Índice para 2021-09-23 em Star

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SEVERAL South African banks have come forward to indicate that their customers’ data may have been exposed in the latest massive cyberattack in the South African financial services industry. This comes after debt collector, Debt-IN Consultants, yesterday announced that a ransomware attack by cybercriminals had resulted in a significant data breach of consumer and employee personal information. Debt-IN said data of more than 1.4 million South Africans was illegally accessed from its servers in April this year but the data breach only came to light last week. Confidential consumer data and voice recordings of calls between Debt-IN debt recovery agents and financial services customers have been posted on the dark web. Debt-IN chief executive Mark Essey said they deeply regretted this cyberattack, and “we apologise unreservedly for…

SONRI NAIDOO sonri.naidoo@inl.co.za ABSA joined Gift of the Givers and Woolworths to help feed those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Vosloorus, with food donations yesterday. A R1 million donation by Absa to Woolworths’ “Help Fill a Bag” initiative was made to assist poverty-stricken communities in South Africa. Distribution in the Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, community was made through Gift of the Givers yesterday. Food parcels and care packs were distributed in Extension 28 to help in alleviating the food crisis in communities that have been affected by the negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the economy. Many people have been battling to find employment. According to Statistics SA, the unemployment rate has increased by 1.8% to reach 34.4% this year. The negative effects of this have left many…

IN OUR labour law, every disciplinary case has to follow two concepts. First, there must be an allegation of wrongdoing which has to be proved on a balance of probabilities. Second, a process of adjudication must be followed, rendering the procedure to be fair and reasonable. If either are not done properly, then it could be said that the outcome might be challenged and would probably be deemed unfair. If the allegations are serious and could lead to dismissal, the employer should, under normal circumstances, consider the suspension, on full pay, of the employee. Cases dealing with dismissal are normally subject to the allegation of a breach of trust. In other words, the employer does not trust the employee to conduct their work in accordance with the operational requirements. Employers…

BAIT – TO CATCH A KILLER Janine Lazarus Loot.co.za (R215) MELINDA FERGUSON When you read an interesting newspaper article do you give a thought to who wrote it, or what it took to gather the information? If your penchant is to follow crime stories, the name Janine Lazarus may be familiar to you. She made her name as one of the country’s finest true-crime investigative journalists back in the early 1990s, working for The Star, Saturday Star and Sunday Star. In her book, Bait – To catch a killer, she takes the reader on the reporting beat with her, particularly on one case – that of the Norwood Serial Killer in Johannesburg. The books shows the extraordinary and brave lengths she went to to get the story. “During the…

THAMI ZWANE | Edenvale “I AM A Malawian, Zimbabwean, Mozambican, etc, looking for a job.” These ads became a common feature in print media, on community notice boards and at churches. Locals were driven out of employment in their own country and felt the pinch. Today unemployment in South Africa stands at 34.4%. Who is to be blamed? “South Africans are lazy and demand their rights. So let their rights hire them.” The economically empowered whites intimated their prejudice. Education was rendered useless and a mockery with young black graduates standing at intersections in full academic regalia in order to attract the attention of prospective employers. Our African brothers and sisters betrayed us. Whites supported by the government used them as unwitting tools of racism, a divide-and-rule tactic…

“SUBMARINE deal torpedoed” ran some headlines over the last-minute cancellation by Australia of a $90 billion (R1.3 trillion) deal with France, who in furious retaliation recalled its ambassador. In his amazingly comprehensive dictionary of 1755, Dr Samuel Johnson defined Torpedo as “a fish while alive, if touched even with a long stick, benumbs the hand that so touches it, but when dead is eaten safely”. The fish was an electric ray, but the sense was transferred to an explosive device used to blow up enemy ships but carried by a boat in what was a “hit or miss” mission. “Submarine”, in the sense of a vessel which can go under water, is recorded from 1807 and has a rich literary history in authors such as Jules Verne before becoming a…

Most of the population of a Myanmar town near the Indian border have fled after buildings were set ablaze by artillery amid fighting between militia forces opposed to military rule and the army, residents say. About 10 000 people normally live in Thantlang in Chin State, but most had left to seek shelter. In India’s neighbouring state of Mizoram, 5 500 people from Myanmar had arrived in two districts over the past week. Myanmar has been in turmoil since a government led by Aung San Suu Kyi was toppled. | Reuters…

