Table of contents for 2023-01-03 in Star

Uthando Nes’thembu stars Busisiwe MaCele Mseleku and Thobile MaKhumalo Mseleku have become household names in Mzansi after gaining fame for navigating a polygamous marriage for several seasons on our screens. MaCele and Thobile understand that marriage is not an easy journey making them the perfect hosts to guide married or engaged couples facing challenges on what is an important journey in their lives. The bold show discusses captivating and relatable topics on all matters of the heart with the popular Mseleku wives. But it won’t just be a he-said, she-said engagement. Where needed, other sources will share insight into a couple’s situation, before the relevant experts weigh in with guidance meant to empower partners and strengthen their relationships. “Spin-off shows are always a great addition to a channel’s line-up,…

I recently got to chat with critically acclaimed mystery crime writer Ann Cleeves on a video zoom call ahead of the launch of another TV series, The Long Call, based on her book. To date, her fictional detectives Vera Stanhope (Vera) and Jimmy Perez (Shetland) have been a hit with fans. And with The Long Call, critics are lauding the series for its inclusivity with a gay detective as the lead. She shared: “Here (in the UK) it is quite a big deal to have a mainstream detective TV show with a gay detective – a happily married gay detective. And the press made quite a big deal out of that. “The team were very keen that a lot of people involved with the show, the director, Ben Aldridge,…

The organisation, People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increase (Papppi) said it would like to see a ripple effect of price decreases once the fuel price is reduced considerably tomorrow. The national convenor of Papppi, Visvin Reddy, was commenting after the Department of Mineral, Resources and Energy announced the drop in fuel prices from tomorrow. The department said petrol (both 93 and 95 ULP and LRP) will decrease by 206 cents a litre (c/). Diesel 0.05% sulphur is to decrease by 268.90c/l. Illuminating paraffin (wholesale) will decrease by 193c/l. SMNRP for IP will decrease by 258c/l. Maximum LPGas retail price will increase 82c/kg. Commenting on data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF), the Automobile Association said these cuts are good news for all consumers and signal a positive start to…

Opposition parties have vowed to continue to fight corruption to ensure ethical governance in South Africa. The African Transformation Movement (ATM) said it will continue to fight for the goodwill of the people, ensuring that they “leave no stone unturned” in cases of injustice, maladministration and corruption. This is the party that has given President Cyril Ramaphosa sleepless nights with the Phala Phala “farmgate” scandal in which the theft of millions of US dollars was not reported to the police. According to the ATM, Ramaphosa violated provisions of the Constitution, including Section 96, sub-section 2(A) and the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. The party is taking the fight over the Phala Phala saga to the Constitutional Court where it will oppose the bid by Ramaphosa to review and…

The endless chatter about the cross-over song has become a tradition in South Africa, and this year was no different when Ngeke by the popular music group Big Nuz was announced as the top-voted song on Ukhozi FM. To honour and acknowledge Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo’s contribution to the entertainment industry, his friends made a call to have people vote for Ngeke following his untimely death. The station, which has over 7.9 million listeners, confirmed the success of the song, revealing that among artists vying for the number one spot, Big Nuz ft DJ Yamza rose to victory. DJ Tira was one of the artists who rallied behind the success of the song before the New Year’s celebration. At an emotional memorial service, he spoke fondly about working with Mampintsha and…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi strikes one as an astute politician who is apt to go places. For example, he did reasonably well in his previous portfolio as Gauteng MEC for Education. But he has a reckless streak which he must keep in check if he wants to succeed. His highly populist style of charging into situations is detrimental to resolving issues. Two matters in this regard come to the fore. The Boksburg tanker explosion is a traumatic issue for all of us, no less the families and victims of the incident. We do not know and cannot jump to conclusions about who is to blame. Lesufi is right in being concerned about the matter. But he is going beyond this and is blatantly interfering by threatening the National Prosecuting…

Global deaf awareness highlights the deaf cause, bridging the communication gap through learning sign language and enhancing socially cohesive environments. South Africa has a well-established deaf community with more than 4 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people. South African sign language (SASL) is en route to being declared the 12th official language of South Africa. Lance Schultz, the CEO of the Pan South African Language Board, said: “The announcement reaffirms the democratic right of deaf persons to participate in a meaningful and substantive way in public life, in their own language.” Non-profit company DEAFinition offers a range of services and funding opportunities to promote equal access for the deaf community of South Africa, and encourages individuals and corporates to intentionally evaluate the way in which they communicate, to ensure their messaging…

FOLLOWING Argentina’s World Cup triumph, Argentina captain and Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi is the favourite to win the next Ballon d’Or. The 2022 World Cup’s best player could, however, still potentially face a challenge from club mate Kylian Mbappe. While France lost the World Cup final to La Alibiceleste, Mbappe still produced one of the best World Cup final performances in history, albeit in a losing cause. He scored a hat-trick to bring France back into the game after they trailed 2-0 for a large portion. Should Messi fail in Ligue 1 for the rest of the season and Mbappe shine to help his team retain their league crown while also winning the Champions League, the Frenchman could significantly boost his chances of landing a first Ballon d’or crown.…

