowed liquidation proceedings to be withdrawn, clearing the way for implementation. The agreement follows extensive negotiations among lenders and stakeholders, but concerns remain over rising cheap sugar imports and the long-term sustainability of the industry. (SOURCE: News24/Moneyweb)
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STEENHUISEN MAKES WAY FOR NEW AGRICULTURE MINISTER
The Democratic Alliance has reshuffled its Government of National Unity team, with Willie Aucamp appointed as Minister of Agriculture, replacing John Steenhuisen, who moves to Trade, Industry and Competition as deputy minister. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said the changes aim to strengthen delivery, particularly on foot-and-mouth disease response and agricultural export growth. David Maynier takes over Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, while Alexandra Abrahams becomes Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy. Yusuf Cassim and Jack Bloom also receive new deputy ministerial roles. The DA says the reshuffle follows a performance review aimed at improving governance effectiveness. (SOURCE: News24/BDLive)
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ANTI-DUMPING STEEL TARIFF SPARKS HOUSING COST CONCERNS
Government has imposed a 52% tariff on imported Chinese roofing steel despite warnings that the move could increase building costs for low-income and township housing projects. The duties are aimed at protecting local producers, particularly ArcelorMittal South Africa, from what authorities regard as unfairly priced imports. Critics argue the tariff will raise costs for developers, contractors and homeowners, potentially slowing housing delivery. In response, competition authorities have pledged to closely monitor local steel pricing to ensure domestic producers do not exploit the protection through excessive price increases. The measure highlights the tension between industrial protection and affordability. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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UK RETAILER SHIFTS CALL CENTRES TO SA
AO World, one of the UK's largest online sellers of appliances and consumer electronics, has moved about 150 call-centre roles from its Bolton operations to South Africa over the past 12–18 months, with plans to shift a further 50 positions, generating estimated annual savings of around £4 million. The decision forms part of a broader restructuring driven by rising UK labour costs and tighter regulatory pressures under labour reforms. The retailer said South Africa offers a skilled English-speaking workforce, competitive costs and strong service quality. The move is expected to support South Africa’s business process outsourcing sector, which employs more than 300,000 people and generates billions in export earnings. Analysts say the country is increasingly attractive for UK firms outsourcing customer service operations. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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PREMIER POSTS RECORD 29.3% PROFIT GROWTH
The Premier Group reported record-breaking annual earnings for the year ended March 31, 2026, with revenue up 6.6% to R21.2 billion and net profit surging 29.3% to R1.6 billion. This strong performance was driven by volume-led growth, operational efficiencies, and the landmark R6.5 billion acquisition of RFG. Margins improved despite input cost pressures. Management said resilient consumer demand for affordable staples helped offset weak household spending conditions. (SOURCE: SENS)
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STOR-AGE BOOSTS INCOME 5.1% ON RENTAL INCOME
Stor-Age lifted distributable income and dividend per share by 5.1% for the year ended March 31, underpinned by strong SA performance where rental income rose 10.5%. and occupancy hit 93.4%. UK occupancy slipped to 81.6% as earnings softened. A R500 million capital raise reduced loan-to-value to 26.7% and funded acquisitions adding 24 050m². Recurring management fees rose 15.6%, signalling stronger fee-based income growth. (SOURCE: SENS)
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VUKILE’S 9.3% EARNINGS GROWTH BEATS EXPECTATIONS
Vukile Property Fund grew FFO and dividend per share 9.3% for FY26, beating guidance, driven by strong South African retail growth and an expanding Iberian portfolio via Castellana. Like-for-like NOI rose 10.3% in SA and 7.9% in Iberia, with SA retailer sales up 5.4% and vacancies down 1.7%. Cost-to-income improved to 12.4% on solar savings. The group raised R2.8bn, cut LTV to 38.4%, lifted liquidity to R8bn, and expanded into Italy while targeting further accretive growth across Europe. (SOURCE: SENS)
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ZIMBABWE APPROVES SECOND GOLD REFINERY LICENSE
