Inhoudsopgave van 2021-11-15 - Star

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za LOGISTICS SOE Transnet narrowed its losses in the six months to September, aided by a further easing of lockdown restrictions, though there are still telling effects from the July looting and unrest, a devastating cyber-attack later in that month and disruptions associated with fuel theft from its pipelines for which it had to pay over the barrel. The group posted a net loss of R104 million, narrowing down from a net loss of R3 billion in the same period a year earlier, while revenue increased by 11.3 percent from R32bn to R35.6bn. “With the financial performance for the six months to September 2021 as well as expected continued recovery for the six months thereafter, we expect the busi- ness and financial performance for the…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za Trade among African countries is expected to surge in the coming 12 months as lockdown restrictions continue to be eased, ushering in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in earnest. AfCFTA will take centre stage at the week-long Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) taking place in Durban from today. The IATF2021 is poised to boost commerce across Africa, with $40 billion (R613bn) of trade and investment deals set to be concluded at the event. The fair will also provide an opportunity for the more than 80 South African companies to interact and connect with companies and business people from the rest of the continent. Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina on Friday said initiatives such as the IATF should boost the objectives of…

Zodidi Dano zodidi.dano@africannewsagency.com Schools admissions policies run contrary to transformation. The policies themselves discriminate against learners from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. That’s according to Shorn Khumalo, who is guardian to Grade 7 pupil Snenhlanhla Gumana. Children who live in poorer communities often struggle to secure placement and admission into former Model C schools in more affluent, neighbouring areas, due to admissions policies excluding children living outside a 5km radius. While this ensures preference for pupils living closer to the school, it also excludes pupils who are both academically capable and whose parents or guardians are able to afford the fees and the commute. These children are often put on the waiting list. This is especially prevalent in the Western Cape, where pupils are excluded from attending former Model C schools by…

From Page 1 Some of the matters highlighted include Regional Executive Committee (REC) meetings that have not quorated for about two years; and when they do they collapse into factional squabbles. This, the letter said, happens in Provincial Executive Committee meetings. “If any assumed meeting took place its recordings have no legal standing, based on the fact that in-fighting has collapsed the REC; factionalism is prevalent and has had political ramifications felt and seen in our branches.” The letter adds that the Gauteng PEC has abdicated its political responsibility to supervise the REC, allegedly because PEC members belong to factions. The letter claims these factions are led by Morero and Gauteng provincial secretary Jacob Khawe. “The courts will be approached to seek intervention in the dissolution of the ANC PEC…

Rafieka Williams rafieka.williams@inl.co.za A FORENSIC report by Mazars investigating the National Arts Council (NAC) has revealed serious discrepancies within the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP). The investigation was conducted following complaints and allegations by the creative arts industry about maladministration and financial mismanagement regarding the PESP. The PESP was initiated to offer support for employment retention opportunities that would assist 7 000 beneficiaries in cultural and creative institutions and organisations, with an allocated budget of R100 million. It also aimed to create work opportunities for 8 000 beneficiaries in the cultural and creative industries, with an allocated budget of R185 million. The report’s findings included financial mismanagement, process irregularities and a lack of adequate oversight. This has led to the appointment of a new council in the hopes that these…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za THE NATIONAL Lotteries Commission (NLC) has dedicated this month to champion the cause of people living with disabilities, especially leading up to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3. It helps to highlight global and local efforts to create equal opportunities for people with disabilities and recognises their accomplishments and contributions to economic development, it said. The NLC’s Thabang Mampane said the commission’s social consciousness values “find expression in our programmes”, and a significant portion of funding in the charities sector goes to providing basic care and support for people living with disabilities, making sporting codes and recreational facilities accessible in that sector. Recent achievements of South Africa’s athletes at the Paralympic Games have been a highlight under the banner of #FundingForImpact. Mampane added…

