Latest news with #Mabasa
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Unpacking the South African land law that so inflames Trump
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is at the centre of a political firestorm after he approved a law that gives the state the power to expropriate some privately owned land without compensation for owners. The law, which is yet to be implemented, has drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump, who sees it as discriminating against white farmers. Centre-right political parties and lobby groups in South Africa have also opposed it, saying they will challenge the Expropriation Act – as the law is named – in court on the grounds that it threatens property rights. Ramaphosa's government says the law provides for compensation to be paid in the vast majority of cases – and the changes are needed to increase black ownership of land. Most private farmland is still owned by white people. When Nelson Mandela came to power more than 30 years ago, ending the racist system of apartheid, it was promised that this would be rectified through a willing-buyer, willing-seller land reform programme – but critics say this has proved too slow and too costly. In rare circumstances it would be land that was needed for the "public interest", legal experts told the BBC. According to South African law firm Werksmans Attorneys, this suggested it would mainly, or perhaps only, happen in relation to the land reform programme. Although it could also be used to access natural resources such as minerals and water, the firm added, in an opinion written by its experts in the field, Bulelwa Mabasa and Thomas Karberg. Mabasa and Karberg told the BBC that in their view, productive agricultural land could not be expropriated without compensation. They said any expropriation without compensation – known as EWC – could take place only in a few circumstances: For example, when an owner was not using the land and was holding it for "speculative purposes" Or when an owner "abandoned the land by failing to exercise control over it despite being reasonably capable of doing so". Owners would probably still get compensation for the buildings on the land and for the natural resources, the lawyers said. Mabasa and Karberg added that EWC was "not aimed at rural land or farmland specifically, and could include land in urban areas". However, in cases where compensation is paid, the rules are set to change, with owners likely to get less money. The plan is for owners to receive "just-and-equitable" compensation – a departure from the higher "market value" they have been getting up to now, Mabasa and Karberg said. The government had been paying market-value compensation despite the fact that this was "at odds" with the constitution, adopted after white-minority rule ended in 1994, they added. The lawyers said that all expropriations had "extensive procedural fairness requirements", including the owner's right to go to court if they were not happy. The move away from market-value compensation will also apply to land expropriated for a "public purpose" – like building state schools or railways. This has not been a major point of controversy, possibly because it is "hardly a novel concept" – a point made by JURISTnews, a legal website run by law students from around the world. "The US Constitution, for instance, provides that the government can seize private property for public use so long as 'just compensation' is provided," it added. The government hopes so. University of Western Cape land expert Prof Ruth Hall told the BBC that more than 80,000 land claims remain unsettled. In the eastern regions of South Africa, many black people work on farms for free – in exchange they are allowed to live there and keep their livestock on a portion of the owners' land, she said. The government wants to transfer ownership of this land to the workers, and it was "unfair" to expect it to pay the market value, Prof Hall added. Over the last three decades, the government has used existing powers to expropriate property–- with less than market-value compensation – in fewer than 20 cases, she said. The new law was aimed at making it easier and cheaper to restore land to black people who were "dispossessed" of it during white-minority rule or were forced to be "long-term tenants" as they could not own land, Prof Hall added. "It's a bargaining chip," she said. But she doubts that the government will press ahead with implementing the law in the foreseeable future as the "political cost" has become too high. The academic was referring to the fact that Trump has opposed the law, saying it discriminates against white farmers and their land was being "seized" – a charge the government denies. In February, Trump cut aid to South Africa, and