Latest news with #R8
IOL News
12 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
KZN Health Department's strategic plans for service delivery amid budget cuts
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane delivered her budget speech at the KZN Provincial Legislature on Tuesday. Simelane stated that this financial year marks the start of our five-year strategic plan framework, which runs from 2025/26 to 2029/30. Image: Supplied Despite budget cuts, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health intends to stretch every rand to ensure improved service delivery in the 2025 and 2026 financial years. Nomagugu Simelane, the KZN MEC for Health, delivered her budget speech at the KZN Provincial Legislature on Tuesday. Simelane stated that this financial year marks the start of a five-year strategic plan framework, which runs until 2029 and 2030 financial years. 'For the past six years, our department has faced significant budget cuts, with more than R8 billion lost to its baseline allocation. This deficit in the budget allocation leaves us struggling to meet the healthcare demands of our province in certain areas,' she said. Simelane said this has severely impacted the department's ability to fill critical posts in nursing, medicine, administrative, and allied health professions. She added that infrastructure development, including a backlog of 250 clinics, has been hindered in some areas, including routine maintenance of some facilities. She explained that the KZN public health inventory of assets includes 69 hospitals, 22 community health centres (CHC), 589 clinics, 84 EMS bases, 33 forensic mortuaries, nursing colleges, administrative offices, and regional laundries. 'We have a responsibility to ensure that these assets are well-managed, well-taken care of, and that they continue to meet the needs of our communities,' she added. 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 Simelane said that despite funding constraints they have started the construction of new clinics in Nyavini, Mpolweni and Mpaphala. She acknowledged that the construction of Mtubatuba CHC has been delayed due to certain administrative processes. The total health budget is R 56.2 billion which will be distributed as follows; Administration: R1.4 billion District Health Services : R 28.8 billion Emergency Medical Services: R1.9 billion Provincial Hospital Services : R13.9 billion Central Hospital Services: R6.2 billion Health Sciences And Training: R1.6 billion Health Care Support Services: R394 million Health Facilities Management: R2 billion Simelane also touched on the dedication and commitment shown by staff and the employee wellness programmes in place. 'We have made staff training and skills development a top priority, having trained thousands of our staff in various programmes. We will welcome dozens of chaplains into public healthcare facilities across the province to offer spiritual and emotional support to patients and healthcare workers, helping to ease trauma and daily stress,' she said. Simelane said the Emergency Medical Services response times will be improved when it comes to the evacuation of the sick and injured, as well as inter-facility transfers. She said the department has allocated funds to procure 50 new ambulances and 10 thirty-five-seater planned patient transport buses. The department is also expected to contract 130 private GPs to improve the coverage of clinics by doctors. She said the department will also continue to fund psychiatrists to clear forensic mental health backlogs. 'We have noted the recent public outcry regarding the non-employment of doctors, and we fully understand the frustration expressed by many within the profession and broader society,' she said. Dr Imraan Keeka, chairperson of the KZN Health Portfolio Committee, said the health department has made significant strides in addressing challenges facing the province. 'The road to health equity remains long and we expect to encounter obstacles along the way. The withdrawal of funding by the United States of America to provincial health programmes is a setback,' he said. Andile Biyela, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MPL, said Simelane had spoken honestly about the challenges which was the first step to remedy. He said political parties may differ in ideology but when it comes to saving lives there is only the right way. 'Where the department is not doing well they must be called out and when they are doing well they must be commended. The budget invites collaboration,' he said.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. Supplied Credit: CarExpert China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.' MORE: Everything Audi
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from:
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Stokvels hold billions, but are they missing the bigger financial opportunity?
