Índex per 2021-09-10 a Star

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za Subdued sentiment on global markets kept the rand in the red yesterday, putting a slight dampener on the substantial widening in the current account balance of payments, which came in at the largest surplus ever of R343 billion in the second quarter of 2021, advancing from R261bn in the first quarter. The figure was R10bn higher than analysts’ expectations for the quarter, signifying the height in the softening of commodity prices, particularly platinum group of metals. As a ratio of gross domestic product (GDP), the current account surplus widened to 5.6 percent in the second quarter of 2021 from 4.3 percent in the preceding quarter. Investec economist Kamilla Kaplan in a note said export demand for non-commodity goods had also been supported by the…

The SANTAM Insurance Barometer 2021 report on insurance trends showed that the challenging economy, political unrest, the pandemic impact on businesses, cybercrime and climate change were among the top risks highlighted by consumers, intermediaries and corporates polled. “Even if people still deem insurance as a grudge purchase, they need to start viewing insurance as an enabler of economic continuity. It requires a complete shift in mindset and an understanding that insurance has the capacity to rebuild all aspects of society,” said Andrew Coutts, Santam’s services group head of intermediated business. Key findings of the report found that over the past 18 months 50 percent of consumers reduced the number of kilometres driven each week by an average of 44 percent, from 162km to 90km per week. On the…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za Fans will remember Lloyiso (previously Loyiso) Gijana from season 11 of Idols SA in 2015. At 16, he made the Top 5. Although he didn’t go further, he left an indelible impression with his powerful voice. Now, the 22-year-old, who is simply known as Lloyiso, is about to make his presence felt on a global stage after being signed up by Universal Music Group South Africa and Republic Records in the US. Not just that, he is the first South African artist to sign to Republic Records. Welcoming Lloyiso to the label, Republic Records executive vice-president of A&R, Brett Alperowitz, commented: “Lloyiso has all the makings of a career superstar — knock out vocals, incredible song-writing, and an amazing story to tell. He’s the rare talent who…

NHLANHLA MBATHA THE CITY of Johannesburg yesterday moved swiftly to close the manholes that have been left gaping open for months in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg. On Wednesday, an Evaton family were left devastated by the discovery of the body of their 6-year-old son in an open manhole, 20 metres from his home. Khomanani Elias Mawa’s body was found by municipal workers lying in a stream of water with one leg exposed after the body was pushed by water pressure from a nearby manhole. Emfuleni municipality spokes- person Lebo Mofokeng said Khomanani’s body was discovered after the workers broke several manholes with a TLB (loader) while they followed the underground sewer channel which led them to the stream. Khomanani went missing on…

Ntombi Nkosi The ANC’s spat with Carl Niehaus has escalated. Niehaus has until midday today to fetch his belongings from the party’s headquarters at Luthuli House and seven days to explain why his dismissal as a member of the ruling party should not be upheld. By the time of going to print last night, Niehaus had not responded to requests for comment regarding his dismissal. “In your written representations, you have not provided any cogent reasons for the ANC to arrive at any conclusion other than that the employment relationship between you and the organisation has completely, irrevocably broken down,” the party said in a statement. The ANC’s angst comes after Niehaus issued a media statement on Wednesday detailing that he intended to formally lay criminal charges of “theft, fraud,…

Staff Reporter BEST-SELLING author Samantha Downing is back with her latest sneaky thriller set at a prestigious private school - complete with interfering parents, overeager pupils, and a teacher who just wants to teach them all a lesson. Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the esteemed Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest. Teddy can’t be bothered with the death of a school parent that’s looking like murder or the student digging into Teddy’s personal life. His main focus is on pushing these kids to their full academic potential. All he wants is for his colleagues - and the parents - to stay out of his way. It’s too bad excellence sometimes comes at a high cost.…

THE latest coup in Africa took place this week in Guinea – a country considered a treasure trove of mineral resources, much of which is yet to be exploited. The future political trajectory of the country will determine which major powers lay their hands on the critical resources. Guinea possesses more than four billion tons of untapped high-grade iron ore, a third of the world’s bauxite reserves which are used to make aluminium, undetermined amounts of uranium, manganese, nickel, significant gold and diamond reserves, and prospective oil reserves. Aluminium is used in everything from car parts to drinks cans and home appliances. Longer-term, the metal is set to benefit from its use in electric vehicles and renewable energy. Despite this treasure trove, Guinea’s 13 million people are among the poorest…

