Latest news with #Fouche
IOL News
7 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
City of Joburg must reassess Sandton City's R10bn market value, rules High Court
The Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, has ruled that the City of Joburg must redetermine the value of the Sandton City shopping mall. Image: File The City of Joburg must conduct a new valuation of Sandton City following the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg which set aside its determination of the country's fourth biggest shopping mall's more than R10.1 billion market value. Sandton City, which is owned by the Liberty Group and property investment company Pareto Limited, successfully challenged the municipality's valuation of the five plots of land of the nearly 137,000-square metre Sandton City, which includes a shopping centre, office blocks and a hotel. The owners of the mall objected to its valuation by the City of Joburg's municipal valuer Piet Eloff, who dismissed their objection and the Valuation Appeal Board also dismissed the appeal. In terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA), the board is empowered to hear and decide appeals against the decisions of a municipal valuer concerning objections to matters reflected in, or omitted from the municipality's valuation roll in the area for which it was established. Liberty and Pareto approached the high court to review and set aside the board's February 2023 decision and have the matter adjudicated upon afresh by a differently constituted board. In their papers filed in court, the companies state that the board's determination of the market value of the property was irrational and consequently of no force and effect and that in making its determination, ignored the provisions of the MPRA. In addition, they argued that the board, in making its determination, valued the property as a group, placing a single value on the erven (plots of land) which comprised it and not on each of its individual components, thereby acting in contravention several sections of the MPRA - a contention the companies later abandoned. They also accused the board of betraying a bias adverse to the owners, thereby vitiating (invalidating) its determination. According to the municipality's former assistant municipal valuer, identified as HJP Fouche, he determined the market value of the property from an analysis of the income derived from properties comparable to it and then drawing the mean from that analysis. 'We use the provable method or the comparable method, meaning that we look at rentals that have been concluded and thus comparable to this property being valued and we use that market information to determine a rental range which we then apply to the property and obviously, this rental range was documented in the market report for the municipality,' he explained. Acting Judge Gerald Farber found that Fouche, in order to arrive at the market value of the property, used information embodied in the unregistered leases, which burdened the property. 'It is clear that the board accepted the evidence of Fouche without any proper analysis thereof … The board has fallen far short of its obligations to determine the matter so as to bring about fair administrative justice,' the acting judge stated. Acting Judge Farber upheld Liberty and Pareto's review and set aside the board's determination. The matter was remitted for hearing afresh to a differently constituted valuation appeal board of the City of Johannesburg. The costs of the review proceedings are to be paid by the first, second and third respondents (board, municipal valuer Piet Eloff and Fouche), jointly and severally, the one paying the other to be absolved, read the judgment handed down on July 4. The city has chosen to abide the judgment. [email protected]
The South African
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Green and gold gees: Springbok newbie weeps during national anthem
It was an emotional affair for Springbok newbie Neethling Fouche, who wept during the performance of the South African national anthem during his debut test match for the team. The Stormers star was selected for the squad that played Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday, 19 July. South Africa won 55-10 against the Eurasian country. As they do every match, the Springboks were joined by thousands of rugby fans in the stadium and across South Africa as they belted out the national anthem. Joining them for the first time in a test match were three newbies, Boan Venter, Neethling Fouche, and Marnus van der Merwe. Nkosi Sikel iAfrika was sung by Corlea Botha, who wore a stunning emerald green gown to match the national team. During her performance, tears streamed down Fouche's face. Take a look… Earlier this year, Neethling Fouche was one of several rugby stars called up to the Springbok alignment camp. 'It's the most incredible privilege'. Ahead of his Springbok test debut in Mbombela, Fouche shared a touching message on his Instagram Story. It read: 'Jesus, all that I can say is thank you. You never stopped writing my story. All honour to you'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Herald
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Bok captain Kolisi not concerned about inexperienced front row to take on Georgia
'Over and above that, a scrum is not only about the front row, it involves everyone in the pack doing their bit and everyone in the team knows what they have to do.' Apart from Venter, Fouche and Van der Merwe, focus will also be on Kolisi as he will be back in action for the first time this season and can't wait to run out in front of an expected packed house. 'It's always fantastic to play here,' said Kolisi who has special memories of Mbombela Stadium which is where he made his Test debut in June 2013 against Scotland. 'The vibe at the stadium is amazing and we know that it will be similar to last week in Gqeberha, where the crowd really got involved and inspired us. We are very grateful to the people coming to the stadium. They definitely lift us, so we are grateful for their support.' Having spent the past few weeks on the sidelines due to injury, Kolisi said it has been frustrating.
