Latest news with #Westfalia
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Makgoba community pleads for help from G20 countries
At the centre of the dispute are allegations that fruit is exported while communities who own the land, live from hand to mouth. Farm workers in Tzaneen, Limpopo, package fresh avocados to be exported to Europe and Asia. Picture: Supplied. A war of words is brewing between the Westfalia Fruit Company and residents of Makgoba, who own a series of agricultural plantations in Limpopo. The fallout could affect the export of important citrus fruits to countries attending the G20 Presidency Summit in SA later this year. At the centre of the dispute are allegations that Westfalia is exporting fresh avocados while communities, who own the land, live from hand to mouth. The company exports avocados to international countries, including the UK, Netherlands, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Costa Rica, Argentina, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Now, the Makgoba community, which won back the land from the Limpopo Land Claims Commission in 2009, is pleading with G20 countries to help them. 'About 90% of our community remains unemployed while the company is making so much profit from our fertile land,' said Frans Kubjana, spokesperson for Makgoba Concerned Group on Friday. Kubjana said jobs in the company were given to foreigners, allegedly some undocumented. 'This is because Westfalia prefers cheap labour over South Africans. 'Despite having a mutual understanding to train our children, school them and develop our communities, Westfalia continues to snub us and collect good profits in an endeavour to line their pockets. Unfortunately, they do this at the expense of our fertile ancestral land. 'We want presidents of countries doing business with Westfalia in the G20 to intervene. If not, we will close the business and show them the door.' Westfalia Fruit denies the claims Westfalia Fruit called the allegations baseless and devoid of truth. 'Makgoba Community members are making unfounded allegations against Westfalia Fruit,' said Bomikazi Molapo, head of communications at Westfalia Fruit Africa. Molapo said Westfalia has a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive or disruptive behaviour and takes the well-being of all its staff and stakeholders seriously. 'Westfalia has always been committed to supporting the local communities, amongst them, the Makgoba community. We are proud to provide resources, training and reliable market access to all eligible smallholder farmers and community traders. 'While our community supply programme continues as normal, it is important to clarify that we recently notified a fruit trader that their access to Westfalia Fruit's operations and facilities has been revoked. 'This is the result of a sustained pattern of disruptive and aggressive conduct towards staff and community members, including persistent disregard for agreed codes of conduct, which has been repeatedly addressed with the individual both in person and in writing. 'We remain open to constructive dialogue through appropriate channels and we are committed to transparency and positive development in all our operations,' she said. ALSO READ: Steel producers slam ArcelorMittal's call to end scrap export tax Land claims The Limpopo Regional Land Claims Commission has successfully settled and finalised a significant number of land claims in the province. The commission has 5 916 settled land claims, with 1 305 outstanding. Additionally, the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights (CRLR) has finalised 641 claims and settled 362 claims against its targets to date. NOW READ: Fat cats criticised as Limpopo government agency tries to cut 100 jobs
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This $25 Million Mansion Is the Largest of Just 8 Estates in an Exclusive Dallas Neighborhood
An audaciously palatial estate has just hit the market in Dallas. Known as the Forty—it's located at North 40 Place in the ritzy North Forty enclave—the $25 million mansion is relatively new, dating back to just 2009. Set on more than six acres of land and measuring just over 20,000 square feet, it's a massive abode, with nine bedrooms and 14 bathrooms in total. Jonathan Rosen at Compass holds the listing. More from Robb Report A 118-Year-Old Craftsman Bungalow in a Historic L.A. Neighborhood Just Listed for $2.9 Million Westfalia's New Compact Camper Van Can Sleep Four and Still Navigate City Streets Lewis Hamilton Drove a Ferrari Convertible in a Tribute to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' Entering via an impressive walkway lined with fountains, the glass-domed foyer leads into the marble-strewn grand reception hall, ideal for large and formal gatherings. To the west, you'll find the chef's kitchen, which is open to a casual dining space and a sunken family room, and a wood-paneled bar. And to the east is the owner's wing, where, along with the bedroom and a lavish bath with a chandelier hanging over the soaking tub, there's an office and an exercise room. RELATED: NFL Star Derrick Henry's Texas Home Is Back on the Market for $1.6 Million You can also lounge around in the library or, for movie nights, in the plush home theater. And down on the lower level, which has a large games room and lounge that opens to the backyard gardens and swimming pool, a spa area has a massage room and steam shower, while oenophiles can store their prized bottles in the wine cellar. The Forty's manicured grounds include a host of features to enjoy with family or friends. Sit back and relax by the resort-style pool, or throw a fête in the landscaped garden pavilion, which has room for up to 600 seated guests. There's also a private freshwater pond, a putting green, a lighted tennis court that can be used for basketball, and a multi-purpose pavilion with an indoor sports court for shooting hoops or, with lifts, parking up to 26 cars. The estate is being sold by David R. Weinreb, a co-founder and former CEO of the real estate firm Howard Hughes Holdings, according to Mansion Global. Weinreb bought the land in the early 2000s and spent almost seven years building the home, which is hitting the market for the first time. Just seven other properties make up the North Forty community, including a mansion built by Guy Mascolo, the late co-founder of the Toni&Guy hair salons. As for Weinreb, he also owns a penthouse in New York's Chelsea neighborhood that he bought in 2017 for $38 million and unsuccessfully had on the market in 2021 and 2022 for $50 of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump Threatens a 200% Tariff on Wine and Spirits From the E.U.
