Latest news with #Macpherson
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Maitland and Bellville refugees rally against eviction
Paint City tent camp in Bellville, home to refugees who say they are being targeted. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers Refugees living at the Wingfield tent in Maitland and Paint City in Bellville have joined hands, accusing Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson, and Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber, of renewing a wave of state-backed Afrophobis and xenophobia as they plan to evict them. In a statement issued to the media at the weekend, the refugees said plans to evict them were against their human rights, while they continued to live in squalor. They said they intended on hosting a public meeting on Sunday afternoon. The Cape Argus approached the City for their response, to which they said they would stick to the statement issued on June 18, announcing the plans for eviction. Macpherson's office said it was for the City to communicate on the matter while Schreiber's office did not respond to queries at the time of going to print. The refugees are being supported by organisations such as Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia, Khulumani Support Group, Save Our Sacred Lands, Housing Assembly, and the African Legal Students Association. 'Refugees residing at the Wingfield refugee tent and Paint City are facing a renewed wave of state-backed Afrophobia and brutality,' they said. 'We, the undersigned civil society organisations, activists, and community members, denounce these acts as part of a broader neoliberal war on the poor and displaced. Just three days after the DA Ministers' announcement, a 12-metre section of the Wingfield refugee tent was slashed during the night exposing families to winter weather. 'No one knows who did it or why, but we know this much: the act came after dangerous political rhetoric. These forced evictions are not isolated. They are part of a broader attack on the poor. Refugees may be the first targets, but South African residents of Gate 7, who also face landlessness, unemployment, and economic exclusion - will be next." They said the refugees were predominantly from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kensington ward councillor, Cheslyn Steenberg, said he would continue to advocate for their plight for consultation of decisions. "I take note of the comments that was made by the occupants of the tent and their representatives."
The National
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Braemar Folk Festival sets line-up ahead of return
Returning for the fifth year, the Braemar Folk Festival is set to take place in and around the village of Braemar. Macpherson, who has been announced as first up on opening night, October 3, is the Radio 2 Folk Award and Trad Award Gaelic Singer of the Year. READ MORE: Scotland's largest private landowner proposes sauna plans for Loch Ness pub Following Macpherson is TRIP – a young trad group based in Glasgow. Their music combines traditions from Scotland, Ireland, Northumbria and the Isle of Man. Scottish trad and electronic group Valtos (below) will headline the second day of the event, with musician Cahalen Morrison supporting. (Image: BFF) The festival is designed to highlight existing and rising talent while celebrating the country's musical history. Fergus Mutch, festival director, said: 'We've got fantastic concerts from the likes of Valtos, TRIP, Mischa Macpherson and Cahalen Morrison; the local pubs will be jumping with live music and sessions to join in with. READ MORE: Scottish Government announces £23.5 million for active travel programmes 'You'll be able to pick up top performance tips from some world-class musicians in a range of workshops; and there will even be the chance to go wild swimming or foraging, for those who fancy something a bit different. (Image: BFF) 'And where better to enjoy great music than right here in the heart of the Cairngorms – with plenty of opportunity to get outside and soak up the great outdoors between gigs.' Visitors will have the chance to explore the national park area, with guided swimming and foraging workshops being offered during the festival. The festival is being sponsored by the Balmoral Group and the Fife Arms Hotel, and is being presented by St Margaret's Braemar, which is a venue located in the centre of the village. Braemar folk festival runs from October 3 to 5 and tickets are on sale now.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Look at history': the economic threat if Israel-Iran conflict escalates
The assassination of the head of Iran's armed forces has raised fears of another wave of rising crude oil jumped by as much as 13pc to more than $78 a barrel on Friday morning after Israel killed military chief Mohammad Bagheri and conducted a 'pre-emptive strike' against the regime's nuclear jump was the biggest increase since the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, vowing that the battle will continue for as long as it takes. 'We can't leave these threats for the next generation. If we don't act now, there won't be a next generation,' Netanyahu said on Friday. