Shack dwellers want sand mining halted
They say the sand is damaging their shacks. The City of Cape Town says the affected households will only be relocated in 2024
News
Activists doorstop police to demand answers for brutal barbershop assault
Police and IPID silent on the investigation into the assault of Juma Igiranieza on 7 November
62 small-scale fishing co-operatives obtain fishing rights in W Cape
62 small-scale fishing co-operatives get fishing rights in W Cape
Government has allocated 15-year fishing rights to 62 small-scale fishing cooperatives, with a total membership of 3 850 declared fishers, in the Western Cape.
This marks the final province where these rights have been granted for the first time in South Africa's history.
“This achievement signifies the end of the interim relief era and the formal inclusion of Western Cape fishing communities, whose livelihoods have been intertwined with fishing for centuries. Historically, these communities faced systematic exclusion due to past injustices, hindering their participation in fishing operations.
“From today, the fishing cooperatives will promote employment and economic development in fishing communities, as well as support food security, and decriminalise traditional fishing.
"The department is [aware] that much more needs to be done to support the sector's growth and development, and we are very committed to this process,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, said on Wednesday.
She made these remarks during a virtual media briefing on the finalisation of the appeals on the verification of small-scale process and the allocation of small-scale fishing rights in the Western Cape.
In the lead-up to fishing rights allocation, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) worked with community-based organisations and fishing communities to register cooperatives and identify suitable species and fishing areas to be used by the cooperatives.
The department has also commenced with providing two-day training workshops aimed at registering cooperatives as community-based legal entities earmarked for the allocation of small-scale fishing rights.
The Minister said the department is still in the process of developing a sustainable and financially viable basket of species for the small-scale sector.
Some of the species that have been granted to date include commercial traditional line-fish species, West Coast Rock Lobster, Seaweed, bait species, abalone aquaculture ranching sites, net-fish species, white mussels, oysters and hake handline.
A few years ago, the DFFE conducted a survey to understand the challenges facing small-scale fishers in the Western Cape. This survey revealed a lack of access to markets, suitable infrastructure, and access to the broader fishing value chains.
“Consequently, the department developed a support strategy, which includes formalised agreements with the Department of Small Business Development and with one of the maritime academies.
"Many other partners, such as the National Development Agency, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) have committed their support to the small-scale fishing co-operatives of the Western Cape,” the Minister said.
The DFFE will appoint 62 mentors so each cooperative will have dedicated direct support for the next three years.
Before 2014, the fishing rights framework only acknowledged access rights in the recreational, commercial and subsistence sectors, thus marginalising many local fishing communities.
During this time, small-scale fishers were often deemed illegal fishers, as they were not authorised to participate in regulated fishing sectors.
In 2019, the Marine Living Resources Act was amended to include small-scale fishers and to recognise an individual as a small-scale fisher if that person is “a member of a small-scale fishing community engaged in fishing to meet food and basic livelihood needs, or directly involved in processing or marketing of fish”.
During the period between 2016 to 2019, the DFFE initiated a process to allocate of small-scale fishing rights, nationwide. Rights were finalised in the Northern Cape in 2018, and in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
In 2019, the department received a total of 8 646 applications from individual applicants seeking to be recognised as small-scale fishers in the Western Cape alone.
Only 29% of the applicants were allocated rights.
In 2020, as a result of several fishing communities submitting complaints against the verification process and its outcomes in the Western Cape, the Minister called for an audit inquiry into the findings of the verification process.
Based on audit findings, the Minister sought an order from the Western Cape High Court to review and set aside the verification process for the Western Cape and to remit the verification process to the department for reconsideration.
Working collaboratively with community-based organisations, the department redesigned a fair process on the verification of small-scale fishers, resulting in over 5 000 applications from 109 fishing communities in the Western Cape.
The Delegated Authority’s final list declared over 84% of applicants successful, a significant improvement from the 2019 process success rate of 29%.
Aggrieved applicants were again entitled to lodge an appeal against the decision taken by the Delegated Authority to refuse their application. The department worked closely with the communities to provide the necessary information, support and guidance to enable appellants to lodge their appeals in an administratively and legally sound manner.
“The department received a total of 461 appeals and I considered each of these appeals on its own merits. In my consideration of these appeals, I followed the principle that all applicants are successful unless they were unable to provide proof that they met all the required criteria as set out in the Small-Scale Regulations.
“I was also mindful of the unique circumstances of fishing communities and that the completion of application forms may have been a challenge for certain individuals. I am satisfied that the process was inclusive, addressed various historical imbalances, and therefore the outcome is fair and correct.
"Four hundred and thirty-one of these appeals were upheld and this translates into a success rate of 93%,” Creecy said.
The launch of the small-scale fisheries sector in the Western Cape coincides with the commencement of the West Coast Rock Lobster fishing season.
For the full “General Published Reasons for Decisions on for the Verification of Small-Scale Fishers in the Western Cape Province” click on this link. https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/legislations/appeals/13nov23gpr_smallscalefisheries_reallocation.pdf. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 10:54
1213 views
Eskom lays out on transmission expansion
Eskom lays out on transmission expansion
Eskom Managing Director of Transmission, Segomoco Scheppers, says the power utility is working hard to expand transmission lines and unlock future generation capacity for the power grid “as fast as possible”.
