Inhoudsopgave van 2022-06-03 - Star

GLOBALLY, inflation has soared in recent months, as evidenced by the latest print of 8.5 percent in the US. Whether this is due to years of quantitative easing and low interest rates or base effects post-lockdown (which may have an impact on the longevity of high inflation) is currently of little interest to consumers. South Africa has not been immune to rising global inflation, with domestic inflation edging higher. The South African Reserve Bank has increased short-term interest rates by 1.25 percent off the lows, with the latest increase of 50 basis points announced in the most recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting. From an investor perspective, the questions are: Do certain asset classes perform better in inflationary conditions, and if so, can reasonable investment returns still be achieved?…

THE legal teams of the five men accused of the 2014 murder of Senzo Meyiwa have continued to poke holes into the evidence collected by the first forensic investigator on the scene. Yesterday, they claimed Sergeant Thabo Johannes Mosia failed to do his job as the first forensic investigator attending to the murder scene of Meyiwa, following his shooting at the Vosloorus home of Kelly Khumalo in October 2014. The statement was made by advocate Zandile Mshololo, for the fifth accused Sifisokuhle Ntuli, as she kicked off her cross-examination of Mosia in the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday. Mosia, a forensic investigator attached to the Springs Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management Division testified at the start of the trial in April that he was among the first officers…

The heart-warming and hilarious new novel by the author of cherished best-sellers, The Single Ladies of JacarandaRetirement Village and The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria has been serving refreshments and raising money at the hospital for more than 50 years, long after anybody can remember who Marjorie Marshall actually was. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, the beloved cafeteria is known as much for offering a kind word and sympathetic ear (and often unsolicited life advice) as for its tea and buns. Stalwart Hilary has worked her way up through the ranks to manageress; Joy has been late every day since she started as the cafeteria’s newest recruit. She doesn’t take her role as ‘the intern’ quite as seriously as Hilary would like…

A VOLKSWAGEN Scirocco valued at R538 320 and paid for with the proceeds of crime must be forfeited to the State, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled this week. The vehicle was the subject of three court applications, and its ownership came under legal scrutiny after it emerged that businessman Timothy Moyane transferred the vehicle into the name of a disabled unemployed man without a driver’s licence three months after he had bought it. The Supreme Court concluded that this was to disguise the fact that he was actually the owner and had bought the vehicle with the proceeds of crime. The National Director of Public Prosecutions earlier managed to obtain an order from the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria for the forfeiture of the vehicle in terms of the…

MANY know Sicelo “Seekay” Buthelezi for his fascinating and cheerful portrayal of Teddy in the local drama series Gomora. Though he openly agrees he and the character have a few parallels, Buthelezi believes he is a go-getter and is more ambitious than Teddy. Not only is he a renowned actor, but a musician, a dancer, and an entertainer. With his myriad crafts, Buthelezi has proved to be a veritable jack of all trades. His deep-rooted passion for the arts has had him go for his wildest pursuits daringly. Growing up, the 23-year-old had displayed signs of being an entertainer. He joined the local theatre to hone his skills and pursued a career as a multi-talented entertainer. He shares details about his latest offering, Harare, which he co-produced with international sensation…

JOBURG residents have been asked to use water sparingly over the next four days to avoid what could be a water disaster which could affect other municipalities. Rand Water which supplies the entire province with water said yesterday that there would be planned infrastructure work on two pipelines connected to the Weltevreden water reservoir. The planned work on these two pipes will affect the flow of water to several areas around Johannesburg and the West Rand. Rand Water has also warned that should residents try to fill buckets at the last minute, emptying the reservoir, this could affect other municipalities such as Merafong and the Rustenburg municipality, Mogale City and Rand West. The Star spoke to Rand Water chief executive Eddie Singo. “The only challenge that we may have is…

One in 10 South Africans goes hungry every day. As a result malnutrition levels are high. Malnutrition has three simultaneous dimensions: undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and over-nutrition. These can manifest in stunting – being short for one’s age because of long-term undernutrition. In 2016 it was estimated to occur in 27% of South African children. This is high. Africa is currently the only continent where stunting rates continue to rise, with 27% of African children classified as stunted in 2018. Another consequence of malnutrition is obesity and being overweight. There has been a dramatic increase in obesity and being overweight among adults in the country, rising from 29.6% in 1998 to 39.8% in 2016 among females aged between 15 and 24. Among women aged between 45 and 54, it increased from…

