Emirates President Reports 90% Flight Load and Full Premium Cabin Occupancy

Representatives of entrepreneurs involved in the agricultural sector of the People's Republic of China, along with representatives of BMB Holding, visited fields in Zhizha province to examine watermelons grown at enterprises belonging to the holding.

Discussion of Export Prospects

During the visit, the main focus was on assessing the export opportunities for watermelons grown in Zhizha to the Chinese market. Specifically, the possibility of delivering the products to 'Xinfadi,' one of the largest wholesale trade centers in Beijing, was discussed.

Positive Assessment of Quality

Chinese entrepreneurs highly praised the taste, quality, and natural characteristics of the watermelons from Zhizha. They noted that this product meets the needs of Chinese consumers and expressed interest in regular export of watermelons to the central markets of Beijing.

Familiarization with Production

The guests also visited the BMB-NRC Agrologistics enterprise, where they familiarized themselves with the processes of sorting, packaging, and preparing watermelons for export.

Cooperation Agreement

Following the negotiations, the Chinese side announced its readiness to begin long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation with BMB Holding. The parties agreed to start practical actions for exporting watermelons grown in Zhizha to the Chinese market, including Beijing.

In the latest episode of the podcast Watts & Wheels with Wills, host William Kelly hosted Greg Cress, who is the head of the automotive and e-mobility industry department at Accenture South Africa, and Gary Scott from Scottify in the studio. Both guests are among the most experienced participants in the South African electric vehicle market and have jointly prepared a guide to buying and owning an electric vehicle.

Debunking Electric Vehicle Myths

The guide was created in response to constant basic questions arising from consumers, such as defining kilowatt-hour, as well as questions about charging locations and connector compatibility. After a long period of accustomed refueling at petrol stations, owners now have to think about the charging process. The experts' advice is to simplify the mathematics associated with operating such vehicles.

Economic Efficiency and Batteries

The guests argue that concerns regarding cost and batteries are largely unfounded. They note that using public fast chargers costs approximately 60% of gasoline operating expenses, while home charging costs closer to 25%, and even less when using solar energy. Furthermore, early Tesla models demonstrate a range of up to 560,000 km while maintaining battery health at 85–88%, and no manufacturer offers a battery warranty shorter than eight years. Battery chemistry is rapidly evolving, including the transition from cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate cells to increasingly popular sodium-ion batteries.

Trends in the South African Market

According to the pair of experts, South Africa is approaching a critical point. The global oil crisis has brought electric vehicles into the main conversation, while simultaneously clearing the dealers' inventory. Official data underestimates this shift: the industry association Naamsa counted only 1,088 battery electric vehicle sales in 2025, but this figure does not include Chinese brands such as BYD, which do not report locally. Meanwhile, sales almost doubled in the first quarter of 2026.

Forecasts and Advice for Buyers

According to the guests' estimates, if undisclosed brands are included, about 500 electric vehicles are sold monthly, and Cress forecasts reaching this number at 6,000 within a year. This real turning point, accounting for 5% of total new car sales, will require 2,000 sales per month, with the main focus on the segment priced under 400,000 rand, as two-thirds of car purchases in South Africa are made here. The advice for potential buyers is to first understand the reason for their interest in the market before succumbing to the allure of technology, and most importantly, to test drive the vehicle. As Kelly noted: if you haven't driven an electric vehicle, don't say they are terrible.

During the last financial year, South Africans bet a total amount exceeding 1.5 trillion rand on gambling. This data was presented to Parliament by the National Gambling Commission.

Profit and Industry Growth

Even excluding payouts to winners, the industry generated a net profit of 75 billion rand, corresponding to the 'gross gaming revenue'. This figure is significantly higher than in previous years: last year the profit was 59.3 billion rand, and two years ago it was 47.2 billion rand, whereas four years ago it reached only 23.3 billion rand. This growth is characterized as exponential.

Shift Towards Online Betting

The main volume of revenue is now generated through mobile devices. Revenue from land-based casinos decreased by 4.1% last year, amounting to 16.6 billion rand. Meanwhile, bets placed using phones or tablets brought in 52.3 billion rand, which accounts for almost 70% of the total gaming revenue in the country. Industry statistics show that 81% of all bets in South Africa are made via phone or tablet.

Dominance of Sports Betting

Sports betting contributes the most. In one financial year, South Africans bet 761 billion rand on sports, which constitutes two-thirds of the industry's total turnover. Bets are placed on various events, including PSL football matches, test matches, and Wimbledon finals.

Financial and Social Impact

Government bodies are also recording increased revenue. Taxes and levies from gambling collected by provinces grew by 20% over the year, increasing from 4.84 billion rand to 5.81 billion rand. The Western Cape province leads in this regard, contributing about 30% of the country's total gambling income, while the Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces follow. Furthermore, the industry directly employs over 33,000 people, and including related jobs in marketing, data, IT, and customer support, the total number of employed is estimated in the hundreds of thousands.

Legal Uncertainty in the Market

Despite rapid growth, the market remains somewhat unregulated. Existing gambling laws in South Africa have not substantially changed since 2004. Currently, Parliament is in the process of adopting specific regulations for online casinos, a process that has dragged on for over two decades. While this is happening, most funds move through licensed sports betting applications, while online casinos exist in a more grey legal area that regulators are trying to bring into order.

Players wishing to check operator licenses and compare terms often use independent trackers such as CasinoWire to filter out advertising noise and fine print.