Author: Staff Writer

Volkswagen’s major vehicle launch for 2020 will be streamed via a digital event. The T-Roc will premiere in South Africa on Thursday, 17 June 2020. “Covid-19 has necessitated our brand to find new and innovative ways to communicate with our customers as well as launch our exciting range of products. We are very excited to debut the T-Roc in South Africa through a digital event which will be a first for the South African automotive industry,” said Martina Biene, Head of the Volkswagen Brand. The sporty, stylish and contemporary T-Roc will complete Volkswagen’s T-SUV range in South Africa which currently…

The South African car sales declined by 65, 4 in May 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as consumer and business sentiment remain severely depressed. The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) said new vehicle sales for May 2020 reflects a substantial decline of 27 496 units or 68,0% from the 40 428 vehicles sold in May last year compared to the aggregate domestic sales of 12 932 units in May 2020. Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini-buses at 3 073 units during May 2020 had recorded a huge decline…

The country’s media fraternity and civil society have been called on to play an active role in eradicating Ponzi and pyramid schemes that are devastating families and societies. In recent times, member companies have reported to the DSA-a spike in both local and cross-border pyramid schemes of all manner of shapes and sizes intent on seizing scarce financial resources from the unsuspecting public. Mthunzi Mbali, the vice-chairman of the Direct Selling Association of South Africa (DSA) says: “We are extremely worried about the proliferation of pyramid schemes in South Africa”. He says the DSA has been at the forefront of…

Millions of South African women have every reason to celebrate the 47th anniversary of Justine, South Africa’s premier cosmetics company, which turned the beauty industry on its head in 1973 when it created the iconic formula – the original and real tissue oil. This marked a turning point in the fight against the appearance of scars and stretch marks in improving the smoothness of the skin. In addition to the iconic Tissue Oil, Justine is also renowned for developing and introducing to market some of its popular products that have become household names in South Africa, namely the Tabasheer and…

Today, ProfitShare Partners launches an exciting year-long initiative designed to get small businesses working and creating jobs. In partnership with award-winning local community radio station, Hot 91.9FM, and the all-new ‘getlion’ mobile app designed to support SMEs in managing and growing their businesses, the disruptive FinTech provider will invest R100 million in capital to support SMEs to deliver on their contracts this year. The sweetener is a prize of R1 million for the small business that has created the most net jobs during the period of the campaign from 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2021. The Get South Africa…

Schools will reopen on 8 June 2020 for grade 7 and 12 learners to allow for the orientation and training of teachers. The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) took a decision to continue to reopen schools on 01 June 2020, but with School Management Teams (SMT), teachers and non-teaching staff only arriving to prepare for the arrival of learners. “Provincial and district officials should ensure that health, safety, and social distancing requirements, are strictly adhered to when teachers arrive. This whole coming week must be used for the proper orientation and training of teachers, the mopping and ramping of all…

South African drugstore chain Dis-Chem Pharmacies has partnered with crowdsource delivery company Picup to enable on-demand delivery. Picup has introduced non-contact deliveries, which allows for social distancing between its drivers and customers. Drivers will now sign on behalf of the customer and will practice heightened hygiene, according to a statement issued by the company. The pharmaceutical giant is now using Picup’s innovative technology and crowdsource driver network to optimise its deliveries. At the beginning of the lockdown, Dis-Chem approached Picup to assist with its delivery strategy. Within four business days of initial contact, Picup could provide Dis-Chem with a last-mile fulfilment…

South Africa is currently under lockdown Alert Level Four about to enter Alert Level Three and has seen every sector of our economy shaken to the core by the COVID-19 Pandemic. As the country moves to Alert Level 3 on 1 June 2020, the economic outlook for the rest of the year is that we are about to experience a deep recession of between -4.5% and -8.0% Gross Domestic Product contraction, significantly more severe than the -1.5% GDP contraction of 2009. “We experienced a sharp slowdown in applications at the end of March and part of April 2020, however our…

As part of COVID-19 relief measures, Huawei Technologies in partnership with Social Development Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu and NGO Afrika Tikkun have provided 300 vulnerable families living in Alexandra Township, north of Johannesburg with food parcels. Social Development Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu shares information on Covid-19 prevention with Alexandra residents. During a visit to the Alexandra Township, Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu said; “The initiative is important, in Alexandra the numbers are going up, the living conditions aren’t the best and people are congested. We need to make sure that within these living conditions people are wearing their masks and understand…

An intelligence-driven operation by Gauteng Provincial Organised Crimes: Narcotics Unit led to the bust of a drug laboratory last night, in Kensington, Johannesburg, said police. Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said on arrival at the address, the police search the premises and discovered a drug laboratory in what was believed to be a meth laboratory. Police further discovered drugs in a car, chemicals and equipment used to manufacture drugs. The car was also impounded. During the operation, one suspect was arrested. The suspect will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court soon. Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela commended the…