Farouk Araie | Benoni Beauty pageants have been held globally for over 75 years without any hiccups. This year’s Miss Universe contest is being held in Eilat, Israel. The escalation of suffering in the war zones of this area, kindles anger and hatred, unprecedented in human history. It is no longer about beauty, but the violation of human rights that makes humanity cringe. Beauty has ceased to exist in this area. The weapons of war have been beautified and sanctified by the war lords of the holy lands. War continues in the Middle East on a scale that is truly shocking. The global community looks on while the savagery continues. The battle for the heart and soul of Palestine rages on. These courageous people face…

John Aerni-Flessner and Chitja Twala The issue of land, especially its redistribution, remains contentious in South Africa 27 years after the formal end of apartheid. Land redistribution was promised at the end of apartheid. The failure of the ANC government to do so is emblematic of its failure to fundamentally transform the country. Yet, dispossession of land is a historically rooted problem. The Land Act of 1913 forbade black ownership of land in roughly 93% of the country (amended in 1936 to 87%). In the 1960s and 1970s, the apartheid regime forcibly removed millions of black South Africans from their homes, dumping them in squalid conditions in the so-called bantustans. The apartheid-created bantustans, or “homelands”, were 10 undeveloped territories the regime carved out for particular ethnic groups. These territories’…

Sara Duterte-Carpio, 43, pictured, the daughter of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, will run for vice-president in the 2022 elections, the government’s election monitor said at the weekend, after months of speculation she would seek the top job. The Davao City mayor had been widely expected to contest the presidency in a bid to succeed her father, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term and is facing an investigation by the International Criminal Court into his deadly drug war.…

IRAN’S footballers, well-placed to reach the World Cup 2022 finals in Qatar, feel they are being taken for granted by their national federation. “Our victories have become a normal thing (for the federation). Instead of giving us more support, they’ve completely forgotten us,” the players lamented in posts on Instagram. “The people need to be informed of the excessive problems faced by the national team,” players wrote. This state of affairs is "not at all worthy of our country's name". Iran beat Lebanon 2-1 away on Thursday, leaving them at the top of Group A in Asian qualifiers for next year's finals. “We've been using old shirts for the past year,” players said. The federation reacted quickly to the posts, with spokesman Hossein Sharifi saying on state television its president…

Horse racing operator 4Racing have been granted licences by the Gauteng Gambling Board, paving the way for it to assume management of Highveld Racing operations. The Gauteng Gambling Board (GGB) on Friday granted 4Racing the transfer of the totalizator, bookmaker and race meeting licences from Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited at Turffontein Racecourse. This follows the earlier transfer of licence approvals received by 4Racing from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator, the Eastern Cape Gambling Board, the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, and the Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Authority. “The transfer of the operating licences from the Gauteng Gambling Board to 4Racing is a major step forward for the South African horse racing industry,” said 4Racing chief executive Fundi Sithebe. “It allows 4Racing to bring stability to the industry…

Mitchell Marsh smashed an unbeaten 77 as Australia hammered New Zealand by eight wickets to clinch their maiden T20 World Cup title yesterday. Chasing 173 for victory, Australia depended on a 92-run second-wicket partnership between David Warner, who made 53, and Marsh to achieve their target with seven balls to spare in Dubai. Warner became Trent Boult’s second wicket but Marsh kept up the charge to power Australia home to their long-awaited T20 crown and add to their five 50-over World Cup trophies. Glenn Maxwell, who made 28, joined Marsh, who hit six fours and four sixes in his 50-ball knock, to put on 66 runs and hit the winning boundary as the Aussies came charging in to celebrate the triumph. Skipper Kane Williamson hit a valiant 85 in New…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za ABSA’S SHARE price fell 2.13 percent to R135.50 on Friday after its board announced that prominent businessman Sipho Pityana would be removed as lead independent director with immediate effect, although he will remain on the board as a director. The share price fell the most of the country’s four biggest banks. His removal followed his decision to take the Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority to court for allegedly unfairly blocking his candidacy as Absa’s chairperson, which allegedly was due to a claim of sexual harassment made against him during his time as chairperson of Anglo Ashanti, a claim that Pityana has denied. At the end of last month Absa announced former Momentum Metropolitan chairperson Sello Moloko as chairperson-designate, with effect from December 1. Moloko takes over from…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za IRONGATE Group, formerly Investec Australia Property Fund (IAP), has spurned a revised offer from Australia- based asset management firm 360 Capital Group. Irongate had wind of IAP’s intentions in July already, when it warned in a letter to shareholders against appointing two 360 Capital’s directors to the IAP board at the annual meeting that month, and stating in the letter: “The board is concerned … 360 Capital Group could seek to gain effective control of IAP below its fundamental value.” Shareholders heeded the call evidently, as the two directors did not receive enough votes for their appointment at the IAP annual meeting. 360 Capital Group already holds about 19.11 percent of IAP shares. IAP said on Friday that it had received a…

