Table of contents for 2021-08-02 in Star

Sibanye advances battery metals strategy with R1.12bn acquisition Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za SIBANYE-Stillwater said on Friday it will pay €65 million (R1.12 billion) for a smelting facility from French mining and metallurgy company Eramet SA as it advances its battery metals strategy. The acquisition is the second step of Sibanye’s battery metals strategy and comes five months after an investment into a Finnish-based lithium company. Sibanye, the precious metal giant, said it would pay cash for the acquisition of a 100 percent stake in Eramet’s Sandouville nickel hydrometallurgical processing facility through an exclusive put option agreement. Chief executive Neal Froneman said the transaction was an important step in getting further downstream exposure to the battery metals value chain. “The Sandouville facility is ideally located close to the European end-user markets and…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za TRIBUTES have poured in following the passing of Toyota South Africa (TSA) chairperson Dr Johan van Zyl, or “The Doc” as he was affectionately known, who died at the age of 63 on Friday evening in Pretoria from Covid-w19-related complications. “‘The Doc’ had an uncanny sense of knowing just what consumers wanted and was able to instil this thinking in all his colleagues, which is why he had such a profound impact on the Toyota family,” Andrew Kirby, the current president and chief executive of Toyota South Africa Motors, said. Van Zyl began his career with the company in 1993 as director for vehicle sales and dealer network. He was appointed president and chief operating officer of TSA in 2002, and president and chief executive in 2003.…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THE SOUTH African TV and film industry suffered a huge blow on Friday when Ferguson Films confirmed that media mogul Shona “Uncle Sho” Ferguson had died due to Covid-19- related complications. The 47-year-old award-winning star died about midday at the Netcare Milpark Hospital in Joburg. Following the eminent producer’s passing, social media was flooded with tributes from industry colleagues, friends and fans. The most heartbreaking tribute came from the star’s other half and business partner, Connie Ferguson. On what would have been the 20th anniversary since the South African power couple met on Saturday, Connie penned a heartfelt letter to her husband under a picture of Shona and the couple. “Ours is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. We joked about how we were going to be in…

The recent violence and looting in the country has exacerbated the crisis faced by an already fragile economy and business community. A multitude of businesses, already severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, have been devastated, destroyed and gutted by looters and have been left with few options in their fight for survival. Although some of these businesses may have insurance for these eventualities, a lot of them do not, as it is simply not affordable, and even those who do, have to continue with the payment of overheads while they are waiting for an insurance payout, which may take a long time, without being able to trade and generate an income. Such eventual insurance payouts can in any event not compensate for the loss of customers, goodwill and the inability…

Chen Xiaodong AS variants of Covid-19 are now triggering new waves of infections around the world, the international community needs to join hands to fight against the pandemic with science. However, instead of focusing on addressing its increasingly severe Covid-19 situation back home, the US indulges in political manipulation and masterminds the so-called World Health Organization’s work plan on the second phase origins study and mouths fallacies such as the so-called theory of a lab leak. Many countries including China have clearly stated their position in this regard: this so-called plan does not comply with the resolution of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), and is inconsistent with the conclusions and recommendations of the WHO-China joint mission report. The plan was heavily disrupted by politicisation and lacked a spirit of…

SIYA Kolisi and his Springboks have risen to the occasion once more, this time putting a broad smile on South African faces by beating the British and Irish Lions against the odds. The Boks had been soundly beaten in the first match of the three-Test series, and the Lions seemed certain they would take an unbeatable 2-0 lead into this week’s finale at the Cape Town Stadium, but Kolisi’s warriors begged to differ. They knew they had been rusty going into the first Test because they had barely played since the 2019 World Cup, and that they would be better prepared for their second outing against the tourists. And so it transpired, with the captain himself in the vanguard of a stirring victory. Kolisi played superbly, and he was ably…

Ntando Makhubu ntando.makhubu@inl.co.za POLICE are searching for a doctor who allegedly raped women at two different Pretoria hospitals while civil rights organisations called on hospitals and other health professionals to safeguard women in their care. Having received reports and even a case opened against the suspect, police said he had disappeared, and requested anyone who knew him or his whereabouts to assist in his apprehension. “A case has been opened against him at the Pretoria Central police station, for rape, but we cannot find him,” police said yesterday. The case involves a gynaecologist hired by another to examine patients at rooms at the Louis Pasteur Private Hospital. He is alleged to have raped a patient when she went for an examination in July. The same doctor is alleged to have…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za WHILE the health sector has warned looters who think they can cash in on stolen medical supplies that it is illegal to sell them because of very strict provisions relating to the sale of these medicines, an attorney has warned that those who attempt to sell or keep them can face long-term jail time. Jan-Harm Swanepoel, an attorney at Adams and Adams, warned that Section 15(6a) of the Medicines and Related Substance Act contains very strict provisions relating to the sale of certain medicines and limitations as to the qualified individuals and entities who may do so. The health sector earlier confirmed that 47 500 vaccines had been stolen and, if recovered, they would be destroyed. Swanepoel said if an unqualified person is found to be administering…

