Top Stories

The first marine rabies outbreak puts SA in the spotlight


Daily Maverick


A rabies outbreak in South African Cape fur seals, a first in the marine environment, raises concerns about cross-border transmission. The documentary “Out of the Blue” sheds light on the outbreak’s impact and the need for prevention efforts. Researchers suspect transmission from black-backed jackals and warn of potential spread to other regions. Vaccination research is ongoing, but protecting the entire seal population may be challenging.



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South Africa is getting a new dollar billionaire


BusinessTech


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.



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American giant buying South African-owned company for R14 billion


BusinessTech


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.



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Dubious reasoning threatens to ground South Africa’s aviation industry


Daily Maverick


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.



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Microsoft and Amazon on South African hiring spree


BusinessTech


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.



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Blow for billionaire Motsepe’s company in South Africa


BusinessTech


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.



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