Table of contents for 2021-12-30 in Star

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za It’s been 25 years of non-stop music-making for rock band WONDERboom and they have released their latest album to celebrate this milestone. Titled 25, the album celebrates the band’s career, which has seen them win awards, travel the globe, delve into other genres of music beyond rock and release nine albums. The band was formed by Martin Cito Otto, Martin Schofield, Wade L Williams and Jonathan Bell in 1996 when Martin, Wade and Cito, originally in an underground band called The Eight Legged Groove Machine, were approached by former member Danny de Wet, the drummer for the rock band The Electric Petals, and their manager, Patrick Horgan. They formed a funk-rock supergroup called The Electric Petal Groove Machine. Two weeks after the combination of the two…

Daniel Radcliffe’s entire life is connected to the Harry Potter film franchise. The 32-year-old actor starred as Harry in the series, and he admits his whole life is linked to the movies. Daniel – who has reminisced about his experiences in Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts – said: “I’ll always be happy to talk about it. I think people expect me not to want to talk about it. But that’s like somebody never talking about their childhood or teenage years.” He said in a clip from the upcoming TV special: “Every part of my life is connected to Potter and to Leavesden [Studios]. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here ... everything I can think of is that related right now. It…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za THE flooding of the Jukskei River in Alexandra, one of South Africa’s oldest townships, has always been a huge problem for residents who stay along its banks. Zandile Mothopi, councillor for ward 76, where most of the damage occurred, said people residing on the banks about 12m away from the river due to soil erosion had become worse off due to flooding. “The area around the river banks has been deemed uninhabitable and people cannot build there, especially because there are yearly floods during the rainy season. “This matter has been going on since 2016; the residents are frustrated because they are being sent from pillar to post trying to get some form of resolution to the matter,” Mothopi said. She said the community was always concerned…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za If you want a seat next to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the ANC’s gala dinner in Polokwane, you will have to cough up R1.2 million for the privilege. The dinner, on January 7 at the Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort in Limpopo, is usually the “appetiser” for the ruling party’s January 8 event. The exclusive dinner, hosted by the Progressive Business Forum, is expected to also be used as a fund-raiser to fill the party’s empty coffers since it has been experiencing serious cash flow problems. Those looking to attend the gala dinner will have eight packages to choose from. If guests want a seat at Ramaphosa’s table, they would have to buy the “titanium package”. There are four seats available to guests at this table. The…

AS IT draws to a close, 2021 will be remembered as a year of technological advancement and space travel, and a year when nations from across the globe stood together in the fight against global warming and the Covid-19 pandemic. It also marks a historic year for Afghanistan as the Taliban celebrated a victory when the last of the US troops departed after a 20-year occupation. Taliban officials said the war was finally over and that the country was a “free and sovereign nation”. Despite this, the people of Afghanistan faced the daunting task of rebuilding the nation in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and a food crisis. While many were not eager to immediately assist the new Afghan government because of the Taliban’s reputation, nations such as China,…

Ntombi Nkosi and Jehran Naidoo SOUTH Africans will today get a chance to bid farewell to the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu as his body lays in state for the first day today at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. The cortege is set to arrive at the west door of the cathedral shortly after 7am and as part of the procession will leave Hertzog Boulevard and travel along Adderley Street into Wale Street right up to the cathedral again. Members of the public will be allowed to view Tutu’s remains from 9am to 5pm. The public will also be allowed to view the remains tomorrow (Friday) ahead of the funeral on Saturday. Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Most Reverend Dr…

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Serbian team for the ATP Cup in Sydney, event organisers said yesterday, raising further doubts over whether the world No 1 will defend his Australian Open title next month. There has been intense speculation over Djokovic’s participation in both events, with the 34-year-old, who is opposed to Covid-19 vaccinations, repeatedly declining to say if he has been inoculated against the virus. Organisers of the Australian Open, which starts on January 17, have stipulated that all participants must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or have a medical exemption granted by an independent panel of experts. Australian Open organisers Tennis Australia and global men’s tennis governing body ATP did not immediately respond to requests for comment.…