THERE is an African saying that goes: “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” And when the dust pollutes the atmosphere when the fight is in progress, it is a clear indication the fight is fierce indeed. The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) with its good intentions is now being pulverised to a state of dusty warfare as opposed to focusing on the welfare of the vulnerable people in society. The CGE was designed to be the torch bearer of our society and the protectors of the flame should we in our urgency endanger its progressive brightness. Amanda Gouws, the former CGE commissioner launched damaging criticisms on the CGE: “This Women’s Month, the CGE could not have picked a worse time to express institutional failure so spectacularly through commissioners…

JOBURG’S young population is tired of the lockdown restrictions imposed by Covid-19 and eager to return to normal lives. Young people are urging their peers and everyone to get vaccinated to achieve this reality. This sentiment came up during the virtual engagement by the council Speaker Nonceba Molwele last week. Although Joburg recently hit a milestone for vaccinating a million people, there is still a long way to go to get more people inoculated in the city. Molwele said while there was eagerness among the youth between the ages 18 and 35 to be vaccinated, they also appeared to be the most vaccine-resistant group owing to misinformation, fake news, myths about the vaccines and a general lack of information. “Many think they are still young and healthy enough not be…

A smoke alarm sounded yesterday in Russia’s segment of the International Space Station (ISS) and astronauts smelled “burning” on board, Russia’s space agency and NASA said. The incident, ahead of a spacewalk, is the latest in a string of problems to spur safety concerns over conditions on the Russian segment. The crew turned on a filter and went back to sleep. The spacewalk was to go ahead as scheduled. Citing ageing hardware, Russia plans to leave the ISS after 2025 and launch its own orbital station. | AFP…

WYNONA LOUW wynona.louw@inl.co.za SPRINGBOK centre Lukhanyo Am says they aren’t reading too much into Australia’s recent performances as they prepare to face the Wallabies in a Rugby Championship clash at Robina Stadium in Gold Coast on Sunday. While the Boks boast a superb season so far, having won the British & Irish Lions series and both their Rugby Championship fixtures against Argentina, Australia have suffered three straight defeats to New Zealand. But that doesn’t mean the Boks are underestimating them, Am said. “Australia are playing really good rugby. It’s just unfortunate that they haven’t been getting the results,” Am said. “From our side, we are preparing as much as we can to come out on tops this weekend. “With Australia, I think they have a fairly balanced side. There are…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za STELLENBOSCH FC are finding ways to live without an experienced trio of players and are keen to continue their positive start to the season, says coach Steve Barker. The Cape Winelands outfit have picked up four valuable points through a 2-2 draw away to Orlando Pirates and a 1-0 home win over TS Galaxy to propel them to the summit of the Premiership standings. But Robyn Johannes, Granwald Scott and Allen Roberston are still on the sidelines after the international break and will not be available for tomorrow’s League clash against Sekhukhune United at Ellis Park. “It’s always good to get off to a positive start. We’re happy with the start that we’ve had,” Barker said. “It is always nice to play again after a win, but…

PERCY Tau’s roars are not only resonating loudly on the pitch but off it as well. And that’s refreshing to see, given that the “Lion of Judah” was known to feast on his prey with the ball at his feet, while his persona lacked the killer instinct. Tau is one footballer who has never taken anything for granted. His moments of being in awe and humbled were there for all to see after he returned to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 from loan at Witbank Spurs to bag a Champions League gold medal. Tau sat in front of the billboard that signalled the Brazilians as the new continental kings, looking at his medal as though it was his first toy as a child. Meanwhile, his teammates and the technical team were…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za MUSTEK, local assembler of information communication technology (ICT) and home computers, lifted headline earnings a share by a whopping 247.5 percent to 441.81 cents and the dividend by 246 percent to 90c after the group benefited from remote working and learning trends. The share price leapt 3.38 percent to R13.75 by yesterday afternoon, bringing the gain in the price over a year to 96 percent. “We are confident the working and learning from home reality is more than a passing trend. Employees had a glimpse of what their workplaces can be, and most will demand this type of flexibility from their employers in future,” the group said. Revenue increased 25.6 percent to R8.04 billion and gross profit was up 14.8…

VACCINE hesitancy is a very real challenge for governments. In South Africa, just more than 10 percent of the population has had the jab. While getting vaccinated is not (yet) a legal requirement, employers can implement a mandatory vaccination policy, under specific circumstances and subject to certain constitutional checks and balances. This follows the publication of the amended Consolidation Direction on Occupational Health and Safety Measures in Certain Workplaces on June 11. Some of the salient points of the Consolidated Direction which are important for employers to know. Time frames An employer has 21 days, from the date the directive becomes enforceable (June 11), to amend its workplace plan, which must include: Whether the employer is intending to make vaccinations mandatory. Which category of employees the vaccine would be…