THE University of the Western Cape Student Development and Support (SDS) graduated its first students’ programme designed and implemented to address graduates being suitably qualified due to no work experience but not necessarily prepared for the work industry. SDS’s Graduate Competency Development Programme enhances workplace readiness for UWC graduates by means of providing internships and structured student assistantships. |…

Girlfriend goes snack hunting and finds legs and arms in her date’s back room instead Itumeleng Mafisa THE DISCOVERY of disjointed human body parts in a back room in Protea Glen, Soweto, has left residents shocked and in disbelief. The body parts were discovered by a young woman who was visiting her new boyfriend, whom she met on Facebook. It is understood that the couple had their first date on Friday, when the woman spent the night with the boyfriend in the back room he was renting. Trouble started when the young woman told the boyfriend that she was hungry. The boyfriend left the house, giving the woman a chance to look for food in the fridge. This is when she discovered human body parts stored inside it. After…

Nokwanda Ncwane IN OBSERVANCE of Disability Rights Awareness Month, the Department of Social Development and other stakeholders hosted a three-day series of dialogues on sexual, reproductive health and rights for short-statured people. The dialogue was held at the Sierra Burgers Park Hotel in Pretoria last week, and had participants from various provinces across the country. South Africa commemorates National Disability Rights Awareness Month annually between November 3 and December 3, and last week Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu chose to focus on short-statured people. Commemorated under the theme: “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke – Create and Realise an Inclusive Society Upholding Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, the event was held from Wednesday to Friday, and a dialogue therein highlighted the challenges experienced by short-statured people. They…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A TEACHER who assaulted a learner in retaliation has lost his bid to overturn the punitive sanctions imposed on him by the Gauteng Department Education. Peter John Wilsnach, a teacher at Hoërskool Roodepoort, was found guilty of assault in an internal disciplinary hearing for slapping a minor learner identified as W. Based on events captured on video, it became common cause that W was the first to strike Wilsnach. The video showed W putting his finger up the teacher’s nostril and slapping him against the cheek. Wilsnach struck the learner as he turned to walk away, the footage also showed. The learner fell to the ground after the slap. The teacher testified that he slapped W after W threatened to get his father’s gun. He said he…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za FOUR endangered Asiatic lions have tested positive for Covid-19 at Night Safari park in Singapore and have been placed under “quarantine”. Mandai Wildlife Group, which operates the park, said the lions were recovering after testing positive. “For now, they are bright, alert and active, and while we expect them to fully recover soon, we are monitoring them very closely. “The World Health Organization for Animal Health has advised that risk of transmission from infected animals to humans is very low. Nevertheless, we have closed their exhibit while they rest. Thank you to all who have sent in well wishes!” read a social media post by the group. Three zoo keepers from the Night Safari have also been infected. An African lion at Singapore Zoo – which is…

