Latest news with #Rossouw
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
WATCH: Lamb Champs turns up the heat for 2025 with flavour, flair and farm pride
WATCH: Lamb Champs turns up the heat for 2025 with flavour, flair and farm pride South Africa's favourite lamb competition, Lamb Champs, is back for its fourth year and promises to be bigger, bolder and more flavour-packed than ever before. Organised by the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) and supported by Pick n Pay and Toyota, the annual event shines a spotlight on family farmers and the high-quality lamb they produce. This year's competition has already attracted 250 entries. Farmers from across the country will compete in four regional rounds, all leading up to the national grand final at the Nampo Grounds in Bothaville on October 17. According to Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai, the competition is more than just a showcase of premium lamb. 'Lamb Champs is about honouring the real people behind every chop, the farmers who work hard every day to bring quality meat to South African tables,' said Rossouw. Qualifying rounds across the country The 2025 qualifying rounds are taking place on the following dates and locations: July 26 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria September 6 at Parys Afridome in the Free State September 24 at Hoër Landbouskool in Paarl in the Boland The first round saw Lize Mans from Kakamas walk away with R40 000 and earn her spot in the grand final. Family farmers who raise lamb anywhere in South Africa are encouraged to enter. Judges score the meat based on taste, tenderness, appearance and overall quality. More than a competition With Toyota behind the wheel, Lamb Champs gives farmers a chance to share their stories, meet consumers and reach new markets. The campaign also celebrates the heritage and sustainability of sheep farming in South Africa. As part of the initiative, Lamb Champs branded lamb cuts sourced directly from participating farmers are now available at selected Pick n Pay stores nationwide. This supports local farmers while giving shoppers access to premium, ethically sourced meat. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Global mining sector revenue fell by 3% in 2024, but gold revenues increased 15%
According to the PwC report, Mine 2025: Concentrating on the Future, the global mining sector endured a challenging year in 2024. The global mining sector fell by 3% last year according to a new report, although gold earnings increased 32%. It says high costs and increasing investment are eating into the top 40 global mining companies' profits, but strategic opportunities are emerging. According to the report, the top 40 performers, excluding gold-focused firms, saw revenues fall by 3% and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation decrease by 10%. However, while most of the industry battled increasing costs and tightening margins, record gold prices meant that gold revenues increased by 15%, while gold earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 32% as a result of operating leverage. The increasing costs and narrowing margins placed pressure on much of the industry, pushing overall EBITDA margins down to 22%, compared to 24% in 2023. ALSO READ: SA's shrinking mining sector and the policies that brought us here Report's focus on global mining sector Andries Rossouw, energy, utilities and resources leader at PwC Africa, says the report focuses on the role mining plays in expanding and interlocking domains of human activity. 'We examine the ways that value is put into motion, as megatrends – and the responses to them – dictate developments in supply, demand and investment. 'We also examine how the domains of growth identified in our Value in Motion thought leadership are creating opportunities for the mining industry.' He points out that concentration risk arises from the natural endowment of mineral resources that cannot be changed and the enabling environments created by countries. As a result, over the years, he says, there was an increase in the concentration of both reserves and production, as well as the development of substantial mismatches between the two. 'The concentration of mining and processing in a small number of geographies creates the risk that global supply and prices will be affected by location-specific challenges, such as natural disasters, wars, social unrest, political or regulatory changes and infrastructure failures. 'Countries adopted various strategies to secure supply and leverage the value of key commodities. Megatrends are transforming the industry, driving the need for new supply chains, influencing national strategies, fostering innovative collaborations and unlocking new value pools.' ALSO READ: Mining fails to deliver jobs to local communities Demand for mixed mining resources continues to grow Rossouw says as the world undergoes rapid urbanisation, transitions to new energy sources and embraces technological advancements, the demand for mined resources continues to grow. 'These global forces are reshaping industries, making mining central to how we move, build, feed, care and power society.' If mining companies are to create value for stakeholders in the emerging world of domains, they must future-proof their businesses, he says. 'The growth of these domains also offers potential for mining companies to become involved in other industries that help mines operate more effectively. 'These efforts often result in economic development initiatives that provide benefits to the climate as well as broader society. Beyond the domains of growth, key trends such as population growth, the energy transition, environmental impact, tech innovation and AI, and access to funds as well as policy and regulation are expected to shape the future of the industry. 'However, as we forge ahead, one thing is certain: collaboration will be essential in 2025, in 2030 and in 2035.'
