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IOL News
6 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Sugar industry workers secure 6. 5% wage increase after protracted negotiations
Sugar industry workers have secured a 6.5% wage increase, promising better living standards and financial stability amid rising costs. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives Workers in the sugar manufacturing and refining industry have secured a 6.5% wage increase through a one-year agreement facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). This comes after five months of negotiations. Trade union United Association of South Africa (UASA), which represented workers in the talks, confirmed that the wage agreement applies to all employees within the A1 to C3 job grades and is backdated to 1 April 2025. In a statement, UASA spokesperson Abigail Moyo said the agreement was finalised through the Bargaining Council for the Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Industry after a drawn-out process. 'This wage increase brings relief and renewed hope to workers as it translates directly into better living standards and improved financial stability for thousands of workers in the sector,' said Moyo. She added that the increase comes at a time when many workers in the sugar industry are grappling with the high cost of living and sector-specific challenges. 'Considering the cost-of-living challenges facing all workers, we are hopeful that this wage increase is a sign of stability for the sugar industry, as the sector has been threatened by several factors that have painted a gloomy picture for sugar producers and workers,' Moyo said. 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 The sugar industry has faced sustained pressure over the past few years due to droughts, global price volatility, local production costs, and concerns over the long-term impact of the Health Promotion Levy, commonly referred to as the 'sugar tax'. UASA credited the outcome to the strength of collective bargaining. 'Wage increase agreements underscore the importance of collective bargaining as a tool and the key role played by labour in advancing workers' interests in the workplace,' said Moyo. She thanked UASA's negotiating team for their role in the process and expressed hope that current wage talks in other sectors, including mining, would produce similarly positive results. The agreement is expected to provide some economic relief for sugar industry workers, many of whom have faced job insecurity and stagnant wages amid broader sectoral restructuring and economic uncertainty. THE MERCURY
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Inflation rises in June, but optimism for a repo rate cut remains
Despite a rise in inflation in June, there is optimism that the South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will announce a repo rate cut when it meets next week. Image: File Despite Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rising to 3% in June, there is still optimism that the South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will decide to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points next week. The MPC meets next Thursday. At the last meeting in May it cut the interest rate to 7.25%. The CPI has risen from 2.8% in May. Trade union UASA's spokesperson Abigail Moyo said the rise in inflation is troubling, especially since it had been below 3%—the lower limit of the SARB's target band—between March and May. The union noted that according to Stats SA, the main contributors to the annual inflation rate were housing and utilities, which increased by 4.4%, and food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose by 5.1%. Additionally, household electricity and gas prices increased by 11% compared to the previous year, primarily due to recent Eskom price hikes. Eskom's electricity tariffs increased in April, while municipal power tariffs took effect in July. 'This has posed significant financial challenges for many consumers, evidenced by recent protests organised by Tembisa residents against these tariff increases.' However Moyo said the inflation rate, while slightly higher, remains in line with inflation targets and expectations, potentially supporting a cut in the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7% next Thursday. 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 'UASA hopes the MPC will consider the positives in its repo rate decision and that fuel prices will decrease in August, benefiting consumer spending. We further hope that inflation will stay within the 3% target range or lower.' Bradd Bendall, BetterBond's national head of sales said BetterBond's data for July shows that bond applications have risen by 7.4% for the 12 months to May 2025, with home loans granted up by an impressive 13.6%. 'This points to renewed buyer confidence and a more stable market environment. Driving this upward trend is the recent easing of interest rates.' Bendall added that with inflation recently comfortably within the 3 to 6 percent target range, another 25 basis point rate cut was expected next week. 'This would drop the prime lending rate to 10.5% - last seen in November 2022. Although not quite at pre-pandemic levels, this cut would bring welcome relief to homeowners and consumers. On a R2 million bond, for example, the lower prime lending rate would mean a saving of just over R300 a month. 'This potential cut aligns with global monetary policy trends. Both the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank of India are both expected to reduce rates in August, suggesting a broader shift toward interest rate easing to stimulate economic activity.' THE MERCURY
Daily Maverick
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Brilliant Junior Boks claim first U20 World title in 13 years
The Junior Springboks won the 2025 World Rugby U20 World Championship title with a 23-15 victory over New Zealand in Rovigo. South Africa's Under-20s were deservedly crowned world champions in northern Italy on Saturday night thanks to a gritty win over old rivals New Zealand in the final on a sweltering evening. It was the first time since 2012 that the Junior Boks have won the world title and only the second time in this format since it was inaugurated in 2008. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads As under-21s the Junior Boks won the 1999, 2002 and 2005 world championships (1999 was technically not a world title), but since becoming an U20 event, it was only the class of 2012 that were victorious – until Saturday. The class of 2025 now joins the likes of Handrè Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff from that 2012 crop as world champions. After laying waste to all their previous opponents in three pool-stage matches, and Argentina in the semifinals, the contest against the Baby Blacks was much closer. It was an uncompromising battle in the greatest traditions of clashes between these two archrivals and was a fitting finale to a tournament of high quality. This was not the same free-flowing performance of the pool stages that saw the Junior Boks score 178 points in three games against Australia, England and Scotland. It could never be against opponents as skilful and proud as New Zealand. The Junior Boks though, under the captaincy of lock Riley Norton and the coaching of Kevin Foote, are littered with generational talent that should strike fear into the rugby world. 