He was addressing the Transmission Development Plan (TDP) Implementation Forum held at the Eskom Academy of Learning on Wednesday.
Previously, the power utility said it needed to augment the transmission network by approximately 14 200km by 2032 to ensure energy security in the country.
“[There] are currently 46 expansion projects in execution, of which 26 will deliver 1 632km of transmission lines, 11 290MVA and enable over 15 000MW of generation capacity. Of these 26 projects, 50% will deliver 890km of transmission lines, 3 290MVA of transformer capacity and enable the safe and reliable operation of over 10 000MW of new generation.
“This includes specifically Medupi and Kusile [power stations] as well as the Garob 267MW project connecting at Kronos substation in the Northern Cape. The other 50%... are in different phases of procurement and will deliver 435km and 8 000MVA, enabling 4 975MW of new generation capacity, mainly in the Northern and Western Cape,” he said.
Scheppers assured the forum that Eskom is “very focused on ensuring that we expand the grid as fast as possible, while safely managing the power system”.
Into the future
Looking into the future of Eskom transmission, Scheppers said Eskom has approved “the execution of R26 billion in capital investment” for transmission, with two priority programmes already in the pipeline to “accelerate the delivery of the transmission infrastructure”.
“These programmes entail, firstly, the development of 25 projects in existing substations… which will unlock 13 000MW of new generation in the next five years; secondly, 22 expedited transmission projects that will unlock 24 000MW of grid connection capacity by 2033.
“We are developing these 47 projects, which have the potential to unlock 37 000MW of grid connection capacity between 2025 and 2033. These projects are at different stages of implementation in terms of design, procurement and construction,” he said.
Scheppers called on all stakeholders to support the power utility in its plans.
“I cannot overemphasise the fact that the successful roll out of our plans will require continued support from all key stakeholders, including relevant authorities unlocking bottlenecks, as well as the market in terms of construction, contractors, suppliers and consultants.
“We are very grateful for the various NECOM [National Energy Crisis Committee] initiatives, which are proving very effective in addressing some of our historical challenges,” he said.
National Transmission Company SA
Scheppers gave the forum an update on the legal separation of Eskom into the Generation, Distribution and Transmission entities.
According to Scheppers, the separation of transmission entity – dubbed the National Transmission Company South Africa SOC Ltd (NTCSA) – is fully underway.
“We are in the process of getting final approval from the Minister of Public Enterprises for the independent board of directors for this new company. A binding merger agreement has already been signed with suspensive conditions to be fulfilled… in order to transfer the current transmission business into the new subsidiary.
“Following the fulfilment of the suspensive conditions, NTCSA will then be operationalised and employees transferred to the new company on the same conditions of service and without disrupting their years of service. We are busy with the lender engagements that are required for us to obtain consent, and these are already at an advanced stage,” he said.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has already approved licences for operating the transmission system, trading in electricity, and for import and export.
“The final licences and associated conditions are being finalised and in fact, we expect that we’ll be in possession of these licences before the end of this month,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:41
535 views
South African Jews call for ceasefire in Gaza
“We are a diverse group of South African Jews who are dismayed by the situation that is unfolding in Israel and Palestine”
Handwoven success: Sisters’ journey to AGOA opportunity
Handwoven success: Sisters’ journey to AGOA opportunity
Sisters Mo Morongwe Mokone and Michelle Mokone have elevated South Africa’s innovative décor scene by breaking into the lucrative United States of America (USA) market.
However, they are not stopping there and are now planning to grow their footprint beyond the USA and enter new markets, such as Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
The pair are the co-owners of Mo’s Crib, a company that produces a range of handmade home décor products. Their product range includes handwoven baskets, planters, trays, wall art and outdoor items.
Michelle, who is the Operations and Supply Chain Director of Mo’s Crib, said their products are manufactured from unique materials such as ultra-durable polyvinyl chloride plastic, reclaimed from landfills and construction sites throughout South Africa, and various types of grass.
In 2021, the pair decided to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – a United States Trade Act which was enacted in May 2000.
AGOA allows 35 qualifying Sub-Saharan countries to export 1 835 tariff lines duty-free to a significant consumer market in the USA.
“We managed to benefit from the AGOA only through our shipping agent. We had already registered and received an export certificate in 2019, and by the time we were ready to export, the certificate came in very useful. It was a relief to learn that we were from an AGOA-benefiting country and that our products will not be subject to any import duties,” Michelle said.
Since 2021, the business has shipped a total of eight containers full of products to the USA.
“We are on track to ship two more containers before the end of 2023. We also regularly ship a container to fulfil our orders for our online store, which is fulfilled through our warehouse in New Jersey.
“Although shipping is relatively expensive, especially for a small business that is 100% self-funded, we have benefited from the AGOA through significant market access. Currently, the USA orders constitute 60% of our overall revenue,” she said.
Taking it back to why they started the business, Michelle said the idea of Mo’s Crib dates back to the 90s when Mo used to make homemade art crafts by crocheting strips of reused plastic bags into rugs.
“The actual business, however, started as a hobby in 2016 when we took part in an annual Christmas market while working full-time in our corporate jobs. The first product sold was Origami Art, which Mo learnt in London, and what we thought would be a slow sale quickly became a phenomenon, selling out within days of the market,” she explained.
