Hunters benefit rural communities
A study by North-West University shows that both local and international trophy hunting have recovered since the Covid-19 pandemic and are now playing a key role in the economy.
The benefits go beyond tourism, reaching sectors like agriculture, trade, transport, accommodation, and personal services.
Professor Peet van der Merwe, a tourism management lecturer at North-West University, says hunting tourism fits well in rural areas where there are few economic opportunities and it contributes significantly to wildlife conservation and local development.
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Daily Maverick
14 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Minister Macpherson to address media as exposé of IDT officials' bribery bid reverberates across SA
Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson is expected to respond to the details of an explosive exposé by Daily Maverick of an attempted bribery of one of its investigative journalists by the suspended Independent Development Trust CEO and her spokesperson. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has called for suspended Independent Development Trust (IDT) CEO Tebogo Malaka and her spokesperson Phasha Makgolane to face the law 'if they are implicated in bribery'. Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson is expected to address the media on Thursday following an explosive exposé by Daily Maverick of an attempted bribery of one of its investigative journalists by the two IDT officials. On Tuesday, Daily Maverick carried video footage and recordings of this blatant attempt to bribe its journalist, Pieter-Louis Myburgh. Suspended IDT CEO Malaka and spokesperson Makgolane attempted to pay Daily Maverick investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh R60,000 in cash over the weekend to suppress an investigation into Malaka's personal dealings and questionable IDT contracts. The IDT, a very important, if lesser known, government body, spends upwards of R4-billion each year on social infrastructure projects, such as building schools and clinics, and falls under the Ministry of Public Works. Macpherson last week released a forensic report into a R836-million oxygen tender awarded to a ghost company that was first exposed by Daily Maverick. The report recommended that Malaka be suspended. Malaka was placed on precautionary suspension on Friday. Now Macpherson's remarks at Wednesday's briefing are expected to set the tone for the government's broader response. The attempted bribe, which took place during a meeting in Stellenbosch, was captured on camera. Myburgh photographed the cash, delivered in a white Dior shopping bag, and recorded video and audio of the exchange. Makgolane also sweetened the offer with promises of R100,000 in monthly payments and influence over IDT tenders. In a statement on the briefing, his department confirmed that Macpherson would respond directly to the 'serious allegations by Daily Maverick that Malaka sought to bribe journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh'. Posting to social platform X yesterday morning, Macpherson said he planned to consult with the IDT board later in the day. The statement also warned that the matter appeared to be part of 'what is now likely a paid-for public campaign aimed at discrediting [Macpherson's] efforts to bring stability and good governance to the entity'. It suggests deeper political and institutional tensions may be at play, especially as Macpherson has been spearheading reform efforts at the IDT. On 22 January, the EFF accused Macpherson of 'brazen and corrupt interference' in IDT affairs, citing an incident where he allegedly instructed staff to process a questionable payment to a construction company. The party claimed that Macpherson had unfairly targeted Malaka and used the PSA oxygen plant tender as a pretext for political interference. EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini opened a criminal case of corruption against the minister on 22 January 2025. IDT promises full response While remaining tight-lipped on the details, IDT spokesperson Lerato Modisana said the IDT acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations. The IDT board convened on Wednesday, 6 August, to 'deliberate comprehensively on these matters'. However, Modisana said the IDT was not at this stage in a position to respond to specific media enquiries. The organisation pledged to uphold 'transparency, accountability and good governance' and promised that 'a detailed response will be provided in due course, once the board has fully considered all the relevant facts and implications'. What everyone wants to know Daily Maverick's exposé has garnered significant attention from other media, including radio broadcasts. Readers applauded Myburgh's efforts, while some wondered at the sheer audacity of the brazen bribery attempt. Reader Eddie Maulson summed it up: 'One is gobsmacked at the lack of thought that went into this outrageous attempt at bribery, not to mention the effrontery that these individuals show in their lamentable assumption that they could bribe a man of PLM's integrity in such a crass manner.' A history of red flags Malaka was already under scrutiny, having been placed on precautionary suspension days before the footage emerged on 1 August 2025, following the release of a PwC forensic report into the R836-million PSA oxygen plant project. That report, spurred by Daily Maverick investigations in October 2024, recommended disciplinary action for Malaka, citing her failure to prevent or address serious violations in the project's procurement. The IDT has long struggled with governance and accountability, facing repeated criticism over failed projects and procurement lapses, eroding public confidence in the agency's leadership. DM
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
Western Cape High Court dismisses woman's claim for estranged husband's share of home sale
A Cape Town woman who wanted to access her husband's portion after selling their home had her application dismissed by the High Court. Image: File The Western Cape High Court has dismissed a woman's application to access her estranged husband's share following the sale of their matrimonial home. The estranged couple, who were married for nearly a decade, have been embroiled in legal battles since divorce proceedings commenced in August 2024. They tied the knot in November 2015 in Bogotá, Republic of Colombia, and are parents to a 9-year-old son. The husband suffered a stroke when he was 23, and as a result, his parents, who own a fruit export business in Colombia, financially supported him for over 20 years and later extended the financial support to his wife and child. The wife received a monthly allowance of R90 000 which she used for her personal expenses as well as supporting their child. The mother-in-law assisted the couple to buy their matrimonial home in Stellenbosch. However, in June 2023, the relationship began to deteriorate, which led the husband to leave their home in May 2024. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Following the separation, they decided to sell their home and agreed to share the proceeds of the sale equally. In August 2024, whilst the matrimonial home was on the market for sale, the husband instituted divorce proceedings, which have not been finalised. He offered to pay R5 000 towards child maintenance and made no offer towards his wife. The house was eventually sold and the woman filed an application to have her husband's portion as she sought spousal maintenance and an increased amount for child maintenance. In his reply, the court heard that the husband's family business in Colombia was undergoing liquidation due to severe economic difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. He explained that he did not voluntarily leave the matrimonial home, he said he was barred from entry by his wife and her father threatened with a firearm. He was subsequently compelled to find alternative accommodation.
