Inhaltsverzeichnis für CT-2021-03-29 in Cape Times

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za Another ban on alcohol would be the end of the tavern sector as we know it, Liquor Traders Formation convener Lucky Ntimane said yesterday. He joined other industry organisations which argued that the alcohol industry had yet to recover from the almost 19 weeks of non-trading since Covid-19 lockdown began, he said. Under current level 1 lockdown restrictions, alcohol sales take place at normal pre-Covid 19 trading hours, but media reports yesterday said that the National Coronavirus Command Council last week discussed banning alcohol sales over Easter and increasing the size of gatherings, among a raft of other suggestions to prevent a third wave of viral infections. The industry claims to have already lost about R36.3 billion in revenue due to previous bans, and was dealt…

BLOCKCHAIN solutions are currently not easy to implement, but highly desirable for governments and businesses in developing countries that have long been overwhelmed with issues surrounding data collection, organisation and integrity. Using blockchain technology to digi- tise, secure and keep track of records will not only avoid the issues around information mismanagement that many institutions struggle with, but could also curb corruption and restore trust in the public sector, which is at an all-time low among many African citizens. Many companies across the globe are therefore taking a huge interest in the potential Africa has to offer in terms of market growth for blockchain-based products. According to Apollo Eric from Æternity Hub Africa “blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt the current centralised linearly structured systems that typically create bottlenecks…

Chevon Booysen chevon.booysen@inl.co.za ESTATE Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) chief executive Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi has been ordered to submit a number of documents if she intends to proceed with a defamation case against DA MP Emma Powell. Mohlala-Mulaudzi has accused Powell of defamation after the MP had tweeted Mohlala-Mulaudzi had gone “rogue”. This after Mohlala-Mulaudzi’s husband entered a board meeting and produced a firearm. Mohlala-Mulaudzi had received wide coverage during her tenure as EAAB chief executive when she was “beset with controversy, discord and mismanagement”, court documents read. The tweet by Powell read: “Today, a meeting between EAAB management and Nehawu shop stewards was terminated when increasingly rogue CEO Mohlala-Mulaudzi’s husband/partner allegedly walked on to the state entity’s premises and produced a firearm.” Powell held that her tweet was of “public benefit,…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za THE ANC’s discussion document about the future of embattled secretary- general Ace Magashule and others facing criminal charges has deepened factional battles within the party and polarised members of its national executive committee (NEC). Sources told Independent Media that the debate on Magashule and others facing criminal charges in different courts intensified just before 5pm yesterday, when party members expressed different opinions on the ANC integrity committee’s report that Magashule should step aside from his position. In December, the ANC integrity committee under veteran George Mashamba recommended that Magashule step down while facing criminal charges. The committee asked the ANC NEC to implement its decision, and if Magashule resisted, it should suspend him. The integrity committee report gained momentum after Magashule made his first appearance in the…

OWN Correspondent MARINE biologists were stunned when they observed a tiny baby common dolphin swimming with a group of humpback dolphins in Mossel Bay last week. Dr Tess Gridley, director of Sea Search and a research associate in the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University, said this was highly unusual behaviour and they had no idea whether the baby dolphin was lost, orphaned or even stolen. They have been conducting field work in the area for the past week, looking for humpback dolphins for PhD student Sasha Dines’ research. Sea Search uses a passive listening system to record the individually unique whistles of the dolphins. As these devices work 24 hours a day, they allow researchers to study the behaviour and abundance of endangered species such as the…

Staff writer CAPETONIANS joined millions of people around the world in marking Earth Hour between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on Saturday to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to address nature loss and climate change. The theme for Earth Hour 2021 focuses on “Climate Change to Save Earth”. The City on Saturday also launched its new climate change and resilience campaign – Let’s ACT For a Stronger Cape Town – to encourage citizens to join together in helping to build a more sustainable Cape Town. “We are excited to launch this campaign on… Earth Hour. It will be rolled out further over the coming months as the City moves toward finalising its Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, and as we move closer to the next important global climate change…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za FOUR relay swimmers broke a world record at the weekend, crossing False Bay in just seven hours and 29 minutes. Anthony Pearse, Mark Chamberlin, Brad Gale and Barend Nortje took on one of the most challenging marathon swims in the world, beating the previous record of eight hours and 46min for the 35km ocean swim – a distance equivalent to that of the English Channel. “We all feel ecstatic that we managed to complete this relay swim in some tough conditions. There has been a flurry of activity across False Bay in recent weeks and so this might result in more people doing this swim more often and putting False Bay on the long-distance sea-swimming map,” Chamberlin said. The team faced strong 90-degree westerly winds, strong…

