Current African News
SMME founder juggles full-time job, motherhood and growing Checkers haircare brand
When 35-year-old Liesl Smerdon looked through a family photo album, she never imagined that one childhood photograph would eventually lead to a range of haircare products stocked on Checkers’ shelves. The photograph showed her as a 10-year-old with a head of natural curls.
Awards and achievements

Master Butcher’s son Dean De Sousa crowned 2026 Boerewors Champion
A 33-year-old investment actuary and portfolio manager, Dean De Sousa from Bryanston in Gauteng, was crowned the country’s top boerewors maker at the 34th annual Championship Boerewors finale on Saturday, 15 August.

Plett retailer in the running for historical three-peat
A Plettenberg Bay supermarket has won seven regional and two national awards in nine years.
Woolworths triumphs again at SA dairy championships
With one of South Africa’s largest and most diverse selections of premium dairy products, Woolworths has once again claimed top honours at the 193rd edition of the prestigious SA Dairy Championships – Africa’s biggest and longest-running dairy competition.
Going green
Nationwide E-Waste recycling now as easy as your weekly shop
As electronic device usage continues to rise across South Africa, awareness around proper disposal remains limited, leading to the collection of electronic waste landing at below 1% in some South African regions.
Tiger Brands powers ahead with renewable energy rollout as seven manufacturing sites generate solar energy
Tiger Brands has reached a milestone in its renewable energy journey, with solar power now operational at seven of its manufacturing sites across South Africa, helping to reduce the company's reliance on non-renewable energy sources while lowering its carbon footprint.
Massmart continues to tackle South Africa’s fastest-growing waste stream
Electronic waste (e-waste) remains South Africa’s fastest-growing waste stream, posing a pressing environmental challenge that is compounded by the limited number of safe disposal mechanisms available.
Supplier Chain

SMME founder juggles full-time job, motherhood and growing Checkers haircare brand
When 35-year-old Liesl Smerdon looked through a family photo album, she never imagined that one childhood photograph would eventually lead to a range of haircare products stocked on Checkers’ shelves. The photograph showed her as a 10-year-old with a head of natural curls.

TotalEnergies launches Friday fuel cashback rewards to help motorists save
With transport costs continuing to place pressure on household budgets, South Africans are increasingly looking for ways to reduce everyday expenses. As a result, loyalty programmes that reward routine spending are becoming an attractive option for consumers seeking extra value from purchases they already have to make, including fuel.

A single certificate error threatens South Africa's winter oxtail supply
South Africans could soon pay substantially more for one of the country's favourite winter meals after an administrative error blocked Argentine oxtail imports, which supply the majority of the local market.

From Kitchen Passion to Retail Shelves – SPAR opens doors for local food brands
The SPAR Supplier Development Programme is helping small South African brands like Simply Deli access market opportunities, build capability and scale for long term growth

How a father-and-son team from Gauteng built Essence Hair Care into a retail success story
For more than 40 years, Norman Motsepe (56) has built a career around helping South Africans look and feel their best.
Retail Readiness Programme expands to Transpharm for the first time
Transpharm recently concluded its first intake of unemployed youth into the Shoprite Group’s Retail Readiness Programme (RRP), which kicked off in March. As the Group’s pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution business, Transpharm supplies medicines and healthcare products to pharmacies and medical providers across South Africa.