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, is likely to be watching the conflict closely as higher oil prices are felt well beyond the petrol forecourts. Experts warn that if the conflict continues, a fresh wave of tax rises in the autumn are now all but inevitable. Iran is the third-largest oil producer within the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) cartel, behind only Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with output of 3m barrels per day accounting for 3pc of global supply. Callum Macpherson, at Investec, a banking group, notes that concerns about the impact of conflict in the Middle East on oil prices are not new. After all, the assassination of Hezbollah's veteran leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by Israel last October led to a similar spike in oil prices, before concerns eased back and prices fell again. This embedded content is not available in your region. But Macpherson says things may be different this time. 'The market is concerned by comments from Netanyahu that suggest there could be a more protracted campaign than has been the case before,' he notes, adding that Iran is still a big contributor to global supply. 'If Iranian supply were to be significantly disrupted, that could have a big impact on oil prices.' While this is unlikely on its own, the big concern if the conflict escalates is Tehran's ability to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route in the Middle East. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, warned on Friday that Israel 'should expect severe punishment' for the 20pc of global supply is shipped through the narrow strait. Macpherson says if Hormuz was blocked, prices would surge. He added: 'Let's look at history. When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, there were fears over Russian oil supply that sent Brent up to around $140 a barrel. This is an example of an historic precedent of the market's reaction to the potential for a severe supply disruption.' David Oxley, at Capital Economics, says traders remain nervous about what comes next, with any big escalation likely to trigger a surge in prices. 'We're into a world where traders are pricing in the potential for major disruption,' he says. 'And as we've seen in instances like this you could easily get $20, $30, $40 added to the price very quickly.' Macpherson says the implications could be far and wide. 'This doesn't just impact oil markets, but gas markets too,' he says, noting that a significant amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar is also shipped through the narrow strait at the edge of the Persian Gulf. Britain buys some of its gas from Qatar, although its purchases of LNG have fallen dramatically from recent highs. 'That feeds through directly into the inflation basket, through the cost of heating,' says Macpherson. 'And if gas prices go up, there is upward pressure on electricity too. If the situation is prolonged, this could feed through to the cost of manufactured goods, wherever they come from in the world leading to broader implications for inflation.' The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that a 10pc rise in oil prices adds 0.4 percentage points to global inflation and drag down growth by 0.15pc. Consumers will start noticing price rises in the coming days and weeks as they fill up their cars. Oxley, at Capital Economics, estimates that every $10 increase in oil adds 7p at the petrol pump, taking money out of people's pockets. There are also implications for the cost of borrowing. While policymakers at the Bank of England tend to look through one-off price spikes, the prospect of higher-for-longer inflation will be hard to ignore. Traders slightly reduced their bets of two more rate cuts this year to 3.75pc as news of the killing of Bagheri broke. But some fear that the impact of higher oil prices could even force Threadneedle Street to reverse course. Gervais Williams, of Premier Miton, an investment manager, told the BBC: 'It is likely that interest rate cuts will be less, or possibly even interest rate rises to come.' He warns that 'a lot of economic uncertainty ... will lead to a government shortfall, unfortunately, versus their spending review recently. I think that will lead to potentially ... additional UK tax rises later this year'. The combination of weak growth and higher borrowing costs is toxic for the public finances. Analysis cited by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) of 20 years of data from 1984 suggests that a 10pc rise in oil price reduces UK output by around 0.5pc, although the UK is now far less reliant on oil and gas than it was in the past as the economy pivots towards services. In 2010, the OBR said a permanent 20pc rise in the real oil price would reduce GDP by around half a percent. Lower growth means less money to fund the spending boost for the NHS that Reeves lauded this week. Higher oil prices also makes it more likely that she will have to maintain fuel duty cuts for another year at a cost of £3bn. She has to fund that by cutting spending or taxing something else. JP Morgan and Capital Economics both believe that higher borrowing costs and a weaker economy will force Reeves to raise taxes by more than £20bn in the autumn. Simon French, chief economist at Panmure Liberum, argues that there may be a silver lining for a Chancellor looking for political cover for another tax raid. 'A sustained rise in oil prices will raise inflation in the second half of the year making it harder for the Bank of England to cut rates,' says French. 