Zimbabwe coach Norman Mapeza has named his final 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon, but is without a number of his leading players due to injury and abrupt international retirement. Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, Tawanda Maswanhise of Leicester City, Reims midfielder Marshal Munetsi and Wigan Athletic’s Tendayi Darikwa will all miss the January 9-February 6 tournament through injury. Leading forward Khama Billiat, who plays for Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, announced last month that he had retired from international football. The squad will be led by striker Knowledge Musona and does include Lyon forward Tinotenda Kadewere and defender Teenage Hadebe, who plays in Major League Soccer with Houston Dynamo. Zimbabwe open their Group B campaign against Senegal on January 10, and will also face…

ROME – Antonio Conte entered the Tottenham Hotspur history books on Tuesday by extending his unbeaten league run to seven games, but the Italian is unlikely to savour a frustrating 1-1 draw at Southampton. Spurs went behind to a James Ward-Prowse strike, but the game changed when Mohammed Salisu was sent off and conceded a penalty before half-time, which Harry Kane converted. However, Conte’s side couldn’t find a second, with Kane’s disallowed goal for the narrowest of offside calls providing extra exasperation, as they squandered a chance to significantly narrow the gap to the top four. Spurs dropped to sixth place behind West Ham United, and are five points behind Arsenal in fourth with two games in hand. “We have to be disappointed because you have to exploit the situation…

Bang Showbiz Dr Dre is to hand over $100 million (about R1.5 billion) to Nicole Young after the pair settled their divorce. The music mogul split from his wife in March 2020 after 24 years of marriage, and it has been reported by Rolling Stone that he’s to part with more than one-fifth of his fortune and approximately half of his liquid assets. The publication notes that the 56-year-old hip-hop icon will pay $50m now, and the other half after 12 months. In terms of splitting the assets, Nicole will hold on to a Rolls-Royce, Range Rover, Escalade limousine, Spyder motorcycle, and her jewellery, however, she will have to leave her Malibu abode. As for Dre, he will maintain the rights to his master recordings, Apple stocks, and sales of…

Gcwalisile Khanyile gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za A recent study by Debt Rescue, a South African debt counselling company, has revealed that 73% of South Africans will not have enough money to carry themselves into the new year. According to Debt Rescue’s latest Quarterly Survey which polled over 1 200 South Africans, this is due to the festive season frenzy, which saw many buying presents and often putting them on credit (60%). Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, said: “This is a worrying signal especially as 75% of South Africans’ income goes towards servicing debt and almost 40% of credit-active consumers have impaired credit records.” Roets said that all of this was set against the backdrop of rising electricity, fuel and food prices as well as a higher interest rate while unemployment is…

THE death of Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu has gripped the nation with a deep embrace of shock. As we grieve, we thank Almighty God for the memorable years he gave to this beloved purveyor of justice and humility. His death gives us cause to ponder how he touched our lives. His commitment to social justice and reconciliation, to human rights and the dignity of the human person will be gratefully remembered. The world pays tribute to his immense and unique contribution to peace and justice and his emphasis on the dignity and worth of every individual from conception to the grave. His courage in denouncing international military intervention and his relentless fight against racism over the past 60 years will be remembered by many generations to come. We are devastated…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za Award-winning star Makhadzi has responded to claims made by Bongekile Simelane, popularly known as Babes Wodumo, that she is having an affair with her husband Mampintsha. Babes had thrown insulting remarks at the Limpopo-born music sensation on a live Instagram video threatening to “deal” with her regarding these swirling rumours. Though the Matorikisi hitmaker had taken her time to slam these claims while laughing them off on Twitter, she later shared a video of herself giving more details on what truly ensued on the day where they were all in one room. “I was trying to tell you, Babes Wodumo, that you were supposed to respect the fact that ever since I came to your studio you have never heard anyone talking about anything that happens…

JOE Root must step down as England captain after his team’s meek surrender in Melbourne ensured Australia retained the Ashes, former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has said. Australia’s commanding victory in the third Test by an innings and 14 runs gave the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. England were heavily criticised after their second-innings capitulation, with former captain Ian Botham saying he was “embarrassed” to see them lose the Ashes in only 12 days of Test cricket. “Now Australia are 3-0 up and the Ashes have gone, will Root please stop saying Australia are not much better than us? “I don’t mind him living in cuckoo land, but stop trying to kid us,” Boycott wrote in his column in The Telegraph. “If he really believes what he…