“We introduced new products every year for two years until we decided to quit our full-time jobs in 2019 and focused on the business full-time,” she added.
Before starting the business, the Mokone sisters worked full-time in their respective corporate careers. Mo was an executive assistant and a human resource personnel at a corporate firm while Michelle was working as an agricultural economist for a farmer association.
Meanwhile, Michelle was busy completing her master’s in international Trade Law at the University of Bern in Switzerland.
“Our unique skills and qualities have contributed to building the business to where it is and driving growth within the homeware industry,” Mo explained.
Mo’s Crib, which is 100% self-funded from inception, employs 12 full-time staff and 86 artisans. The pair have an internal plan to create 20 new jobs within the next two to three years.
You can contact Mo’s Crib on 0877007161 or email: hello@moscrib.com
Instagram: @mos.crib
Twitter/X: @moscrib
Facebook: Mo’s Crib
LinkedIn: The Alice Group (Mo’s Crib) https://agoa.info/about-agoa.html
DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:41
442 views
eThekwini residents urged to apply for city’s debt relief
eThekwini residents urged to apply for city’s debt relief
The eThekwini Municipality has encouraged its ratepayers, who are struggling to pay their bills, to apply for the city’s Debt Relief Programme before the year ends.
The city recently reinstated the Debt Relief Programme, which allows ratepayers struggling with their municipal bills to settle their outstanding debt over a maximum period of 36 months.
The programme, which ends on 31 December 2023, is targeting residential and business customers, who are finding it difficult to service their debt to the municipality.
In order to qualify for the relief, the debt must be 90 days or older, and a down payment of 5% deposit for residential and 10% for business customers must be made.
The city’s Head of the Revenue Management Unit, Lihle Ndzelu said, an agreement will be signed and the accumulated interest will be written off.
“Customers have up to 36 months to settle all outstanding debt. Once the arrangement is made, customers have to honour it and if a customer defaults on payment or pays less than the required instalment, all written-off interest will be reinstated,” Ndzelu explained.
Ndzelu said the programme also benefits non-profit organisations, including old age homes and homes for people with disabilities, mental hospitals and Early Childhood Development centres.
“They will be granted a substantial 50% capital debt write-off once they enter into a payment arrangement. This benefit is conditional on these organisations not falling into arrears within a period of 12 months after settling their debts.
“The municipality recognises the severe financial strain that some residents are facing. As a caring city, we must do all we can to alleviate the financial burden on the municipality's valued residents,” Ndzelu said.
The municipality has previously approved and implemented the programme from December 2022 to February 2023, but decided to reinstate it after the customers requested it.
For more information on the programme, customers may approach their nearest Sizakala Centre and provide all supporting documentation when applying for the programme. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:54
372 views
SA, Qatar bolster relations
SA, Qatar bolster relations
President Cyril Ramaphosa has deemed his visit to Qatar as significant, saying it serves as an opportunity to discuss and share views on the recent international developments.
“This visit is very significant, not only as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between our two countries, but also to share views on recent international developments.
“The events in Palestine, and the growing deaths of civilians, particularly children, grieves us all. South Africa supports all efforts to secure an immediate and full ceasefire, with talks on a political solution to address the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for statehood,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President was delivering remarks at the Qatar - South Africa Business Roundtable in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.
President Ramaphosa is currently on a two-day State Visit in Qatar at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.
The visit occurs in the context of three decades of diplomatic relations. The two countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations on 11 May 2024. This is President Ramaphosa's first visit to the State of Qatar as Head of State.
President Ramaphosa told the roundtable that while the political relationship between the two countries is strong, much more can be done with each other in areas of trade, investment and economic development.
“For this reason, I am particularly pleased that I have had an opportunity to engage with both the Qatari Business Association and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce earlier. I want to point to five features of the South African economy that offer us the opportunity to build and expand our economic relationship,” he said.
Firstly, the President highlighted that South Africa is Africa’s most industrialised economy with well-established companies.
He told the roundtable that many of these companies are active in the Middle East and Qatar. The President mentioned companies like Sasol in the petro-chemical sector with its advanced technologies and iconic consumer brands such as Nandos and Ocean Basket.
“South African has well developed manufacturing and services sectors. South African agriculture and agro-processing companies are world class, and we can support the Food Security Program of the State of Qatar.
“Beyond these, South Africa is developing its expertise in areas such as pharmaceuticals, the space industry and advanced manufacturing,” he said.
Secondly, the President said South Africa is developing greater market access across the world.
He mentioned that the country has free trade agreements in place with the European Union and the United Kingdom and is about to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area, uniting 54 economies into a large tariff-free market intended to cover 1.3 billion consumers.
In addition, South Africa currently has access to the US market on preferential terms through the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and preferential access to certain Latin American markets.
Thirdly, President Ramaphosa emphasised that the African continent has vast resources of critical minerals that will be used as the world embraces cleaner, greener growth.
With Qatar’s experience, technology and capital in the petrochemicals, natural gas and energy infrastructure, President Ramaphosa said government is looking to companies from Qatar partnering with South Africa as it implement its just energy transition.
Fourthly, the President highlighted that the country is embarking on far-ranging economic reforms that provide opportunities for partnerships between foreign investors and domestic firms in South Africa.
He said the energy market is being restructured. The public electricity utility, Eskom, which faced severe challenges, has improved maintenance of its generation fleet and has received debt relief from the State to strengthen its financial position.