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za THE GREEN light by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to controversial Turkish floating power generator Karpowership for licences in Coega, Richards Bay and Saldanha Bay faces hurdles including environmental approval, power producer agreements with Eskom, fuel agreements and legal challenges, energy experts said yesterday. This comes as Nersa has this far reserved its reasons for granting the long overdue licences, which at some point were rejected by South Africa’s environmental authorities who needed to clear the impact of the project on South Africa’s marine life. Karpowership has faced numerous challenges since the South African government in March granted it the biggest share of a 2 000 megawatt em- ergency power tender to provide the cheapest and quickest option for electricity. Its plan to…

IN 2001, the UN passed the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) to combat racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance. In its declaration, following nine days of intense discussions, the UN said that Durban should be seen as a beginning and not an end, describing it as the key to responding to the hopes and aspirations of those who continue to suffer from discrimination. But 20 years later, not much has changed, says former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. “If you look at the world today, not much has changed. None of the resolutions have been effectively implemented. The situation is really bad with people of African origin in particular. The issue of migrants in Europe, the situation in Haiti, and of course, the challenges experienced by…

Liam Karabo Joyce Rising Nigerian star CKay has a lot to celebrate. His single Love Nwantiti has become the continent’s biggest song right now after reaching the top of the music charts around the world. The single peaked at number one on the global Shazam charts in over 14 territories last week, and its remixes have already garnered over 40.5 million streams, globally, on Spotify, and north of 90 million across all digital platforms. And while he continues to ride the wave of success with Love Nwantiti, his recent EP Boyfriend continues to make all the right noises, too. The 26-year-old singer, songwriter and producer used the time afforded by Nigeria’s lockdown to record Boyfriend, inspired by multiple guitar genres and showcasing his romantic side. In it, he goes full-on…

AFTER three days of engagements at the Africa Travel and Tourism Summit, the Department of Tourism is confident that ideas from discussions will awaken the sector in the country. A strong focus was placed on the revival of small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in townships and rural areas. Department of Tourism Deputy Minister Fish Mahlalela said SMMEs could assist in the sector’s return to pre-Covid performance levels. “The Tourism Sector Recovery Plan also makes provision for the establishment of a support hub to provide non-financial support to tourism businesses so as to increase the resilience of SMMEs during the pandemic and beyond,” he said. In another boost for the sector, SA Tourism and Netflix have announced a Made in South Africa content collection featuring over 80 South African films, series,…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE Constitutional Court yesterday ruled in favour of AfriForum in the case for the retention of Afrikaans as a primary language of instruction at Unisa. However, it gave the university until 2023 to investigate how feasible this was. The case was heard by this court in May and judgment was reserved at the time. The Supreme Court of Appeal had earlier ruled in favour of AfriForum on this issue with its judgment last year that Unisa’s language policy had not been adopted “in a constitutionally compliant manner”. The Constitutional Court now upheld the Supreme Court of Appeal’s finding that Unisa’s current language policy, which provides only for English as the primary medium of instruction, was unconstitutional. The apex court, however, allowed more time for the implementation…

Zintle Mahlati zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za COMMEMORATIONS continue for late Joburg mayor Jolidee Matongo following his tragic death in a car accident at the weekend. A memorial service for Matongo was hosted by the ANC in Joburg yesterday. He has been remembered as a loving father and a reliable person. Eunice Mgcina, the ANC leader in the region, said Matongo's death was a shock and she was at a loss for words to describe what his death meant to the ANC region. “How do we reconcile ourselves with this painful chapter, especially in this region? At a time when we were starting to stabilise as a region, and how will we explain this?” Mgcina asked. She recalled how, earlier in the day on Saturday, Matonga had been on the campaign trail. “This is…

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za THE judges in the Gauteng division will hear the application by their Western Cape colleague, Judge John Hlophe, to review the Judicial Service Commission’s gross misconduct finding against him. Presiding Judge Roland Sutherland made the ruling when part one of the urgent review application was heard in the Johannesburg High Court yesterday. In his court papers, Judge Hlophe named Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo as one of the commissioners that upheld the gross misconduct finding against him. The first part of his application sought to stop President Cyril Ramaphosa from suspending him and Parliament from instituting the impeachment process. Judge Hlophe also wants, in the main application, to review the decision of the JSC on the grounds that the judicial body was not properly constituted when it…

