Potential Food Shortage a Real Possibility - Pick n Pay CEO
South Africa's food industry could be under threat due to ongoing power cuts and rising operational costs, potentially leading to food shortages, reports Moneyweb. Pick n Pay CEO Pieter Boone described the country's load shedding issue as placing the "entire food industry under existential threat". The retailer's assessment shows the country may not be too far from a crisis, and the retailer has already started seeing shortages in certain food categories, including maize meal, potatoes, paper, and long-life milk. The shortages are not solely due to the deterioration of local economic conditions, but also to global issues affecting trade partners, he added.
University of KwaZulu-Natal Vows to Increase Security After a Series of Robberies
The University of KwaZulu-Natal has promised to increase security measures after a group of armed robbers stole personal belongings from students on a bus, reports IOL. The university has initiated a review of its security measures, with a focus on tightening access controls across all university facilities and transportation services. The university is working with law enforcement to prevent and detect crime and is offering counseling services to affected students. This comes after a series of robberies at the university, including one at the EG Malherbe Main Library and another at a UKZN residence.
Bus Company Putco Back on the Road After Agreement Reached
Putco has announced that its bus services will resume on Friday May 5, 2023 following a meeting with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. TimesLive reports that the bus service operator had announced that it was suspending operations until further notice, as it said it had not received its subsidies from the Gauteng department. The interruption affected commuters in Limpopo, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga. Lesufi said that he was pleased that they had reached an agreement and that concerns raised by bus operators would be addressed to ensure that residents continued to have safe, reliable, and affordable transport.