Cometh Dube-Makholwa | Midrand During apartheid, 60 years was the non-negotiable retirement age. There was no shortage of well-educated, well-trained and experienced people in all sectors of industry to take over from those who were ready to exit employment and go into retirement. But, the irony of the situation today is that our education and training cannot be compared to the standards that existed then. Consequently, most industries, whether we like it or not, have found it necessary to keep those who should have retired, in their employment to continue the good work especially nurses and other categories of health professionals beyond the age of 70 for the good and protection of the nation. Our freedom has brought the good and the bad. Who could have…

Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov Vladimir Putin has a message for the US and its allies: Moscow won’t tolerate creeping expansion by their armed forces into Ukraine. That’s what he’s told German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other Western officials who have called in recent days to warn him about what they say is a new accumulation of tanks and troops near the border with his neighbour that has Washington and some other capitals worried that the Russian president could be planning a repeat of the 2014 invasion. In Moscow, senior officials and others close to the leadership say the Kremlin aims to make clear that any further Western steps to provide weapons or expand military facilities in Ukraine would cross Russia’s red line. “Formal Nato membership may never happen, but…

Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a “national effort” to break a fourth wave of coronavirus infections that is sweeping across Germany and she again urged people to get vaccinated. The EU’s most populous country officially recorded 50 196 new cases over 24 hours to Thursday – the first time the figure has exceeded 50 000. On Saturday, the Robert Koch Institute health agency reported 45 081 more cases with 228 deaths over the previous 24 hours. “I am very concerned by the situation,” Merkel said in a weekly podcast. “We face difficult weeks. We need a national effort … to break the difficult autumn and winter wave of the pandemic. If we show solidarity, if we think about protecting ourselves and taking care of others, we can spare our…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za IF there was even an inkling of doubt that there will be a strong smell of retribution in the Twickenham air when the Springboks and England reconvene on Saturday for the first time since the 2019 World Cup final, it was squashed by Eddie Jones before the dew had settled on his team’s win over Australia. The Wallabies had been beaten 32-15 and it was the eighth consecutive win for Jones’ England over the team he coached to the 2003 World Cup final, where he also lost. In no uncertain terms, Jones said that he wanted “a South African scalp”. “They are the World Cup champions and we are not,” Jones said in his inimitable way. “It is going to be a very important Test – it…

Matric learner Ntando Innocent Mahlangu bagged the Disabled Sportsman and Sports Personality awards at a glittering Gauteng Sports Awards ceremony on Saturday, while queen of the pool Tatjana Schoenmaker was crowned Sportswoman of the Year. Following a hiatus in 2020 due to Covid-19, it was with a smile on her face that Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Mbali Hlophe hosted the finalists. “We wish to congratulate all winners and finalists of this year’s Gauteng Sport Awards,” said Hlophe. “The last 20 or so months have been difficult for all in the sporting industry, especially the athletes and those who help them train. “Therefore, it has been a big pleasure and indeed a privilege to once again be able to reward our stars of today and tomorrow.” Mahlangu was…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za The Springbok Women are taking a leaf out of the book of their men counterparts by finishing their games strongly, and when they learn to start better, they will be a force to be reckoned with. The South Africans scored 12 points to none in the last 10 minutes of their clash against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park at the weekend, but allowing Wales to race into a 22-0 lead proved too big a hill to climb as they lost 29-19. The week before, the Bok women also outplayed France in the final quarter and coach Stanley Raubenheimer feels the growth shown during the first two weeks of their end-of-year tour has been pleasing, although he is adamant that hard work awaits as they build towards the…

MaryAnne Isaac maryanne.isaac@inl.co.za IMAGINE, you have just finished the last four chapters before the exam tomorrow morning and everything is going according to plan, and in your mind nothing can go wrong. Well, until Eskom regretfully implements load shedding. For more than a decade, load shedding has become a sad reality for South Africans, especially now during a pandemic and amid final school examinations. Pupils writing their final examinations face the challenge of having little or no source of light during their study time and exam sessions, not forgetting university students who rely on online lectures. Naptosa KZN’s provincial chief executive officer Thirona Moodley says the challenges of Eskom not only impacts the economy, but also teaching and learning. “Load shedding has had a major impact on our pupils’ writing…