ITUMELENG MAFISA STEVE Biko would be shocked at the state of affairs in South African politics if he was alive, said a close friend and Black Consciousness movement member, Saths Cooper. Cooper was speaking days before the 44th anniversary of Biko’s death, on September 12. He said Biko, before his death, was on a mission to unite liberation movements such as the PAC and ANC. However, because of the massive divisions among former liberation parties and factional politics, Biko’s dream would not materialise. “He had met with Robert Sobukwe and Winnie Mandela and got her agreement and was engaging with the exiled leadership under Oliver Tambo.” He said it was disappointing to see liberation movements eating themselves up through factional battles, tribalism and cronyism. “If you look at the…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za A KAGISO MOTHER whose 13-day-old baby girl died after an infection is urgently seeking answers from Robinson Private Hospital as she claims medical negligence resulted in the death of her daughter. “I need answers to account, need someone to account because on the 27th I was with my daughter and she was perfectly fine and healthy. She was removed from the machines and I got a chance to hold her for the first time,” the mom said. On July 15, Lebogang Selebogo, 33, who was 28 weeks pregnant, had an emergency Caesarean section at Life Healthcare Robinson Private Hospital in Randfontein and gave birth to a premature baby girl, Oreabetse Selebogo who weighed 1.1kg. The baby was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit where she was…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been heavily criticised by the Special Tribunal for hauling three companies before it, only for the unit to withdraw its application. The SIU launched an urgent application in May to interdict the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) from making payments to Pro-Provider Group, Rembu Construction and SKS Business Solutions. The three companies were awarded a tender for the conversion of shipping containers into residential units at three sites in Alexandra and Marlboro, north of Joburg. According to papers filed at the tribunal, the project was to help ease overcrowding in parts of Joburg where there is a heightened risk of persons contracting Covid-19. The SIU wanted the tribunal to review and set aside the contract due to alleged procurement irregularities and…

JOHN M FRANCE | Benoni WHEN I was young I had measles, mumps and rubella along with chickenpox and scarlet fever. My sons were spared these diseases because medical scientists invented, and governments throughout the world encouraged the use of, the MMR vaccine – scientists that letter writer Peter Bachtis (Your Views, September 8) dismisses as ignorant and subversive. It is the duty of any government to care for its people, and encouraging vaccination which is proven to be safe and effective is just one small way of fulfilling this duty. The percentage effectiveness of all the various vaccinations is well known from studies of the billions of doses that have been delivered. While total immunity cannot be guaranteed, the chances of illness and, more importantly, death from…

Staff Reporter THE CHIEF executive of Tammy Taylor Nails South Africa emphasises that safety and saving lives comes first as the company said it would at a later stage only allow vaccinated people to enter their stores. The discussion and dilemma of jobs or jabs has been in the forefront of public discourse since last week when Discovery announced that it would be mandatory for all staff to get vaccinated from the start of next year. Leaders of the beauty industry Tammy Taylor Nails South Africa also joined in the discussion when the chief executive Peet Viljoen said that Tammy Taylor would at a later stage only let vaccinated people enter their stores, including staff and customers. Viljoen told The Star yesterday that although it is controversial, some brands…

Staff Reporter AS THE world moves online, Georgina Lefifi takes pride in the recent launch of Joburg Pulse, the city’s digital radio station, which aims to expand innovative communication platforms for Joburgers. “I am proud that we are arguably the first municipality in Africa to launch a radio station of this nature,” said Lefifi, the group head of communication and marketing. She is now rallying her team behind the launch of Joburg digital TV, the city’s first live-streaming television station. She says the city’s digital transformation hub on the 11th floor at the Metro Centre is also collaborating with other departments and entities to digitalise some municipal processes in a bid to get Joburg to be a truly smart city. Charged with the strategic leadership of the city’s events, communication…

The past few weeks have been a tragic reminder that the pandemic of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) continues to rob women of their basic human right to life and dignity. While the past months have been challenging due to the debilitating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on individuals, families and communities, with women being the hardest hit, the second pandemic of GBVF has exacerbated the situation. It is also concerning that these barbaric incidents of GBVF were taking place as our country was commemorating Women’s Month last month, a period when we are supposed to be celebrating and honouring all generations of women (past and present) for their instrumental role in the development of our society. We are therefore reminded that GBVF is a societal problem and requires…

