Índex per 2021-09-06 a Star

Philippa Larkin philippa.larkin@inl.co.za Mediclinic International, the private hospital group, is putting action behind its sustainable development strategy and walking the talk after it announced on Friday that its Southern African division had entered a $152 million (R2.17 billion) deal to buy renewable electricity from Energy Exchange of Southern Africa. The group said the goal was to mitigate rising electricity costs and as it works towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030. South Africa has seen a spate of power price hikes amid a moribund economy hit by Covid-19 disruption. Dr Ronnie van der Merwe, the chief executive, said: “All divisions are taking steps to reduce their electricity consumption intensity through the adoption of the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system. This will lead to improved operational efficiency of technical installations;…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) returned to profitability in its construction and engineering operations in the year to June 30 following reduced losses in Australia, and a rejuvenated performance from the African business. The results, released on Friday, show that the reduced losses in Australia came after the group had provided for substantial losses in the previous reporting period, to reach the physical completion of the Western Roads Upgrade project. So additional losses in the current period primarily represented the cost of attaining commercial acceptance of the project. Management said the results were also lifted by a rejuvenated performance from the African operations which had recovered from the impact of Covid-19 in the latter half of the financial year, increasing in both revenue and profitability. In the UK,…

GLENVISTA High Schools in Gauteng walked out victorious at the SA Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee Schools Challenge, scooping up the R30 000 overall prize. The SA Reserve Bank, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, announced the 2021 finalists and winners. Glenvista took the winning prize, followed in second place by Hoërskool Linden, and King’s School White River from Mpumalanga came third. |…

LLOYD GOVINDSAMY If you asked someone to describe me, they would say quiet, reserved, and a little quirky, and they would be right. Raised in an Indian family, I was no different from the kid next door. All too familiar with “Why are you coming home so late?” and “ So why would an average Indian boy from Durban take the leap to teach in the Far East? Well, given the lack of employment opportunities and the mundane way of life we’ve all grown accustomed to, there wasn’t much standing in my way. And to explore what to me was an all-new world, teaching English in South Korea seemed lucrative. With the aid of a recruiter, all the paperwork was done in a matter of two weeks, and the…

By Sheryl Thiel WHEN buying, selling, trading-in or servicing a vehicle, everyone wants a hassle-free, smooth experience and to deal with someone they can trust. Buying a car is a particularly important decision and ensuring you get a reliable vehicle can be a daunting task – especially when buying a used car. Motus.cars offers a new progression to the car shopping journey. Previously known as Imperial, the group has been around since 1948 and is a trusted automotive brand. The aim of motus.cars, the group says, is to allow customers to shop new car models from 25 OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and compare vehicles all in one place. They can then complete the process by applying for finance and having the vehicle delivered at their nearest dealership, all…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za THE last time I interviewed Lorcia Cooper, she was getting her feet wet as Charmaine Jacobs, on e.tv’s pioneering youth drama, Backstage – circa the 2000s. Two decades later, I am calling the award-winning actress to chat about her latest project on SABC2. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to interview her, but I was glad to finally be doing so. Of the 30-minute chat that we had, half of it was spent shooting the breeze. We discussed Covid-19, family, work, and the recent heat she got on social media – after an old video of her lamenting the challenges of getting work in an industry that, to be fair, is notorious for pigeon-holing actors into typecast parts. That part of the conversation was off…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za As vegan and vegetarian diets continue to be popular food trends, consumer interest in meat substitutes is growing. The last year has been an extraordinary one for a niche industry: alternative meats – and it’s offering us a glimpse into a different future for meat. Whether you’re trying to go vegetarian or just looking to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet, finding “meaty” alternatives may require a little thinking outside the box. Below is a list of some of the best meat substitutes for vegetarian and vegan dishes. If you’re new to trying faux meats or packaged meat substitutes, you will need to keep in mind that all vary in how closely they resemble meat in flavours, textures, and certainly appearance. Veggie burgers Whether you’re making…