BRAZILIANS bade a final farewell this week to football giant Pele, which started yesterday with a 24-hour public wake at the stadium of his long-time team Santos. The oceanside home of the team nicknamed ‘Peixe’ (‘fish’ in Portuguese) was expecting a huge influx of fans looking to honour the ‘King of Football’, who died aged 82 last Thursday after a long battle with cancer. Stadium doors opened at 10am local time yesterday. The coffin bearing the remains of the only player to have won three World Cups was displayed in the centre of the field. Known as Vila Belmiro after the neighbourhood where it is located, the black-and-white stadium has a capacity of 16 000 people. In the stands, three giant flags could be seen on Sunday, one with an…

While still passionate about his career in front of the camera, Hollywood star Idris Elba believes it would be a “natural progression” to move into directing. The Luther actor is looking ahead to the possibility of juggling more than one role on set at a time, citing Denzel Washington and Jon Favreau as inspirations, reports aceshowbiz.com. “I love acting but I feel like there’s much more to offer as a director, as a writer and a producer, perhaps, I feel there are characters and roles that I haven’t done yet and I still want to do those, but the truth is I’d probably like to do that as an offering as a film director/actor,” he said. “There are some incredible people like Jon Favreau, like Denzel who have acted…

GAUTENG traffic officials have called on motorists to comply with road safety rules and regulations as the holiday season is coming to an end and scores of holidaymakers return to Gauteng, the country’s economic hub, from their getaway destinations. By midday yesterday, more than 1 000 vehicles per hour were travelling northbound from KwaZulu-Natal towards Gauteng, with scores more travelling from Polokwane toward the province. In a statement, Gauteng Traffic police spokesperson Sello Maremane said that many roads leading into the province had been heavily congested since yesterday morning. He said that the N1 Polokwane to Pretoria, N1 Bloemfontein to Johannesburg, N4 Rustenburg to Pretoria, N4 Emalahleni to Pretoria, N12 Emalahleni to Johannesburg, N3 Durban to Johannesburg, Potchefstroom to Johannesburg and R573 Pretoria Moloto Road, were expected to experience high…

As millions of people around the globe celebrated the New Year, prominent local personalities shared their hopes, best wishes for their fans, and resolutions for 2023. Renowned media personality and businesswoman Thando Thabethe took to Instagram to appreciate the past year with all its highs and lows. “A year full of extreme highs and lows, prepared carefully to make us even greater. A year I relentlessly went after all I desired, an undeniably beautiful year. “Thank you to everyone who contributed to incredible moments. While I understand it may have not been smooth sailing all the time, we are thankful for the challenges and lessons. “To more money, healthy smiles, and dreams come true. Here’s to 2023: go forth in the direction of your dreams and live the life you…

I remember the chaotic 2007 ANC elective conference in Polokwane as if it were yesterday, and the deep divisions within the governing party that gave birth to the breakaway Cope party, led by supporters of former president Thabo Mbeki, in 2008. Since then another breakaway political party, the EFF, was formed prior to the 2014 elections by the former ANCYL president, Julius Malema. Last month saw another chaotic ANC elective conference as disruptions caused delays and the unprecedented postponement of the adoption of crucial resolutions and the conference declaration to this month. With prominent leaders such as Ace Magashule remaining suspended and the expelled Carl Niehaus out in the political wilderness, the question is: can we expect these crises and unmanaged divisions to further weaken the ANC and lead to…

FORMER Australia captain Ian Chappell feels that South Africa’s bowling attack can get better results in Test cricket if the leadership of the team can be improved. In the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, South Africa were thrashed by an innings and 182 runs by a rampant Australia, making it the first time since 2005/06 that the Proteas didn’t win a Test series in the country. It is also South Africa’s second successive Test series loss after a 2-1 defeat to England in August/September. They will now play for pride in the third and final Test in Sydney starting tomorrow (1.30am SA time). “While South Africa’s bowling attack possesses real ability, their wicket-taking capability could be drastically improved, and they are handicapped by their side’s poor batting. A team…

With matches set to come thick and fast in the second round of the Premiership, the 16 teams will have targets in mind, including top eight spots. League leaders Mamelodi Sundowns are already head and shoulders above the rest as they lead the pack with 31 points. With SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Richards Bay likely to complete the top five, the rest of the top eight spots are still up for grabs. Chippa United have been a surprise contender for a top eight spot, having finished the first half of the term sitting sixth after an impressive run. This came under administrator-turned-coach Morgan Mammila, who took over the reins from Daine Klate, who was tipped to be a hit at the club. Mammila and his side will…