TWO decades after Saudi Arabian militants masterminded and carried out the September 11 attacks, the desert kingdom is striving for change in a reform drive aimed at updating its ultra-conservative image. Women can drive and cinemas have reopened in the “new” Saudi Arabia under crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, among many modernising reforms that some believe can be linked to the trauma of 9/11. The initiatives are “one of the long-term consequences” of the worst terrorist attack on US soil, said Yasmine Farouk of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Fifteen Saudis were among the 19 hijackers in the plane attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which left nearly 3 000 dead and were plotted by Saudi-born al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The…

BRAZIL’S Health Regulatory Agency, Anvisa, was a victim of a cyberattack on Wednesday which included an Argentina flag and a provocative message after last weekend’s World Cup qualifier in São Paulo between the two countries was abandoned. Sunday’s fixture was halted after seven minutes as Brazilian health officials stormed the pitch over alleged Covid-19 quarantine breaches by the visitors, triggering a mêlée involving team officials and players. The officials intervened just hours after health authorities in Brazil said that four England-based players in Argentina’s squad should be placed in “immediate quarantine” for breaching Covid-19 protocols. “Anvisa, we didn't quarantine before walking all over your servers: are you going to send us off too?” the message on a black background on Anvisa’s website read. The hacked site, where foreign travellers…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s selectors juggled the spin options at their disposal for the T20 World Cup, picked one player who hasn’t played a T20 international, didn’t pick another who has featured frequently of late, and chose another who has only played sporadically in the last two years. The composition of the spin element in the squad is only one part of some bizarre decisions that also saw “free agents” like Faf du Plessis, Chris Morris and Imran Tahir ignored. Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will be the three frontline spinners for the tournament, which SA’s brainstrust anticipate will take place on worn pitches in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman from late October. The IPL will be played to its conclusion in the region and…

FERRARI’S Charles Leclerc has called for the ‘tifosi’ to generate a crazy Dutch-style atmosphere as he bids to gatecrash the championship contenders’ title scrap at the Italian Grand Prix. The Monegasque, who won Ferrari’s home race at Italy’s ‘Temple of Speed’ in 2019, wants the fans at Monza to recreate the carnival atmosphere seen at Zandvoort last weekend when 70 000 Dutch fans enjoyed a noisy beach party and roared Max Verstappen to victory. “Monza is always special for the drivers and the team,” said Leclerc. “It is our home and we can feel the support. I will remember 2019 for the rest of my life.” Monza is set to allow around half-capacity crowds of 50 000 this weekend, following last year’s closed race won by Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly,…

The Sharks MIKE GREENAWAY mike.greenaway@inl.co.za THE Blue Bulls had been red hot favourites to beat the Sharks in tomorrow’s Currie Cup final at Loftus Versfeld but the books have suddenly been balanced considerably by significant changes in personnel to each team. Just a day after it emerged that stalwart Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen cannot play because he has contracted Covid-19, the Sharks revealed a trump card out of the blue in tighthead prop Thomas du Toit. Of course, the Bulls are way more than one player, but it cannot be discounted that Goosen is arguably their best player and the flyhalf position is probably the most important position in the team, while the return of ‘Thomas the Tank’ is massive for the Sharks because tighthead is a position where the…

Travis M Andrews | The Washington Post Early in Hulu’s The D’Amelio Show, TikTok’s biggest star Charli D’Amelio speaks to the camera. “I have no idea how this is going to work out in the long run. ... Social media could go away like this,” she says, snapping her fingers. “I have no idea.” D’Amelio emerges on what appears to be a documentary set, far from the casual bedroom setting where her TikToks usually take place. Instead of using a selfie stick or a smartphone, she’s surrounded by a professional television crew. In the next scene, she squeezes her eyes shut, as three professional stylists work on her hair. The 17-year-old has already achieved TikTok superstardom, posting short, choreographed dances on the way to more than 100 million…

TIRHANI Auctioneers will be disposing of 849 vacant residential and business stands on behalf of Makhado Municipality in Limpopo in an online sale later this month. The properties are in the newly established townships South of Pretorius and Tshikota Extension 1. “Online auction is a transparent, auditable, convenient and competitive asset disposal process, says Dr Tirhani Mabunda, the director of Tirhani Auctioneers. “Assistance will be provided to first-time online auction users, including those who are computer illiterate. Bidding centres will also be established in the vicinity of Makhado Municipality to assist members of the public wishing to participate in the online auction.” “Apart from raising much-needed funds for engineering services projects within the newly established townships, the disposal of the vacant stands will create opportunities for people in and around…