SONRI NAIDOO THE MOTHER of a 26-year-old woman who died at the Helen Joseph Hospital last week has warned about the lack of care at the hospital after she found her daughter dead in a wheelchair, exactly where she had been left the day before. It is alleged that her daughter, Sichelesile Dube, had been ignored in a waiting room for 24 hours. In a video report by Eyewitness News, Nqobile Dube, the mother of the deceased, said she arrived at the hospital with her daughter on July 26 at 1pm and was told to wait for a doctor. She said at 9pm, she was told to leave the hospital and that her daughter would be admitted. “I requested to stay overnight with my daughter because she could not…

ITUMELENG MAFISA THE Jacob Zuma Foundation has snubbed a cheeky open letter written to former president Jacob Zuma by British supermodel Naomi Campbell. Campbell, who has had close ties with some African politicians across the continent, wrote an open letter to the former president, blaming him for the unrest the country experienced recently. The letter further accused Zuma of trying to evade the law. Campbell received some criticism on social media for her interference in South African politics. Yesterday morning, her Twitter account could not be found. Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said he was surprised at the comments made by Campbell but said the foundation would not entertain the issue. “I really don’t have energy for Naomi,” Manyi said. Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said Campbell had no business interfering…

Zimbabwean MDC Alliance party should be applauded for encouraging citizens to be inoculated. Zimbabwean Zanu-PF government failed to convince citizens to get Covid-19 jabs because of mistrust. We would like to thank the opposition MDC Alliance for mobilising and persuading people of Zimbabwe to get inoculated. MDC Alliance has not just demonstrated they hope to improve the health care of Zimbabweans and stop them from seeking medical attention in South Africa, UK and Botswana but also shown they care for the citizens. The Zanu-PF government doesn’t care deeply about the health care of people of Zimbabwe. Most clinics in Zimbabwe are overcrowded and undeveloped. The efforts of the opposition political party have made thousands of Zimbabweans rush for vaccination. Zanu-PF and its leader Emmerson Mnangagwa should be ashamed for…

Almost two decades after Dr Neil Aggett died in John Vorster Square, on April 5, 1982, final arguments in the re-opened inquest were made last week, and recommendations given to Judge Motsamai Makume on the prosecution of Security Branch officers. For years anti-apartheid activists have relayed horrendous accounts of their alleged torture at the hands of security branch policemen like Nicolass Deetlefs and Daniel Swanepoel, and now those testimonies are a matter of public record. But there remain countless more activists whose stories are unknown and who claim they suffered terrible pain at the hands of these men, yet to date there have been no consequences for the torture perpetrated by members of the Security Branch. Sadly the conspiracy of silence among those in the former security branch fraternity continues,…

Mike Greenaway Armchair View In 1512, a German priest by the name of Martin Luther nailed his “95 theses” to the door of a castle church in Wittenberg. The maverick Luther was complaining about how the Catholic Church ran its affairs and his revolt lit the flame of the Reformation and ultimately the creation of the Protestant Church. He was excommunicated for his “sins” but had made his point and profound change resulted. Obviously, I have some tongue in cheek, but not all of it, when I suggest that SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has done the rugby equivalent with his rebellious video dissection of the inadequacies of the match officials in the first Test between the Springboks and British & Irish Lions. This was Erasmus making an…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za There was no disguising the dismay of Sharks coach Sean Everitt after his team had somehow conspired to lose 37-27 to a Griquas team that played significant chunks of their Currie Cup game with 13 or even 12 players. The Sharks had almost countless scoring opportunities, but Griquas’ defence mostly held firm. The Sharks had been riding high after a fine away win against the Free State Cheetahs, but their homecoming to Jonsson Kings Park was ruined by the men from Kimberley. “This was extremely disappointing because we were at home and we were dying to play at home after having had a couple of home games cancelled,” Everitt said. “Sport can be cruel. One week you are excelling in Bloemfontein and then you come home and…

Irongate rejects 360 Capital Group’s directors to be represented on company’s board EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za THE BOARD of the Irongate Group (IAP) has said it does not want the directors of its 19.11 percent shareholder 360 Capital Group to be represented on the board of the Australia Stock Exchange- and JSE-listed property group. “The board of IAP has recommended security holders vote against the election of two 360 Capital Group executives to the board at the upcoming annual general meeting on August 31,” a statement said on Friday. Australia-based 360 Capital Group, including its associated entities, hold between them 19.11 percent of the shares issued in IAP. Its two nominees, Tony Pitt and James Storey, are also executives of 360 Capital Group. 360 Capital Group could not be…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za It looks like Love Island SA couple Mischka Najar and Xavier Haupt have taken their relationship to the next level and tied the knot. The show, which aired earlier this year, received mixed reactions from viewers with regards to the poor editing, sound engineering, music score and overall quality. In spite of this, winners Thimna Shooto and Libhongo-Lethu “Libho” Geza, along with Mischka and Xavier, have been going strong after the show ended. The couple placed third on the popular reality TV that saw its first local season airing earlier this year and, while they kept on dating after the show, fans were surprised to find out that they possibly have taken the next step in their relationship. Taking to Instagram, Xavier did a Q&A asking his…