The month of October has been declared as Transport Month in South Africa and foundations based on the legacies of great leaders like Chief Albert Luthuli, Dag Hammarskjöld, Samora Machel and Nelson Mandela, could contribute to safety culture. Foundations based on their legacies should strategise to call forth the best aspirations in people, individually and collectively, including more effort to prevent premature death, injuries, suffering and the fruitless spending of resources. Transportation safety is one of the greatest risks of our age, as the United Nations recognises in its Decade for Road Safety. For example, 14 000 people die on roads annually. Chief Albert Luthuli is synonymous with humility, racial integration, and human dignity. He was president of the ANC from 1952 to his untimely death on a railway track…

THE SOUTH African short film Two Hues has claimed its fifth international award at the Wallachia International Film Festival in Romania. Produced by Tribal Alchemy Productions, Two Hues was one of 24 films which made it to the finals in the featurette category, at this festival being a film between 15 and 60 minutes. The festival is held annually in Wallachia and comprises about 400 films. Located in rural Romania and marketed as the land of Vlad Dracula, the festival showcases horror and fantasy genre films. “I was very surprised as there were many finalists,” said award-winning film-maker and performance artist Weaam Williams. Two Hues, written by Williams, is a psychological drama about a bipolar woman with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and her life navigating the patriarchy in her family…

The Echo Chamber John Boyne Loot.co.za Doubleday JOHN Boyne is known as a brilliant writer, and one whose novels usually treat their subject matter with compassion. So, it was with absolute delight that in The Echo Chamber he has created a satirical takedown of social media-fuelled outrage gone mad. Some critics have said that this book is a response to the flack he took after the publication of the novel My Brother’s Name Is Jessica, which caused something of a social media uproar when he was accused of a number of “unwoke” sins. Whether it is a reaction to that or not, really doesn’t matter. The Echo Chamber is a hugely entertaining and brutal exposition of lives lived by social media likes, Twitter follower numbers, and a world that is…

THE City of Joburg has started with the selection process for the OR Tambo Soncini Social Cohesion games. The games include athletics, netball, basketball and football, with swimming and rugby to commence in the coming weeks. Although Covid-19 restrictions have changed logistics for the games, by limiting the number of spectators, officials and athletes at a venue, the first leg of the games kicked off successfully on August 11 at various facilities around the city. The selection process comprises a group of young people who are selected in terms of their age, gender and race. This is done to advance the transformation agenda and social cohesion. It also provides an opportunity to develop disadvantaged communities. Individuals with national, provincial, and municipal colours are excluded to increase developmental opportunities. Soncini Games…

Peter Bachtis | Benoni THE Brits are hell-bent on shafting us by barring us from entering their beloved little island. The red flags are up as they impose draconian travel restrictions on all South Africans. The Brits are a smart lot … generally, however, this is English buffoonery at its best. A friend has not seen her beloved daughter, who lives in the UK, for almost two years. She quietly weeps as the pain of separation eats at her soul. She is, however, expected to part with R40 000 to isolate in some third-rate hotel for 14 days if she really wants to see her child. To Boris and his band of merry-men, I say lift this diabolical ban now! The actions of Boris are similar to the…

Zarina Motala TOMORROW will mark Heritage Day in South Africa. Over time, traditional regalia, different cuisine including braais, have signified the day; a colourful public holiday. We seldom speak of meaning and deeper substance to Heritage Day, and perhaps at the crossroads our beautiful country finds itself in, now is the time to begin these hard yet necessary reflections. What are we celebrating as South Africans? Are we celebrating a heritage of inherent violence, are we celebrating our notoriety for corruption, crime, inequality and every other fault line we shudder to address? I am a board member of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and a community activist, and am grappling over Heritage Day 2021 which will this year be in the midst of a global pandemic. “It is time to…

Lava poured from an erupting volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma for a fourth day yesterday, blanketing houses and fields, a day after people with homes on the path of the molten rock were allowed back briefly to recover belongings. Drone footage showed lava flowing west to the coast in three huge tongues, burning everything in their path, including a school. About 6 000 of the 80 000 people living on the island have been evacuated. When the lava reaches the sea, it could trigger more explosions. | Reuters…

Three months after the last meeting to negotiate a revival of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, it remains unclear if and when the talks in Vienna will restart, or who might represent Iran’s new government. In the interim, Iran has continued to expand the quantity and quality of its uranium enrichment, leading some experts to conclude it is now even closer to possessing enough fissile material to build a bomb than the two or three months the US under President Joe Biden has publicly estimated. At the same time, Iran has repeatedly sparred with the International Atomic Energy Agency over monitoring of its nuclear activities originally agreed in the 2015 deal. For its part, the US administration has continued to warn that negotiating time is running…