Denials by pupil could not save educator from being fired for sexual misconduct Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za IT has ended in tears for a Pretoria teacher who dated his matric learner, contravening legislation that outlawed sexual relationships between pupils and teachers. Not even the brazen denials by his school lover could save P Phiri, who became a professional teacher in 2016, from being axed for sexual misconduct. Evidence collected by the girl’s 2020 matric classmate at Amandasig Secondary School was enough to convince Education Labour Relations Council arbitrator Mark Hawyes that Phiri was guilty as charged. This evidence included pictures that the 18-year-old, who dated Phiri, put up on her WhatsApp status updates. Some showed Phiri and the learner in “sexual posture”, Hawyes said, and some indicated they were out…

Thabo Makwakwa thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za A DURBAN woman who fell from the burning City Life building during the July unrest and injured her foot, said she was filled with rage. Bee Mtetwa, a self-employed make-up artist, spoke exclusively to The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News this week, recalling her trauma. She said she gets frustrated each time she watches the video that went viral, of her falling from the building, because it brought back the trauma. “The fact that I had to return to the City Life building, the same place I escaped death, pained me. “I have no words for the person who burned the building. It is inhumane of whoever burned the building. It was unnecessary, selfish, and inconsiderate. They were burning something that did not belong to them,…

Thami Zwane | Edenvale The SAPS and its basic function of preventing, combating and investigating crime is more of a paper transition from the old system to the new one in the eyes of large sections of the populace of this country. The mental crime-fighting strategy of targeting blacks as suspicious-looking people and criminals was passed to this police generation. Does it mean blacks have criminal DNA in their biological cells? This is the reason why crime is so high in South Africa because our police drag their feet or fear to arrest whites and/or investigate criminal activities committed by them. In addition, foreign nationals bribe their way out of imprisonment due to their deep pockets. So blacks are easy prey for the police. No wonder the jails…

Dr Thabisi Hoeane | Pretoria The Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo is reported to have proposed that Eskom’s $400 billion debt be “forgiven” in exchange for implementation of measures to combat climate change. This is quite curious. Why should South Africa have to be asking for “debt forgiveness” in order for it to implement what is its responsibility? Beyond this, one wishes him luck and hopes he succeeds, but he is facing a monumental task. For one, the question that immediately arises is: Where did this money go to when Eskom remains a mess? What guarantees are there to investors that these new loans will not go the same way; into the stomachs of those who have run the SOE down? Thus it is astounding we should be “begging” investors…

NHLANHLA MBATHA nhlanhla.mbatha@inl.co.za THE CITY of Joburg has extended the debt rehabilitation programme till the end of the year. Earlier this year, the city announced that property owners whose municipal accounts were in arrears had until July 31 to apply for the programme that offers amnesty to those afflicted by the Covid-19 lockdown. The relief measures were designed to ease the financial burden on ratepayers amid the Covid-19 pandemic and would cost the city about R11.8 billion. Then finance MMC Jolidee Matongo, who is now the mayor, said at that time that the threshold of property value that qualified for debt relief had increased from R600 000 to R1.5 million. This followed calls from residents for the city to review the terms and conditions of the initial relief programme, first…

North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary of its foundation with a military parade in the in Pyongyang, state media reported yesterday, publishing photos of marching rows of personnel in orange hazmat suits with medical-grade masks – in an apparent symbol of anti-Covid-19 efforts – but no ballistic missiles. Some conventional weapons were also on display, including multiple rocket launchers and tractors carrying anti-tank missiles. Leader Kim Jong Un did not deliver any speech. | Reuters…

Michael Sherman SOUTH Africa’s Ntando Mahlangu is a double Paralympic gold medal winner, but it’s his journey to compete on the world stage – from being a social outcast due to his disability – that is most inspiring. Mahlangu was born in Mpumalanga in 2002 with fibular hemimelia, a condition which affected the development of his legs below the knee. At the Tokyo Paralympics which ended earlier this month, Mahlangu blazed his way to victory in both the men’s 200m T61 and men’s long jump T63 events. In the long jump, Mahlangu took gold in a new world record distance of 7.17 metres, and the photo of the 19-year-old jumping next to the scoreboard following his win quickly became one of the defining images of the Paralympics. Mahlangu first…