in April he announced a 30% tariff on South African goods and agricultural products, although this was later paused for 90 days. This was followed by last month's infamous Oval Office showdown when Trump ambushed Ramaphosa with a video and printouts of stories alleging white people were being persecuted – much of his dossier has been discredited. Fact-checking Trump's Oval Office confrontation with Ramaphosa Like Trump, the second-biggest party in Ramaphosa's coalition government, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is opposed to the legislation. In a statement on 26 May, the party said that its top leadership body had rejected the notion of "nil compensation". However, it has agreed with the concept of just-and-equitable compensation rather than market-value compensation, adding it should be "adjudicated by a court of law". Surprisingly, Jaco Kleynhans of the Solidarity Movement, an influential Afrikaner lobby group, said that while the new law could "destroy" some businesses and he was opposed to it, he did not believe it would lead to the "large-scale expropriation of farmland". "I don't see within the wording of this text that that will happen," he said in a recent panel discussion at an agricultural exhibition held in South Africa's Free State province – where a large number of conservative Afrikaner farmers live. The South African Property Owners Association said it was "irrational" to give "nil compensation" to an owner who held land for speculative purposes. "There are many landowners whose sole purpose of business is to speculate in land. They do not get the land for free and they have significant holding costs," the association said, adding it had no doubt the law would be "abundantly tested" in the courts. Mabasa and Karberg said one view was that the concept of EWC was a "legal absurdity" because "intrinsic in the legal definition of expropriation, is a requirement for compensation to be paid". However, the lawyers pointed out the alternative view was that South Africa's constitution "implicitly recognises that it would in some circumstances be just and equitable for compensation to be nil". South Africa's Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson has defended the legislation, breaking ranks with his party, the DA. In fact he is in charge of the new legalisation and, on a discussion panel, he explained that while he had some concerns about the law, it was a "dramatic improvement" on the previous Expropriation Act, with greater safeguards for land-owners. He said the law could also help end extortionist demands on the state, and in some cases "nil compensation" could be justified. He gave as an example the problems being faced by the state-owned power utility Eskom. It plans to roll out a transmission network over about 4,500km (28,000 miles) of land to boost electricity supplies to end the power crisis in the country. Ahead of the roll-out, some individuals colluded with Eskom officials to buy land for 1m rand ($56,000; £41,000), and then demanded R20m for it, he said. "Is it just and equitable to give them what they want? I don't think that's in the interest of the broader community or the state," Macpherson said. Giving another example, Macpherson said that some of South Africa's inner cities were in a "disastrous" condition. After owners left, buildings were "over-run" and "hijacked" for illegal occupation. The cost to the state to rebuild them could exceed their value, and in such cases the courts could rule that an owner qualified for "nil compensation", he said. "Nil is a form of compensation," Macpherson added, while ruling it out for farms. Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero told South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper that he wanted to use the buildings for the "public good", like accommodating around 300,000 people on the housing waiting list. He added the owners of nearly 100 buildings could not be located. "They have abandoned the buildings," he said, adding some of the owners were from the UK and Germany. But Mabasa and Karberg told the BBC that in such cases compensation would probably still have to be paid for the buildings, though not the land. If the state could not locate the owners, it "must deposit the compensation with the Master of the High Court" in case they returned or could be traced later, they said. The law is in limbo, as Ramaphosa – about four months after giving his assent to it – has still not set a date for its implementation. Nor is he likely to do so anytime soon, as he would not want to further antagonise Trump while South Africa was trying to negotiate a trade deal with the US. And on the domestic front, the DA is spearheading opposition to the legislation. It said it wanted a "judicial review" of