DEXTER: NEW BLOOD M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 9.30PM Michael C. Hall returns as Dexter Morgan. Set 10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of a hurricane, he is now living under a new name in Upstate New York. VIGIL M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 8.30PM An action-packed season finale. Amy is trapped and running out of time, but will assistance arrive too late? On land, Kirsten chases down the traitor’s accomplice. BILLIONS S5 M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 10.30PM The stakes are in the billions, in this provocative drama starring Golden Globe-winners Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis as two men caught in a struggle for justice, power and money.…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za A YOUNG scientist in Grade 8 bagged a gold medal at an international science fair in Tunisia. Mia Delport of Oranje Girls High School in Free State won the gold medal for her “good hygiene” project at the International Festival of Engineering Science and Technology, held in Tunisia recently. She participated virtually, presenting her project titled “Door mechanism to ensure good hygiene through sanitising in bathrooms”. “Winning a gold medal among some very talented young scientists from all over the world, made me feel extremely proud to be South African. “It proved to me that hard work and innovative ideas will be acknowledged and rewarded if you persevere,” said Mia. Mia’s project was a self-sanitising door mechanism – an enhancement of the popular foot-operated hand sanitiser.…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za ALARM has been raised at the shocking levels of cheating by university students in exams. A whopping 73% of 1 851 academic staff who responded to a survey on remote learning and teaching raised concerns about cheating. The survey was conducted by the Council on Higher Education (CHE), Universities South Africa (USAf) and the University of the Free State. Titled, Staff Experience of and Perspectives on Teaching and Learning and its Future (SEP-TLF), the survey attracted respondents from 24 public universities. It asked lecturers about matters relating to remote teaching and learning, Covid-19 disrupted contact learning and exams. “One of the most alarming findings in this study concerns the integrity of academic assessments as a result of cheating, and illicit collaborations that have overwhelmed student disciplinary…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za THE QUEST of ANC Greater Johannesburg regional secretary Dada Morero to become the city mayor has been hit with a blip because of his current position as an office bearer. A letter of opposition by ANC member Onica Maphisa, seen by The Star, was sent to ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte. It is noted in the letter that Morero cannot be nominated as he is a full-time regional secretary, making his nomination unconstitutional. The letter labelled Morero’s nomination as a “constitutional political delinquent” by the regional executive committee (REC) and claims that the sitting of the meeting where he received the nomination was factional to advance the ambitious actions of an individual. “The REC by being fixated and adamant to nominate a full time office-bearer confirms a…

Beverley Tsitsi Mutandiro | UK Women in politics have shown greater abilities and strength to govern and to lead. Angela Merkel of Germany, Jacinda Ardern and Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan are examples of female politicians who are discharging their duties with excellence and success. It’s frustrating that in Zimbabwe most people have negative attitudes toward women who are politicians particularly the Zimbabwean government. Women in politics are often treated unfairly and the current government is unwilling to change so that women can join politics without thinking much about the negative sentiments. Zimbabwean women remain under-represented in leadership roles even though they have demonstrated strong leadership, particularly Fadzayi Mahere, who is the spokesperson for the opposition political party MDC Alliance. The barriers for women in Zimbabwe to enter…

TO BLACK South Africans, FW de Klerk is a monster who is responsible for much loss of innocent lives between the 1980s to the early 1990s. He was an adherent of white supremacy and leader of the racist National Party (NP). To white people especially Afrikaner nationalists, De Klerk is a hero who ensured his fellow white people remain the illegal owners of the land. People prefer to only talk about De Klerk’s profile from 1989 to 1994 when he was an apartheid president. He joined the leadership of the racist NP in the early 1970s where he was actively involved in the apartheid government which killed countless black people in the 1976 Soweto Uprising, he was there enjoying himself. While apartheid president, the trigger-happy bald old man ordered the…