We all want to make a difference. Most people will jump at the chance to help someone in need, we just need to know what to do, or who needs help. Giving back also doesn’t have to mean spending large amounts of money, or sacrificing time you don’t really have. Sometimes we can make a huge difference right in the middle of an ordinary day. Here are five ways you could save a life during your lunch break this week: 1. Every bite counts – fight against malaria with chocolate In 2019, South African brands, Goodbye Malaria and Nova Chocolate launched a range of sugar free, fat free, taste-good, does-good, artisanal dark chocolate that uses ethically sourced ingredients, called “Every Bite Counts”. The two flavours have helped raise funds…

Brenda Masilela and Shifaan Ryklief Last Tuesday, the Taliban celebrated victory as the last US troops departed Afghanistan peacefully after 20 years of occupation. After Taliban forces took charge of Kabul airport, officials said the country was now a “free and sovereign nation” and later they paraded the streets of Kandahar city in US armoured vehicles. In the week ahead, the group is expected to announce its new administration, however, the BBC reported that there is a clash between the Taliban and resistance militants in the Panjshir Valley which is controlled by Ahmad Massoud, the son of legendary mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud. Meanwhile, the UK, US and other countries are looking to Qatar to help evacuate its citizens and allies who are still in Afghanistan. Qatar has encouraged other…

BELGIAN chocolates are traditionally buttery, medium sweet and smooth. Those of us who had expected Hugo Broos to infuse those characters into Bafana Bafana’s play were left bitterly disappointed on Friday. Of course it is way too early to judge, but don’t they say first impressions last? And the one Broos made in his maiden match in charge of our country’s senior national team is definitely not going to see Danny Jordaan and Co receiving a pat on the back for their excellent choice in a coach. Neither would it have got Ghana and Ethiopia anticipating their clashes against Bafana with some trepidation. The goalless draw at Zimbabwe was not living with the excitement that had engulfed some quarters of the Bafana supporters when Broos announced the squad. Many…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za IT took Louzanne Coetzee eight years to reach the pinnacle of her athletics career, and all the sacrifices were worth it as she claimed her second medal of the Tokyo Paralympics yesterday. Having finished second in the women’s 1 500m (T11) final last Monday, along with her guide Estean Badenhorst, Coetzee tackled the women’s marathon (T11 and T12) yesterday with a new guide in Claus Kempen. She was modest about her hopes for success beforehand, stating after her 1 500m silver medal that she was just hoping to enjoy the 42.2km slog through Tokyo as she had qualified for it. But the 28-year-old surpassed all expectations with a late charge to finish third in a time of three hours, 11 minutes and 13 seconds, a new world…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za DURING these uncertain Covid-19 times, there will undoubtedly still be many twists and turns, highs and lows, and ebbs and flows on the way to next year’s World Cup. But the Proteas women’s team begin their journey to faraway New Zealand at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua tomorrow. After their tear-jerking semi-final exit at both the last 2017 World Cup in England and the T20 World Cup in Australia 18 months ago, coach Hilton Moreeng’s team have sworn to go one step further in the “Land of the Long White Cloud”. It is a pledge that this group of players have undertaken collectively, especially as the majority still carry the scars of both Bristol and Sydney. They certainly returned post the Covid-19 hiatus at the beginning…

The BILLIONAIRE tech entrepreneur, Elon Musk, is known for his innovative approach to challenges from electric cars to Mars colonies. However, when speaking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2014, Elon Musk voiced his concern with regard to artificial intelligence (AI), which he called humanity’s “biggest existential threat” and “more dangerous than nuclear warheads”. His concern is that as AI gets smarter than humans due to the power- ful capabilities of machine learning, we could lose control over it, which would create a serious threat to the very existence of humanity. AI is currently developing at an exponential rate and once computers become superintelligent, they may be impossible to control. Human brain and AI symbiosis According to Musk, one way to overcome this potential existential crisis and to ensure…