it, while at the same time it was pressing ahead with court action to challenge the law's constitutionality. The DA's tough line is in contrast with that of Macpherson, who, a few weeks ago, warned that if the law was struck down in its entirety: "I don't know what's going to come after that. "In politics, sometimes you must be careful what you wish for because often you can get it," he said. His comments highlight the deep fissures in South African politics, with some parties, such as Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), believing that the legislation did not go far enough to tackle racial inequality in land ownership. With land such an emotive issue, there is no easy solution to the dispute – and it is likely to continue to cause tensions within South Africa, as well as with the US president. Rebuked by Trump but praised at home: How Ramaphosa might gain from US showdown Is there a genocide of white South Africans as Trump claims? South Africans' anger over land set to explode Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Time Out
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Sáng by Mabasa
Update: Sáng by Mabasa is one of Sydney's best Korean restaurants. Found on Fitzroy Street in Surry Hills, this small, family-run eatery specialises in modern Korean dishes. The lunch menu is affordable and delicious – the crisp kimchi pancake, bulgogi and fried chicken wings are our picks. At night, there's an ace set menu for $85 per person, too. - Avril Treasure Read on for our previous review by Emily Lloyd-Tait. ***** A cabbage pancake sounds like a weighty, Northern Hemisphere winter buster, but in the hands of the chef Seung Kee Son at a modern Korean diner in Surry Hills it's so light it borders on whimsical. A single, perfect leaf of wombok is dipped in batter and fried, sprinkled with red and green chilli, and presented without further comment to be dipped in a sauce of soy, sesame and vinegar. There're chubby dumplings packed with tofu, potato glass noodles, bean sprouts, shallots and garlic chives, or pork for a meaty version, and for a Korean snack broken down to the cuisine's component parts: a block of steamed tofu and kimchi tousling between mild and intense. Banchan takes on a different life here. Gu jeol pan is traditionally a dish served on royal tables because it's so pretty, but any average Josephine can order it here. Eight perfect little vegetable barrows of seasoned carrot, zucchini, shiitake, cucumber, and beetroot join beef and egg, surrounding a pile of fresh steamed pancakes dyed pink with beetroot juice. It's the painter's palette you can eat. Sang by Mabasa is the second venue for Chef Son and his family, who are all involved in the business. The original Mabasa clocked up eight years in Balmain before they moved to Surry Hills, with chef Son's wife Jin Sun Son joining him in the kitchen, son Kenny Son on front of house, and Kenny's wife Youmee Jeon handling the pickling, desserts and graphic design. The aim was to modernise a lot of traditional Korean fare, but not by fusing it with other culinary traditions. It's still authentically Korean, but presentation is styled with the Instagram generation in mind. Skewers of scotch fillet and green onion are textbook: juicy, meaty, and slightly sweet from the marinade. But for something that will tickle all your texture receptors order the sweet and sour eggplant. Deep fried wedges provide a crunchy scaffold to the soft core of the veg, which you are going to need as a vehicle for the bright and sticky sea of sauce made from vinegar and soy. Potato starch is what gives it its unique glutinous quality, almost like a very tacky jelly with chopped carrot, onion and garlic in suspension like a French aspic. The table next to us spends ten full minutes delighting in the fact that they've never tasted anything like it before. They're having a very good time, you should too. There's Korean triple-fried chicken on the specials menu, but we opt for the excellent bibimbap served in a stone dolsot bowl so it achieves that perfect crunchy coating on the rice that touches its surface. Somehow, a bowl of shredded veg, rice, egg and chilli sauce wouldn't be as fun in any other context. This is a lovely, relaxed space to be in, tucked along Fitzroy Street next to a French Bakery and a few doors down from a Colombian café and the Cricketers Arms Hotel. It's compact, so you'll likely be sharing your table with extremely well dressed students, people in marketing, and the kind of snack hunters who prowls Surry Hills for the newest dinner. Given eating out is basically a competitive sport in these parts, places serving up an impressively veg-heavy menu and nailing the casual dining vibes without dipping into cheap eats territory is a season-winning goal.