South African stokvel savers are showing resilience and determination as they continue to stash away billions in savings despite the tough economic climate. Image: File Stokvels are traditional community-based savings clubs that have largely been utilised, particularly among lower-income communities, pooling resources towards common or different goals. Last year, IOL reported that South African stokvel savers are showing their resilience and determination as they continue to stash away billions of rand in savings despite the tough economic climate. At the time, FNB revealed that, since November 2019, its customers' stokvel deposits had increased by 42 percent, surpassing the R8,3 billion mark in total member contributions. Across the country, savings through stokvels are estimated to be valued at almost R50 billion a year. On the other hand, Standard Bank, citing data from the National Stokvel Association of South Africa (Nasasa), said there are over 810,000 active stokvels in South Africa, which collect an estimated R50 billion in savings annually from more than 11 million members. Speaking to IOL, chairperson of Sakhisizwe Property Stokvel, Silindile Leseyane, said stokvels have been around for many years, primarily focusing on short-term savings and death benefits for their members. 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. 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'The challenge is most stokvels have a short-term focus and don't have the long-term view that is required to create real impact. They are also mostly informal, and therefore this also has an impact on the longevity of the stokvel.' She suggested stokvels would do better by being formalised, and taking fractions of their savings, ploughing them into meaningful investments. 'This would have a great economic impact for them, their families, and their communities,' she said. On the other hand, a seasoned entrepreneur, author, and stokvel expert, Busi Skenjana, told IOL that the stokvel ecosystem is fraught with challenges and misconceptions, but if done professionally, the venture can be rewarding - and she has the lived experience. Skenjana has penned a book titled: 'Stokvel Voices: The Truth, the Illusions, and the Opportunities'. 'I would say around stokvels, there is a lot of movement, the ground is actually swelling into the future,' she said. 'Being a member of a stokvel myself, I think people could do better. In the book, I have covered about five stokvels, some of which I belong to. I have actually rated the stokvels - there are about two or three which I give a high rating, according to my assessment. There is still a lot that they could do better.' Skenjana told IOL that there is a need for financial education for members of stokvels and a departure from the mindset of consumerism, where all the savings are destined to be devoured at a given time, or when a target figure is reached. 'You find that many stokvels are consumer oriented, as opposed to long-term investments. For me, that is something that is glaringly not right. The emphasis is on consumerism, as opposed to how we can, together, build wealth as a community, and to address the economic imbalances,' she said. 'We all know the origins of stokvels, which was to try and minimise the economic blow that people suffered through the apartheid era. I still find that there is more of the social and quick disposable money - we save R50,000 which we later distribute among members, blow it then we start all over again. That is wrong and an area of concern.' In her lived experience, Skenjana said she has been part of formalised stokvels, which have managed to make meaningful investments into property and other significant undertakings. She insisted that there are opportunities for young people to come together and make considerable investments as groups, which will help them in their twilight years. 'I have become a gogo and still a member of a stokvel. Gogo does not join a stokvel in her advanced years. No, one joins from their 20s and grows like that. People look at the aged people in stokvels and forget that these people became members of the stokvel when they were young. Some people have been in stokvels for more than 50 years, literally. 'I was speaking to a woman who told me that in their stokvel, they were celebrating the 50th anniversary. Personally, I think I was around 25 years old when I joined the stokvel, and I am 68 years old. I am still a member of two stokvels.' Author Busi Skenjana's life experiences have significantly shaped her understanding and advocacy for stokvels. Image: Supplied Skenjana said she is a proud member of stokvel formed around 1998 which is formally referred to as an investment club, a registered company. 'The model was a stokvel. Ten of us came together and we decided to buy a holiday home in Mpumalanga, and we converted the stokvel into a company. We have been owning that property since 1998, and it is what I can call passive income generation,' she told IOL. 'Note that the property we purchased as a stokvel is an inheritance for our children. This is something that I am trying to preach, this is not about me. Two of our fellow members have passed away, but their children are still benefiting from that stokvel. That is how we have structured it.' IOL has previously reported on incidents where members of traditional stokvels have been robbed while gathered in a house to share money, or of unscrupulous members fleeing with other members' savings. Skenjana said in this era, systems are digitalised to avoid the common pitfalls of dealing with cash. 'My advice is, stop handling cash. Even in our personal lives, it is not safe to be walking around with lots of cash in your handbag or in your back pocket. My advice to stokvels is that they must use the banking system. Banking is fairly accessible in South Africa now, unlike the era when stokvels were initially formed. People have to deposit directly into bank accounts. When it is time to share, at the end of their cycle, they should just do transfers,' she said. 'Handling cash is a no no. Unfortunately, it is still happening with the older generation, because some still say it feels good to have to touch the money physically, to see and feel the paper.' Skenjana said commercial banks have a lot of work to do in terms of guiding the stokvel members on investments. 'Quite the bulk of stokvel money is sitting in bank vaults. Members of stokvels save with the four major banks in South Africa. Having been part of the stokvel terrain, I have even established a stokvel academy. I am still to see a bank that says, we are committed to educating these stokvels. They love these stokvels for their databases, and they try and harvest as many stokvels as possible,' she said. 'In terms of financial education, it is still lacking.' In December, IOL reported that the provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has warned community members, particularly social clubs or stokvels, against carrying large amounts of money, as they can be targeted by criminals and robbed. The appeal was made by the provincial police commissioner following a house robbery where a mother and daughter were robbed. Provincial police commissioner in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe Image: SAPS 'A 54-year-old female victim fell victim to a house robbery involving a social club's money at Strydkraal Block A village under the Sekhukhune district on 9 December 2024, at about 10 pm,' Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, narrated. He said preliminary investigations revealed that members of a local social club held a meeting at the victim's residence to discuss how they were going to distribute the money they had saved. That meeting started at around 3 pm. 'The meeting concluded at approximately 7 pm, and the members of the social club departed to their homes and left the victim with her teenage daughter,' said Ledwaba. 'At about 10 pm, three unknown male suspects instantly broke into her house and robbed a substantial amount of cash belonging to the social club and later locked the two victims inside one of the bedrooms before fleeing the scene on foot.' The traumatized mother and daughter were later rescued by a relative. The matter was then reported to the police. IOL News