Gauteng’s acting head of department for community safety, Sipho Thanjekwayo, who succumbed to Covid-19, has been hailed for leading the fight against crime in the province. Gauteng Premier David Makhura described Thanjekwayo as a consummate professional and an exemplary public servant. “We are truly saddened by Mr Thanjekwayo’s untimely passing. He served with dedication and passion in all the programmes he led and implemented. He leaves behind an indelible footprint in the Gauteng provincial government,” Makhura said, extending condolences to Thanjekwayo’s family, friends and colleagues. The province said in a statement that Thanjekwayo died last week due to Covid-19 complications. Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko said the safety and security fraternity in Gauteng would miss his input in ensuring a safer environment for communities. “He was very passionate about the…

ITUMELENG MAFISA VETERAN actor and gender-based violence (GBV) activist, Patrick Shai, has expressed concern with the manner in which gender-equality policies are implemented and the effects of some policies on black men. Shai was among several panellists at the Black Men’s Imbizo held at Constitution Hill over the weekend. South African black men had been systemically affected by apartheid and the litany of laws that followed the dawn of democracy, he said. The gathering, aimed at dissecting social issues affecting black men of all ages, was held in partnership with The Star, Tshepo1 Million and Ubuma leadership. The discussion included government policies, cultural rules that affect men, employability and the role apartheid in the theft of the identity of African men. Shai highlighted several problems with how the government’s…

A TELEVISION reporter covering the civil unrest in Durban interviewed an elderly woman in Mobeni. The reporter asked her what a woman of her age was doing so early on the streets. He said she was waiting to join the rest of the looters as soon as the police were gone. When asked why she wanted to commit a criminal offence by joining others to loot the Tiger Brand warehouse, she said she was poor and had no food for herself and her family. Poverty has been mentioned by many political analysts as one of the underlying causes of the civil unrest. At first thought, it seems a plausible and legitimate reason for the looting and vandalism that we witnessed in shock and disgust. If you have no food…

There is a common view that we can unite if we are of the same race, nationality, ethnic background or religion. But we often mistrust those who are from a different background, let alone entertain the thought of uniting with them. Occasionally we are encouraged to be tolerant of each other. But is tolerance sufficient? It is because of the differences in the human family that the world is a beautiful place in which to live. It is because of our diversity that our rainbow nation is so special. Differences are not only in our human family, but are apparent throughout the whole of nature. Similarly, the variety of colour and culture enriches the world of humanity. The Baha’i Writings state “The diversity in the human family should be the…

Nicola Deghaye South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine roll-out programme got off to a shaky start in February 2021. It encountered a number of setbacks such as supply, logistics and governance issues, but has gained momentum in recent weeks. As many as 200 000 doses are being administered daily. By the end of July 2021, almost 2.9% of the South African population had been fully vaccinated and 7.5% had their first of the two Pfizer doses. Despite this uptake, many South Africans are still hesitant to take the vaccine. The circulation of misinformation about it poses the danger of hampering efforts to control the pandemic. In this article, we aim to dispel some of the myths surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines. Myth 1: The Covid-19 vaccine will affect a woman’s fertility This…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za WAYDE van Niekerk says he hopes to be a “shining light” for South Africa after beginning the defence of his Olympic 400m title in Tokyo yesterday. The 29-year-old world record holder has had to deal with a number of injury problems in revent years but is determined to prove he can still compete at this level by winning a second gold. Van Niekerk sped into the lead in his heat but had to put on some pace on the home straight to secure the third automatic qualifying spot for the semi-finals in a time of 45.25 seconds. The two other South Africans in the event, Zakithi Nene (45.74sec) and Thapelo Phora (45.83) were unable to advance to the next round. The 400m semi-finals take place this afternoon,…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za AKANI Simbine refused to blame a false start and disrupted preparations due to Covid-19 for missing out on a medal yet again in a 100 metres final at a major championship yesterday. Simbine qualified for the Tokyo Olympics final as one of the “fastest losers” from the semi-finals earlier in the day, with a quick time of 9.90 seconds as China’s Bingtian Su surprised everybody with a scorching 9.83sec to win the race. But then there was drama at the beginning of the final when Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes was disqualified for a false start – just like his compatriot Linford Christie at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Simbine was in lane two and Hughes in lane four, so the pressure would have been ramped up for the…