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TimesLIVE
41 minutes ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Russia passes law punishing searches for 'extremist' content
Russians will face fines if they search online for 'extremist' content under a new law that tightens censorship and could have sweeping ramifications for digital privacy and the fate of WhatsApp in the country. The legislation, approved on Tuesday by parliament's lower house, the State Duma, has drawn criticism from some pro-government figures as well as opposition activists. Opponents say the fines it prescribes, of up to 5,000 roubles (R1,119), could open the door to tougher charges and penalties. The ministry of justice's list of extremist materials stretches to more than 500 pages. Entities banned in Russia for carrying out 'extremist activities' include late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, the 'international LGBT movement' and US tech giant Meta Platforms.
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
9 prison officials face murder charges after inmate's death in Polokwane
Nine officials from the Polokwane Correctional Centre appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court yesterday on murder charges following the death of an inmate who was allegedly assaulted while in custody. According to Polokwane Review, Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects were arrested after a police investigation linked them to the incident, which reportedly took place in July 2024. 'The inmate succumbed to injuries sustained during the alleged assault. The matter was reported to the police and, at the time, an inquest was registered. However, during the course of the investigation and after autopsy results, the charge was changed to murder,' his statement read. Ledwaba said four of the officials were first arrested in October 2024, but the case against them was provisionally withdrawn. On Monday, the four suspects, along with five additional officials, were re-arrested following new evidence. The suspects are: Victor Ramoroka (52) Victor Seakamela (59) Lutendo Vele (41) Christopher Mafela (33) Micharl Ramabu (42) Anna Shai (41) Josephine Mphela (49) Obed Selolo (53) Lucas Phihlela (54) 'All nine suspects were granted bail of R1 500 each and the matter was postponed to August 21 for a regional court date and further police investigations,' Ledwaba concluded. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Legal tussle over ownership of R1billion private game farm continues
There is a court dispute as to which community owns a R1bn private game farm near the Kruger National Park – the MalaMala private game reserve. Image: Nicola Mawson The Land Court in Randburg has issued an urgent order to stop an annual general meeting over a disputed claim to the MalaMala game reserve near the Kruger National Park. The urgent application was over a dispute that the meeting had been unlawfully called in addition to the fact that various parties were trying to separately hold other annual general meetings (AGMs). At the heart of the issue is another matter over who owns the pricey land, which the government purchased for R1 billion in 2013 to restore it to the communities who had been removed from the land through racist policies of colonialism and apartheid. In the meantime, there is an ongoing battle over various parties trying to hold an AGM on different dates to select a new executive committee. After the land was restored, two communities - the Mhlanganisweni Community and the Mavhuraka Community – were merged into a new entity to take ownership of the MalaMala land, the N'Wandlamhari Communal Property Association (NCPA). In addition to the alleged wrongful calling of the AGM, both communities are involved in a separate issue to separate themselves from the NCPA, which is a matter that will be heard later. This main action seeks to effectively reverse the 2013 merger of the two communities so that only members of the Mhlanganisweni Community will benefit from the MalaMala land, or that only members of the Mavhuraka Community who demonstrate they were dispossessed from the MalaMala land can benefit from it. The Mhlanganisweni Community contends the Mavhuraka never lodged a valid land claim and should therefore not benefit from the land. Litigation started in 2019. In the meantime, no new executive committee has been elected, and no AGM to elect a new committee has been successfully held despite the fact that the NCPA's constitution limits the term of any executive committee to three years. In the ruling, the judge wrote that the 'reasons depend on who you ask'. The NCPA and Mhlanganisweni community say they have tried to hold AGMs to consider the verification of the Mavhuraka Community and elect a new executive committee, but that these attempts have been disrupted by other members of the Mavhuraka Community. There were attempts in February 2018, October 2019 and January 2020 to hold AGMs. The Mavhuraka Community contends they have been excluded from decision-making and denied membership recognition. 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 judge, in stating that 'I do not wish to give the parties advice on how to solve their disputes' found that a meeting set to be held within days of the matter being heard, and two days after the ruling was handed down, had not been called in line with NCPA constitution. As a result, the parties were interdicted from holding an AGM and told they can call a meeting as long as it complies with the relevant rules. In the meantime, the judge wrote: 'The main action will likely take years to finally resolve the substantive disputes. Must all sides just accept the stalemate until then? No.' Instead, the ruling stated that 'the parties are not powerless to move forward. The key point is this – they must move forward lawfully. Otherwise, whatever steps are taken are likely to cause further discord and are unlikely to resolve the present deadlock.' IOL