'But for the Treasury the challenges are more nuanced. Any hit to growth will make the fiscal challenges more acute, albeit politically it becomes easier to blame external conditions for tough fiscal choices in the autumn.' Of course, there are factors pulling in the opposite direction, including a decision by Opec in March to pump more than 2m barrels of oil back into the market over the next 18 months. Oxley at Capital Economics says this should provide some relief, with faster supply increases in May and June suggesting 'more supply is likely to be forthcoming' in the coming months. However, he warns the outlook remains bleak. 'To the extent to which oil prices remain elevated, this adds to inflationary pressures and headwinds for the economy,' adds Oxley. 'That's the last thing Reeves wants. She was hoping that growth could help the fiscal situation look better. But any volatility or uncertainty will be the opposite of that. 'But at least she is by no means alone. The world depends on oil. So this isn't necessarily just a problem for Rachel Reeves.' That is likely to offer little comfort for a Chancellor already under fire for her political choices, or the households who will bear the brunt of what looks like another inevitable tax raid. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TimesLIVE
13-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Deon Macpherson vows to end unfair treatment and bribery in EPWP
Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has vowed to stop bribery, unfair treatment and nepotism in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). Macpherson made this promise during an EPWP listening tour at the Disaster Management Centre in Johannesburg on Friday. During the discussion with the community, Macpherson heard how municipal officials were allegedly abusing their roles in the programme through nepotism, bribery and misuse of funds. Macpherson said the programme was aimed at creating work opportunities for those most affected by poverty and excluded from participating in the formal economy because of age. 'It is important that we are able to give people opportunities to employment and to better their lives with skills', he said.
Daily Maverick
08-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Probe into George building collapse complete, findings to be shared with victims' families
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said those responsible for the disaster would be held accountable. After studying a report on the collapse of a five-storey residential property development in George, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson will share the findings with the families of the victims. The report, compiled by the Council for the Built Environment, comes more than a year after the collapse of the residential property development in George caused the deaths of 34 people and injured 28. 'As the department, we will now carefully study the report to develop a pathway forward to ensure that a tragedy such as the George building collapse never happens again,' said Macpherson in a statement. 'As I have previously committed, after studying the report, I will personally return to George to present the findings of this report to the families affected by this tragedy. They deserve to hear directly from us, not through the media, about what went wrong and how we intend to rectify it.' Macpherson's spokesperson, James de Villiers, said a final date had not yet been set by the minister to visit the families. It is also unclear whether the findings of the report will be made public. 'This will be decided after having spoken to the families,' said De Villiers. The collapse of the five-storey development, known as 75 Victoria, in May 2024, was followed by a recovery effort that lasted for several days. Twenty-eight survivors were eventually recovered from the rubble. The contractor for the development was Liatel Developments, under director Theuns Kruger, Daily Maverick reported. Macpherson said the completion of the report 'marks a critical step in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's commitment to uncover the truth behind this preventable disaster and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable'. He said the collapse of the building was 'the result of systemic failures across regulatory bodies and a lack of cooperation among key stakeholders'. He added that the department would continue to work with the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority and other regulatory bodies to 'ensure accountability'. 'As I have said before, the collapse of the George building was entirely preventable, and we will therefore work towards accountability and address any errors which may have been identified. By working together, we are ensuring a safe and secure construction sector for all stakeholders,' said Macpherson. The report is one of several commissioned by various stakeholders into the collapse. In April, the National Home Builders Registration Council's (NHBRC's) investigation into the collapse of the building revealed that there were several breaches in occupational health and safety standards at the construction site, Daily Maverick's Tamsin Metelerkamp reported. The NHBRC is a regulatory body of the home building industry, with a mandate to protect the interests of housing consumers and to ensure that builders comply with the prescribed building standards. Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane said the violations identified in the NHBRC's report included a failure to address safety concerns at the site, as well as the resignation of a safety consultant during the building process. DM
