Latest news with #SouthAfricans
The Citizen
37 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Municipalities accused of ignoring tensions between foreign-owned and local businesses
Deputy Minister Jane Sithole said her office had received complaints from street vendors in Bushbuckridge. Municipalities must investigate and take action on allegations that foreign nationals are preventing South Africans from starting businesses in certain areas. This is the view of Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Jane Sithole, who said her office had received calls from street vendors in Acornhoek, Bushbuckridge complaining about Pakistani nationals evicting them from their shops. Last week in Carletonville, spaza shop owners believed to be Pakistani nationals were accused of assaulting a woman and her husband for refusing to obey their order not to open a shop selling food near their stores. ALSO READ: Gauteng woman allegedly attacked by Pakistanis for opening shop near theirs In a social media video that went viral, a man believed to be a leader of Pakistani tuckshop owners conceded that the fight between his group and the family erupted after they continued with their plans of opening a store near his spaza shop. In an interview with The Citizen on Friday, Sithole urged municipalities, traditional leaders and other stakeholders not to ignore complaints from hawkers and spaza shop owners. She said there was a tendency for authorities not to attend to residents' complaints until it's too late. 'For now, I can't say who is wrong or right, but what I know is that people are complaining about this. We all know that chasing away street vendors is not the foreign nationals' job as only the municipality can do that. 'Hence I say the Bushbuckridge municipality and the other municipalities must take these complaints seriously and deal with them before the situation gets out of hand.' She said her department is investigating the matter raised by the hawkers in Bushbuckridge. 'We, as the leaders, collectively have a duty of making sure that confrontations between locals and foreign-owned businesses are averted. Most of the street vendors who contacted my office said they tried in vain to report the matter to the municipalities, traditional leaders and councillors.' ALSO READ: Illegal spaza shops 'still proliferate' despite warnings Sithole also urged the municipalities to erect stalls for hawkers to help them run their businesses, as some of them are breadwinners in their families. 'If you run a shop to make a living, please do not evict other people who are also trying to make a living.' Bushbuckridge municipality spokesperson Fhumulani Thovhakale was contacted regarding the Bushbuckridge matter, but she did not respond to the questions sent to her.
The Citizen
37 minutes ago
- Business
- The Citizen
How SA's youth make and (should) spend their money
While some consider Gen Z a lazy bunch who want everything for nothing, the truth is quite different according to a survey. South Africa's youth are grappling with deepening financial challenges, including crushing unemployment, limited asset ownership and mounting debt levels, making older people wonder how they make and spend their money. Eighty20, a consumer analytics and research company, analysed people younger than 24, who make up 44.5% of the population. With nearly 30 million people under the age of 24, South Africa's economic future hinges on whether this generation can break the cycle of financial exclusion that currently defines their prospects. The research reveals that of the 6.7 million young people between the ages of 18 and 24, only a million are credit-active. However, among these credit users, nearly half have already defaulted on their loans. With an average monthly income of R3 400 (less than half the national average of R7 000) and a youth unemployment rate of 62.4% according to Statistics SA, financial strain is widespread in this age group, Andrew Fulton, director at Eighty20, says. ALSO READ: SA youth not unemployed, rather under-employed SA's youth mainly use retail credit Among the million credit-active youth, retail credit dominates, with 85% of the respondents holding store accounts. Personal unsecured loans follow at 17%, while 9% have credit cards. In addition, young people represent approximately 4% of South Africa's total outstanding debt, carrying R10 billion in combined obligations. However, Fulton points out that their credit performance is worse than the national average, with R1.1 billion, or 11% of their total debt, currently overdue. This elevated delinquency rate signals particular financial stress within this age segment, Fulton says. MRF's Marketing All Product Survey (MAPS) of 20 000 South Africans shows that the youth are more concerned about privacy when it comes to credit. They prefer that others do not know they are taking a personal loan and would rather take the loan from a financial institution rather than from friends or family. South Africa faces a stark financial inclusion divide among young adults, Fulton says. 'While people under 24 represent approximately 20% of new credit market entrants over the past three months, a few hundred thousand individuals, this figure masks a deeper problem that many young South Africans never enter the formal credit market at all. ALSO READ: The dark picture of youth unemployment in South Africa Exclusion among youth creates two distinct groups Fulton says this exclusion creates two distinct groups: people who successfully access credit can join the formal financial system and participate in the economy, while many others remain locked out, classified as 'thin file' clients due to their lack of credit history. 'Without access to formal credit, these young South Africans are excluded from significant economic opportunities.' A credit score serves as the gateway not only to lending products and favourable terms, but to essential services across multiple sectors. A healthy credit profile enables access to cellphone contracts, rental agreements and can even influence employment opportunities, Fulton says. 'Expanding credit access among young adults represents both individual economic empowerment and broader formal economy development.' However, he says a further challenge lies in how people who do qualify for credit perform: approximately half of young borrowers default early in their credit journey, with most maintaining high-risk credit scores. 