“Private energy generation, specifically in renewables, constitutes a growing share of total energy generated. Since the implementation of regulatory changes, the pipeline of private sector generation projects has increased to over 100 projects representing more than 10,000 MW of potential new capacity,” he said.
Fifthly, the President told the business roundtable that the country has a stable legal system, strong protections of property rights, a deep capital market with Africa’s largest stock exchange, and a growing pool of skilled employees.
“South Africa is ready to build partnerships for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. South Africa is keen to deepen our bilateral relationship with Qatar. We look forward to partnering in sectors such as agro-processing, automotive, aquaculture, manufacturing, hydrocarbons, infrastructure, hospitality and tourism, to mention a few.
“I invite Qatar to join us in developing a portfolio of South African investments that your sovereign wealth fund and your private sector can participate in,” the President said.
President Ramaphosa commended the business delegations from South Africa and Qatar for their engagement, adding that he look forward to successful outcomes. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:20
464 views
Kosher Alcoholic Beverages with MK Kosher
For those who observe kosher dietary laws, finding alcoholic beverages that fit these strict guidelines is essential. MK Kosher simplifies this process with their detailed Kosher Alcohol and Liquor List, ensuring that choosing a kosher-certified drink is a seamless experience, regardless of where you are in the world. The Essence of Kosher Bar Essentials The …
Enhance Your Home with the Perfect Garage Door from Elite Garage Doors
Looking to buy garage doors in Gauteng? Elite Garage Doors offers a wide selection of high-quality options that cater to every style and need. From the sturdy and stylish twin aluminum garage doors to the elegant aluminum double garage entries, there’s something for every homeowner. If you prefer a material that combines durability with …
Western Cape small-scale fishers finally obtain their rights
Fisheries department announces long-awaited permits finalised in the Western Cape
Rossgro Eggs Brings MK Kosher Certification to South African Kitchens
MK Kosher Certification’s expansion in South Africa continues with the certification of Rossgro eggs, a Johannesburg-based producer renowned for its high-quality egg white liquid and egg pulp. This marks a significant step for Rossgro eggs and the kosher community alike, as it allows kosher kitchens throughout the nation to incorporate these top-tier products into their …
Mr. Fudge: A Sweet Addition to South Africa’s Kosher Delicacies
South Africa’s kosher community is set to enjoy a richer, sweeter experience with the introduction of Mr. Fudge’s MK Kosher Certified confections. The new line-up, featuring Cholov Yisroel Vanilla and Chocolate Fudge, exemplifies the perfect blend of traditional flavors and stringent kosher compliance. Rabbi Yossi Baumgarten, MK Kosher’s African Regional Director, has praised the …
MultiChoice Group: Resilient Operational Performance and Significant Progress
MultiChoice Group (MCG, or the group) (www.MultiChoice.com), Africa's leading entertainment company, executed well on its operational objectives during the six months ended 30 September 2023 (1H FY24).
Building on its track record of investing in technology to be ahead of the curve, and to accommodate shifts in consumer video consumption trends to support future growth, the group continued to transition strategically with an increased investment in Showmax, ahead of an exciting re-launch in the second half of this financial year.
“We remain focused on developing our leading entertainment platform that caters for consumer needs across sub-Saharan Africa, on leveraging our footprint to build a differentiated ecosystem and on developing additional revenue streams,” says Calvo Mawela, Chief Executive Officer.
The overall excitement around three world cups, culminating in the Springboks emerging victorious as back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions, supported subscriber activity. A highlight of the interim period was the South African Premium customer base, which grew 5%, a positive trend for the first time in many years.
Although profitability came under pressure due to ongoing power interruptions, cost of living pressures and sharp depreciation in local currencies against the US dollar, the impact was mitigated by a change in focus towards subscriber retention, an improved customer mix, as well as ongoing pricing and cost saving disciplines to protect the resilience of the business. As a result, the group maintained a positive trading profit margin of 3% in the Rest of Africa (a ZAR2.2bn organic improvement YoY) and delivered a 31% trading margin in South Africa.
Salient points for the 1H FY24 period included:
- Group revenue: ZAR28.3bn, down 1% (up 4% organic) due to weaker local currencies and consumer pressure, offset by conversion benefits of a weaker ZAR on the group's USD reporting segments and inflationary-led price increases in the majority of the group's markets.
- Subscription revenues: 3% higher on an organic basis, attributed to strong growth in Rest of Africa (+14%) and Showmax (+25%), offset by pressure in the South African business (-4%).
- Group trading profit: increased 18% on an organic and like-for-like basis (excluding the additional investment in Showmax), reducing to a 10% improvement once the investment in Showmax is considered. On a reported basis, trading profit was 18% lower at ZAR5.0bn, impacted by foreign exchange headwinds of ZAR1.7bn, Showmax trading losses of ZAR0.8bn and a lower contribution from South Africa. Focus on cost optimisation delivered ZAR0.5bn in cost savings.
- Total content costs: up 10% (+ 4% organic), driven by ongoing investment in local content (+16% YoY) and several World Cups hosted in the first half of the year.
- Core headline earnings: ZAR1.9bn, down 5%, impacted by the same drivers weighing on trading profit, with some offset from realised gains on forward exchange contracts and lower tax and minorities in South Africa.