'I'm quite emotional, but I'm just so proud,' Norton said after the match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The amount of work that we put in after not a great TRC (U20 Rugby Championship), our backs were against the wall and we just came out and gave it everything. 'The group is unbelievable, the management, the coaches – we all pulled into a common idea. It wasn't easy at times. This is the greatest day of my life. 'We had to show up physically. That's our DNA. That's where we South Africans get our passion and our energy from. The set-phase, the maul, the scrum, the hits – the guys did that for 80 minutes and that's where we get our DNA from. Of course (Vusi) Moyo with his unbelievable boot always putting us on the front foot and kicking those penalties, it's just unbelievable.' Control They were always in control at Stadio Mario Battaglini in Rovigo, from scoring early to adding the final flourish late in the game. The Junior Bok pack dominated scrums, were strong in contact and laid a good foundation for the excellent halfback duo of Haashim Pead and Moyo to operate. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads South Africa opened the scoring in the third minute when flank Xola Nyali went over for a try from close range. Moyo converted from wide out to give the Junior Boks the perfect start on a humid and slippery evening. From that stage on New Zealand were always playing catch-up and although they struck back with a try from lock Jayden Sa from a rolling maul just minutes later, it was as close as they came to the lead for the entire match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads New Zealand also lost prop Sika Pole to the sin bin in the 22nd minute when he clattered into Junior Bok lock JJ Theron. It was later upgraded to red on review. At this tournament though, red cards are only 20 minutes and New Zealand were able to introduce a replacement soon after halftime. South Africa also had their own disciplinary issues. Ten minutes after Pole's card, Junior Bok centre Albie Bester was yellow-carded for a dangerous cleanout at a ruck. That evened things out as Moyo added two first-half penalties to give the Junior Boks a 13-5 halftime lead. There were two periods in either half when the Junior Boks were forced to defend their line for multiple phases. In fact, they were pinned in their 22m area for a full five minutes at the start of the second period as they repelled wave after wave of New Zealand attacks. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads In the end it only cost them three points from a second penalty by flyhalf Rico Simpson which shrunk the lead to 13-8. It was a moral victory for the Junior Boks. 'Defence is all about character, and there were moments when New Zealand were right on our line, but we held firm,' Foote said after the match. 'From a coach's perspective, you can't ask for more than that. It was a real South African defensive effort and gees (spirit) that won it for us today.' Foote, who took over as Junior Bok head coach at the end of last year, also described his winning squad as a special group of young rugby players. 'I love our country and the Springboks, and I love working with this age group,' he said. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'To see these young men grow from training in December to what they've achieved now is amazing. Being on this journey with them has been incredibly special, and I'll never take it for granted.' Soon after though, Moyo's superb boot landed a third penalty to keep the Baby Blacks two scores behind. That was significant. As the game wore on South Africa increasingly exerted control. Pead went over for a try but it was disallowed due to Junior Bok flank Batho Hlekani pulling New Zealand scrumhalf Dylan Pledger back, denying him the chance to make a tackle on Pead. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Despite that let-off, the Junior Boks camped inside NZ territory for much of the last quarter and it was Pead who stamped his class on proceedings to finally break the Baby Blacks' resistance. Pead stabbed through a perfectly weighted kick for fullback Gilermo Mentoe to race on to and score the game-defining try with only three minutes remaining. The Junior Boks led 23-8. There was no way back. New Zealand scored a consolation try almost from the restart when impressive wing Maloni Kunawave finished, but it was too little, too late for the New Zealanders. Bigger picture Foote deserves special praise because he meticulously planned the team's progress to peak in Italy. It came at a cost though because the Junior Boks lost two of their three U20 Rugby Championship matches hosted in South Africa in May. One of those defeats was a 48-45 loss to New Zealand and the other was a 29-24 setback to Australia. In the opening game of this tournament, the Junior Boks smashed Australia 73-17. They played nine games in all before this tournament, which was crucial to building cohesion and for players to understand their roles. 'We learnt a lot about our leadership group in the U20 Rugby Championship,' Foote told Daily Maverick. 'We learnt about who can play Test match rugby. We learnt about different attacking styles that we haven't seen. 'For example, New Zealand 'stack-attacked' against us, and coming into this World Cup, Australia, England and Scotland all stacked, and we've defended well against that. 'That improvement comes from what we went through in the Rugby Championship. It has been a great learning process. 'But the biggest thing is actually just giving these guys game time together, and the synergy and cohesion that we got from those games is invaluable.' The introduction of the U20 Rugby Championship has been a significant building block, not only for the Junior Boks, but for all the southern hemisphere teams. New Zealand made their first final in six years, Argentina beat France to secure the bronze medal and Australia scored 68 points to claim fifth spot over England. DM Junior Bok results: Pool stage: South Africa 73 – 17 Australia (29 June – Calvisano) South Africa 32 – 22 England (4 July – Rovigo) South Africa 73 – 14 Scotland (9 July – Calvisano) Semifinal: South Africa 48 – 24 Argentina (14 July – Viadana) Final: South Africa 23 – 15 New Zealand (19 July – Rovigo) Final standings: South Africa (Champions) New Zealand (Runners-up) Argentina (Third place) France (Fourth place) Australia (Fifth place) England (Sixth place) Italy (Seventh place) Wales (Eighth place) Georgia (Ninth place) Scotland (10th place) Ireland (11th place) Spain (12th place).
