
Oceana Group has refuted reports claiming the closure of its Lucky Star cannery in South Africa, clarifying that operations have been temporarily consolidated due to fish supply shortages. The company issued a statement in response to reports suggesting that Lucky Star and Amawandle canning factories on South Africa鈥檚 West Coast would close by the end of June. Oceana stated that the headline was misleading and that operations from its Amawandle Pelagic facility at Laaiplek have been moved to its Lucky Star operations in St Helena Bay. This decision, according to Oceana, was made to protect jobs and ensure employees continue to earn an income. The company attributes the difficulties to the unavailability of fish, specifically noting that the full local South African pilchard quota has been caught, and it is struggling to source sufficient imported frozen fish. This clarification follows concerns from workers and trade unions regarding potential job losses. Oceana's procurement teams are actively working to secure enough frozen product for the next three to four months, and the consolidation will remain until sufficient fish stock is available.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Must ReadArgentina is one game away from becoming the third team to successfully defend the World Cup, with European champions Spain as their opponent. Historically, only Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 have achieved this feat. Italy retained their title by beating Hungary 4-2 in the 1938 final, four years after defeating Czechoslovakia. Brazil, with Garrincha playing a key role, beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in 1962, following their 5-2 victory over Sweden in 1958, despite Pele's injury. Other teams that reached the final in consecutive tournaments but failed to win include Argentina in 1990, who lost to West Germany after winning in 1986, and Brazil in 1998, who were defeated by France after triumphing in 1994. Most recently, France came close to retaining their title in 2022, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick, but ultimately lost to Argentina on penalties.
Must ReadLionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are set to face each other in the World Cup final, marking a significant moment nearly 20 years after they first posed for a photo together. In 2007, a 20-year-old Messi and then five-month-old Yamal were photographed for a Unicef calendar after Yamal's family won a raffle. Photographer Joan Monfort recalled that Yamal, who was always smiling, "stole Messi鈥檚 heart." Messi, now 39, and Yamal, 19, will share football's biggest stage. Messi, who will likely be playing in his last World Cup tournament, expressed his surprise at the full-circle moment, stating, "The fact that we鈥檙e both playing in the World Cup now is crazy." He acknowledged his soft spot for Yamal due to their shared Barcelona connection but affirmed his commitment to winning the final against Spain. Both Messi and Yamal are now Unicef Goodwill Ambassadors. Yamal has spoken about the importance of football in his life, providing structure, belonging, and hope for the future, and the need for children to have safe places to play.

South Africa secured a 43-0 victory over Wales in Durban, reclaiming first place in the Nations Championship southern hemisphere standings. Debutant wing Jaco Williams scored a try and set up another for the Springboks. Despite the wide margin, the Rugby World Cup title-holders made several handling errors and conceded penalties in the first half. South Africa needed a bonus-point win by at least 14 points to surpass New Zealand, a goal achieved early in the second half. Both South Africa and New Zealand now have 15 points, with the Springboks leading on points difference. Wales is fifth in the northern hemisphere standings. South Africa captain Pieter-Steph du Toit noted the team's defensive efforts and the performance of new players. Wales hooker and skipper Dewi Lake expressed pride in his team's improved performance compared to their last encounter with the Springboks, despite the scoreline. Fly-half Vusi Moyo, another debutant, kicked three conversions from four attempts. South Africa's tries came from Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Jesse Kriel, Jaco Williams, Herschel Jantjies, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Paul de Villiers.