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
These were South Africa's top-selling cars as market booms in April
Mabasa expects the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates further, though inflation is expected to trend higher in the second half of 2025 due to global developments. Further buoying consumer confidence, the government reversed its earlier proposal to hike the VAT rate from 15% to 15.5%, a move that would preserve disposable income at a critical moment for household consumption, he said. 'The market also appears to be correcting itself, balancing affordability with demand as consumers become more realistic about their purchase decisions,' said Lebo Gaoaketse, head of marketing and communication at WesBank. WesBank data shows an average deal size shrinking 8.6% year-on-year, indicating the stresses of affordability on new vehicle purchases and the continued trend to buy down into smaller, more affordable vehicles. 'The competitive price point of new Chinese entrants will also influence this shift as consumers seek alternative value in the market.' Toyota remained South Africa's favourite brand in April, with 10,363 units sold. Suzuki strengthened its No 2 position ahead of Volkswagen, with Hyundai remaining at No 4 ahead of Ford. Notable movers were GWM/Haval and Chery, which each jumped three places in April compared with March — GWM/Haval to sixth place and Chery to seventh — further underlining the strengthening presence of affordable Chinese brands in a price-sensitive market. Omoda & Jaecoo and Jetour were other Chinese brands in the top 15. 15 BEST SELLING BRANDS IN APRIL: Toyota — 10,363 Suzuki — 5,977 Volkswagen — 3,973 Hyundai — 3,007 Ford — 2,398 GWM — 1,943 Chery — 1,852 Isuzu — 1,383 Renault — 1,281 Mahindra — 1,278 Kia — 1,277 BMW group — 1,146 Omoda & Jaecoo — 865 Nissan — 794 Jetour — 573 30 BEST SELLING CARS IN APRIL: Toyota Hilux — 2,780 Suzuki Swift — 2,053 Ford Ranger — 1,728 Toyota Corolla Cross — 1,584 Hyundai Grand i10 -1,425 VW Polo Vivo — 1,366 Suzuki Fronx — 1,186 Chery Tiggo 4 Pro — 1,133 Isuzu D-Max — 1,108 Haval Jolion — 973 Toyota Starlet — 905 Toyota Starlet Cross — 834 Kia Sonet — 812 Suzuki Ertiga — 778 VW Polo — 768 Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up — 654 Toyota Fortuner — 606 Omoda C5 — 588 Toyota Hi-Ace — 571 Toyota Urban Cruiser — 539 Mahindra XUV 3XO — 515 GWM P-Series — 497 Renault Kiger — 470 Nissan Magnite — 449 Toyota Rumion — 448 Toyota Vitz — 433 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro — 427 Suzuki Baleno — 420 Toyota Land Cruiser — 417 Hyundai Exter — 381
IOL News
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
South Africa's automotive industry defies global economic challenges in April
Even though export sales decreased by 2 266 units, or 6.6%, to 31 822 units in April compared to the 34 088 vehicles a year ago, vehicle exports for the year to date were still 6.3% ahead of the same period last year. Image: Supplied The automotive industry in South Africa demonstrated resilience in April and increased new vehicle sales for the month by 11.9% in spite of the global economic landscape continuing to shift under escalating uncertainty. The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Friday said the aggregate domestic new vehicle sales reached 42 401 units, up from the previous year's figure of 37 899 units. This surge reflected the industry's structural depth, export capabilities, and ability to pivot within a shifting global economy even as external headwinds strengthened. Even though export sales decreased by 2 266 units, or 6.6%, to 31 822 units in April compared to the 34 088 vehicles a year ago, vehicle exports for the year to date were still 6.3% ahead of the same period last year. Naamsa CEO, Mikel Mabasa, said the automotive sector found itself once again at the coalface of global economic shifts. 'While the new US tariff measures are concerning, the resilience and competitiveness of the South African automotive exports remain steadfast. Our industry has navigated difficult global tides before, and we will compellingly do so again,' Mabasa said. 'Despite fewer selling days in April 2025 compared to April 2024, due to the configuration of public holidays, as well as formidable global headwinds, the new vehicle sales performance encouragingly continued the upward momentum of the first quarter into the second quarter 2025. 'Inflation fell to 2.7% year-on-year in March 2025, marking the lowest level since June 2020, aided by a notable easing in fuel and education costs. The latest headline inflation rate should encourage the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates further, even though inflation is expected to trend higher in the second half of 2025 due to global developments.' Vehicle export sales, despite decreasing during the month, demonstrated underlying resilience. One major OEM halted production for more than half of the month due to facility upgrading in preparation for a new model investment, which negatively impacted on the industry's export performance. Brandon Cohen, chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers' Association (NADA), said the automotive sector had maintained its growth momentum in April. 