Over the past few weeks, President Trump has completely unsettled producers of American whiskey and other spirits with a series of erratic tariff threats and suspensions. The latest comes in the form of a proposed 200 percent tariff on all imports of wine and spirits from the E.U. in response to a 50 percent tariff on American whiskey in those countries—something that everyone in the industry saw coming and could have been avoided. During the first Trump administration, the E.U. issued a 25 percent tariff on American whiskey in retaliation to the American tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, something that had a detrimental effect on smaller craft distilleries in particular. In response, Trump slapped an equal tariff on imports of scotch whisky (even though the U.K. is no longer part of the E.U.). The tariffs were suspended in December of 2023 during Biden's presidency, but were set to jump back to 50 percent this month if no agreement was reached. Obviously, that did not happen, so the tariffs will be reinstated at that higher mark on April 1, leading to Trump's threat to heat up the simmering trade war. More from Robb Report Westfalia's New Compact Camper Van Still Has Room for Everything You Need Lewis Hamilton Drove a Ferrari Convertible in a Tribute to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' A One-of-a-Kind Pappy Van Winkle and Other Rare Buffalo Trace Bourbons Are Headed to Auction Trump's decree came this morning in the form of a Truth Social post, as is often the case with his thoughts whether he's criticizing Taylor Swift or disrupting global trade. 'The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky,' he wrote. 'If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.' This comes after weeks of back and forth tariff threats, which have already seriously affected America's relationships with Canada and Mexico. This has led Canadian provinces to preemptively pull American whiskey off of store shelves, despite the delays that Trump has put on the tariffs, something that could play out across the Atlantic as well. According to NBC News, America is the largest importer of wine and Champagne from the E.U., buying almost $7 billion worth these categories annually. 'Not a single bottle will continue to be expedited if 200 percent tariffs are applied to our products,' said Gabriel Picard, head of the French Federation of Exporters of Wines and Spirits, in an interview with the Associated Press. 'All exports to the United States will come to a total, total halt.' As far as spirits are concerned, this could lead to prices of Irish whiskey and Cognac increasing significantly, while sales of bourbon, rye, and Tennessee whiskey would be impacted in E.U. member countries. All of this has resulted in a very busy week for lobbying group the Distilled Spirits Council, which called on Trump to resolve these trade disputes. 'We urge the U.S. and E.U. governments to come to a resolution that gets our spirits industry back to zero-for-zero tariffs,' said DISCUS president and CEO Chris Swonger in a statement. 'This is a model that has allowed spirits exports between the U.S. and E.U. to flourish.' Of course, Trump could backtrack on all of this, so we will keep you posted on this developing news. In the meantime, it might be a good time to stock up on your favorite blanc de blancs French bubbly and ultra-aged Irish single malts if you're worried about just how much more expensive these luxury bottles might get. Best of Robb Report Why a Heritage Turkey Is the Best Thanksgiving Bird—and How to Get One 9 Stellar West Coast Pinot Noirs to Drink Right Now The 10 Best Wines to Pair With Steak, From Cabernet to Malbec Click here to read the full article.
