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Autopsy results reveal starvation as the cause of death for some illegal miners in Stilfontein as death toll rises to nearly 60. Recovery efforts ongoing at Buffelsfontein gold mine to retrieve zama zamas from abandoned shaft. Government’s crackdown on illegal mining continues with over 1,500 arrests. Minister denies responsibility for deaths.
Zak Calisto, CEO of Karooooo, is set to become South Africa’s latest billionaire with direct holdings in the company nearing $1 billion. His beneficial ownership is valued over $1.1 billion. Karooooo, previously Cartrack, offers fleet management and telematics services globally. Calisto owns 65% of the shares and has beneficial voting rights. The company’s market capitalization is $1.47 billion.
Life Healthcare is selling Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) to Lantheus Radiopharmaceuticals UK Limited, a subsidiary of Lantheus Holdings Inc. The deal involves an upfront payment of USD350 million, with a potential additional payment of USD400 million linked to future sales milestones. LMI focuses on developing molecular imaging agents for PET-CT diagnostics and operates in the EU, UK, and USA.
The Council accuses FlySafair of not meeting nationality provisions due to voting rights ownership. Council’s interpretation excludes trusts and companies, risking non-compliance for many South African airlines. FlySafair denies foreign control, citing resident South African voting rights. Council overlooks the 2014 Comair ruling on ownership scrutiny.
Police in Cape Town are investigating the origin of 20 firearms seized after a fatal taxi shooting in Nyanga. One person was killed and seven others injured in a gun attack between rival groups. Safety and security MMC JP Smith urged senior taxi leaders to help ease tensions and take responsibility for resolving conflicts within the industry.
Amazon and Microsoft are hiring for their South African operations, with Amazon offering 93 full-time positions and Microsoft listing seven. Roles include software development, operations, support engineering, product management, customer service, marketing, and construction. Both companies have been in the country for some time, with Microsoft opening offices in Johannesburg in 1993. Amazon’s South African marketplace launched in May 2024, while its AWS business has been operating there for years.
Chinese officials are considering Elon Musk acquiring TikTok’s US operations if the app fails to avoid a ban. Beijing prefers TikTok to remain under ByteDance ownership. The company is appealing to the US Supreme Court, but justices seem likely to uphold the ban. Chinese officials are discussing contingency plans, with one involving Musk.
Billionaire Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital may have to divest a fresh produce company due to a Competition Commission inquiry. The inquiry found ARC’s ownership in RSA Group and Subtropico raises competition concerns in the market. The investigation highlights the lack of incentive for competition between companies with common ownership, impacting market dynamics.
The Henley & Partners Passport Index 2025 reveals South Africans can travel to 106 countries visa-free. Singapore tops the list with access to 195 destinations, followed by Japan with 193. South Africa ranks 48th out of 199 countries. Regional breakdown shows Africa – 34, Americas – 18, Asia – 17, Caribbean – 16, Europe – 3, Middle East – 8, Oceania – 10.
Andiso Mengo testified at a Judicial Conduct Tribunal that Judge President Mbenenge asked her to undress during a WhatsApp exchange in June 2021. The tribunal is investigating allegations of sexual harassment through suggestive messages and inappropriate comments. Mbenenge admitted to some messages but denies others and an alleged incident in his chambers. Emojis in their messages were also discussed during the hearing.