IOL News
27-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
South African poultry industry faces uncertainty despite Brazil's avian flu declaration
Farming associations have welcomed news that Brazil declared itself free of the Avian flu outbreak earlier this week. Image: supplied Farming associations across South Africa are cautiously optimistic following Brazil's announcement earlier this week that it has declared itself free of the recent avian flu outbreak. This declaration comes in the wake of the Department of Agriculture lifting its ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from Brazil, though only partially. The ban had initially been enforced after the outbreak was contained to one state in Brazil. South African meat producers on Thursday raised red flags, however, cautioning that despite this promising news, a shortage of Mechanically Deboned Meat (MDM) was still anticipated in the local market. Francois Rossouw, CEO of Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), said Brazil would need to provide sufficient evidence on their Avian Flu health for the department to completely lift the ban on poultry. 'The Department of Agriculture should carefully assess Brazil's current biosecurity measures and disease management strategies. However, it is essential to ensure that any imports do not pose a risk to our local poultry industry,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Rossouw added that the news that Brazil declared itself free of Avian flu could be seen as a double-edged sword for the South African poultry industry. 'On one hand, it may lead to increased competition, which could benefit consumers through lower prices. On the other hand, local farmers may face challenges in competing with imported poultry products. It is crucial for us to support local farmers by promoting best practices in biosecurity.' Rossouw said that Brazil's declaration indicates that they have effectively managed the outbreak, which is commendable. However, Izaak Breitenbach, the CEO of the South African Poultry Association, said raised concern about poultry imports from the United States, who themselves face an Avian Flu outbreak. Breitenbach said all poultry-producing states in the US had been affected, and 27 of those states are currently banned by the South African authorities from exporting poultry to this country. 'Decisions on which US states could or could not export poultry to South Africa should be taken by South Africa, not the US. These decisions have previously been taken by the Department of Agriculture, based on US notifications to the World Organisation of Animal Health. However, the department has now allowed the US to 'self-impose and self-lift' bird flu restrictions,' he said. 'By granting the United States the right to determine its own disease status and export policies, the department has created a serious conflict of interest. The risk is palpable: a country grappling with widespread outbreaks of bird flu can now prioritise its own interests and potentially expose South Africa to the very disease that cost this industry R9.5 billion and wiped out 30% of its long-living chicken flock in 2023. We call on the DoA to end this 'concession' and restore its role as a protector of the local industry.' The SA Meat Producers Association (Sampa) warned that processed meat producers have or will soon run out of MDM because of an impasse between South Africa and Brazil over the technicalities of lifting a ban on poultry from the South American nation. A refusal by Brazilian authorities to accept the proposed wording on South Africa's Import Health Certificate means Brazilian poultry is still unavailable to importers and manufacturers over a week later. Gordon Nicoll, chairperson of Sampa, said they were delighted the department delighted when announced last week that it would accept poultry and poultry products from non-affected Brazilian provinces as members had not received stock of MDM for almost two months. 'Some of our processors had been forced to lay off staff because factories were silent. The fact that we still can't import MDM is disastrous for our members. Even if stock is shipped immediately, we will most likely only receive it in August, which means that factories have lain idle for three months. No manufacturing business can sustain that,' Nicoll said.