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has embarked on a vaccination programme at high schools where eligible learners can get the jab at school. According to the WCED, 13 of the school’s 48 eligible matric learners have been vaccinated. Vaccinations for the 18-to-34 age group started last week. Good Hope Seminary High School was one of the schools enrolled. The school principal, Leon Linz, expressed hope that the impetus will grow. |…

MaryAnne Isaac maryanne.isaac@inl.co.za YOU have to really be passionate about nature and the planet if you’re thinking about taking up a career in nature conservation or being the next Jane Goodall. Nature conservation is protecting and managing the local natural environment and striving to accomplish this in different ways. At age 26 Goodall embarked on her primatology study and stayed with jungle chimpanzees for almost 50 years. She is the winner of the Kyoto Prize, Hubbard Medal, and Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and is a highly decorated conservationist. The Earth’s natural resources include air, water, soil, flora, fauna and minerals, and conserving them ensures present and future generations are able to live on a healthy planet, breathe healthy air and live healthy lives. According to NatGeo, human population growth…

LEGACY M-NET, DSTV CHANNEL 101, 7PM The Price family reunite after an unfortunate incident, Willem tries to help Sanele when Sanele finds himself caught in a spiral with no way out, and Felicity must cover her tracks when the police come knocking. DOIN’ MY DRUGS SHOWMAX Thomas Buttenschøn was born HIV+ in Zambia in 1985 and lost his parents to the disease by the time he was nine. Now in his mid-30s, he’s a household name in Denmark, as an award-winning musician. Shot over 2-and-a-half years, this documentary shows Thomas as he returns to Zambia as living proof that HIV/Aids is not a death sentence. UNITED APART SHOWMAX In March 2020, with less than a handful of known infections, South Africa embarked on one of the strictest lockdowns…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za WHILE we cannot predict the future, we have a good feeling about a few food trends that will be taking over this spring. Spring is the season when everything bursts back into life, and our senses start being stimulated once again. It’s the blooming colours, tastes and sounds of nature that bring us back to life. This perception inspires us and is the reason spring is most people’s favourite season to cater in. That said, we are excited to bring you the latest trends for this season! Let’s spring right into it – here are four spring food trends. Smoothies Smoothies become more popular each year. Smoothies offer an amazing way to boost your immune system and replenish important vitamins. For maximum benefit, don’t forget to add…

BONGANI NKOSI AS the weekend marked three years since three Joburg firefighters died in the Bank of Lisbon building fire, the countdown for the release of reports into the tragedy has begun earnestly. Gauteng Premier David Makhura maintained in a written reply to questions in the provincial legislature that the reports would be released before the end of this month. It was understood that there were four probes and as many reports were expected. On September 5 2018, firefighters Simphiwe Moropane, Mduduzi Ndlovu and Khathutshelo Muedi died when trying to douse a horror inferno on the top of the building tused by the Gauteng government. There were outcries that the provincial government was warned many times that the building was a death trap. Three years after the incident, families…

FAROUK ARAIE | Benoni Twenty-four years ago, the most photographed woman on Earth was killed in a bizarre accident in France. A series of new documentaries, being shown globally, will reignite many conspiracy theories regarding her tragic death. Princess Diana’s untimely death on August 31, 1997, is once again causing global political tremors. Her car crashed into the 13th column of the Port D’Alma road tunnel in Paris at 12.23am. Evidence in the public domain clearly indicates that she was killed in a carefully orchestrated plot. The cardinal question is, what were a multitude of MI6 agents doing in Paris at the time of her death? It was Lord Stevens, then police chief, who told the parents of Henri Paul, the driver of the ill-fated car, that their…

Anelisa Kubheka anelisa.kubheka@inl.co.za THIS year will be the third year since a Folweni Grade 10 pupil dropped out of school after his teacher allegedly hit him on his knuckles with a chalkboard duster. The young man, who does not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said he had been unable to use his right hand since. He was 18 at the time. His mother, who also declined to be named, claimed her son was hit three times with the corner of the duster. He could no longer open his hand and his fingernails were hurting his palm. She said she was now burdened with financial implications. Her son had to seek regular medical assistance to treat infections in the hand and stop the pain at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial…