Okuhle Hlati okhule.hlati@inl.co.za THERE has been a concerning increase in kidnappings of high-profile foreign national businesspeople in Bellville. This is according to the local Community Policing Forum (CPF), which hailed police for safely rescuing a 49-year-old man who was held hostage in Nyanga at the weekend and for arresting 10 people in connection with the crime. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said reports indicated that the man, a foreign national, was accosted near an ATM on Voortrekker Road on Thursday morning by four armed suspects. A substantial amount of cash as well as a cellphone were taken from him before he was abducted. Potelwa said a special operation was activated as a response to a robbery and kidnapping case opened in Bellville. “Members of the National Intervention Unit (NIU), with Bellville…

ZHONGYI ZHAO Strengthening unity and co-operation with African countries has always been an important cornerstone of China’s independent and peaceful foreign policy, and it is China’s long-term firm strategic choice. No matter how the international situation changes, China has always been united with African countries and moved forward hand in hand to continuously deepen China-Africa relations. China and Africa work together to overcome difficulties. First, China and Africa worked hand in hand to fight the pandemic and support each other. At the most difficult moment in China’s fight against the pandemic, African countries rendered valuable support to China. After the outbreak of the pandemic in Africa, China took the lead in providing 120 batches of emergency anti-epidemic supplies to almost all African countries and the AU, dispatching anti-epidemic medical experts…

With work from home becoming more popular amid the pandemic, cyberattacks against remote access protocols have continued to rise over the past year, a new report says. After the switch to remote work, brute-force attacks against RDP – perhaps the most popular remote desktop protocol and used to access Windows or servers – skyrocketed, reaching a new high of 409 million worldwide in November 2020, research from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky shows. In a brute-force attack, attackers test different usernames and passwords until the correct combination is found – gaining access to corporate resources. When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, the total number of brute-force attacks against RDP jumped from 93.1 million worldwide in February 2020 to 277.4 million in March 2020 – a 197% increase, according to…

Cairo: The death toll in a collapse of a residential building in the Egyptian capital of Cairo has increased to 23, the civil defence service said yesterday. Twenty-five others were injured in the collapse of the 10-storey building in the district of Jisr al-Suez in eastern Cairo on Saturday. The cause of the collapse is not clear yet. Some Egyptian media reported that the landlord had illegally added five floors to the building. Deadly collapses of residential buildings are not uncommon in Egypt. They are often blamed on poor maintenance of ageing buildings and violations of construction regulations.…

SANA’A: The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthi forces has destroyed two explosive-laden boats that the Iran-aligned group planned to use in an “imminent” attack launched from the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Saudi state media reported yesterday. The coalition in separate statements also said it intercepted and destroyed three armed drones launched towards southern Saudi Arabia, including the city of Khamis Mushait. The Houthis, who ousted Yemen’s internationally recognised government from the capital, Sanaa, now hold most of north Yemen.…

Jaco Prinsloo won his second Sunshine Tour title in three weeks yesterday when he carded a closing four-under-par 68 to take the Serengeti Pro-Am Invitational by a margin of two shots. He had a shaky start with two bogeys in his opening five holes – admittedly matched with two birdies in the same stretch – but he settled down to turn in one-under 35 and come home with three more birdies on the back nine to finish two clear of overnight leader Jaco Ahlers, and three strokes ahead of MJ Viljoen and Neil Schietekat, who shared third on 11-under. That was after five rounds in an unusual format which included a rest day after the cut, and a third round on the par-three course at Serengeti. “It wasn’t an ideal…