'This pattern underscores the urgent need for enhanced financial education and for those in distress to get into debt counselling early.' ALSO READ: Entrepreneurship a solution to youth unemployment – but there are challenges Youth make money with side hustles How do young people make their money to make ends meet? Enter the side hustle economy. Fulton points out that youth unemployment is at crisis levels, with fewer young people in formal employment now than in 2008. Harambee, an NGO focused on youth employment solutions, reports in its quarterly Breaking Barriers analysis that of the one million young people entering South Africa's labour market annually, only 40% find work in the short to medium term, while 30% find intermittent employment but remain mostly unemployed or outside education and training, 20% want to work but never find opportunities and 10% stop seeking work altogether. In addition, for those who are employed, side hustles have become essential to make ends meet. BrandMapp, a survey of South Africans in households earning over R10 000 monthly, shows a notable shift: in 2021, 55% reported having no side activities that create extra income, but this dropped to 49% in their most recent survey. The survey asks for details on these activities and the percentage of people who say they are running small businesses as a side hustle, or taking second jobs in their primary field has grown by 50%. This trend mirrors international patterns, with about 50% of millennials and 46% of Gen Z reporting side hustles. ALSO READ: Minister agrees unemployment statistics should include work in informal sector Kind of side hustles the youth choose The nature of these side hustles varies by demographic. BrandMapp data shows that 'home industry' activities are more common among black married couples, while temporary and shift work in restaurants and bars is more prevalent among white South Africans. Fulton says the intersection of limited formal employment, growing debt burdens and the rise of alternative income sources creates challenges as well as opportunities for South Africa's young people. 'In the face of considerable financial headwinds, many young people are turning to side hustles as a means of creating opportunity in a tough economy, but with the right support structures and a focus on keeping their credit history clean, this generation has the potential to drive long-term, inclusive growth.'
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
ZIM vs SA Live Streaming Info, 1st Test: When and where to watch South Africa tour of Zimbabwe 2025; match details, squads
World Test Championship (WTC) winner South Africa will test its bench strength during a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, starting on Saturday at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The new-look Proteas will be led by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj in the absence of the injured Temba Bavuma. As many as three South Africans — Dewald Brevis, Codi Yusuf and Lhuan-dre Pretorius — will make their debut in the first Test. Zimbabwe — skippered by Craig Ervine — will face an uphill task against a strong opposition, but will have the services of experienced pacer Blessing Muzarabani, reliable batter Sean Williams and promising youngster Brian Bennett. Zimbabwe has lost eight of the nine Tests it has played against South Africa, which it last faced in the longest format back in December 2017. ZIM vs SA 1st Test - Match Details When will the first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa take place? The first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa will be held from June 28-July 2. Where will the first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa be held? The first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa will take place at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. At what time will the first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa start? The first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa will begin at 1:30 PM IST. The toss will be held at 1 PM IST. Where to watch the live telecast of the first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa in India? The first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa will not be telecast live in India. Where to watch the live stream of the first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa in India? The first Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa will be streamed live on the FanCode app and website in India. THE SQUADS Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Sean Williams, Nick Welch, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Clive Madande (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Vincent Masekesa, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga, Trevor Gwandu, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza, Kundai Matigimu, Prince Masvaure. South Africa Playing XI: Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne, Corbin Borch, Keshav Maharaj (c), Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka.
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- General
- The Citizen
SASSA reveals July 2025 grant payment dates for beneficiaries
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the grant payment dates for July. Beneficiaries can expect to receive their grants according to this schedule: • Older Persons Grant: July 2. For South Africans aged 60 and older Disability Grant: July 3. For individuals living with disabilities Children's grants: July 4. Includes child support, foster care and care dependency grants for children under 18 (Note: The Child Support Grant might be paid on July 7, but is currently scheduled for July 4.) ALSO READ: June grants delayed amid SASSA investigation SASSA distributes grants through bank deposits, SASSA/Postbank cards and at selected retail outlets, including Pick n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite and Checkers. Beneficiaries are encouraged to stay up to date on the schedule and payment options to ensure a smooth collection process. For more information, contact SASSA on 0800 60 1011 or grantenquiries@ At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- General
- The Citizen
SASSA confirms July 2025 grant payment schedule
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the grant payment dates for July. Beneficiaries can expect to receive their grants according to this schedule: • Older Persons Grant: July 2. For South Africans aged 60 and older Disability Grant: July 3. For individuals living with disabilities Children's grants: July 4. Includes child support, foster care and care dependency grants for children under 18 (Note: The Child Support Grant might be paid on July 7, but is currently scheduled for July 4.) ALSO READ: June grants delayed amid SASSA investigation SASSA distributes grants through bank deposits, SASSA/Postbank cards and at selected retail outlets, including Pick n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite and Checkers. Beneficiaries are encouraged to stay up to date on the schedule and payment options to ensure a smooth collection process. For more information, contact SASSA on 0800 60 1011 or grantenquiries@ At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