ENGLAND Women’s Super League (WSL) kicked off its new season at the weekend and, with a major new broadcast deal and a host of international football players, there are a series of new sponsorships as brands look to get in on the growth of the women’s game. The new three-year broadcast deal, reported to be worth eight million pounds (R158.739 million) per season, will see WSL games broadcast live on subscription platform Sky Sports and by the free-to-air BBC, which the league hopes will boost ratings and the popularity of the WSL, whose title sponsor is Barclays. Sky Sports say they will give the WSL “the full treatment” with their trademark analysis, promotion and programming around the games, while the BBC offer the chance to access the large audience of…

WHILE the Springboks insist they won’t suddenly change their percentage game plan to please the rest of the world, the Wallabies’ performance against the All Blacks yesterday may have broadened their horizons somewhat. The South Africans take on Australia in Gold Coast on Sunday (12.05pm SA Time), and would’ve watched the Perth encounter with great interest. What coach Jacques Nienaber and his team would have seen was how vulnerable the Aussies are in defence out wide, among numerous issues Dave Rennie needs to sort out. The Boks will stick with their hard-grind approach where they will play territory, win their set-pieces and take their three-point penalties. But that is not to be disparaging about their attacking approach, which has improved with every game, and will look to reach their peak…

A physician removed a bandage with exceptional care to reveal his patient's tiny dotted red wounds and gently cleaned the dried blood. “It hasn't even been 10 hours since the operation, but the result already looks perfect,” said Servet Terziler, a hair transplant specialist at a privately owned clinic in Istanbul. The 31-year-old Spanish citizen Alberto Bolos Sanchez also seemed satisfied with the result after the doctor showed his new hair follicles transplanted onto a bald area. “I can say that Istanbul is currently the capital city of the world in hair transplantation,” Terziler said as he continued to dress Sanchez's wounds. He said as the Covid-19 vaccination campaign continues at a high speed in Turkey, foreigners are increasingly seeking out aesthetic surgeries in the country. The customers come from…

THE first leg of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) transfer to the Department of Basic of Education from the Department of Social Development is starting, with the ECD census under way. The ECD Census 2021, commissioned by the Department of Basic Education and funded by the LEGO Foundation, is aimed at counting all ECD programmes in the country. The data will assist the partners to better understand the ECD landscape in South Africa. |…

MaryAnne Isaac maryanne.isaac@inl.co.za IF YOU are thinking of choosing a career in nature, here are a few organisations to volunteer at to gain experience and insight into nature conservation. The little time you spend volunteering can be useful in confirming that the career is really what you want, so make calls or send emails to these: International Rhino Foundation (IRF) The IRF has been funding and operating rhino conservation programmes for over 25 years. Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (Wessa) Wessa is an environmental organisation that initiates and supports high impact environmental and conservation projects to care for the Earth. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi) Sanbi’s conservation gardens and tourism division manages its network of national botanical and zoological gardens, each with tourism infrastructure and conservation estates.…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za Long gone are the days when fantasy offerings were most prominent on the big screen, with a handful of offerings available on the small screen. Streaming platforms have changed the game. The genre is not only popular but it’s also one of the most sought-after, which explains the proliferation of offerings. I recently binged on seasons one and two of A Discovery of Witches, which is on the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, on Showmax. In this world where vampires, witches and daemons live among regular people, romances between the different orders are discouraged. The leads in the series are Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop and Matthew Goode as Matthew Clairmont. While Diana is a witch, she’s been reluctant to follow in the footsteps of those…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za SPRING is here! This changing of the season marks a time for all things to come alive and experience renewal; and that includes food. When you eat foods that are in season, they’re not only more affordable, but they’re also fresher, and packed with the highest amount of flavour and nutritional value. So, say goodbye to stews and slow-cookers, and start blasting away those extra winter kilograms with these spring foods. To help you incorporate them into your diet, we have also included our favourite recipes. Spring onions No, they’re not the same things as scallions or green onions. Unlike scallions, spring onions have more of a bulb at the bottom, as they’re regular onions that have been plucked out of the ground, before they are fully…

