Índex per 2022-05-25 a Star

THE Shepherd Bushiri scandal has come to haunt former Home Affairs chief director for permitting Ronney Marhule, who has been dismissed by the department for approving Bushiri’s permanent residence application in 2016. Following news of his dismissal, South Africans and political parties have reacted. Marhule was dismissed following a disciplinary process that lasted more than a year found him guilty of gross negligence, dishonesty and non-compliance with the Immigration Act. Cope said the official should be criminally charged adding that dismissal was not enough of a sanction in this matter. “The said official is also accused of having recommended permanent residency for Bushiri, his wife and children as well as two others. “This is absolutely unacceptable and clear corruption. When Bushiri escaped from the country we said that we suspect…

ESKOM has sought to distance itself from power supply problems in communities that experience transformer explosions and illegal connections. The power utility squared off at the Constitutional Court on Monday with residents’ associations that want it to be compelled to increase power supply in their communities. The Vaal River Development Association and the Lekwa Ratepayers’ Association, based in Mpumalanga and Free State, respectively, scored a victory over Eskom at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in the matter. Eskom resorted to the Concourt to try to set aside the SCA ruling, which it maintained exposed it to being successfully sued by communities even in relation to load shedding. The utility maintained it implemented load shedding in the interest of the national grid. It held it had nothing to do with…

GOOGLE has released data showing fascinating insights into what the most clicked-on destinations were in South Africa and globally over the past year. To mark 15 years since Google Street View was launched, Google Maps released data which shows the most clicked-on beaches, museums and general points of interest in South Africa over the past 12 months. “Google Street View has come a long way. From going under water to capture the Great Barrier Reef in 2012 to exploring the ‘Top of the World’ in Canada in 2017. “Today, it has expanded to more than 100 countries and territories around the world and captured more than 10 million kilometres of imagery – a distance that could circle the globe more than 400 times!” Google said. Cape Town’s Boulders Beach, known…

IT WAS a fine French affair for the launch of natural cosmetics brand Panier des Sens. The brand, exclusively distributed in sub-Saharan Africa by 51 Beauty, wants to change the way South Africans view sustainability. Designer Craig Jacobs and Earth warrior Catherine Constantinides are the ambassadors of the brand as it takes on the African market. Known for her work as a climate activist and former Miss Earth, Constantinides has been championing for a world conscious of its consumption, waste production and impact on the Earth through education and activism. “It’s wonderful to learn about brands that really have the ethos and value of sustainability at their core. It’s important in the age we live in that people don’t just do things because it’s a quick PR exercise but because…

Future generations will be better able to lead the affairs of humanity if today’s children are adequately cared for and their protection and full development are assured. Children are our most precious treasure, “for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the seeds of the character of future society which is largely shaped by what the adults constituting the community do or fail to do with respect to children”, says the Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bahá’í international community. The upbringing of children is our responsibility and privilege as parents. It is important that we create in our homes such conditions and an atmosphere that will be conducive to the material and spiritual welfare and advancement of our children. All children…

How we measure the performance and offload state-owned entities (SOE) needs careful consideration. We need a clear government policy on what of these entities we need and how we offload entities that do not meet the government’s strategic objectives. However, it is essential that when reviewing their existence, we mustn’t only consider a profit motive but also take note that these SOEs provide the necessary infrastructure for the economic development of a country. What is the current position with our SOEs? Currently, many of our state-owned entities are in a weak financial position. This is a result of several reasons leading to the dysfunctional provision of services to the general public, for example, the continued load shedding by our electricity supplier and non-payment of salaries. The other SOE contentious issue…

TODAY is Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963. The sole purpose of this liberation day was to demonstrate the progress of liberation movements on the African continent, in addition to symbolising the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. However, Africa today remains the most unfree continent in the world, with many of its people languishing in poverty and many of their leaders beholden to their handlers who are their former oppressors. In Africa, millions of people relive the horror of oppression through persisting patterns of colonial structures, systems, and laws installed during one of the hardest periods of black men's existence. These structures remain protected by institutions funded by…

Kathmandu: A South African paraglider has made the first legal flight off Mount Everest, an expedition organiser said yesterday, opening doors for “climb and fly” adventurers on the world’s highest mountain. Pierre Carter, 55, leapt off near the summit at an altitude of nearly 8 000m last week, cruising above the Himalayas as other mountaineers descended on foot. Carter flew down at a top speed of 80km/h taking only 20 minutes to land near the small settlement of Gorakshep at 5 164m. “It was a beautiful flight down. Above the clouds and then through the clouds and down,” Carter said. Weather conditions dissuaded Carter from climbing all the way to the top of Everest’s 8 849m summit before his flight from the South Col ridge around noon. “Once you’re in…

