Author: Staff Writer
As South Africa’s mining sector slowly reboots production following one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, mining companies have been tasked with taking all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of all employees and contractors returning to work. Some control measures are already in place to minimise the risks arising from COVID-19, and mines will have to test all employees on a regular basis. This does not have to be an onerous process, says Gerald Naidoo, CEO of Leviathan Viral Testing Africa. “Mobile testing kits are going to become an essential piece of equipment in mines across…
The City of Johannesburg is in the process of reviewing its rates rebates and municipal service charges as part of an expanded social package (ESP) programme to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on ratepayers. Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance Councillor Jolidee Matongo said the City appreciates the financial difficulties presented by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent national lockdown for both the municipality and residents. “The City’s leadership is hard at work reviewing the ESP programme’s current terms and conditions, which require policy adjustments – with the aim of broadening the net for distressed Johannesburg ratepayers,”…
The cast and crew of Mzansi Magic’s favourite telenovelas are happy to be back at work, following the revision of the nationwide lockdown to level four, last week. The South African government has published regulations that have seen several sectors, including the film and television industry, being allowed to return to work under strict health guidelines. The shooting of new episodes has resumed for hit telenovelas such as The River, Isibaya, The Queen and Gomora. “While the R80 million fund MultiChoice Group established has ensured that the cast and crew continued to receive their salaries throughout the start of the…
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Thursday warned against the premature re-opening of schools. This comes after the department became aware that some independent (or private) and public schools were already preparing to reopen much earlier, and even receive learners ahead of the scheduled announcement by Minister Angie Motshekga. In some schools, teachers have already been reporting for duty and parents meetings have been held where plans were announced to have learners back in school in May. “The premature re-opening of schools is not permitted as the department is still finalising COVID-19 school compliance protocols. Uniform standards will be…
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Thursday welcomed the Satrix SA Bond ETF to the main board of the JSE in its first virtual listing and the first ETF listing in 2020. The Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) will track the S&P South Africa Sovereign Bond 1+ year Index, which allows investors to automatically reinvest their coupons. The index is market value-weighted and consists of bonds with maturities of one year or more. Valdene Reddy, Director of Capital Markets at the JSE, said the ETF was perfectly suited for investors needing a more defensive asset class while chasing inflation-beating yields and…
COVID-19 has arrived the world over, with a torchlight in hand to cast a light on the shadows that lurk in our society. It’s opening our bottom drawers, and airing the dirty laundry of decades of consumer-driven markets. The world is unequal. The systems we’ve created work only for a few. Suddenly in the absence of our daily hustle, it’s become glaringly evident in many industries. The justice system is one of them. “The COVID-19 outbreak has made an already uncertain future that much more frightening. In times like these, we need to call upon our artists, our writers, our…
FNB and WesBank have approved payment breaks on more than 500 000 credit agreements for nearly 150 000 individual and business customers since 1 April 2020. The relief includes payment breaks and/or credit insurance assistance in excess of R4.3 billion to help customers whose finances have been affected by COVID-19. “Our approach is to offer qualifying customers a payment break by paying installments on their behalf for a period of three months. As a result, we have structured our assistance at prime interest rates to alleviate the financial burden and give customers the flexibility to repay the facility over flexible terms,” FNB…
As South Africa’s economy slowly starts regaining traction during level 4 of the lockdown, MTN has started reopening its network of 410 stores nationwide, subject to strict measures being put in place to enhance the safety of customers and staff. Around eighty percent of MTN’s stores began trading on May 1, with all stores across the network open for trading yesterday. Limited trading hours, a strictly controlled shift system, 2 metre social distancing barrier markings, and regular health-checks are among the key proactive measures MTN has put in place. “Our focus is on continuing to give customers all the support…
Teraco on Wednesday formally confirmed the construction of Teraco Cape Town 2 (CT2), a new 30MW data centre facility. This follows the company’s recent 60MW expansion announcement of its Johannesburg data centre campus in Isando and makes the Cape Town facility the second-largest on the continent. Jan Hnizdo, CEO, Teraco, says that the company is standing by its 2019 commitment to support the South African Government’s investment drive and with this build will be investing billions of rands in South Africa’s digital infrastructure:. “We are truly proud that we can keep investing in the region and make good on our…
De Beers Marine SA has stepped in to help the nation’s battle against COVID-19 by 3D printing parts of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed for frontline health workers. The initiative was driven by Mechanical Engineer, Gustav van der Merwe and the Research and Development team, who saw an opportunity to assist health workers in the Western Cape, especially those at Tygerberg Hospital which treats the highest number of COVID-19 patients, but also has a shortage of face shields. Western Cape Province currently has been deemed as a hotspot with one of the highest caseloads of confirmed COVID-19 patients in…