Perfecta Carvajal was the beloved aunt from Miami, a gentle, grey-haired woman who loved children. She was also an economic lifeline for her family in Cuba. Two or three times a year, Aunt “Pepa” would take the hour-long flight from Florida to Santa Clara, about 300km east of Havana. Her suitcases would be stuffed with gifts: shoes, clothing, coffee and dried beans. Then the visits stopped. First, then-president Donald Trump suspended US flights to Cuban cities outside Havana in 2019. Next, the coronavirus struck. Now, thanks to US policy changes announced last month, the 94-year-old Miami resident is looking forward to returning. “I’m crazy happy about going back,” she said. The flights are among a handful of measures introduced by President Joe Biden’s administration to ease Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign…

Abuja: Nigeria’s government has directed its state-run oil company NNPC to implement a deal on a gas pipeline to Europe through Morocco. Africa’s gas resources are in the spotlight as the EU looks to wean itself off Russian supplies following the invasion of Ukraine. Approval for a memorandum of understanding on the gas project with regional bloc, Ecowas, was given after a cabinet meeting, Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva said. The pipeline would take gas to 15 West African states and to Morocco – and through Morocco, to Spain and to Europe. Nigeria has the largest proven gas reserves in Africa. | AFP…

ONCE a Kaizer Chiefs darling, Lebogang Manyama was on the list of seven players and a coach who will be departing the club at the end of the month. The 31-year-old Manyama arrived in Naturena following a brief spell in Turkey in 2018. His final season at the club was largely hampered by injury and a drop in form which inevitably pushed him out of a rebuilding Chiefs outfit. The Tembisa-born man penned a very heartfelt farewell message on Instagram directed to the club and the supporters. “As a young boy you can only dream of putting on the Shirt of your Childhood club and today I stand as a man that realised his dream,” he expressed. “I want to thank the chairman Mr Kaizer Motaung, Bobby Motaung and everyone…

CORPORATE governance at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) was thrust into the spotlight once more after it announced the suspension of its chief operating officer (COO), Vuyani Hako, following allegations of misconduct, just two years after he was hired as a clean broom to clear up any ethical issues. This comes amid a slew of resig- nations at the asset management company, indicating that all is not well at the firm. In a statement, the PIC said Hako had been placed on precautionary suspension following allegations of misconduct made against him. “The PIC believes that the suspension is in the best interest of both the employee and the employer to ensure that an independent enquiry can proceed unencumbered,” the entity said. The PIC said its executive head: research projects development,…

EARLIER this week, Lerato Sengadi, the wife to the late hip hop icon HHP, shared her new ink in tribute to her late husband and the late Riky Rick. Her tattoo read, “We Never Die We Multiply”, and below that, she also tattooed “Bosso,” which was HHP’s alias, along with Boss Zonke, which was one of Riky’s many nicknames. Now an image and video of Bianca Naidoo, who was Riky’s wife, donning a new tattoo of her late husband has emerged on social media. It’s a large portrait of Riky with his customary haircut, his rings and chains, as well as his tattoos. “It was an honour to tattoo the late Riky Rick on the lovely Bianca Naidoo. RIP,” read the post on Instagram by Bryan Graham du Rand. Riky…

Survivors still waiting for apology a decade later Johannesburg was a buzz of activity yesterday as the widows of the deceased mineworkers and some survivors of the tragic shooting on August 16, 2012, protested outside the South Gauteng High Court yesterday. In 2012, police unleashed fire on striking Lonmin employees who were demanding salaries of R12 500. President Cyril Ramaphosa was a shareholder at Lonmin at the time of the shooting. Twenty-four hours miners were mowed down, he had sent an email to then police minister Nathi Mthethwa calling for “concomitant action” against the miners. Scores of workers and the widows of Sibanye Still Waters, previously Lonmin, displayed their frustrations outside court over what they described as Ramaphosa’s reckless behaviour which caused the death of 34 miners. Speaking to The…

TWO primary school learners and their one-year-old sister have died after accidentally consuming rat poison. Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) MEC Panyaza Lesufi yesterday said he was shocked to learn about the deaths of the children from Kaalfontein Primary School in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. The department could not release the names of the children who lived in Ivory Park, extension 2, however, confirmed that the Grade 1 boy was aged six and the Grade 2 girl was eight. They died on Tuesday. Last week, three brothers, Lehlogonolo Khoabane, 16, Katleho Khoabane, 13, and Tebogo Ngcongwane, 6, died after drinking drug-laced energy drinks. The boys’ father is facing charges of murder and attempted murder. The brothers will be buried tomorrow. The Gauteng Education Department said, according to information at its disposal, while…