Chulumanco Mahamba THE NATIONAL Police Commemoration Day serves as a stark reminder of the perils the men and women in blue face as they carry out their duty of service in the country. Yesterday, the (SAPS hosted the National Police Commemoration Day at the Union Buildings SAPS Memorial Site, in remembrance of 34 men and women in blue who died in the line of duty between April 2020 and March this year. Police Minister Bheki Cele in his welcoming address extended remembrance to the families and colleagues of about 852 members who have succumbed to Covid-19 related complications since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. The minister said that this past weekend three SAPS members, Sergeant Nkosinathi Ngcobo in KwaZulu-Natal, Sergeant Pumlani Dastile in Eastern Cape and…

HEALTH Minister Joe Phaahla says security at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is not up to standard – the risk of criminals entering the wards was high. Phaahla replied to written parliamentary questions on how the hospital lost equipment worth R200 000 to theft. Over R3 million was spent on the hospital’s security detail a month. It is understood that criminals gained access via the fire doors. Phaahla said security around the fire doors was found to be lax. These findings were part of a probe into the fire that broke out at the hospital earlier that forced it to close temporarily. “The hospital has more than 1 500 fire doors at the back of the wards that lead to the fire escape routes. “There are now plans to…

ITUMELENG MAFISA THE debate over whether fish or human life is more important took place in the form of protests outside the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) in Midrand. A civic group from Johannesburg’s townships and NGO, 350 Africa.org, protested outside the DBSA gates on the proposed Karpowership SA project. Should the project be a success it will reduce the incidence of load shedding and improve the stability of the South African economy with a more stable power grid. It was not clear how many jobs the project would create but The Star understands that Karpowership is a 49% black-owned company. One of the leaders of the townships’ residents, Siphesihle Jele, said power ships would contribute to the avoidance of load shedding in townships. He said having Karpowership…

FORMER Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has called for the World Cup to be held every two years in an interview with French sports daily L’Equipe. The 71-year-old Frenchman, who is now director of development at FIFA, also called for a single annual period of international qualifiers in a global football calendar. “The principle would be a grouping of qualifiers every year, and at the end of the season a major competition, World Cup or continental championship,” said Wenger. “Between the two qualifying windows, the player would stay in his club all year round. “There must be less of a mix in the calendar between the periods of club football and periods of international football, and therefore fewer transcontinental trips for the players, for example.” Wenger said he would like to…

HOME favourite Max Verstappen snatched the world championship lead from Lewis Hamilton yesterday as the Red Bull driver produced a scintillating performance to win the first Dutch Grand Prix since 1985. A week after the farcical washout in Belgium, pole-sitter Verstappen controlled the race from the start in bright sunshine at a circuit set in coastal sand dunes at the beach resort of Zandvoort. His seventh win in 13 races this season turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead over seven-time world champion Hamilton ahead of Monza this weekend. Hamilton was second, setting the fastest lap on the final lap to earn a consolation bonus point, with Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas a distant third. “As you can hear already, it’s just incredible,” said Verstappen, roared on by some 70…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za SEVEN bowling options and batting down to eight – might the Proteas have stumbled on to the right balance for the starting team in limited-overs cricket? Conditions at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo aren’t weighted drastically in favour of spinners – it’s not Kanpur in 2008 or Nagpur in 2015 – but it is slow, and thus it helps to have as many options as possible. Keshav Maharaj, standing in as captain for the injured Temba Bavuma in the second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Saturday, had that in the shape of three front-line spinners – himself included – and the part-time off-spin of Aiden Markram, which he didn’t need. The Proteas have battled with the balance of the starting team for much of the…