'Despite global economic headwinds and a relatively short trading month, the local auto sector, once again, delivered solid numbers, a pleasant surprise to even the most avid industry observers,' Cohen said. 'With affordability still a major concern for the average consumer and the Reserve Bank likely to be cautious about interest rate decisions in the face of global economic pressure, it is with mild optimism that we look forward to the May sales numbers.' However, Naamsa said there was a concern that domestic vehicle exports may moderate as the full impact of the US Section 232 tariffs filters through. The announcement of sweeping tariff hikes on 3 April by US President Trump, notably under the revived Section 232 trade measures, marked a critical escalation. Higher tariffs on imports from 57 countries, ranging from 11% to 50%, were scheduled to take effect on April 9 but were almost immediately suspended for 90 days for all countries, except China. While much attention focused on the 10% universal tariff imposed on 5 April and the 30% reciprocal tariff specifically targeting South Africa, Naamsa said it was the application of Section 232 tariffs on automotive exports that presented perhaps the most profound structural threat. Originally designed to protect US national security interests, the Section 232 tariffs impose punitive duties on automotive products, including vehicles and parts - sectors where South Africa has established world-class export capabilities over decades. With South Africa's vehicle exports to the US previously enjoying tariff-free access under African Growth and Opportunity Act, the sudden imposition of these duties significantly alters market access conditions. Naamsa said South Africa's automotive exports to the US will now face material cost disadvantages, raising concerns aboutpricing competitiveness and profitability for multinational OEMs operating domestically. Mabasa said global economic growth was expected to be significantly and immediately curtailed as a result of the tariffs, casuing competitive distortions and market dislocations elsewhere. He said the tariff uncertainty was creating a very difficult environment for businesses and could hinder competitive strategies, delay capital investments, distort long-term planning and increase short-term operational volatility. 'The future of South Africa'sautomotive industry will be shaped by how boldly we respond to global change,' Mabasa said. 'As we navigate rising uncertainties, we remain committed to leading innovation, strengthening competitiveness, and expanding South Africa's role as a critical manufacturing hub in the African continent andglobal economy.' BUSINESS REPORT
IOL News
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
US tariffs could have serious implications for jobs, investment in SA auto sector, warns Naamsa
SA vehicle production factory export 6.5% of South Africa's vehicle exports are to the United States. The 'Liberation Day' trade measures, announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2, could have serious implications for the South African automotive industry, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. The move imposes punitive tariffs on all products imported into the US. These differ between countries, but South Africa has been hit with a 30% import tariff on all products. Naamsa stated that these recent announcements present another challenge for an industry already grappling with multiple headwinds. In 2024 the US accounted for 6.5% of South African vehicle exports, making it the third-largest destination for locally produced vehicles, with an annual export value in the region of R35 billion. However, of South Africa's seven volume vehicle manufacturers, only BMW and Mercedes export to the US. These companies have not disclosed the percentage of vehicles exported to that destination, but it is likely to be significant. Vehicle manufacturers will not be able to absorb these proposed tariff costs, and as a result imported vehicles in the US will see significant price increases, leading to lower sales of these products. Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa said the US tariffs undermine existing trade agreements and the principles of a fair, rules-based trading system. "The SA auto industry contributes significantly to economic development, employment, and industrialisation, and these tariffs could undermine our progress,' Mabasa said. Naamsa has urged the South African government to prioritise trade discussions with the US, to seek clarity on the future of the African Growth and Development Act (AGOA) and to deliver solutions that support job creation and consumer demand. South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Park Tau, announced earlier this week that South Africa will "urgently" seek a meeting with US authorities of the tariffs and AGOA. The Minister argues that South African vehicle exports pose no threat to the US industry, accounting for just under one percent of its automotive imports. Naamsa is due to attend a Council meeting of the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) on April 18, hosted in Washington. Mabasa said the industry body would use this opportunity to lobby as well as advocate for South Africa's positions. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL
