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Giyani woman uses football to uplift youth
Giyani woman uses football to uplift youth

The Citizen

time19 hours ago

  • Sport
  • The Citizen

Giyani woman uses football to uplift youth

LIMPOPO – Stella Ndlovu, a passionate community leader from Gawula village, has taken it upon herself to harness the unifying power of football to promote social change and economic growth. While the football season is on pause, she organises tournaments to keep the youth off the streets and positively engaged. 'There's no better way to keep young people off the streets than by giving them something entertaining to do, and sports is the perfect tool for that,' Ndlovu explained. According to her, the tournament has become a beacon of hope for many young people who would otherwise be vulnerable to negative influences. 'When they hear that there's soccer somewhere, they all feel compelled to either participate or come to watch,' she said. Beyond offering young people a positive way to channel their energy, the event breathes life into local enterprises. Small vendors set up stalls around the grounds, selling refreshments, snacks, and other goods to spectators who flock in from neighbouring villages. 'As a community, this also promotes unity as people from different villages come together and have fun. There's no better place to meet people and build relationships than at a football game. 'Because that's where everyone gathers with the shared goal of supporting their teams despite any differences they might have,' Ndlovu added. In a space often dominated by men, Ndlovu stands out as a woman organiser determined to make sports more inclusive and accessible. She urged the community to rally behind local youth initiatives: 'Let us all come together and support our kids through sports.' While she had initially planned to host a top sixteen tournament, scheduling constraints prompted her to scale it down. 'Normally, I would have organised a top sixteen tournament but had to opt for a top eight so that we do not clash with the mayor's cup event that is starting next week,' she explained. However, Ndlovu assured that once the mayor's cup concludes, she will proceed with the larger competition as planned. With dedicated individuals like Stella Ndlovu at the forefront, football in Gawula is proving to be much more than a game, it is a force for unity, empowerment, and positive change. Meanwhile, the final match of the day featured Gawula Academy FC taking on Makoxa FC. After a goalless draw in regulation time, Gawula Academy clinched victory in the penalty shootout with a 5–4 scoreline and walked away with an R5 000 prize, while Makoxa FC received R2 000 for finishing in second place. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

How does R50k for a hole-in-one sound?
How does R50k for a hole-in-one sound?

The Citizen

timea day ago

  • Business
  • The Citizen

How does R50k for a hole-in-one sound?

How does R50k for a hole-in-one sound? A R50 000 hole-in-one prize is up for grabs at the Boksburg SPCA 75th anniversary golf day at ERPM Golf Club on September 10. Open to golfers of all levels, the day promises fantastic fun on the fairways, all while raising funds for the care and protection of animals in the Boksburg community. The tournament kicks off with a shotgun start at 11:00 and entry is R3 000 per four-ball, which includes two golf carts, a full round of golf and a delicious dinner to round off the day. Apart from the big hole-in-one prize there are many other great prizes and raffles for participants. Hole sponsorships are available from just R2 000, offering businesses a valuable opportunity to promote their brand to a wide audience. Businesses and individuals can also support the event by sponsoring prizes or making a donation toward the golf day. With a fully booked field for the past three years, the Boksburg SPCA encourages teams to book early to avoid disappointment. All proceeds from the day will go directly toward supporting the organisation's vital work in rescuing, sheltering, and rehoming animals in need. Don't miss this chance to enjoy a day of golf while supporting an important cause and celebrating 75 years of dedicated animal welfare work. To book your four-ball or get involved as a sponsor, contact Sue at [email protected] Also Read: Guild to host annual Golf Day for Young Eagles programme Also Read: Successful golf day for a good cause At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

Prediction: Rivian's New R2 Truck Will Be a "Tesla-Like" Turning Point for the Company
Prediction: Rivian's New R2 Truck Will Be a "Tesla-Like" Turning Point for the Company

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

Prediction: Rivian's New R2 Truck Will Be a "Tesla-Like" Turning Point for the Company