Daily Maverick
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
SMME focus: Why storytelling is the secret weapon of SA's small businesses
South Africa's small businesses face a market obsessed with speed and scale, yet some are thriving by leaning into craft, storytelling, and human connection. In a studio in Woodstock, Cape Town, a group of women crochet hats from hemp and cotton, their movements slow and deliberate. Months later, those same hats sit in a Dior lookbook, worn by models striding Paris runways. This is the improbable story of Earth Age, a business that began with three friends during lockdown and ended up collaborating with one of the most recognisable names in fashion. Their story is also a blueprint for small business in South Africa trying to make sense of a market that rewards sameness and speed over meaning and craft. The fight for value The 'never say die' spirit of a small business is often romanticised. The reality is that the market is tough and only getting tougher. Consultancy company Kantar's annual Mzansi Consumer Barometer tracks national consumer behaviour. Its latest findings show that South Africans are concerned about unemployment, corruption, crime, spiralling living costs, and load shedding. The survey also found that household income was unpredictable in our country, as the sources of income varied from month to month, making it difficult for businesses to plan sales, said Stacey Saggers, commercial growth director at Kantar. When the money does come in, it doesn't stretch far. South Africans are consuming less essential items, Saggers added. Consumers are cutting back on things like luxury food items, alcohol, entertainment, going out and clothing. Lurking in the background are juggernauts like Shein and Temu, peddling fast fashion at prices local makers can't dream of matching. According to Saggers, 75% of South Africans surveyed have shopped on these platforms, and 48% admitted to doing so more in the last year than the one before. Against this backdrop selling a R1,500 handmade jacket feels almost reckless, until you understand the industry shift that's modifying perceptions of value. Story as currency 'People want to purchase something more than just a piece of product. I think it adds value to it when they understand that it comes with so much meaning.' These are the words of Harmonie Mbunga, founder of apparel and accessory brand Udo & Harmony. She observed that customers were initially drawn to the beauty and craftsmanship of her products, and upon learning the story behind them, discovered 'so much more meaning'. This wasn't always the case. Erica Elk, CEO of the Craft and Design Institute (CDI), recalled that 24 years ago, when the CDI was established, there was an expectation that craft products should be cheap because they were made by hand. 'What we tried to do as an organisation with the businesses that we supported was actually to shift that narrative,' she said. 'To say that because they're made by hand, and because they're an expression of an individual person and their creativity, you should be paying more.' The market would respond, she argued. 'Somebody is going to come in and they're not going to want to pay the price, but there will be customers that will come and they will appreciate the quality and the position and the value.' Elk said this was because craft and design weren't products, but rather the 'process of making'. 'When you understand that it's a process of making, then you're opening up market opportunities.' Lessons from the frontlines Brands like Hannah Lavery know this firsthand. In the early days, Lavery's clothes hung on racks in the V&A's Watershed, a Cape Town craft and design marketplace. Their first year was challenging, Lavery said, as the Watershed was a new space and their product 'wasn't that cheap'. Her persistence, however, paid off. 'We gradually got traction and we figured out our product and our messaging,' she said. Before Covid-19, Lavery's online store was an afterthought. 'We knew it was important to have one,' Lavery said, 'but we never actually had any sales come through.' Sometimes it was only one order every three months. Lockdown forced a pivot to online, and with it, a new approach. Lavery stepped in front of the camera. 'I got in front of the camera and, through our social media channels, told the story of what we are and what we do and who my team is.' That human connection led to the growth of her brand and its sales. Luck, strategy and a Dior email Earth Age's founders, Elektra Georgiadis, Ashley Wagner and Amy Kunz, began with restless ambition, dabbling in everything from apparel to homeware before finding their lane. 'We realised, hold on a second, this is impossible! We need to hone in on one product and figure that out,' Georgiadis explained. They chose sustainability as their anchor, reaching for hemp and cotton and making hats their hero product. The hats are crafted by a team of Zimbabwean women using techniques passed down through generations. Then came an email that looked a lot like spam: Dior wanted to collaborate. 'We got this message from someone saying they're from Dior… We all thought we were being scammed,' Georgiadis recalled. The collaboration has propelled Earth Age to explore international markets, now selling their products in London. Winning in a digital world Today, countless small brands are lost in an algorithm-fed blur of sameness. This is because online engagement is exploding. 'Instant messaging and email as well as online video and social networks are absolutely ridiculously getting bigger and bigger every single year,' Saggers said. Podcasts are booming too. In South Africa, one in four people listened to a podcast daily, Saggers said, and 55% listened to a podcast weekly. For small businesses, this could translate into opportunity. 