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix for Mercedes yesterday after an epic, knife-edge battle with Red Bull's Max Verstappen over the final laps. Verstappen, who passed the Briton with four laps to go only to have to hand back the lead for exceeding track limits, finished a mere 0.745 seconds behind after starting on pole position. Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas was a distant third but gained a bonus point for fastest lap. "Wow, what a difficult race that was," said Hamilton, who started second on the grid and took another of Michael Schumacher's all-time records with his 5 112nd race lap led. "Max was all over me right at the end, but I just about managed to hold him off. It was one…

From page 1 “I’m not sure how they are going to deal with that. It’s beyond comprehension,” she said. The mother said there would never be justice for her son, and there was no excuse or reason for his death. “My son lost his life in a very violent and horrific way, and it could have been avoided. I am very angry that my son is dead, and it’s so unnecessary. They were let down by everybody besides the Dyck Advisory Group – private security guys who risked their lives to try to do something to save them. I am grateful because if it wasn’t for them, I would not have any of my family alive.” Knox added: “They have to curb this problem as it is ongoing. Mozambique has…

Staff writer THE CITY has put up a reward of R5 000 for any information which could lead to the arrest of criminals who vandalised seven City libraries in recent weeks. The vandalism at the Delft South, Lwandle, Macassar, Retreat, Suider Strand, Weltevreden and Wynberg facilities is estimated to cost in the region of R100 000. Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badroodien said: “Vandalism … has a far reaching effect, as some libraries that experience vandalism or break-ins need to be closed to the public depending on the nature of the damage, and could take months before being reopened. “We have also seen some instances where libraries were vandalised for no apparent reason – where nothing was stolen. We would like to once again request our communities…

Lorna Charles lorna.charles@inl.co.za A KwaZulu-Natal mother is living her worst nightmare as she mourns the loss of her son, who was killed in an attack in Palma, Mozambique, on Friday. Meryl Knox, of Zinkwazi, told the Cape Times’ sister publication, The Mercury, that her son, Adrian Nel, would have turned 41 on April 1, but instead of a celebration she was awaiting the return of his body. Her nightmare began on Wednesday when a friend called to find out whether her husband Greg was okay as he’d heard of the trouble in Palma. Knox said she was beside herself as not only was her husband working on a major construction project in Palma, but both her sons were, too. She said she tried frantically to get information. She managed to…

Athandile Siyo athandile.siyo@inl.co.za THE search for missing hiker Michael Riley ended in tragedy after his body was found in the Silvermine dam at the weekend. Riley, 69, a regular hiker, went missing last Sunday. Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) rangers and search-and-rescue teams closed off the area last week as they looked for him. His body was found in the dam on Saturday. TMNP manager Frans van Rooyen said: “The discovery follows a week-long search of a reported missing 69-year-old man whose vehicle was discovered in the Silvermine parking area on Sunday, March 21.” He said the family had positively identified Riley’s body. “The family confirmed that it is indeed the body of Mr (Riley) who has been missing for a week. We would like to express our sincere condolences…

Rapula Moatshe rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za IN A VICTORY judgment for employees, a court held that it was possible for an employee to claim from her employer after she was injured during protest action while at work. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein ordered that the premier of Mpumalanga, in his official capacity, is liable to compensate Catherine Churchill for the damages which she could prove she had suffered at the hands of protesters while she was working at the Office of the Premier in April 2017. According to evidence, Churchill went to work as usual, where she was employed as the chief director of policy and research. During the morning, protest action over labour issues, organised by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union broke…

IMAGINE a traffic jam of some 400 of the world’s largest vehicles, each anything up to 400 metres in length and growing exponentially by the day. This is the reality in the southern entrance of Egypt’s Suez Canal where a Taiwanese-operated and Japanese-owned maritime monstrosity, Ever Given, a 400m-long 200 000 ton container ship, has run aground and wedged diagonally across the canal blocking any ship to pass through. Some £7 billion (about R145bn) of goods passes through the 194km canal daily, according to Lloyd’s List, carried by an average of 51.5 ships per day. Indeed 12% of global trade passes through the canal annually, which connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and provides the shortest sea link between Asia and Europe. The disruption to global trade could escalate…