Key Points Rivian is an EV maker trying to break into the big leagues of the auto industry. The still-young company started out by focusing its efforts on high-end trucks. Its next big move will be an introduction of the R2, a truck for the mass market. 10 stocks we like better than Rivian Automotive › Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) made a decision when it built its business to start with high-end vehicles. And then it charted a path toward more moderately priced vehicles. That business move worked and now the company is sustainably profitable despite years of red ink at the get-go. Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ: RIVN) is currently in the red ink stage of its development, but it has Tesla-like ambitions and a key turning point could be fast approaching. What did Tesla do? The first Tesla was a fancy, high-end sports car. That vehicle proved to the world that electric vehicles (EVs) were a real product that customers would want to buy. For a long time the large automakers shunned EVs as not being viable. After Tesla proved the concept, it brought out sedans that would appeal to more than just car enthusiasts. Those higher-end EVs sold well and, suddenly, every major automaker realized that they had to make EVs. If they didn't jump on the bandwagon they could get boxed out of a new segment auto market. As that was going on, Tesla pivoted again, bringing out lower-cost models of its EVs that had mass-market appeal. That helped to boost sales volumes in the capital-intensive business and improve profitability. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! Great Rates and Award-Winning Service The Insurance Savings You Expect Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You Essentially, Tesla started with rich customers. But there are only so many rich customers. And, thus, it moved down market to build a sustainably profitable business. That's a simplification of a very long process, of course, but it is the general theme that's important. Rivian is following the Tesla playbook. Start high-end, then go mass-market Rivian currently makes two kinds of trucks, a delivery vehicle and a high-end consumer pickup truck. The delivery vehicle was an important proof of concept that helped the company develop its technology. It also allowed Rivian to generate some early revenue thanks to a relationship with Amazon. Consider the delivery truck similar to Tesla's sports car. As it was proving that its technology was reliable, Rivian was also building fancy high-end pickups for the consumer market. The trucks have been well-received, and Rivian has been able to ramp up production and fine tune its production processes along the way. In fact, it was able to turn a modest gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2024 and in the first quarter of 2025. This means that Rivian stopped losing money on every truck it sold, though costs further down the earnings statement, like research and development (R&D) and selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A), still leave it bleeding red ink. This is where scale becomes important. Rivian needs to spread its costs over more vehicle sales, which is basically what Tesla did. The next big vehicle release for Rivian is the R2, which is a lower-cost truck meant for the mass market. The goal is to start production in the first half of 2026. With around $7 billion of cash on the balance sheet and a key partnership with auto giant Volkswagen, it seems highly probable that Rivian gets that factory up and running. The real test of Rivian's business will come when it starts selling the R2. If sales are robust the company will have successfully taken Tesla's playbook and achieved similar wins. And the added volume from R2 sales should help move Rivian toward sustainable profitability, just like Tesla achieved. Rivian is high-risk, but executing well Rivian remains a high-risk investment that's only appropriate for more aggressive investors. If the company doesn't execute well it could still fall short of its goals in what is a very complex and competitive auto sector. However, the launch of the R2 could be the big turning point for Rivian that turns it into the "next Tesla." OK, no company is ever going to be Tesla, given that the company effectively created the EV space. But Rivian's R2 could make it the next best thing. Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now? Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $687,149!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,060,406!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,072% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Volkswagen Ag. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Prediction: Rivian's New R2 Truck Will Be a "Tesla-Like" Turning Point for the Company was originally published by The Motley Fool

Why Are Rivian (RIVN) Shares Soaring Today
Why Are Rivian (RIVN) Shares Soaring Today