'If you can find a podcast that mirrors what you do with your brand, you have a very big opportunity to amplify awareness of your brand and position yourself as an expert,' she said. The opportunity here was agility. Big brands couldn't do what smaller businesses could, Sagger said. 'They will nod and nod… but none of them change their behaviour. They can't do it because there are too many sign-offs that need to happen, and there's too much risk to their brands to do anything adventurous or entertaining.' Where the opportunities lie Nearly half of South Africans believe the country will be in better shape in five years, Kantar's survey found. Two-thirds expect their personal finances to improve within the next 12 months. That optimism creates a window for the brands that can articulate why they matter. 'There's a juggling act,' Saggers noted as consumers balanced essentials with small indulgences. They would down-trade in some categories to spend on what they truly loved. According to her, the solution was to provide a 'meaningful difference'. In a hyperinflationary environment, consumers would pay up to 14% more for brands they believed in, Saggers added. In South Africa, local mattered. Unlike some African markets, Saggers said, 'Made in South Africa' signalled artisanal, sustainable and something to be proud of. Paired with meaning and digital fluency, it was a potent differentiator. DM
The Citizen
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
No fines or penalties over Koeberg delays, Eskom says
The two disputes stem from the Steam Generator Replacement Project of Unit 2 at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station. Eskom has sought to clarify that two contractual disputes with Framatome, the contractor for the Steam Generator Replacement Project at the Koeberg nuclear power station, are being addressed through agreed resolution processes. The two disputes stem from the Steam Generator Replacement Project of Unit 2 at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, which has now seen significant progress, following problems that contributed to a bout of stage 3 load shedding in March. Steam generators Framatome had taken over the contract to supply and install replacement generators at the power plant's two reactor buildings from Areva NP in 2018. The recent Long-Term Operation (LTO) programme for Unit 2 included the replacement of three steam generators, extensive inspections, and refuelling activities, ensuring continued safe and efficient performance. ALSO READ: Koeberg Unit 2 back online, but what caused the 'unplanned' trip? Eskom needed to replace the plant's six steam generators – three in each of its two units – to prolong its life by another 20 years. Media reports Eskom issued a statement on 21 July, following media reports, that the utility had been ordered by the high court to pay more than R1 Billion to Framatome over delays to the Steam Generator Replacement Project at Koeberg. According to reports, the Western Cape High Court agreed with the findings of an adjudicator who investigated the delays two and a half years ago, ruling that Eskom was at fault for the stoppage of work and had to pay for breaching its contract. Disputes The utility's spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, said the two disputes were adjudicated between December 2022 and February 2023. Mokwena said in accordance with the contract, disputes are first referred to adjudication and, if not resolved, to arbitration. 'As Eskom was not satisfied with the adjudicator's decisions, the two matters were escalated to arbitration as per the agreed process. The arbitration was held from June to July 2025, and a decision is expected in the last quarter of Eskom's financial year. ALSO READ: Load shedding: Hiccup in Eskom's power plans 'Recent media reports appear to have mixed separate legal processes. To clarify, no new payments are currently due, and all actions taken by Eskom have been in line with the applicable legal and contractual procedures,' Mokwena said. Disagreement Mokwena added that although Eskom disagreed with the adjudicator's decisions, the utility complied with the requirement to implement the outcome and made payments in the interim. 'All payments had been made by March 2024 as part of standard contract processes—not as penalties or fines. At the same time, in March 2023, Eskom approached the Cape High Court to have the adjudicator's decisions set aside due to procedural irregularities.' Mokwena said the court only delivered its judgment on 17 July 2025, over a year late. 'Eskom is currently reviewing the judgment to determine the appropriate next steps. We encourage the public and media to trust the integrity of this process. Eskom is following the proper legal channels to resolve these matters responsibly, and we remain committed to transparency and accountability throughout. 'Most importantly, despite these disputes, the core technical work, replacing the steam generators on Koeberg Unit 2, has been completed. This is a major milestone that contributes to the safe and extended operation of the power station, helping to ensure energy security for the country,' Mkowena said. Eskom stated that it anticipates a decision on the arbitration hearing in the last quarter of its financial year. Koeberg Koeberg's units 1 and 2 have undergone life extension exercises. In July last year, the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) granted Eskom a licence to continue operating Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 until 21 July 2044. As a result, Koeberg Unit 1 is expected to contribute over 930MW to the grid for another 20 years,' Mokwena said. ALSO READ: Eskom takes action after breach of online vending system
