EMOJI SENTIMENT INDEX
HISENSE GOES GREEN
Electronics manufacturer Hisense will spend R20-million on solar power to take its factory in Atlantis in the Western Cape off-grid. The company said it was an investment in green energy that would reduce the plant’s carbon footprint and help relieve the pressure on the Eskom grid. Over the next five years more than 2,500 solar panels will be installed at the plant, which will generate more than 1.9 million kWh a year. The company said it was vital to ensure the plant had a reliable energy supply for its long-term sustainability.
BLUE LAY’S ARE BACK
Lay’s salt-and-vinegar chips are back –but only for a limited period. There was an outcry from fans when the company announced last year that it was going to drop the flavour because it was underperforming against other flavours. This prompted some diehard consumers to draw up a petition to save the flavour. The distinctive blue bags of chips have been on shelves for a few weeks now as part of a local Lay’s Uefa Champions League 2021 campaign. Lays has emphasised that this is a limited-edition comeback.
UBER HEADS TO COURT
A class action lawsuit is pending against Uber on behalf of their South African drivers. The claim is based on the drivers’ entitlement to rights as employees under South African legislation. They will seek compensation for unpaid overtime and holiday pay. The lawsuit comes after a ruling by the UK supreme court that Uber drivers should be legally classified as workers rather than independent contractors. Uber, the largest ride-hailing service in the world, has lost or settled similar cases in France, Switzerland, Canada and the US.
JOBLESSNESS HITS RECORD HIGH
South Africa’s jobless number has grown to a record 7.2 million. The unemployment rate increased to 32.5% as one million people entered the labour market to seek work, according to Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) figures released on Tuesday. More than half of the unemployed have education levels lower than matric. Graduates make up 1.8% of those who are unemployed. Stats SA said unemployment was concentrated among people aged 15 to 24, was highest among blacks, with black women the most vulnerable.
HARMONY GOES DEEPER
Harmony Gold is considering digging even deeper into the world’s deepest gold mine. The company, which is backed by Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Minerals, believes there are massive ore reserves below the 4km depth of Mponeng. It is hoped this effort will extend the mine’s life by another 20 to 30 years. Harmony became South Africa’s top gold producer after purchasing Mponeng and other assets from Anglo-Gold Ashanti last year. It is hoping to maintain an annual production of 250,000 ounces of gold ore.