Hundreds of members of a hardline Islamist group attacked Hindu temples and a train in eastern Bangladesh yesterday, police and a local journalist said, as violence spread across the country in the wake of a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At least 10 protesters were killed in clashes with police during demonstrations organised by Islamist groups against the Indian leader’s visit, and violence raged on after his departure as anger swelled over the deaths. Modi arrived in Dhaka on Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s nationhood, and he left on Saturday after gifting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 1.2 million Covid-19 vaccine shots. The Islamist groups accuse Modi of discriminating against minority Muslims in Hindu-majority India and violence escalated rapidly during his visit. On Friday, dozens…

NEW YORK: Former-US president Donald Trump at the weekend said that he may visit the Mexico-US border in coming weeks, suggesting that “a lot of people want him to”. “Thousands and thousands people are coming up right now as we speak and you are going to have millions of people pouring into our country. And it is going to destroy our country. “I don’t know what they are doing and they don’t know what they are doing. It’s a very, very dangerous situation. “I would love not to be involved, somebody else is supposed to be doing it,” Trump said.…

JAKARTA: The Indonesian government has strongly condemned the bombing at the cathedral church complex in South Sulawesi province’s Makassar city yesterday. Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said the bombing was a heinous act. Two people on a motorbike were suspected of carrying out the suicide bombing at around 10.30am local time outside the church in Makassar, injuring at least 14 people. Human body parts were reportedly found at the scene. The incident occurred when Christians in Indonesia were celebrating Palm Sunday ahead of Easter. Churches have been targeted by extremists in Indonesia.…

PANAMA CITY: Panama is restricting entry of foreigners from all South American countries from Wednesday, after a case of the Brazilian variant was confirmed in a patient who had travelled to Brazil. “We are temporarily suspending entry of any person who has stayed or transited through any South American country in the past 15 days, except for nationals of Panama, who upon entering must take a Covid-19 test and enter quarantine,” Panama’s Health Ministry said. The Brazilian strain was detected after a foreigner living in Panama had travelled to her country of origin and tested Covid-positive on her return. Panama has 353 497 cases and 6 000 deaths.…

HERMAN GIBBS The three South African boxers in action in Russia on Saturday evening suffered mixed fortunes but the star of the show was Gauteng southpaw cruiserweight Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu, who won against undefeated Russian Evgeny Tishchenko and retained his World Boxing Council International title at the RCC Boxing Academy in Ekaterina. Mchunu was hugely impressive from the opening bell but then eased up in the later rounds against the lanky Tishchenko, who towered above him. In the end, the judges scored the bout 117-111 and 119-109 (twice), and that reflects Mchunu’s dominance. Mchunu improved his record to 23-5. Mchunu is the WBC’s No 1-ranked cruiserweight, and Tishchenko is the 2016 Rio Olympics heavyweight gold medallist. The outcome of this bout means that Mchunu has earned the right…

HERMAN GIBBS Bafana Bafana’s hopes of qualifying for next year's Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals disappeared into the humid night air at the Al-Hilal Stadium, Omdurman, where Sudan ran out 2-0 winners in the final Group C clash yesterday evening. Following this result, Sudan will join Ghana as the Group C teams to qualify for next year's continental showpiece in Cameroon. Sudan's two first-half goals in the shoot-out for Cameroon qualification sealed Bafana Bafana's fate. In contrast, Bafana had several good scoring opportunities, but yet again they were found to be inept in the striking zone. Percy Tau also had a subdued evening. Straight from the start, Sudan set off at great pace, and by the looks of things, it took the South Africans by surprise. Sudan's early…