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Watch: Sunrise pride prowls Skukuza fairway
As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm… Or, in this case, the 'birdie'. And this could not be more true than for greenkeeper Jean Rossouw, who spotted a pride of seven lions – four males and three females – on the course at the Skukuza Golf Club's number one fairway this morning. With hadedas calling in the background, it was a wonderfully wild African scene, with the pride seemingly embracing the beautiful sunrise in the Kruger National Park. 'It was just after 06:00 this morning when I spotted them, while doing my routine checks on the course and sending our workers out,' Rossouw told Lowvelder. Watch: Video/Jean Rossouw Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
10-06-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
How South Africa's Drylands are being transformed through community-led conservation
Daily Maverick travelled with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to see how changing land management practices is supporting habitat restoration in areas impacted by threats such as mining, farming, renewable energy projects and climate change through its Drylands Conservation Programme. A quiet revolution is unfolding as landowners, conservationists and policymakers collaborate to restore ecologically fragile farmlands while maintaining agricultural livelihoods in the arid expanses of South Africa's Drylands, from the West Coast to the Northern Cape where water scarcity, heatwaves and occasional floods occur, Farmer Mari Rossouw's Katdooringvlei family sheep farm is located along the northern part of the Western Cape coastline where they do small-scale cropping, mainly for feed during summer. Their northern farm boundary also forms the provincial border between the Western and Northern Cape. 'I grew up along the West Coast with my father working in the mining industry. Mining was a part of my everyday life. It was only as I got older that I began to realise the impact mining had on my environment,' she said. The mining companies of the past are long gone, but Rossouw said their footprint is still everywhere and it was the 'unprecedented wave' of new prospecting applications currently plaguing the West Coast that compelled her to get involved in the conservation of the coastline and surrounding inland areas. Katdooringvlei recently received approval from CapeNature to proceed with a conservation process, and if successful, will be registered as a private nature reserve. But Rossouw said the application was merely an extension of their already established conservation practices. 'As custodians of this land we have an intergenerational obligation towards future generations to leave them with some, if not all, environment that is pristine and untouched. The proposed nature reserve is an investment not only for ourselves, but for future generations to still enjoy,' she said. Farmers are probably the best custodians for biodiversity stewardship and securing sites because they've been managing their farms. This all forms part of the voluntary National Biodiversity Stewardship Programme and other contractual tools to legally secure private land and conserve dryland habitats and species under threat. The West Coast and the Northern Cape, South Africa's largest and most sparsely populated province, contains globally significant biodiversity, including 40% of the Succulent Karoo biome, a Unesco-recognised hotspot. But, this fragile environment faces mounting pressures from mining, renewable energy projects, climate change and historical overgrazing. The Biodiversity Stewardship Unit in the Northern Cape, a small team of four specialists, together with conservation NGOs like the EWT, are working to secure and protect critical habitats through voluntary agreements with private landowners. Biodiversity stewardship JP Le Roux, a biodiversity officer in the Northern Cape's Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform (DAERL), has been working within the Biodiversity Stewardship Unit on the formal declaration of stewardship sites. Most of the stewardship sites in the Northern Cape are private landowners getting into biodiversity stewardship, formally declaring their properties as either protected environments or nature reserves. 'Farmers are probably the best custodians for biodiversity stewardship and securing sites because they've been managing their farms. If they don't manage it correctly, then they kind of shoot themselves in the foot,' Le Roux said. The unit found that some of the areas with the most pristine vegetation and wildlife are on privately owned farms that are still being farmed. If you look at the Northern Cape coastline, it's trashed. There's this bottom section that's natural, but already historically was heavily mined. But when it comes to biodiversity stewardship, Le Roux said they don't always have the incentive for biodiversity, so they rely on farmers and people who want to declare and have a conservation-oriented mind frame. And while this remains difficult as the Northern Cape is rife with mining applications and renewable energy applications (solar or wind), Le Roux said there are landowners who see the value and bigger picture. He said that mining and renewables on these properties offer a short-term gain for the landowners, but eventually operations would stop and what's left of that property would not be viable for any rehabilitation or restoration. 