Staff Reporter CARDIFF RUGBY Founded: 1876 Stadium: Cardiff Arms Park (Capacity: 12 125) Coach: Dai Young (Wal) Captain: Ellis Jenkins (Wal) Team Talk: Like all Welsh franchises, Cardiff are a regional rugby team that encompasses a large part of the border region and has 75 associate clubs attached to it. They have never won the PRO Rugby title, but have managed to snaffle up the second tier European Rugby Challenge Cup title twice, the most recent in 2018. SA Connection: Former - Pieter Muller, Andries Pretorius Player to watch: Josh Adams DRAGONS Founded: 2003 Stadium: Rodney Parade, Newport (Capacity: 8 700) Coach: Dean Ryan (Eng) Captain: Rhodri Williams (Wal) Team Talk: Located in the south-east corner of Wales, Dragons are arguably the least most successful Welsh outfit. They have never…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE GAUTENG High Court, Pretoria, has ruled that certain aspects of the Mining Charter 2018 are not enforceable and once a mining company is empowered, it is always empowered. The court said the continuing consequences of previous black economic empowerment deals should be recognised and that the specific challenged provisions in the document should be removed. In response to the ruling, Minerals Council South Africa said yesterday it and its members remained fully committed to the transformational objectives of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). It added that the objectives must create policy and regulatory certainty for long term investment and inclusive growth in the sector. “The judgment removes the clauses dealing with the renewals of existing mining rights and the transfers of mining…

The Spice Girls’ iconic Spice Bus has been recreated by Spotify. The vehicle appeared in the chart-topping girl group’s 1997 film Spice World, and in celebration of one of the most popular girl bands of all time, the streaming service has recreated the bus to take fans on a tour across London. Sulinna Ong, Spotify’s head of Music in the UK and Ireland, said: “The fact that 18- to 24-year-olds stream the Spice Girls the most shows what an impact the girls continue to have around the world. Bringing back the Spice Bus is Spotify’s way of giving a little something back to the fans who have flown the flag for Girl Power over 25 years.” The Spice Bus travelled across the UK capital, starting at the St Pancras Renaissance…

From Page 1 Shoba approached the high court in Johannesburg to argue that the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court misdirected itself in finding that he presented no exceptional and compelling reasons to justify bail. Advocate Zweli Zakwe, his lawyer, told Judge Mngqibisa-Thusi last week that Shoba was denied bail despite submitting all the necessary evidence to prove he would not abscond from trial. These, according to Zakwe, included the fact that Shoba had ties to Joburg, he was gainfully employed and “earned a handsome salary of about R36 000” and had assets that included a bonded house. Shoba was also prepared to hand over his passport, Zakwe submitted. “We submit that the factors presented to court at the original bail application cumulatively constituted exceptional circumstances.” The State opposed the appeal application. Prosecutor…

With summer on its way and the recent relaxation of lockdown restrictions, families will be getting out more. It is also Heritage month and South Africans have undoubtedly planned for the public holiday tomorrow. Charnel Hattingh, head of marketing and communications at Fidelity Services Group, reminds people that criminals do not play by rules. The relaxation of lockdown restrictions is merely something that provides more opportunity for them. “Curfew has been extended to 11pm and the number of people at indoor and outdoor gatherings has also increased, following the president’s update on September 12. “This is welcome news and a boost for the economy, but we urge people to remain sensible and aware when attending events, visiting restaurants and pubs, travelling home late at night and entertaining at home,” she…

PIZZA place Massimo’s has recently been named best pizzeria in Africa by “50 Top Pizza”, a guide curated by anonymous inspectors who judge pizzerias around the world. 50 Top Pizza is a platform based in Naples, Italy that serves as a guide for good pizza globally, and each year they host an award ceremony for the best of the best. Taking to social media, the team sent a huge thank you to their staff for their hard work, and to their clients for the support. “Best Pizzeria in Africa award. A huge thank you to all our staff for the hard work and to our clients for the support,” they wrote. Massimo and wife Tracy Orione opened the traditional Italian pizzeria in 2009 after they moved to Cape Town. |…

Spring is in the air, and Exclusive Books have 31 fresh fiction, non-fiction, young adult and children’s titles on their recommended reading list – available in-store at one of their 42 branches, online, phone and Uber Eats! “This month’s EBR fiction is loaded with a genre we are calling ‘Domestic Noir’– think white picket fences and manicured lawns, with a psychopath or brutal murder thrown in,” says Batya Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing, Loyalty and Procurement general manager. There are 12 page-turning fiction titles from Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train, A Slow Fire Burning to New York Times best-selling author Lisa Jewell’s book, The Night She Disappeared. Fourteen titles are on the non-fiction list from Razina Theba’s story, A Home on Vorster Street, which reminds us that…