Altron CEO Mteto Nyati honoured with World Entrepreneur Award, SA region Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za ALLIED Electronics Corporation (Altron) chief executive Mteto Nyati was among the biggest winners in the EY World Entrepreneur Award in the Southern Africa region on Friday. Nyati was nominated in the “Influence” category alongside Oceana Group chief executive Imraan Soomra and Pierre Spies, the chief executive of Alviva Holdings. EY Africa chief executive Ajen Sita said Nyati would join finalists from more than 45 countries to compete for the title of 2021 EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year award in June as the “Influence” winner. “It is no secret that entrepreneurs can change the world and help reframe the future and like many of us over the past year, they have faced a steep learning curve…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za Almost any form of moderate to intense physical activity can decrease stress, but studies show that boxing can deliver a knock-out blow to it. Cookbook author and Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo has been taking boxing classes and many fans are wondering if the star may be using this to relieve any stress he may be going through. Most kinds of moderate to intense physical activity can decrease stress but there are studies that have shown that boxing in particular can help you deal with stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise increases endorphins, boosts mood, works as a form of meditation, and improves sleep, all of which help reduce stress. Money Crashers explains that there are basically two types of boxing training: training that focuses on…

Nicola Daniels nicola.daniels@inl.co.za ONE year on since the introduction of the Covid-19 hard lockdown and the first death recorded in the province, and a total of 38 699 vaccines have been administered. On March 26 last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced the first hard lockdown in an attempt to slow down the spread of the deadly virus and buy the health-care system adequate time to prepare health-care facilities to meet the challenge to come. “On that same day, the Western Cape recorded its first Covid-19 death. As a government, we continue to fight every day to minimise the impact of this pandemic,” Premier Alan Winde said. “In this regard, our professional teams are working with vigour and determination to prepare for a third wave, alerting our residents to the…

Odwa Mkentane odwa.mkentane@inl.co.za THE provincial cabinet has given the green light for the traditional winter initiation season to resume on June 1, subject to the status of the Covid-19 lockdown and approval by the National Department of Traditional Affairs. Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais said the decision was in line with the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on February 28. Marais said in the interests of the safety of all, initiation would be suspended should the expected third wave occur over the period for which the practice has been approved to resume. “The proposed start date of June 1, subject to the status of the pandemic, allows enough time for stakeholder training, mandatory health inspection as well as cultural preparation of prospective initiates, and preparation of initiation sites…

Siyavuya Mzantsi siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za FORTY SANParks employees found guilty of being involved in rhino poaching have been dismissed, Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has revealed. She was responding to a Parliamentary question on whether any SANParks staff were involved in the poaching of rhino for their horns. “SANParks staff members have been involved in rhino poaching since 2009. In dealing with rhino poaching-related offences, SANParks runs a parallel process alongside the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA),” said Creecy. “Firstly, employees are charged in line with the SANParks Disciplinary Policy and procedures. “In terms of the SANParks Disciplinary Policy and procedures, poaching/unauthorised hunting and killing of animals fall under Category 1 offences, and employees found guilty of such are dismissed for the first offence. This internal disciplinary process was followed in…

Staff writer THE Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) has invested about R18.9 million in the development of two nanosatellites, towards increased maritime domain awareness in South Africa. It is the first such initiative for the country to provide communication services to the maritime industry. The funding was channelled through the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the DSI, to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The university has developed cutting-edge nanosatellites and cube satellites (CubeSats) over the years, demonstrating advanced technological capabilities in the country’s space industry. “South Africa needs a more strategic and coordinated approach to ensure optimal surveillance of the waters off its coast, including shipping movements within the country’s exclusive economic zone. This will promote improved maritime domain awareness and enhanced maritime security,” the…

Athandile Siyo athandile.siyo@inl.co.za KRAAIFONTEIN community leaders have called on residents to work together and protect their children following the death of 11-month-old Akhimbali Mafentile. Akhimbali’s body was discovered in a dam in Wallacedene on Wednesday after a frantic community search. His 20-year-old mother was arrested and appeared in Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of murder and child neglect. She was granted R500 bail and will make her next appearance on June 8. Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said: “Detectives are probing all possibilities, and it is too soon to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the case at this stage.” Community activist Linda Phito said residents had the responsibility to protect children from harm and urged people to work together. “It’s very sad and unfortunate that the mother…