'If you look at the Northern Cape coastline, it's trashed. There's this bottom section that's natural, but already historically was heavily mined… If you look at places like Alexander Bay and further up… you don't even see an ant walking around anymore. There's just nothing left. And that's what's going to happen to this whole coastline if we don't secure it,' Le Roux said. South African legislation provides for various tiers of formal environmental protection. National parks and nature reserves are afforded the highest level of protection and are governed by stringent laws. Below these are protected environments, which are areas recognised for their significant conservation and ecological importance, reflecting the country's biological diversity. Protected areas can be divided into zones to support different land uses, and management plans are created to integrate conservation goals with sustainable land management practices effectively. This is how it's being done at Papkuilsfontein farm in the Northern Cape, where controlled livestock grazing forms part of a scientifically informed management plan to restore degraded Succulent Karoo vegetation. Turning farming land into protected environments At Papkuilsfontein, in the Northern Cape, landowners are blending conservation with agriculture through the Drylands Conservation Programme, having had the farm declared a protected environment in February 2025. Nieuwoudtville, where the farm is located, falls within the Bokkeveld Plateau, a region known as 'the bulb capital of the world' because it has the world's highest diversity of indigenous bulbous plants. Since 2009, the provincial Biodiversity Stewardship Unit had been trying to get landowners on this plateau to go into the stewardship process to protect the area, but a lot of farmers were petrified of signing a document with government in the first place and also potentially losing revenue from their farming style. Then the EWT got involved, along with DAERL, to look at alternatives and come up with a strategy to increase tourism on the properties, ultimately to diversify income streams. Zanné Brink, the programme manager of the EWT's Drylands Conservation Project, said: 'This was to say, if you go with protected environment, you can still carry on with your farming practices; there might be some changes that need to take place, but then we can boost your products [tourism] from the property. Then landowners started participating in the process.' The process at Papkuilsfontein took nearly five years from initial assessments to final declaration. When they first started doing biodiversity surveys they found more than 150 species. Now, Brink said, more than 2,500 species have been identified on the farm, just by doing biodiversity surveys. Jaco and Alrie van Wyk are the sixth-generation owners of Papkuilsfontein. Jaco's father, Willem, began the process of transitioning into a protected environment before he handed over to Jaco who explained to Daily Maverick what that transition entailed and how they have adjusted their farming practices over the years to suit this. '[Now] you are much more aware… You don't plant on the edge of the river bank anymore… You make [more] drains for water. The way that we farm now is not making a lot of money… But I think my kids are going to have something to work with. 'It's not sustainable to farm a lot of sheep… [So] we have less sheep per hectare. We put lamb camps up for two months because it has a greater impact on the sheep you have on the field. You still have them on the farm, but it is on the side of the yellow line,' Van Wyk said. The farm's main produce is mostly meat with wool and a little rooibos tea. Now it has the added value of being a protected environment with adventure tourism in nature, including hiking and biking trails around the canyon on the property and its 100m waterfall, as well as birdlife, fauna and San rock art. Papkuilsfontein is also now home to the first via ferrata (protected rock-climbing route) in the Northern Cape at the Papkuilsfontein's canyon. As Willem began the journey towards declaring the property a protected area, he made the family and workers aware that the way they had been doing things was unsustainable. 'The way that we farm now is not making a lot of money. You are not going to have a big land cruiser in the house at the beach and something like that. But I think my kids are going to have something to work with… There will be natural veld and animals left. Like the dwarf tortoise that we have here,' Jaco said. At the moment the biggest threat to the land, Jaco said, is drought, since they are in a water-scarce region. But even with this, he said there were ways of farming and managing the veld that could reduce the impact of drought on their land from climate constraints. Blending conservation with agriculture Rossouw was teary eyed as she described the land of Katdooringvlei. 'It's peaceful, it's quiet… The evenings are gold and the mornings are… I cannot describe how much I love this land and region… There are a lot of challenges to farm here, but this is home,' she said. Specific changes made at Katdooringvlei through this process include taking some of the commercial fields located near sensitive areas out of production, and Rossouw said they plan to rehabilitate these fields to the best of their ability. 'It was a complex conversation when we embarked on the conservation initiative. Taking the commercial fields out of production had an impact on the availability of stubble grazing during the summer months. This, in turn, affected the ewes that were meant to mate on those stubble fields,' she said. The damage caused by mining is visible all around our farm. The thought that everything precious our farm represents… might also look like that in a decade or two was unbearable. Rossouw said the livestock numbers they can maintain within the proposed reserve did not differ much from what they were already farming with. Feed costs are likely to increase, but Katdooringvlei has moved away from traditional ploughing methods to no-till farming, which Rossouw said has had a positive effect on their diesel expenses. But, she could only truthfully say how this affected them a year or two into the process. 'Although we have always been conservation-minded, the increase in prospecting applications, on our land and the surrounding areas, pushed us to take action. 'Our land has been in our family for generations, and we were not willing to lose it to mining. The damage caused by mining is visible all around our farm, and the mere thought that everything precious our farm represents, and what might be lost forever – our family, our traditions, our memories, every little tortoise, every eagle, every flower – might also look like that in a decade or two was unbearable. This is what compelled Rossouw and her family to take decisive action and pursue the protected environment declaration for their land. Le Roux said successful restoration requires long-term commitment. 'Properties mismanaged 50 years ago still show those scars today.' But when they were able to protect functioning ecosystems, they became markers for surviving climate shifts. DM