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

Why Are Rivian (RIVN) Shares Soaring Today

What Happened? Shares of electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) jumped 6% in the afternoon session after the company announced it will establish a new East Coast headquarters in Atlanta. The new office, expected to open in late 2025, will bring the EV automaker closer to its new $5 billion manufacturing plant currently under construction in Georgia. The headquarters will eventually house up to 500 employees, deepening the company's operational footprint in the U.S. Southeast. This strategic expansion reinforces Rivian's commitment to the region as it prepares to launch its next-generation, more affordable R2 and R3 vehicle platforms. Broader economic news also provided a tailwind for the stock. The consumer discretionary sector, which includes automakers, received a boost from a new report showing that U.S. retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in June. This suggests consumer spending remains strong, a positive sign for companies selling big-ticket items like electric vehicles. Is now the time to buy Rivian? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. What Is The Market Telling Us Rivian's shares are extremely volatile and have had 36 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock dropped 3.1% after Guggenheim analyst Ronald Jewsikow moved the electric vehicle maker's rating to 'Neutral' from 'Buy'. The downgrade reflects growing concerns over weakening demand for Rivian's current R1T pickup and R1S SUV models. Guggenheim also pointed to headwinds from recent U.S. policy changes, including the elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which could negatively impact future sales and profitability. The firm lowered its 2028 sales forecast for Rivian significantly, from 185,000 units to 150,000, citing the softer demand for the R1 platform as a potential negative indicator for the upcoming, lower-priced R2 and R3 models. Rivian is up 4.3% since the beginning of the year, but at $13.82 per share, it is still trading 21% below its 52-week high of $17.50 from July 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Rivian's shares at the IPO in November 2021 would now be looking at an investment worth $137.24. Unless you've been living under a rock, it should be obvious by now that generative AI is going to have a huge impact on how large corporations do business. While Nvidia and AMD are trading close to all-time highs, we prefer a lesser-known (but still profitable) semiconductor stock benefiting from the rise of AI. Click here to access our free report on our favorite semiconductor growth story.

Japanese voters see little hope for tariff reprieve in Mazda's hometown
Japanese voters see little hope for tariff reprieve in Mazda's hometown

TimesLIVE

time2 days ago

  • Automotive
  • TimesLIVE

Japanese voters see little hope for tariff reprieve in Mazda's hometown

When carmaker Mazda sneezes, everyone catches a cold, say people in its hometown of Hiroshima in western Japan, but these days car parts maker Yuji Yamaguchi fears a deep chill is on the way. "If Mazda builds fewer cars our orders will drop," said Yamaguchi, whose 110-year-old firm, Nanjo Auto Interior, has almost 1,000 employees making door panels and other parts for the carmaker, which accounts for more than 90% of its sales. "The key thing is whether we can remain profitable with lower volumes." The economic engine of Hiroshima, a manufacturing hub 800km southwest of Tokyo, Mazda faces US tariffs of 25% on cars, a dispiriting prospect for an electorate battling inflation and a weak economy. Japan votes on Sunday in an upper house election that looks set to weaken the grip on power of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has failed to win a tariff reprieve from the US, its closest ally and a crucial trade partner. "I no longer have expectations of the Japanese government," said Yamaguchi, a great-grandson of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. "I'm past frustration and have resigned myself to things." As people in Hiroshima and other car manufacturing regions brace for the inevitable fall-out from tariffs, Yamaguchi said he had little hope the government could turn the tide. US President Donald Trump has given no sign of relenting on his tariffs, and has even hinted at raising those against Japan. Mazda, which saw US sales fall 18.6% in May on the year and by 6.5% in June, is one of the Japanese carmakers most exposed to US tariffs. Imports bring in most of Mazda's American sales, but the importance of the wider industry for Japan is almost impossible to overstate. After Japan ceded global leadership in chips and consumer electronics, its car industry has grown to make up about 28% of the about $145bn (R2,584,231,702,000) worth of goods shipped to the US last year. There are more than 68,000 companies in Japan's car supply chain, a July survey by research firm Teikoku Data Bank showed, and the Jama industry group said they employ 5.6-million people, or about 8% of the labour force. "A supply chain is hard to rebuild once broken," said Hideki Tsuchikawa, research head at Teikoku Databank's branch in Hiroshima, which his firm estimates is home to more than 2,000 car suppliers. "Automobiles are a core national industry. Government support is essential." The tariffs could cost Mazda and other smaller Japanese carmakers US market share lost to bigger rivals, said Julie Boote, an autos analyst at Pelham Smithers Associates in London. Mazda, headquartered in Hiroshima where it has assembly plants, has so far declined to give a full-year earnings outlook, citing the uncertainty of tariffs. Mazda told Reuters its top priority was to protect suppliers, dealers and employees as it looked to overcome the tariff impact. It anticipated significant impact in the short term, the company said, adding it was taking all possible steps, such as asking for government countermeasures.

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