- Adjusted core headline earnings (incorporating the impact of losses incurred on cash remittances in markets such as Nigeria): increased 25% to ZAR1.5bn, resulting from lower losses on cash remittances as the gap between the official and parallel naira rates narrowed following the material depreciation in the official naira rate during the period.
- Free cash flow: ZAR1.1bn, impacted by the increased investment in Showmax and a lower contribution from the South African business.
- Retained cash and cash equivalents of ZAR5.6bn and access to ZAR9.0bn in undrawn facilities; financial debt stable at ZAR8.1bn with Net debt:EBITDA of 1.30x.
The group continued to deliver compelling local content and enable its audiences to access internationally renowned entertainment shows. Playing a vital role in supporting and developing the continent's wider video entertainment industry, it has increased its spending on local content by 16% YoY, taking its local content library to almost 80,000 hours. Going forward, the group plans to enhance the monetisation of each hour of content produced by leveraging both its linear and streaming platforms.
Several new titles were launched to maintain strong momentum in leading local language programming. In addition to the successful debut of Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic; Gqeberha: The Empire replaced The Queen in its time slot; and Umkhoka: The Curse continued to grow in viewership and social media engagement during the period. M-Net launched the higher-end series 1802: Love Defies Time on 1Magic. kykNET introduced a new medical procedural drama, Hartklop, and a new cooking reality show, Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam, both of which commanded strong audience share. Big Brother Naija entered its eighth season, delivering record advertising revenues in local currency.
Following on from the success of the FIFA World Cup in FY23, SuperSport yet again demonstrated its ability to deliver an exceptional sport offering, successfully broadcasting three World Cup events in the period — the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Netball World Cup and the Rugby World Cup — followed by the Cricket World Cup, which aired post period-end.
As part of its broader “Here for Her” campaign, SuperSport provided a world-first all-female broadcasting crew to produce the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, which was shortlisted at the Sports Business Awards for “Best Sporting Event of 2023”.
Beyond World Cup coverage, SuperSport's broadcast of the Comrades Marathon in June 2023 was the biggest production in SuperSport's history. The group continued telling the best of local sport stories and is proud of its latest documentary series, Pulse of a Nation, which documents the history of football in South Africa. SuperSport also secured several rights in its portfolio to provide viewers with a wide variety of choice.
MultiChoice also remains committed to making school sport accessible to all levels of society through its SuperSport Schools platform, which grew its user base by 69% over the last six months, providing a valuable stage for identifying the next generation of South Africa's sporting stars.
Operational performance review
South Africa
The challenging consumer environment persisted into 1H FY24. Loadshedding remained the most immediate challenge in terms of subscriber activity, with the number of active days per subscriber declining by 5% due to a significant increase in both frequency and intensity of loadshedding, especially in Q1 of the reporting period. Premium and Compact bases showed improved stability compared to the latter part of FY23.
The group reported a 5% decline in 90-day active customers to 8.6m (3% of which can be attributed to the decision to end the short-term campaigns implemented in the prior year to support customers during loadshedding), with active customers amounting to 7.8m. More stable trends in the mid- and upper segments of the customer base, along with inflation-linked average price increases of around 4%, helped limit the decline in monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) to 2%.
Various initiatives were implemented to protect the economics of the segment and to help offset macro and consumer challenges weighing on the performance of the business into the second half, a period which is typically affected by the seasonally higher cost of the football content rights and festive season promotional activity. Key amongst these was the reduction in decoder subsidies through increased device pricing in our linear business and the relaunch of DStv Stream, which has more than tripled its subscribers since March 2023, albeit off a low base. Encouragingly, over 90% of DStv Stream subscribers added in the period are new subscribers to DStv, who find the connected product without hardware installation more appealing. The pricing and value proposition of the DStv Business Play packages were also recalibrated which led to a 37% increase in month-on-month revenues for this segment in September 2023.
Revenues declined by 3% to ZAR16.5bn, impacted by a 4% decline in subscription revenues and a reduction in decoder revenues due to the shift in strategy, offset by 31% growth in insurance premiums and a doubling of DStv Internet revenues. The segment delivered a trading margin of 31%, with Showmax now reported as a separate trading segment. In absolute terms, the lower revenues and negative operating leverage resulted in trading profit trending 17% lower to ZAR5.2bn, impacted by the ongoing investment in local content and sport, partially offset by cost saving initiatives and reduced decoder subsidies.
Rest of Africa (RoA)
After adding 1.4m new subscribers in FY23, subscriber growth in the Rest of Africa was more subdued in 1H FY24. This was due to the impact of inflationary pressures in key markets like Nigeria, and similar trends to previous periods which followed a FIFA World Cup or northern hemisphere football off-season. A total of 0.1m subscribers were added to end the period at 13.0m 90-day active subscribers. The active subscriber base was broadly stable at 8.9m subscribers and subscription revenues grew 14% organically.
Revenue of ZAR10.5bn was flat (+13% organic) with a weaker ZAR against the USD on conversion, offsetting the impact of weaker local currencies relative to the USD. The RoA segment delivered a trading profit of ZAR330m (+ZAR2.2bn YoY on an organic basis) which was underpinned by specific cost interventions around decoder subsidies and content costs.