Zimbabwe has licensed a second gold refinery as the country seeks to accommodate rising bullion production and strengthen its position in the regional precious metals industry. The move comes as national gold output continues to grow, reaching about 36.5 tonnes in 2025, up from 30.1 tonnes in 2023. Authorities expect production to exceed 40 tonnes annually in the coming years, driven by investment in mining and increased deliveries from small-scale producers. The additional refinery is expected to improve processing capacity, reduce bottlenecks and enhance value addition within Zimbabwe. Gold remains the country’s largest export earner, generating more than US$2.5 billion annually and playing a critical role in foreign currency earnings. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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FED HOLDS RATES AS INFLATIONARY PRESSURES MOUNT
The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75%, marking a fourth consecutive meeting without a move. Policymakers were sharply divided on the outlook, with nine officials expecting at least one rate hike this year and nine forecasting rates to remain unchanged or fall. Under new Fed chair Kevin Warsh, the central bank signalled changes to its communications strategy while maintaining its 2% inflation target. Inflation forecasts were raised to 3.6% for 2026, while growth expectations were trimmed. Markets reacted with a stronger dollar, weaker equities and lower bond prices. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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UK SET TO IMPOSE UNDER-16 SOCIAL MEDIA BAN
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil sweeping restrictions aimed at protecting young people online, including a ban on under-16s using major social media platforms. The package is also expected to include curfews for older teenagers and tighter regulation of chatbots and online gaming. The measures would go further than similar laws introduced in Australia. While the proposals enjoy broad public support, critics say the policy has been rushed and may prove difficult to enforce. The announcement comes as Starmer faces mounting political pressure following senior resignations and questions over defence spending. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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Your Property Purchase Collapses: Can You Get Your Deposit Back? |
Most buyers treat a deposit as a show of good faith. The law treats it very differently. When a sale collapses because of a buyer's breach, that deposit may be lost entirely.
The Conventional Penalties Act offers limited relief, but the threshold for court intervention is high. A recent case, in which the buyer lost the full R1.725 million deposit, illustrates just how high that threshold can be.
Click here to read more.
For more information please contact: Austen Smith Inc T: +27 33 392 0500 E: mail@austensmith.co.za Website: www.austensmith.co.za |
TRAINING - A HEALTHY & POSITIVE TEAM CULTURE IN YOUR ORGANISATION
This training workshop will focus on the importance and potential of building a positive and healthy team culture in the workplace.
TRAINER: Dirk Calitz – Outdoor Educators
OVERVIEW
Participants will engage in an interactive program where the content is complemented by practical examples and some experiential learning activities. The program aims to inspire, equip, and guide participants with important team values, principles, and practical examples that can be applied to promote positive and more effective teamwork, as well as a healthy team culture in the workplace.
KEY OUTCOMES AND DISCUSSION POINTS:
• Understanding the impact and potential of team culture within the organisation.
• From toxic and dysfunctional to inspired and engaged: the need for positive change.
• Building positive, motivated, and energised teams.
• Practical examples, guidelines, and key principles for healthy team culture and effective teamwork.
• Exploring the role of interpersonal communication in teamwork and team culture.
• The role of leadership in driving change.
• Emotional wellness and its impact on team culture.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Business owners, leaders, managers, HR professionals, team leaders and team members with a keen interest in building a positive and winning team culture within their organisation.
Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance.
Date: 25 June 2026
Time: 08:30 – 12:30
Venue: PMCB Offices, 1 Parkhaven , 55 Macleroy Road, Northern Park, Pietermaritzburg
COST (excludes vat)
PMCB Members: R680 p/p, R645 p/p for 3/more, R595 p/p for 5/more
Non-members: R900 p/p, R885 p/p for 3/more, R850 p/p for 5/more
Please note: The company will be liable for payment unless CANCELLATION is received in writing 24 hours prior to the event. |
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Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.
Nicholas M. Butler |
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