President Appoints Long-Awaited New SABC Board After Months of Delays
After a six-month delay, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a new 12-member board to serve the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for five years, reports eNCA. C hartered accountant and Unisa chief financial officer Khathutshelo Ramukumba has been appointed as the chairperson of the board, with former SABC head of news, Phathiswa Magopeni, also joining as a board member. The appointments have been met with relief, although the selection of Ramukumba as the chair was surprising to some, according to Media Monitoring Africa's William Bird.
Capitec Bank Data Reveals South Africans' Increasing Poverty
Capitec data reveals that South Africans are becoming poorer, as income levels fail to keep up with inflation, reports News24. Despite reverting to more affordable products, clients spent more on groceries and fuel compared to the previous year. Central banks have hiked rates aggressively globally in an effort to keep inflation under control, with the fallout from load shedding expected to contribute to a cut in SA's growth to almost zero in 2023. With its clients having less disposable income than before, and due to the significant increase in interest rates, Capitec reported a sharp rise in credit losses, a metric that refers to clients being unable to repay their loans.
Sailor Leads World's Toughest Round-the-World Race
South African sailor Kirsten Neuschäfer is currently leading the Golden Globe solo non-assisted race, with just over 1,000 nautical miles left to the finish line, reports TimesLive. Neuschäfer, who has spent over 200 days alone on the ocean, is aiming to become the first woman to finish the race, which requires contestants to sail around the world without modern navigation equipment, just like the inaugural edition of the race in 1968. Out of the original 16 entrants, only five remain, with Neuschäfer and Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy vying for the lead. Neuschäfer has already impressed the sailing community with her skill and determination, including a rescue mission of a fellow contestant during the race. Her achievement has been described as exceptional, and she has been praised for her toughness and sailing pedigree.