Weaker currencies remained a significant impediment to improvements in profitability, with average first half exchanges falling sharply against the USD. The sharp fall of the naira resulted in a large proportion of the previously recognised losses incurred on cash remittances now being recorded in trading profit. The net effect of these forex movements was a negative ZAR1.6bn impact on the segment's trading profit for the period.
Showmax
The Showmax partnership with Comcast (owners of NBCUniversal, Sky and Peacock) was concluded on 4 April 2023 and significant progress has been made in preparing for launch later in this financial year. This service, which is set to benefit from rising connectivity and smart device uptake that enhances accessibility and scalability, will enable MultiChoice to double its customer base and deliver an additional USD1bn revenue in the medium term.
Showmax (now reported separately from the South African segment) saw its active subscriber base increase by 13% YoY, resulting in revenues growing 46% (+45% organic) to ZAR0.6bn. As the group continues to support the existing business and invest behind the new platform, operating costs increased in the short term, resulting in trading losses increasing by ZAR0.5bn to ZAR0.8bn.
Technology segment
Irdeto's external business delivered 17% topline growth (+4% organic) due to the weaker ZAR against the USD, market share gains in its core media security business and the provision of its managed services. Irdeto's connected industries initiatives continue to build momentum, most notably in the Keystone product line where Irdeto secured additional customer wins in the construction equipment space.
Trading profit was affected by once-off restructuring activities in the core media security business as the business adapts to the changing media landscape, and increased by a modest 1% on an organic basis.
On a standalone basis, Irdeto generated revenues of USD98m (ZAR1.8bn), down 7%. Trading profit of USD15m (ZAR0.3bn) was lower than the prior period as a result of the non-recurring benefit from elevated FIFA World Cup orders in the prior year, as well as the restructuring costs.
KingMakers
KingMakers continued to deliver strong underlying operating momentum despite the impact of the weaker naira and challenging macro environment in Nigeria. The business delivered organic revenue growth of 22%, led by strong growth in its online sportsbook which saw active users increase 17% and its revenue contribution grow by 40% YoY. The weaker naira resulted in reported revenues increasing only 2% to USD95m (ZAR1.8bn). KingMakers reported USD10m in EBITDA and narrowed its loss after tax to USD8.6m (ZAR0.2bn) for the first six months to June 2023.
The core development focus for KingMakers was preparations for the soft launch of SuperSportBet in South Africa on 9 November this year. The expertise of the KingMakers team combined with the strength of the SuperSportBet brand and exclusive partnerships uniquely positions the group to leverage the opportunity for future revenue and gain market share in this large and growing addressable market.
KingMakers is focused on optimising the profitability of its agency business and growing its higher-margin online business that, together with the opportunity presented by the new South African business, will support its path to sustainable profitability.
The product and market expansion plans are fully funded with KingMakers having USD134m (ZAR2.5bn) of cash at period end (being June 2023).
Moment (Fintech)
The Moment joint venture made significant progress in integrating with group core payments infrastructure and remains on track to commercialise its local services in 2H FY24.
In addition, Moment prioritised payment service integrations for the Showmax business to support the streaming platform's launch in 2H FY24. The platform is set to deliver returns equal to the initial investment within a 20-month timeframe and will become increasingly important to the success of the group's ecosystem in future, providing simplicity to customer payment options, more integrated rewards platforms and B2B revenue opportunities.
Future Prospects
“MultiChoice has a compelling growth strategy in place, which is partly driven by the opportunity to capture sustainable long-term growth through our targeted investment in streaming and partly by the need to absorb increased external economic pressure on the business and its consumers in the short-term. Our priority is to navigate both sets of demands to ensure the group operates sustainably through the current economic cycle and long into the future, while delivering attractive shareholder returns.” says Mawela.
The focus remains on driving further efficiencies in operating expenditure, as well as working capital and capex decisions, to ensure consistent and optimal returns on all capital deployed. At the same time, the group continues to seek ways to support or improve the economics of the business through pricing decisions, optimising customer mix and content monetisation, as well as calibrating decoder subsidies according to the macro-economic backdrop.
The group is also carefully investing behind nascent or future business lines, taking into account the strategic importance and prospects of success.
“The second half of FY24 will be an important period in our journey to expand our ecosystem beyond Africa's leading linear pay-TV operator into a broader ecosystem of interactive entertainment and consumer services to enable us to double our customer base to 50 million over the next five years. The relaunch of Showmax, combined with KingMakers' entry into the South African market with SuperSportBet, and Moment's platform launch are all important milestones as we accelerate growth and drive additional scale, creating a ‘world of more' for customers and additional value for shareholders.” Mawela concluded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.
Court rules OUTA not entitled to financial information on N3TC toll concession
OUTA accepts judgment but is considering whether to appeal due to concern over the need for transparency on public-private partnerships OUTA has lost a court bid to get financial information from Sanral which would expose the scale of profits which N3TC makes on its 30-year toll concession contract. On 14 November 2023, the Pretoria High …
CoGTA pushes ahead with councillors’ code of conduct
CoGTA pushes ahead with councillors' code of conduct
Government is forging ahead with the reinforcement of the code of conduct for councillors in an effort to address challenges, strengthen local government and look into motions of no confidence.
This is according to the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Thembi Nkadimeng, who was updating the media on Wednesday on the state of local government.