Stuart Hess AT SUPERSPORT PARK stuart.hess@inl.co.za As much as they’ve caused him and his teammates so many problems, Proteas paceman Kagiso Rabada certainly respects the Indian bowlers and the performances they’ve produced in the first Test. India are still in the driving seat heading into the final day, needing just six more wickets to take the lead in the three-match series. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, India’s three front-line seamers, have been superb, and were quicker to sum up conditions here and put the ball in the right areas more consistently than their South African counterparts. “They have pace, they have skill and they are showing why they are a good attack,” Rabada said yesterday. All three Indian speedsters picked up wickets on the fourth day as…

Time appeared to be catching up with David Warner as he struggled for runs a few months ago, but the revitalised opening batsman is now eyeing another Ashes win in England in 2023 after helping Australia retain the urn in Melbourne. Since being dropped by his Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad in September, 35-year-old Warner rebounded to take Player of the Tournament honours during Australia’s T20 World Cup triumph. He now sits third on the runs list in the ongoing Ashes series, with 240 at an average of 60. After 89 Tests and a decade at the highest level, Warner has little left to prove, but the swashbuckling left-hander still has a couple of items on his bucket list. “You know you still haven’t beaten India in India. “That…

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side cannot even think about being able to catch Premier League leaders Manchester City if they put in more performances like their showing in a 1-0 defeat by Leicester City on Tuesday. Klopp’s side slipped to just their second league loss of the season at the King Power Stadium to leave them trailing City, who beat Leicester 6-3 on Boxing Day to make it nine league wins in a row, by six points from 19 games this campaign. “It was not our plan tonight to give City the chance to run away,” Klopp told reporters. “If we play like tonight, we do not think about catching up with City. “But if we play our football, we can see what that means (for the title…

KYLIAN Mbappe said he does not plan to leave Paris St Germain in January, despite mounting speculation about his future, and that he hoped to add to his trophy haul at the end of the season. Earlier this year, PSG turned down multiple bids from Real Madrid for the 23-year-old, who can leave as a free agent at the end of the season when his contract expires. Mbappe is free to negotiate with Real and other clubs next month, but said he was focused on beating the Spanish side when they face off in the Champions League last-16 in February. “I’ll give everything I have to win the Champions League, the league and cup. And to give all the pleasure to the fans, because they deserve it,” Mbappe told CNN,…

Rafieka Williams rafieka.williams@inl.co.za THE Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment’s Working on Fire programme has dispatched more than 100 firefighters in the past few days in operations across the Western Cape. A fire in the Overberg region took almost seven days to contain as firefighters battled to put the blaze out. Chief fire officer Reinard Geldenhuys said mop-up operations were under way. “The biggest fire in terms of difficulty was the fire in Vyeboom, which started in a thick plantation area. “We dispatched two helicopters, several ground teams and fire vehicles to that fire, and we managed to get it under control over night, but a lot of hard work had to go into it,” Geldenhuys said. This year, operations have been busier than usual compared with the…

Itumeleng Mafisa SOWETANS braced the scorching sun yesterday to pay tribute to the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu at a prayer service outside his house in Orlando West. The prayer service was attended by dozens of Anglican clergy and groups from the Anglican Church as well as other denominations. The Orlando Pirates choir soothed the aching hearts of those who came to pay their respects at Tutu’s Vilakazi Street, Soweto, home while neighbours who had lived side-by-side with the Arch for many years spoke of their fond memories of the man of God. Nkele Chakela, who grew up in Orlando West, said that Tutu was the father of the poor in the community. She said Tutu would always take groceries to the poor during Christmas time. Chakela said she became so…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za We take a look at some of the top political stories that made headlines: Zandile Gumede corruption trial The year began with former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused in court for their alleged role in the R320 million Durban solid waste tender of 2017. Although the case has been in court since early 2019, the State appears to be struggling to formulate specific charges. At some point, Durban magistrate Dawn Soomaro warned the State to move with speed on the matter or have the case struck off the roll until they were ready. The comment buoyed Gumede’s supporters who have always claimed the trial was politically motivated and meant to thwart her political ambitions. The State was eventually able to get the case…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za THERE is no doubt that the surge of Covid-19 had a huge impact on artists globally. And as a result, some of them are summing up the year with great disappointment. Prince Kaybee, whose real name is Kabelo Motsamai, took time to reflect on the year 2021 and concluded that things did not quite go as he intended. Among the many things that happened to him this year, the music sensation hailing from Senekal opened up about how he lost his musical inspiration. The renowned DJ also recalled being attacked at his establishment, which saw him break his wrist. The Banomoya hitmaker shared these saddening details with his followers on Twitter, where most followers related to the sentiments he shared. “Yo, man, this was not the best…