The South African
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Junior Springboks united to conquer the world, says captain Norton
Captain Riley Norton led his Junior Springboks to a 23‑15 victory over New Zealand in the U20 World Championship final. The Junior Springboks became the third South African team to claim world champion status by outplaying New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship Final in Rovigo on Saturday night. The Junior Springboks' tournament victory – their first since 2012 – came on a hot and humid night in Italy where they once again proved the masters of their southern hemisphere foes, beating the Kiwis for a seventh consecutive time in this tournament and the second time in a final, the same as in 2012, when the SA U20s outplayed NZ by 22-16. The SA U20s join the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, and the Blitzboks at the top of the World Rugby competition podium. Speaking to the media after the game, Norton emphasised the team's combined work-rate and unity as the core drivers of their success in Rovigo. 'I'm quite emotional, but I'm just so proud,' said the Paul Roos old boy. 'The amount of work that we put in after not a great TRC, our backs were against the wall and we just came out and gave it everything. 'The group is unbelievable, the management, the coaches – we all pulled into a common idea. It wasn't easy at times, but ja, this is the greatest day of my life.' Norton highlighted traditional South African strengths – physicality in scrums, mauls, and defensive intensity – as decisive. He explained that 'our DNA' carried the game, sustaining energy and aggression for the full 80 minutes. 'We had to show up physically. That's our DNA. That's where we South Africans get our passion and our energy from. The set-phase, the maul, the scrum, the hits – the guys did that for 80 minutes and that's where we get our DNA from.' He lauded Junior Springboks flyhalf Vusi Moyo for his key penalties, saying Moyo's goal-kicking kept them ahead. Of course (Vusi) Moyo with his unbelievable boot always putting us on the front foot and kicking those penalties, it's just unbelievable.' Norton revealed the Junior Springboks' appreciation for fan support from home, citing messages, videos, and encouragement as vital inspirations. Asked whether the Junior Springboks felt any pressure being the top seed coming into the tournament, Norton said there were nerves but never really pressure. 'The amount of support we received from South Africa, videos from our mates, people sending us messages and just backing us was just unbelievable. I'm so proud to be South African and we couldn't have done it without our fans back at home cheering us on every step of the way.' Junior Springboks 23 (13) – Tries: Xola Nyali, Gilermo Mentoe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (2). Penalty goals: Moyo (3). New Zealand 15 (5) – Tries: Jayden Sa, Maloni Kunawave. Conversion: Will Cole. Penalty goal: Rico Simpson. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Junior Boks, champions of the world
Saturday marked the Junior Boks' first appearance in the final since 2014 and it is a repeat of the 2012 final in which South Africa beat six-time champions New Zealand at Newlands. Demitre Erasmus of South Africa in action during the Final of the U20 World Championship between New Zealand and South Africa at Stadio Mario Battaglini on July 19, 2025 in Rovigo, Italy. Picture:. The Junior Springboks have won the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Rovigo, Italy after a tense, bruising battle with arch-rivals New Zealand. Tries from flanker Xola Nyali and fullback Gilermo Mentoe, along with 13 points from the boot of flyhalf Vusi Moyo, secured the Junior Boks a 23-15 win and a first Under 20 Championship triumph since 2012. The Junior Boks opened the scoring in just the third minute through Nyali. The Baby Blacks hit back with a try of their own 12 minutes later, courtesy of lock Jayden Sa. The clash had a real final feel, with the South Africans not wasting an opportunity to take the points on offer. Moyo popped over two penalties to ensure South Africa went into the sheds with a 13-5 lead. Both teams had a player sent off in the first half. New Zealand lost loosehead prop Sika Pole to a 20-minute red card for a shoulder charge on JJ Theron, while the Junior Boks had to go without centre Albie Bester for ten minutes after a no-arms clear out at the ruck. Tight contest The second half was equally tight, with flyhalves Rico Simpson and Moyo exchanging penalties. A crucial moment in the match came in the 62nd minute, when tournament top try-scorer Haashim Pead was denied a seventh of the championship after the TMO ruled an infringement at the scrum enabled Pead to score. Mentoe's late try was followed almost immediately by the Junior All Blacks' first and only try by wing Maloni Kunawave. But it proved too little, too late as South Africa held on to take the honours in Italy. Saturday marked the Junior Boks' first appearance in the final since 2014 and it is a repeat of the 2012 final in which South Africa beat six-time champions New Zealand at Newlands. The Junior Boks were in rampant form throughout the championship in Italy, posting comprehensive wins over Australia, defending champions England and Scotland in the pool stage, followed by victory over Argentina in the semi-finals. This story was first published on It is republished here with permission.