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Fouche feels ‘dieplekker' about his Bok future
Having shrugged off his reputation as Frans Malherbe's 'stunt double', tighthead prop Neethling Fouche is excited to carve out his own story with the Springboks. Fouche made his Bok debut off the bench in the world champions' 54-7 demolition of the Barbarians at Cape Town Stadium last week, and it was everything the 32-year-old dreamt of. 'I know it's a cliche, but you dream of it literally from when you start playing bulletjie [junior] rugby,' he said. 'Yes, it was a Barbarians game, but it felt like a Test match. I know the score was high, but it was still very physical out there. 'Where the Springboks are at the moment, to be able to be part of this story with Coach Rassie [Erasmus] and the team, it's unbelievable.' 'There's a saying in Afrikaans: dieplekker. It's not lekker, it's dieplekker,' Fouche added. 'The whole week was actually just a blur, from the moment I found out I was playing, to the moment you're standing there. 'After that, it's difficult to control your emotions as you're singing the national anthem; literally all of my family was here for the game. As soon as they heard I'm playing, they just booked their tickets all the way from Rustenburg.' MORE: Rassie told Manie to kick miss And the occasion wasn't without its lighter moments for the humorous Fouche: 'Firstly, I just didn't want to fall running out on the field like my prop mate, Asa [Asenathi Ntlabakanye]! I don't know if anyone saw that, maybe go and check the highlights. So that was the first focus – not to fall.' A pivotal roleplayer in the Stormers' Vodacom URC title win in 2021-22, Fouche is a senior figure in their forward pack and a leader. His consistency for the Cape side earned him his first Bok alignment camp call-up last year, followed by a second invitation in March. However, Fouche's journey to the green and gold hasn't been easy, after injury setbacks and several seasons playing understudy to two-time world cup winner Malherbe at the Stormers. 'I've had a bit of a grondpad [rough road] to get here,' the Grey College alum said. 'The first five, six years out of school, it was a tough time. I was more injured than I wasn't. 'I think the first few years, I was only Frans Malherbe's stunt double! That's how most people knew me, and didn't know my name. 'But with time, you start to carve out your own story. Wilco [Louw] left for overseas and there was a gap, and I decided to put my hand up. Then there's a little voice in your head saying, 'it can happen to you too, just keep working at'. ALSO: Esterhuizen embraces 'hybrid' role 'So, it makes the lekker feeling I'm experiencing right now just mean so much more.' The Boks next face Italy on Saturday at Loftus, followed by a second Test against the Azzurri in Gqeberha next week, and a clash with Georgia in Mbombela on July 19. Fouche faces competition from fellow tightheads Louw, Ntlabakanye and Vincent Koch, but he's embracing the challenge under the tutelage of Bok scrum guru Daan Human. With Malherbe struggling with a back injury, Erasmus must explore alternatives, and Fouche is now in that conversation as the Bok chief plans for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. 'The last two-and-a-half weeks were tough, but it's also good to get through it, it gives you confidence. I'm also a bit older now, and feel like I have something to contribute to the team,' he said. 'I just keep my head down, as Coach Daan says. Every week Coach Daan gives you a challenge, which makes you better, and I'm looking forward to this week's challenge.' The post Fouche feels 'dieplekker' about his Bok future appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Geomagnetic storm with 1 000km
The geomagnetic storm was triggered by the impact of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. A powerful geomagnetic storm with winds of up to 1 000km per second that swept across Earth's magnetic field over the past 24 hours is now rotating away from the planet. The geomagnetic storm was triggered by the impact of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun, which combined with intense solar wind from a large coronal hole. Coronal hole Since 29 May, a particularly large coronal hole called Coronal Hole 52 has unleashed a high-speed stream (HSS) of solar wind and caused minor to moderate geomagnetic storm conditions. South African National Space Agency (Sansa) spokesperson Daleen Fouche told The Citizen that although geomagnetic conditions appeared to be recovering on 31 May, the solar wind speeds were still at strong levels, reaching 700 km/s. 'A fast CME associated with a strong M8.1 solar flare on 30 May reached Earth on Sunday 1 June, compounding the effects of the high-speed solar wind, increasing geomagnetic activity to G4 (severe) storm levels, with Kp (Kp index is a global measure of geomagnetic activity) values peaking at 8 and Hermanus registering a local K-index of 7. 'The impact of this CME further increased solar winds up to a speed of 1 000km per second. The storm began in the early hours of Sunday morning and persisted through the night. 'By 11:30 am South African local time this morning (Monday, 2 June), the storm had subsided to G2 (moderate) levels, but geomagnetic activity remains elevated and is expected to continue at G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) levels throughout the day,' Fouche said. WATCH Coronal activity on the Sun A powerful M8.2 solar flare that will trigger G4 (SEVERE) geomagnetic storm, tonight 📷 NASA/SDO — Milky Way (@PanatpongJ) June 1, 2025 ALSO READ: Eyes on the sky: Global leaders convene in Stellenbosch to tackle near-Earth threats Northern and Southern lights Fouche said Space weather storms can trigger the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, and the Southern Lights, or aurora australis. 'The Southern Lights are rarely seen over South Africa, but did make an appearance during two major storms in 2024. No sightings of aurora over South Africa were reported to SANSA after yesterday's G4 storm'. Technology Impacts Possible impacts of a G4 severe storm include disruptions to high-frequency (HF) radio communications and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which are sensitive to geomagnetic disturbances. Fouche said the coronal hole that caused the initial HSS is now rotating away from Earth. 'The solar wind speed has decreased to approximately 700 km/s. SANSA anticipates further G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) geomagnetic activity in the near term, particularly if the incoming CME arrives as forecast'. Sansa has been monitoring space weather since 2010 from its facility in Hermanus, Western Cape, and expanded to an operational, 24/7 capability in 2022. ALSO READ: Anyone out there? Astronomers find signs of life on distant planet