Rafieka Williams rafieka.williams@inl.co.za ORGANISATIONS have called for the adoption of a holistic approach to tackle teenage pregnancy, following a policy decision by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) that puts the onus on schools to report teenage pregnancy. The policy provides guidelines on the management of the incidence of pregnancy among learners. Though the Western Cape Department of Health (WCED) could not provide detailed information on the rate of teenage pregnancy in the province, spokesperson Byron La Hoe said: “Based on our records for the period April 2020-March 2021, the overall prevalence of adolescent pregnancy under the age of 19 years in the province was 11.4%. This included births at our health-care facilities.” In a report by Statistics SA for 2020, 33 899 births occurred to mothers aged 17 and…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za AMAZULU have been given a tough draw in the CAF Champions League as they will play in Group B against Raja Casablanca, Horoya and ES Sétifienne. This is Usuthu’s first venture into Africa, and it will be about experience and learning more than anything else for them. However, it is certainly possible for them to go far in the competition with perseverance and a bit of luck. They can take plenty of inspiration from last season’s runners-up Kaizer Chiefs, who went all the way to the final through motivation and luck. Usuthu can certainly strengthened their chances of doing well in the Champions League by venturing into the transfer market to improve a few areas in their squad. Here are three players that they can look to…

Stuart Hess at supersport park stuart.hess@inl.co.za Having not inspired a lot of confidence in the first innings – nor on many occasions in the last few years – it’s over to the Proteas batters to do their darndest to save this first Test against India. Or maybe, miraculously … let’s not go there yet. India remain firm favourites to go one up in the three-match series after reducing South Africa to 94/4 at the end of day four yesterday, having scored 174 in their second innings – the home side still need another 211 runs for victory today. The visitors have definitely batted better, especially in the first innings, and led by Mohammed Shami, bested the South Africans with the ball as well. India were very, very good with the…

Erling Haaland is one of the hottest properties in European football, and his Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund are eager to learn if they will lose their star striker in 2022. The 21-year-old has scored a phenomenal 76 goals in 75 games for Dortmund since his arrival from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020. A release clause in his Dortmund contract, valid until 2024, could allow Haaland to leave in 2022, and club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke wants to know what the player’s agent Mino Raiola has planned. “We will talk in the next few weeks,” Watzke said in early December, “and we will all make sure that we don’t wait until March or April to know the decision.” In March this year, Haaland became the fastest player to reach the milestone…

England’s humiliating surrender of the Ashes to Australia exposed not only a gulf in class between the two old rivals, but also laid bare, in brutally emphatic fashion, the deep-seated problems in English Test cricket. The faint hope of a turnaround in their fortunes in this series ended with them being scuttled out for 68 in their second innings and an innings and 14-run loss in Melbourne. Australia have an insurmountable 3-0 lead after winning the opening Test in Brisbane by nine wickets and the second match in Adelaide by 275 runs. It has been an abysmal 12 months in red-ball cricket for England, who lost four series in a year for the first time – the crushing in Australia following home losses to New Zealand and India, and a…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for Covid-19 for a second time and will miss the Premier League clash with leaders Manchester City on Saturday, the club said. The 39-year-old Spaniard’s first positive test was in March 2020, which prompted English football to shut down as the pandemic took hold. He is the latest Premier League manager to test positive in the last few weeks following Aston Villa’s Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira of Crystal Palace. A club statement read: “Mikel Arteta will miss our match against Manchester City on New Year’s Day after testing positive for Covid-19. “Mikel is isolating in line with government guidelines, and we wish him well.” Arteta, whose side have rebounded from a disappointing start to rise to fourth place after winning their last…

EVERTON’S home Premier League game against Newcastle United, scheduled for today, has been postponed after the visiting team said they were left with insufficient players to fulfil the fixture due to Covid-19 cases and injuries, the Premier League has said. It is the 16th Premier League game to be postponed due to Covid-19 cases and injuries this month. “The Board accepted Newcastle United’s postponement application as the club does not have the required number of players available for the match, due to Covid-19 cases and injuries,” the Premier League said in a statement. Newcastle said a number of players and staff returned positive results during routine PCR tests. Several players have also been injured, with Callum Wilson the latest player to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Newcastle boss Eddie…