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- The Citizen
Economic activity slowly improving although economic pressure persists
Economic activity increased for a third month in July, showing the resilience of South Africa's economy despite the risks. Economic activity in South Africa is slowly improving although economic pressure, specifically the US tariffs, persists, weighing on business confidence and investor sentiment. According to the BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index (BETI), which tracks the value of all electronic transactions cleared through BankservAfrica at seasonally adjusted real prices, South Africa's underlying economic resilience continues to be reflected amid prevailing risks and financial strain. 'The BETI increased for the third consecutive month to reach an index level of 139.3 in July 2025, which was 0.2% up on June's level,' Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica's head of stakeholder engagements, says. The BETI is also up 1.9% year-on-year, signalling that the second quarter uptick in economic activity is extending into the third quarter, although the momentum is slightly moderated, Elize Kruger, an independent economist, says. 'The economy continues to demonstrate resilience, although significant challenges and risks persist. In particular, uncertainty around the impact of US import tariffs on South Africa as well as the global economy, weighs on business confidence and investment sentiment, posing a potential downside risk to growth forecasts. ALSO READ: Does stronger economic activity indicate improved GDP? Corporate excellence and diversity in economy 'While several other economies secured more favourable US import tariffs than initially announced, South Africa's non-commodity exports remain subject to a 30% tariff from 8 August while negotiations appear to be continuing.' Despite the ongoing challenges and uncertainties, Kruger points out that the economy's resilience, as reflected in the improved BETI over the past three months, is testament to corporate excellence, diversity in the economy and the power of tailwinds currently at play. 'Management teams in corporate South Africa have stood the test of times, steering companies through the troubled waters of political transition, crisis periods like Covid and operating in an environment crippled by load shedding. 'There is no doubt South African companies will rise to the challenge posed by higher US tariffs, working to mitigate the impact through strategic adjustments, supported by government initiatives — even as negotiations continue.' ALSO READ: Economic activity picked up for the first time in 8 months in May Structural tailwinds will protect economic activity She says local structural tailwinds continue to cushion the economy against global pressures. Inflation remains well-contained, with headline inflation at 3% in June, the bottom of the South African Reserve Bank's (Sarb) 3–6% target band, with the 2025 average forecast tracking at around 3.5%. 'The favourable inflation environment created scope for the Sarb to cut interest rates at its last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, alleviating some pressure on households and corporates. 'In addition, another perk of the low inflation environment is the key role it plays in supporting the recovery of salary earners' buying power. With average salary increases expected to be between 5% and 6%, 2025 will be the second consecutive year of real increases in salaries, which should support consumer spending.' Kruger also points out that the real GDP growth forecast for 2025 stabilised at around 1.0% compared to 0.6% in 2024. However, she says, this growth rate remains below population growth, highlighting ongoing pressure for South Africans. ALSO READ: Economic activity slows in April as economy struggles Data on economic activity also looks good The number of transactions cleared through BankservAfrica reached an all-time high of 177.5 million in July, according to Naidoo, surpassing the previous record high of 176.3 million registered in May 2025, up by 8.9% on a year ago. The standardised nominal value of transactions moderated slightly to R1.338 trillion in July compared to R1.361 trillion in June 2025. All electronic payment streams recorded higher value for transactions during July, except DebiCheck. All other timeous economic indicators posted stronger readings in July, Naidoo points out. Naamsa revealed that the strong performance of the vehicle sales market continued robustly in July 2025. Total vehicle sales showed an improvement of 15.6% in July, with year-to-date sales up by 13.9%, while new car sales in July grew by a notable 20.1% and year-to-date were a notable 21.1% ahead. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) remained in expansionary territory with an index level of 50.3 in July, slightly up on the 50.1 in June. Encouragingly, Naidoo says, after eighth consecutive months in contractionary territory, the seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers' Index, a reflection of the prospects in the manufacturing sector, also increased to 50.8 index points in July compared to 48.5 in June, the first expansion signal since October 2024. 'The improvement in economic activity during July appears to have been broad-based, with gains observed across multiple sectors. This is a positive signal for underlying economic momentum and resilience,' Kruger says.