WORLD No 2 Rafael Nadal slumped to a second successive defeat at the United Cup yesterday in a setback to his Australian Open preparations, but Stefanos Tsitsipas and Iga Swiatek were both on song. There was also more misery for former world No 2 Alexander Zverev, who, like Nadal, suffered a second loss to start his season, this time at the hands of Taylor Fritz. Spanish 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal surprisingly crashed in his season-opening match on Saturday to 14th-ranked Cameron Norrie. And he again succumbed after winning the first set, going down 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 to Australia’s 24th-ranked Alex De Minaur in Sydney, including losing six games in a row in the second set. “Honestly, I couldn’t be happier that I managed to get my first win over…

RESPECT SHOWMAX Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson plays the lead role – after being recommended by Aretha herself when she saw Dreamgirls. The cast also includes Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Tate Donovan, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron and Mary J Blige. THE MOSQUITO COAST APPLE TV+ In season two, after barely escaping Mexico with their lives, the Foxes venture deep into the Guatemalan jungle to meet up an old friend and her community of refugees. This new refuge creates trouble for the Foxes when they become entangled in a conflict between the scions of a local drug lord. MASTERCHEF JUNIOR USA S8 ME, DSTV CHANNEL 115, 7PM It's a slimy, icky, stinky season premiere. Sixteen pint-sized chefs from around the country earn their white aprons and are tasked with their first challenge.…

As 2023 dawned with joyous celebrations, hospitals across Gauteng welcomed the babies born in the new year. The Gauteng Department of Health confirmed that provincial public health facilities delivered 167 babies on January 1, between midnight and noon. Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital where she welcomed and celebrated mothers with newborns and handed over gifts. She also encouraged them to register their babies at the Department of Home Affairs offices in Gauteng and further promoted immunisation and breast-feeding. “We are also encouraging all the mothers who have just delivered their bundles of joy to make use of the Department of Home Affairs offices that are in-house at our facilities to register their babies before going home. “We are also encouraging them…

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp has suggested that Cody Gakpo might be their only major signing of the January window, saying the club “cannot play like monopoly” in the transfer market and that he has “faith and trust” in the players at his disposal. With forwards Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota both sidelined due to injury, Liverpool brought in Gakpo, who scored three goals for the Netherlands at the World Cup, from PSV Eindhoven for a reported initial fee of £37-million. “I don’t want to disappoint anybody but we signed an outstanding player like Cody Gakpo and the next thing you can read is, ‘Who next?’,” said the German. “We cannot play like Monopoly. We never did ... It is a big part of my philosophy, working full of faith and…

PORTUGUESE superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be unveiled before thousands of fans at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr club today, a spokesman said, after sealing a shock move estimated at more than €200-million. The 37-year-old great, a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, arrived late yesterday with his family together with media and technical staff, said club spokesman Al-Walid Al-Muhaidib. Ronaldo, who left Manchester United under a cloud after slamming the club in a TV interview, will appear at Al Nassr’s 25 000-capacity Mrsool Park stadium in Riyadh today, officials said. The latest and possibly final chapter in an illustrious career comes weeks after Portugal’s quarter-final exit from the World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, where his great rival Lionel Messi lifted the trophy with Argentina. Ronaldo’s signing until June 2025 is just…

RHULANI Mokwena is still in the infancy of his coaching career, prompting him to remain humble and learn from the very best, including Ernst Middendorp. In 2020, Mokwena was appointed as Mamelodi Sundowns’ co-coach with Manqoba Mngqithi as the duo claimed two league titles. Late last year, though, the young tactician became the sole man in charge, appointed as the Brazilians’ head coach after a run of lacklustre performances. “I try to keep a very low profile. I don’t think I have the right to speak to a lot of PSL coaches yet. I’ve got to humble myself and earn my stripes,” he said. “I don’t communicate with a lot of coaches. I try to keep to a space where I understand the eco-system, which is an advice I got…

INTER Milan striker Romelu Lukaku said he is hoping to put his injuries and Belgium’s premature World Cup exit behind him and return to form for the Italian club in a bid to discuss a permanent move from Chelsea. Lukaku missed a huge chunk of games in the first half of the season due to hamstring and thigh injuries which affected his return to the national team as Belgium crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage. The 29-year-old is on loan from Chelsea and sealing a permanent move back to Inter could be difficult as the Premier League side looks to recoup the £97.5-million they paid the Serie A club in August 2021. “Everyone knows what I want. Right now I have to do whatever is necessary…

SEVEN-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams overcame a player less than half her age yesterday in a vintage performance in the first round of the Auckland Classic. Playing her first match in four months, the 42-year-old unearthed some trademark power to notch her first win in more than a year, adding another footnote to a professional career that has stretched into a 27th season. An hour-long rain interruption worked in Williams’ favour as she resumed in style to beat fellow American Katie Volynets 7-6 (7/4), 6-2. Volynets, who turned 21 on New Year’s Eve, was leading the first set tiebreaker when play was suspended but she faded in a match that stretched late into the evening. The former world No 1 is using this week to prepare for her 25th…