IMAGINE being a little girl living in a village in Poland through World War II. Mala is Jewish and slowly loses her entire family as the Nazis enter Poland and first turn her home in Tarnogrod into a ghetto and later into a killing ground. Mala has the “benefit” of being fair-haired and light-eyed and is able to venture out of Tarnogrod to forage and search for food for her family. She puts herself at great risk, but she is accompanied by a cat named Malach, who seems to appear and vanish as he is needed. Perhaps a true guardian angel. While most of the evil of the Holocaust is breathtakingly horrendous, there are moments that Mala, in her astoundingly simple and real autobiography, chooses to tell us about the…

A suspenseful and utterly compelling crime novel from the author of the multimillion-selling The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley. The sudden death of a pupil in Fleat House at St Stephen’s - a small private boarding school in deepest Norfolk - is a shocking event that the headmaster is very keen to call a tragic accident. But the local police cannot rule out foul play and the case prompts the return of high-flying Detective Inspector Jazmine “Jazz” Hunter. Jazz has her own private reasons for stepping away from her police career in London, and reluctantly agrees to front the investigation as a favour to her old boss. Reunited with her loyal sergeant Alastair Miles, she enters the closed world of the school, and as Jazz begins to probe the circumstances…

BEN “Bliksem” Booysen retired as a Captain in the Hawks last year after a lengthy and successful career as a police detective. On more than one occasion, he was awarded for outstanding detective work. In 2016, he took on the Krugersdorp Killers case, which until then had not been well managed by the police. At the time Booysen took over, 11 people had been murdered by a group called Electus per Deus. The recent television documentary series Devilsdorp analyses the killings. In his engrossing new book, On the Devil’s Trail, Booysen reveals details of police incompetence and also previously unrevealed information about the killers and their time in prison “This is just an ordinary story, I have other stories even more interesting than this one, but the Krugersdorp Killers seem…

The Khoikhoi were the first people to inhabit Southern Africa, although where they came from is still debatable. However, they were not very successful in their fight against the Dutch and other settlers as they were defeated in two Dutch-Khoikhoi wars, and were eventually subjugated to being farm labourers. Not only did they have to contend with the settlers but also with the San. The Khoikhoi were herders while the San were hunter-gatherers. Both peoples moved from place to place (nomads) and had no fixed abode or farms. Conflict arose over grazing by the Khoikhoi herds which denuded the pastures on which game was dependent. The settler/Khoikhoi problem arose over land ownership and livestock as the Dutch settlers moved inland to establish their farms on land that actually belonged to…

Historically, black farmers have always been associated with subsistence farming, meaning they were farming only to provide food for their families. This meant they farmed to survive and not to earn a living. However, with the advent of democracy, government introduced new laws to assist black farmers by putting in place policies that stimulate agrarian transformation. These policies have not only given black farmers support to cut their teeth in commercial farming but, this will have a ripple effect in putting them in good stead for the future. Now Africa is talking about the African continental free trade area, and by nurturing our smallholder farmers, in the long run, they will benefit from the spin-offs that will emerge in the development of regional agricultural value chains. The recent launch of…

A CULTURE of authoritative and poor leadership in the management of institutions in the private and public sectors is a recipe for disaster, and this has been one of the reasons why many institutions have collapsed. In recent years, it has become evident that there was a lack of capacity in terms of governance in many institutions of the state, leading to them becoming less relevant and employees becoming less productive in their respective roles. Incompetence, authoritative culture, arrogance, and failure to recognise the significant others who are party to the outcomes of the entire production chain, generally have negative consequences. The question that arises is: Why are these institutions that are often well-resourced and key to our everyday life in such a state? The answer lies in poor governance…

RAMALLAH: A Palestinian teen was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank yesterday, the Palestinian health ministry said, the fourth such killing in two days. The teen, 17, arrived at a hospital “with a bullet in the chest” fired by Israeli forces near the village of Al-Madiya, west of Ramallah. Earlier, a Palestinian man was killed during clashes with Israeli soldiers in a refugee camp next to the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The ministry said that Ayman Muheisen, 29, died in hospital. The Israeli military said troops carrying out a raid in the camp opened fire when locals threw bombs and rocks at them. | Reuters | AFP…