Staff writer THE Department of Correctional Services (DCS) uncovered a number of illegal items during a joint operation at the Goodwood Correctional Centre at the weekend. The operation, undertaken by the DCS’s emergency support team and members of the SAPS, led to the seizure of items including drugs and sharp objects on Saturday. The operation was initiated by provincial commissioner Delekile Klaas after authorities received a tip-off. “We received information that offenders within Goodwood correctional facility were in possession of illegal items. Under the auspices of Operation Lockdown, five cells were identified on suspicion that they were harbouring illegal items. “During the search, some of the items seized were 12 cellphones including SIM cards, cash and dagga as well as tik and mandrax. A number of other items were also…

With concerns mounting over an increase in Covid-19 infections over the Easter holidays and a slowing down in vaccinations, it is crucial that President Cyril Ramaphosa take the nation into his confidence with regards to the state of the pandemic. The war waged against Covid-19 will be a long one. As the country marked the first anniversary since the lockdown started, there is no clear timeline of when life will return to normalcy. This is expected as the pandemic presented the world with many unknowns. A third and fourth wave have been predicted for this year. The need for social distancing, wearing of masks and hypervigilance remains crucial. It is also crucial for the president to present the facts to the nation, not only for the country to understand the…

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has admitted to his government’s failings on tackling sexism, local media reported yesterday, after allegations of rape, sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny since late February rocked the government. Morrison recently faced criticism over the handling of the rape allegation against a former staffer and the historical rape allegation denied by Attorney-General Christian Porter. Thousands of women rallied in cities across the country in recent weeks, angered by the government’s handling of rape allegations in Parliament House, and its refusal to hold an inquiry into separate claims the attorney-general sexually assaulted a woman he met at a school debating event over 30 years ago. Gender equality advocates had hoped that the high-profile cases will force Australia to a turning point where it takes serious steps to…

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis led Palm Sunday services in an almost empty St. Peter’s Basilica because of coronavirus restrictions for the second consecutive year and said the devil is taking advantage of the pandemic. In pre-coronavirus times, Palm Sunday, which marks the start of Holy Week and leads to Easter, tens of thousands of people would pack St. Peter’s Square holding olive branches and intricately woven palm fronds in an outdoor ceremony. Instead, only about 120 members of the faithful participated in Sunday’s Mass, joining the pope and about 30 cardinals in a secondary wing of the huge basilica. “Last year we were shocked. “This year we are more under pressure and the economic crisis has become heavy,” Francis said in his traditional Sunday noon address after the Mass. Italy…

BRUSSELS: Thirteen countries risk facing Schengen visa restrictions over their reluctance to take back deportees from the European Union. The European Commission looked into 39 countries that systematically “obstruct” the repatriation of their own citizens. The worst “unsatisfactory” grade was given to 13 countries – Iraq, Iran, Libya, Senegal, Somalia, Mali, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Guinea-Bissau. The countries will face visa restrictions unless they better co-operate on repatriation of their citizens. “Dialogue” will be launched to improve co-operation, failing which the EU may increase visa fees.…

The nautical traffic jam in the Suez Canal, caused by container ship Ever Given, has resulted in delays for a large number of cargo vessels, including one carrying a sizeable shipment of sex toys bound for the Netherlands. The shipment consists of some 20 containers packed with “dildos, vibrators and male masturbators”, intended for customers of a company called EDC Retail that had already complained about its projected losses, caused by an inability to replenish the stock. “There are more than 20 containers full of well-running items, such as vibrators, dildos and male masturbators,” Evertine Magerman, chief executive of EDC Retail, said. “A lot of these products were sold for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. There is now an extra lot on the way to restore stocks. But that is not…

SOUTH Africa’s Darryn Binder started on pole, and ended the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix with a podium, but if only it was as straightforward as that. In the first race of the 2021 season at the Losail International Circuit, the Moto3 category dished up a brilliantly entertaining spectacle as the lead changed hands with almost every lap, yesterday. Binder finished behind second-placed Pedro Acosta and winner Jaume Masia, both of Spain, 0.094 seconds behind the victor. Older brother, Brad, meanwhile, had the tough task of making an impact from 19th on the grid in the elite MotoGP class. Despite a relatively good start, Binder managed to only finish 14th, 14 seconds behind winner Maverick Vinales.…