“In the past two weeks, we’ve put in the code of conduct for councillors, this was as the result of what happened in the City of Tshwane and in the City of eThekwini where councillors physically attacked one another instead of sitting and debating about disagreements,” she said.
The code of conduct, according to Nkadimeng, zooms into measures that need to be applied jointly with the council if disruptions are the order of the day.
“We need to link with the thought of that we’re trying to micromanage but with the thought of instability. Because, if the meeting is disrupted, it means council can’t conclude on when the operations are supposed to be done and it gets to be postponed again and again,” she explained, adding that it was not only coalitions that are unstable.
The Minister has since called for political maturity.
“We also want to regulate on the motions of no confidence... There are critical areas on how they should come about, which are fraud, corruption and not providing service delivery. But it can’t be based on slight provocation, like not greeting and now you’re angry with party B.”
She shot down the view that government was trying to micromanage councils.
“From 2016 to 2021, Nelson Mandela Bay didn’t build a single RDP house. Not only that they didn’t have the money, they turned no less than R500 million back,” she said, adding that the metro had seen numerous mayors come and go within that period.
However, Nkadimeng said these interventions are driven by the desire to protect citizens.
“It's fair and well for the parties to win elections and govern how they want. But we need to protect citizens who were supposed to receive a house in Nelson Mandela Bay when funds were provided and were not utilised and no one was held accountable.”
According to the State of Local Government report, 64 municipalities were categorised as dysfunctional, 111 were at medium risk, 66 at low risk, and 16 deemed stable.
Infrastructure
Shifting her focus to infrastructure, she said 117 out of 144 Water Service Authorities’ bulk water and sanitation infrastructure has been assessed.
“The assessments report with recommendations are being implemented and used to prioritise projects identification and funding through own funding, private sector funding and conditional grants.”
In addition, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (Misa), deploys built environment professionals to municipalities to provide technical support throughout all infrastructure product life cycles.
To date, Misa has deployed 103 technical professionals, of which 86 of are professionally registered with statutory bodies as engineers and town planners.
Nkadimeng said the state was also pushing for all municipalities to have municipal managers and chief financial officers.
In addition, the Minister touched on the pillars that make a functional municipality.
These include putting people first, delivering basic services, good governance, sound financial management, building capable local government institutions and local economic development. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:28
144 views
Good Heart Kosher MK Certification
In a significant development for South Africa’s kosher food market, Good Heart has announced an expansion of its product range with a new lineup of MK kosher-certified products. This diversification is a boon for the burgeoning kosher community, providing a variety of options from coated rice cakes in exotic flavours to a selection of …
Jap Burger’s revelations expose ongoing ‘state capture’ at Eskom
Dear Editor In a significant development, former Brigadier Jap Burger of the South African Police Service (SAPS) testified before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) today. Burger, who was subpoenaed, addressed allegations of corruption and fraudulent activities, shedding light on maladministration at Eskom. The hearing stems from a process initiated in April, when SCOPA …
Trophy Tour Death in East London
SA Rugby has been advised of the death of a spectator following an accident with a police vehicle during the final stage of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour. President, Mr Mark Alexander said: “SA Rugby is deeply saddened by news of a tragic incident during the festivities celebrating South Africa’s 2023 Rugby World Cup …
Rand Water CEO has to go
Dear Editor Today, concerned citizens, DA representatives, and community leaders united to march and deliver a memorandum of demands to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu. The memorandum emphasises the urgent need for immediate action to address water supply challenges in Gauteng. Under the current government, systemic failures persist, leading South Africans to …
Risk management measures are vital to prevent GBV incidents at universities
Dear Editor Today the DA conducted an unannounced oversight visit to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) accredited student accommodation residence, South Point The Orchard, to observe their safety and security and risk mitigation measures in order to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) incidents at the residence. This is the residence where the CPUT student …
FIFA+ to stream every Confederation of African Football (CAF) qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26™
First two matchdays of CAF qualifying will be played from 15 to 21 November; All matches will be streamed on FIFA+; Find out below which countries the matches will be available in.
Africa's qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 26™ kick off on Wednesday 15 November and you'll be able to watch them all live on FIFA+.
Nine African teams are guaranteed to compete at the World Cup. Another will participate in the FIFA Play-off Tournament as the global showpiece will host 48 teams for the first time ever.
Everything you need to know about African qualifying (https://apo-opa.co/47xtb3H)
Where to watch the CAF qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 26™
You will be able to watch all Matchday 1 African qualifiers on FIFA+ with English commentary from anywhere in the world, with the exception of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, sub-Saharan Africa*, India and Portugal.
* It will be possible to follow the matches live in sub-Saharan Africa in the following countries: Benin, Burundi, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Malawi, Sao Tome e Principe, Seychelles, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Highlights of all the matches will also be available on FIFA+ worldwide.