SANA’A: Yemen’s warring parties have agreed to renew a two-month truce, the UN said yesterday, in an 11th-hour move on the day it was set to expire. Yemen has been gripped by conflict since the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sana’a in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the beleaguered government. Aid groups have touted the benefits of the truce, which went into effect in April. Beyond opening Sana’a airport to some commercial flights, a lifeline to Yemenis needing medical care, the truce has allowed oil tankers to dock in the rebel-held port of Hodeida. | AFP…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that there was a robbery at his farm in February 2020, and that money had been stolen. However, he denied claims made by former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser that he had a part in concealing the crime. In a statement released by the Presidency yesterday, Ramaphosa also claimed that he had reported the matter to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the SAPS. Yesterday, The Star reported that the former spy boss had laid criminal charges at the Rosebank police station in Johannesburg, accusing Ramaphosa of concealing an incident where $4 million (more than R60m) was stolen. Fraser claimed Ramaphosa paid people to conceal the matter after they were tortured. Fraser wrote in a statement circulated on social media that he…

AFTER unknown saboteurs toppled a strategic pylon near the Lethabo Power Station in the Free State in November last year, almost plunging the country into stage 6 load shedding, Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter declared: “This was clearly now an act of sabotage and I think we can call it as such.” Who was behind this, and what is their ultimate goal? Since his appointment in January 2020, De Ruyter has faced opposition from within the power utility as he attempts to clean up corruption and return Eskom to a semblance of its former glory. He is not alone. Chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer and other allies in Eskom have also come under fire. From forensic investigations and botched probes to accusations of racism, De Ruyter and Oberholzer have…

OWNERS or landlords do not realise they choose to rent out their property. They are not compelled by law to do so and they are generally not motivated by altruistic reasons. It is a decision to earn an income and generate profit; not for social responsibility. Once the choice is exercised and a lease (oral or written) executed, a legal relationship is created, which is governed by various laws binding the landlord/owner and the tenant. The conclusion of a lease results in the tenant becoming a temporary owner for the duration of the lease. The owner or landlord cannot enter the dwelling or property without a legally valid reason and the permission of the tenant. The common law, which was not changed by the Rental Housing Act, guarantees a tenant…

The national Transport Department has mooted dedicated lanes on the country’s roads for taxis and all buses. Its newly gazetted White Paper on National Transport Policy says priority lanes will be looked into with a view to mitigating travel times and drawing more people to public transport. Only public buses under the rapid transit (BRT) system currently have dedicated lanes in various cities. The City of Joburg’s Rea Vaya started operating in 2009. “The establishment of priority lanes on the road network for buses and taxis will be investigated to reduce travel times and encourage the use of public transport,” the white paper read. The policy document details a range of proposals for improvement of transportation in the country. It covers all modes of transport, from rail to road. “Particular…

DOES THE NAME Michael Sello Matsobane ring a bell? Matsobane has contributed immensely to the Struggle against apartheid. However, his contribution is yet to be acknowledged and recognised. Bra Mike, as he is popularly known, joined the Struggle at a tender age. He joined the PAC when he was doing matric. Matsobane worked closely with the youth through the Young African Religious Movement (Yarm), which was well received and supported by local churches and schools. Yarm also attracted the Indian youth from Azaadville. The security police urged the Indian parents in Azaadville to discourage their children to be members of Yarm, without success. He played a pivotal role in the 1976 Kagiso riots. He worked with the lawyer Pops Mageza, Lawrence Ntlokoa, Themba Hlatshwayo and the late Rodney Tsholetsane. Matsobane…

It is impossible to describe public service in South Africa without falling back on the word “disconcerting”. In fact, someone indicated to me the only yardstick to measure one’s patience in this country is to visit a government office with a view to receiving a service. Last week, I experienced what Charles Dickens once called “The best of times and the worst of times”. I set out to visit the Department of Home Affairs in Orlando, Soweto, and the Department of Labour in Krugersdorp I was on-board Prasa’s City to City bus from Johannesburg to Limpopo. As a passenger, I had to modify my behaviour not to break but to bend. The Good: my experience with the government's service delivery system could be summarised thus: the good, the bad and…

