Author: newsnote correspondent
Simulations Soccer simulation games have been popular for the last couple of decades, with titles such as Sensible Soccer and Match Day among the early favourites that let us take control of the players and compete against other human players or the computer. In fact, the FIFA series of titles by EA Sports holds the title of best-selling sports video game franchise, having sold well over 100 million units to date. The FIFA 23 title released in 2022 will be the last under this name, as the agreement between EA Sports and FIFA has now ended. However, the franchise is expected to continue…
With only one day until the start of the inland provinces’ school year in 2023, some Gauteng parents are calling the online scholar registration system a failure. With only one day left before the start of the 2023 school year for inland provinces some Gauteng parents are lambasting the online scholar registration system, calling it a failure. The men’s team has supplemented another embarrassing World Cup exit with a string of abject batting performances in Tests. The women’s side has seen a golden generation lose its sheen. Sponsors are hard to come by. Patience is running low. However, a new…
Scientific advisors were currently looking at the change to the vaccination approach, and are expected “in the next few days to finalise” the new protocol, he said. There are no plans for further vaccinations for children, said national health department child-health specialist Lesley Bamford.”For now we are confident that two doses provide this age group (who are at low risk of severe disease) with adequate protection.” Adults are expected to be offered booster shots before the end of January, and there should be no shortage of shots for those who want them. SA has some 10 million doses of the…
When the African National Congress came to power in South Africa in 1994, an expressed priority was land reform. This was to address the fact that black farmers had been excluded from the agricultural economy for most of the 20th century. The aim of land reform was to provide agricultural land to disadvantaged people, raising their productivity, income and employment. A plethora of policy initiatives were launched. The target was to distribute 30% of agricultural land to black farmers. In 2006 the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) was adopted. This replaced the land redistribution programmes implemented between 1996 and 2006. The acquisition programme…
Immediately following his election as mayor of Ditsobotla municipality in the North West, the mayor resigned. Elizabeth Lethoko’s resignation was fully supported by the Patriotic Alliance in a statement. She wrote, in her letter to the ANC’s Fikile Jakene, “As you well know, following the conclusion of all items on the council agenda, a surprise matter was tabled – the appointment of the administrator as municipal manager.” The ANC – your party – failed to bring up this important issue with me or Gayton McKenzie, the PA’s president, who was present throughout the day at the Ditsobotla council.” It was…
The South African rand is “treading water”, says Investec chief economist Annabel Bishop, stuck between more positive global conditions and little in the way of progress on the domestic front. On Tuesday morning (10 January), the local unit held its ground just above R17.00 to the dollar, not making any significant gains or losses in the markets. The currency is stronger than the R17.50 readings last week but still weaker than the R16.80 reading at the start of the year. This stasis is being driven by two competing forces: a softer dollar as market risk aversion pulls back somewhat from…
By Felipe Tirado Brazil’s state institutions, including the recently installed government of Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, have reacted swiftly in the wake of the riots in Brasilia last weekend. Hundreds of rioters have already been arrested and the state governor of the federal district has been suspended for his sluggish and ineffective response. Thousands of supporters of the ousted right-wing former president, Jair Bolsonaro, invaded the Plaza of the Three Powers – the heart of government in the country’s capital – on Sunday January 8. They swarmed into the presidential Planalto palace as well as the national congress and…
By Dr Bomikazi Zeka and Abdul Latif Alhassan When it comes to teaching young children about the world, parents may feel that some topics – like politics and religion – are too tough to broach. Money is another. Parents may not feel like they know how to approach the subject, or worry that they don’t set a good financial example for their kids. But money talk shouldn’t be avoided. Talking about it is the first stepping stone towards financial knowledge and, ultimately, to financial independence. Holding off the conversations for too long can leave your children in the lurch later…
South African households are under pressure, say economists at Nedbank, with the country’s economy starting off 2023 on the back foot. Sifting through data published for the last month of 2022, the banking group noted a downturn in economic activity, while data from the South African Reserve Bank pointed to continued stress for households. While November’s inflation numbers were encouraging – easing to 7.4% from 7.6% in October – food prices remain extremely high, rising at a double-digit pace. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank’s Quarterly Bulletin shows that real personal disposable income (PDI) declined by 0.2% qoq in Q3 2022, Nedbank…
The Department of Employment and Labour has warned businesses that the deadline for employment equity reporting is looming, as it prepares for new transformation laws to come into effect in the country this year. The department said that designated employers need to submit their annual 2022 employment equity (EE) reports by 15 January 2023 at midnight. Failure to do so could see businesses face fines and other penalties, it said. The submission of annual equity plans is prescribed in accordance with the Employment Equity Act of 1998. Employers are expected to submit their EE report in terms of the Employment…