Where can I watch FIFA+ content? (https://apo-opa.co/40FfYDJ)
CAF qualifiers schedule
Click on the links for each match to go to the streaming page. (all kick-off times local)
Matchday 1
15 November
Equatorial Guinea v Namibia (Group H) | 1400 | Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Rwanda v Zimbabwe (Group C) | 1500 | Butare, Rwanda
Congo DR v Mauritania (Group C) | 1500 | Kinshasa, Congo DR
Ethiopia v Sierra Leone (Group A) | 2000 | El Jadida, Morocco
16 November
Botswana v Mozambique (Group G) | 1500 | Francistown, Botswana
Burundi v The Gambia (Group F) | 1600 | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Gabon v Kenya (Group F) | 1700 | Franceville, Gabon
Nigeria v Lesotho (Group C) | 1700 | Uyo, Nigeria
Algeria v Somalia (Group G) | 1700 | Baraki, Algeria
Cape Verde v Angola (Group D) | 1800 | Praia, Cape Verde
Egypt v Djibouti (Group A) | 1800 | Cairo, Egypt
Sudan v Togo (Group B) | 1800 | Benina, Libya
17 November
Guinea v Uganda (Group G) | 1400 | Berkane, Morocco
Eswatini v Libya (Group D) | 1500 | Nelspruit, South Africa
Liberia v Malawi (Group H) | 1600 | Paynesville, Liberia
Ghana v Madagascar (Group I) | 1600 | Kumasi, Ghana
Comoros v Central African Republic (Group I) | 1600 | Moroni, Comoros
Zambia v Congo (Group E) | 1800 | Ndola, Zambia
Côte d'Ivoire v Seychelles (Group F) | 1900 | Ebimpe, Côte d'Ivoire
Mali v Chad (Group I) | 1900 | Bamako, Mali
Tunisia v Sao Tome e Principe (Group H) | 2000 | Rades, Tunisia
Cameroon v Mauritius (Group D) | 2000 | Douala, Cameroon
Burkina Faso v Guinea Bissau (Group A) | 2000 | Marrakesh, Morocco
18 November
South Africa v Benin (Group C) | 1500 | Durban, South Africa
Niger v Tanzania (Group E) | 1700 | Marrakesh, Morocco
Senegal v South Sudan (Group B) | 1900 | Diamniadio, Senegal
Matchday 2
19 November
Zimbabwe v Nigeria (https://apo-opa.co/49CLrKF) (Group C) | 1500 | Butare, Rwanda
Mozambique v Algeria (Group G) | 1500 | Maputo, Mozambique
Burundi v Gabon (Group F) | 1600 | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Sierra Leone v Egypt (Group A) | 1600 | Paynesville, Liberia
Sudan v Congo DR (Group B) | 1800 | Benina, Libya
20 November
Djibouti v Guinea Bissau (Group A) | 1500 | Cairo, Egypt
Liberia v Equatorial Guinea (Group H) | 1600 | Paynesville, Liberia
Seychelles v Kenya (Group F) | 1900 | Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
The Gambia v Côte d'Ivoire (Group F) | 1900 | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Mali v Central African Republic (Group I) | 1900 | Bamako, Mali
Chad v Madagascar (https://apo-opa.co/40E03p4) (Group I) | 2000 | Oujda, Morocco
21 November
Somalia v Uganda (Group G) | 1400 | Berkane, Morocco
Botswana v Guinea (Group G) | 1500 | Francistown, Botswana
Malawi v Tunisia (Group H) | 1500 | Lilongwe, Malawi
Eswatini v Cape Verde (Group D) | 1500 | Nelspruit, South Africa
Rwanda v South Africa (Group C) | 1500 | Butare, Rwanda
Lesotho v Benin (Group C) | 1500 | Durban, South Africa
South Sudan v Mauritania (Group B) | 1600 | Diamniadio, Senegal
Togo v Senegal (Group B) | 1600 | Lome, Togo
Sao Tome e Principe v Namibia (https://apo-opa.co/49E13NY) (Group H) | 1700 | Agadir, Morocco
Libya v Cameroon (Group D) | 1800 | Benina, Libya
Comoros v Ghana (https://apo-opa.co/3G4ObTu) (Group I) | 1900 | Moroni, Comoros
Niger v Zambia (Group E) | 2000 | Marrakesh, Morocco
Mauritius v Angola (Group D) | 2000 | Saint Pierre, Mauritius
Ethiopia v Burkina Faso (Group A) | 2000 | El Jadida, Morocco
Tanzania v Morocco (Group E) | 2200 | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Live streaming on FIFA+
During this international break, FIFA+ will be your point of reference for World Cup 2026 streaming, with all the African qualifiers and the CONMEBOL qualifier between Bolivia and Peru.
CAF schedule
- 15-21 November, 2023: 1st and 2nd matchdays
- 3-11 June, 2024: 3rd and 4th matchdays
- 17-25 March, 2025: 5th and 6th matchdays
- 1-9 September, 2025: 7th and 8th matchdays
- 6-14 October, 2025: 9th and 10th matchdays
- 10-18 November, 2025: CAF play-off tournament
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of FIFA.
Contact for African media:
AfricanMedia@fifa.org
Devastated DHL Stormers Back on the Hunt
Driven by the agony of last season’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final defeat at their fortress in Cape Town, the DHL Stormers are determined to hunt down Munster in Saturday’s rematch in Limerick. Munster wrote themselves into rugby folklore by ending the DHL Stormers’ record winning run at DHL Stadium in April, before the …
What it Takes to Impress Leo Cullen
It’s been a tale of tight affairs and close contests in the Vodacom URC so far this season. In the first four rounds, there have been no fewer than 18 matches where the margin between the sides was seven or less points, including one draw. That has seen a host of losing bonus points being …