Armand's Nude Food – 50 Banting & Keto Recipes Armand Aucamp Loot.co.za (R249) ARMAND is back, stripped all the way, as usual. His first cookbook, Nude, was a runaway success and his accessible approach to food has won over many people to a new way of eating and living – fresh, unadorned, with affordable ingredients prepared in a keto and banting style. His book showed that eating good, healthy food improves health and optimises weight loss. Now in his latest book, Armand’s Nude Food, Armand strips down his favourite dishes (and himself) even further. His self-imposed challenge was to use ingredients that were already in his pantry. These creative explorations lead to a “farm-to-table” approach which proves that simple food is usually the tastiest and healthiest fare. Armand’s Nude…

DR THABISI HOEANE | Pretoria I UNDERSTAND that languages evolve. But there are simple conventions that should not be butchered, lest we end up not knowing how we properly express ourselves. And this is not fundamentally about the English language but the reality is that, if we use any language, it must be used accurately. I have been observing how the pronunciation of words is not followed in many instances. This has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the value of communication. For example, at the Zondo Commission, I have observed how glibly all participants refer to female participants as ‘Miss’. This is an affront to females from what I know and was taught from primary school. ‘Miss’ was challenged a long time ago because it had a…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za THERE are a cacophony of voices that have decreed this weekend’s Test against the All Blacks has lost a bit if shine, a bit of verve, moxie, energy and good ol’ fashioned je ne sais quoi. I disagree. It hasn’t been an easy fortnight for the Springboks, especially when framed between the two disastrous and embarrassing defeats to the Wallabies. Despite the lacklustre displays, a Test against New Zealand is always special. For 100 years, and on Saturday for the 100th time, the two nations – South Africa and New Zealand – have battled it out on the fields of world rugby, each vying for supremacy and bragging rights. In recent years, since South Africa’s readmission, the All Blacks have enjoyed the rub of the green and…

RIDDEN with cadre deployment, our municipalities are incompetent and corrupt. Local government is supposed to be democratic and accountable to communities, and it should encourage the involvement of communities. A key policy instrument to achieve this is the integrated development plans (IDPs). Through the plans, local governments are supposed to facilitate community participation by finding sustainable ways of meeting people’s social, economic and material needs and improving their quality of life. Communities are meant to be able to express their priorities and needs. This is a vision for participatory governance, but it is not borne out by the experiences of impoverished and working-class communities. IDP meetings do not provide space for meaningful participation. The lack of genuine engagement is apparent in three ways. First, access to information and scope…

Former US president Donald Trump has filed a $100 million lawsuit against his estranged niece Mary Trump and The New York Times, alleging they engaged in “an insidious plot” to obtain his tax returns for the paper’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of his finances. Mary was the daughter of the eldest Trump brother Fred Trump Jr, who died in 1981 from complications due to alcoholism. In an explosive 2020 memoir, she revealed that she was the primary source for the New York Times investigation. | AFP…

Sudan’s fragile transitional government said it foiled an attempted coup this week involving military officers and civilians linked to the ousted regime of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the coup attempt was the “latest manifestation of the national crisis”, referring to deep divisions threatening Sudan’s democratic transition. He said the plotters had “made extensive preparations, which were showcased in the security breakdown in cities ... blocking of national roads, closure of ports and persistent instigation against the civilian government”. Information Minister Hamza Baloul said later that the coup attempt had been thwarted. “Order has been restored and the leaders of the attempted coup, both military and civilian, have been arrested,” he said. The military said “most” of those involved had been apprehended, including 11 officers.…

Staff Reporter This weekend South African rugby steps into a brave new world as they move north to face the best of Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the United Rugby Championship. Here, Independent Media looks at the franchises that make up the Scottish/Italian Shield Pool and the Welsh Shield Pool Benetton Treviso Founded: 1932 Ground: Stadio Comunate di Monigo, Treviso (Capacity: 6 700) Coach: Marco Bortolami (Ita) Captains: Dewaldt Duvenage (SA) and Michele Lamaro (Ita) Team Talk: Earlier this year Benetton humbled the Bulls in the Rainbow Cup final to set down an early indication that acclimatising to the new tournament will be a tough endeavour for the SA teams. Before that, the Italian team’s best efforts in the PRO14 was a quarter-final finish in 2019, and generally…