THE NATIONAL Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Brilliants programme celebrates its 21st year with 19 new top STEM students. To celebrate Youth Month, the NSTF announced the 19 first-year students who were selected in the NSTF Brilliants programme. The NSTF said the annual programme recognises the top young man and woman chosen from each of the nine provinces based on their outstanding performance in Grade 12 physical science and mathematics last year, and their choices to further their education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The forum added that this year 19 students were selected for the Brilliants Programme, because of a tie in one of the provinces. Mpumalanga saw two first-year male students, Sifiso Hosana, a medical student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and Banele…

DEADLY violence linked to the economic crisis has erupted in parts of Sri Lanka. International media coverage shows multitudes of different ethnic groups, including the majority Sinhalese Buddhists taking to the streets to protest against the populist Rajapaksa brothers who have ruled the country for the past two decades. As a foreign correspondent who covered the final stage of Sri Lanka’s deadly civil war between Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces, I can say that Sri Lankans have never experienced this level of economic suffering, including during the civil war that saw almost 100 people, including civilians, losing their lives daily. Mahinda Rajapaksa served as president from 2005 to 2015. He finally resigned as prime minister on May 9, amid civil unrest. The powerful Rajapaksa established his political empire by…

Home security is necessary in South Africa but this doesn’t mean it has to be something that hampers your lifestyle or places added stress on your day. To reap the full benefits of good home security, it should be in sync with your lifestyle, enhancing it rather than hampering it. Innovations like remote home control enable homeowners to keep their property and family safe and experience simpler living, all at the touch of a button. The security industry has come a long way since the first residential security system was invented by Edward Callahan in 1874. His “call box” to signal for assistance to a central office, to which he then connected 50 other homes in the neighbourhood was the birth of the American District Telegraph (ADT) company in Baltimore…

BRASILIA: The death toll from heavy rain in Brazil’s north-east Pernambuco state over the past week has increased to 107, with 11 people still missing, according to officials. At least 6 650 people have been displaced by the rain, which caused major flooding and landslides that buried dozens of houses, officials said. Firefighters and the army were focusing on finding the bodies of those still missing with the help of trained rescue dogs. The rain also took a toll on the states of Sergipe, Paraiba, Rio Grande do Norte and Alagoas, where three people were killed and more than 18 000 were evacuated. | IANS…

THERE was good news all around for South African rugby yesterday when it was not only confirmed that the country’s United Rugby Championship (URC) teams would contest next year’s European Rugby Champions Cup but also that the Cheetahs, at last, have a home in a major competition – the European Challenge Cup. Both of these knockout competitions fall under the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) organisation. This means that the SA teams will now cross swords with the best clubs from England and France, after already successfully integrating with teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the inaugural URC, which is now at the quarter-final stage. Under EPCR qualification, the four Shield winners and the next four highest-ranked clubs on the final league table of the URC will take…

MARUMO Gallants coach Dan Malesela has rubbished speculation linking him to Orlando Pirates, insisting that it will be disrespectful to the Sea Robbers and to his current employers Gallants. “It will be disrespectful to Pirates and my current team to speak about things I never spoke about. I do not want to disrespect Pirates or their coaches or my current team. They have coaches,” Malesela said. The former Pirates captain’s name and that of former striker Benni McCarthy have been strongly linked with the Buccaneers following a poor show by current incumbents Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids. Reports circulated earlier this week that the Soweto giants were considering some names to take over and among those were former players at the club. Malesela flatly refused to be drawn into the…

Mamelodi Sundowns (First) Sundowns have undoubtedly been the model club in the Premiership and are deservedly champions. The club oozes professionalism on every front, except in media relations, where there is room for improvement. The technical team has done a superb job in assembling a squad that offered a great depth of quality. Cape Town City (Second) Runners-up City enjoyed a brilliant run of success when the Premiership restarted in 2022. No-one saw this coming, but the team produced one success after the other. The club is headed by astute businessman John Comitis, who had the foresight to recall Eric Tinkler for a second spell as coach. Royal AM (Third) Third-placed Royal are the surprise package of the season. The club started without any pre-season training after the sale from…

ORLANDO Pirates should look no further than coach Gavin Hunt if they want to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns and return to the pinnacle of South African football in the next few years. Hunt is fast becoming a tweleb, given that he’s spending more time on Twitter rather than focusing his energies on returning to the dugout after being sacked by Chippa United last season. It’s sad. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with Hunt congratulating his peers after a triumph on social media or showing off the grandest stadiums that England has to offer during his visits. But staunch Pirates supporters should be quite disappointed that their club isn’t taking the phone away from Hunt and returning him to the dressing room at once. I am a neutral who’s not…