Colombo: Cash-strapped Sri Lanka sharply hiked fuel prices to a record high yesterday, causing further pain to the country’s 22 million people in its worst crisis since independence. The South Asian island nation has suffered months of dire shortages and anti-government protests, which turned deadly earlier in May with at least nine people killed. Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said a new “economic war cabinet” approved the new rates to stem huge losses at the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corp. Diesel prices have risen 230% and petrol 137% in the past six months. | AFP…

Mamelodi Sundowns are presently without peer in South African football and have highlighted their supremacy by winning their fifth straight Premiership title with four matches to spare. Their latest conquest was their 12th league title and on Monday they fittingly paid tribute to their growing fanbase by displaying a banner: ‘12th PSL title for our 12th Man!’ More and more rival coaches are pointing to the club’s wealth as the mainspring of their success, but this may not necessarily be true. Some local football analysts say that South African football is at its lowest ebb. It is in a state of decline and Sundowns’ sound infrastructure and a strong squad have kept them buoyant. There are numerous examples in South African football that show there are clubs with a low…

A lawyer is in hot water for allegedly lying in affidavits he submitted to the Mpumalanga High Court. The division’s Judge President Francis Legodi has referred Johann Wilhelm Joubert, a Pretoria-based attorney, to the Legal Practice Council (LPC) for an investigation. A regulator of the law profession, the LPC has to look into Judge Legodi’s misgivings that Joubert lied in two affidavits he deposed on February 2 and 8. Joubert represented a mother who sued the Mpumalanga Health MEC. The affidavits he submitted pertained to Judge Legodi’s order in the case that experts should be roped-in to make submissions. Judge Legodi believed Joubert lied about reaching out to experts and failing to get them. In his affidavit, Joubert said: “Due to the time constraints and most of the experts being…

ALONG with a lack of opportunities, economic, political and socio-cultural aspects are all to blame for the slow rate of transformation in the professional hunting industry. This was according to industry experts after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment confirmed their records showed only 101 registered professional hunters had been categorised as previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs) out of 2786. Answering a parliamentary question, DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy said: “From the unaudited information gathered to date, there are approximately 101 registered professional hunters categorised as previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs). The 101 PDls registered constitute approximately 4% of the total figure of 2786 registered professional hunters in South Africa.” South African Black Hunters & Sport Shooting Association (SABHSSA) deputy chairperson, Frans Malebane said: “There is not enough work available in…

WILL SMITH, 53, admitted he was scared for his career in an interview filmed months before he struck Chris Rock at the Oscars over a joke the comedian made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and the fear came while he was under the influence of a psycho- active herbal drink. Speaking to David Letterman on Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, he recalled: “I’m drinking, I’m sitting there, and then, all of the sudden, it’s like I start seeing all of my money flying away, and my house is flying away, and my career is gone away. “I’m like, ‘Ugh!’ And I’m trying to grab for my money and my career. My whole life is getting destroyed. My fear. “I’m in there and I’m wanting to vomit and…

Last year, public servants did not get an annual increment. The government said it had no money, reneging from a three-year wage agreement. It is singing the same song even this year. Therefore, public servants may spend the second year without getting a raise. Recently, the remuneration of SOE executives was exposed in the media. The SOE executives earn between R1 million, R9m to R7.5m a year. Yet SOEs are underperforming. So, what are they rewarded for? Interestingly, the Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter is the third highest paid executive in the SOEs. Yet the country is experiencing serious power cuts. There is also a threat the country may reach stage 8. What has the Eskom CEO done to deserve such an exorbitant pay? Not long ago, the Minister of…

Today we are celebrating across the continent our affiliation to one and the same broad African family. A family, of more than 1 billion people sharing beyond geography, same visions, hope and destinies. For all Africans, this day holds a very particular meaning, that reflects on a longstanding and deep-rooted belief in African unity. A belief that the founding fathers of our continental organisation fought for it courageously decades ago with an unmatched spirit of fraternity, liberty, and solidarity. As we are celebrating today Africa Day, we are indeed celebrating this very same legacy. Let’s us raise to this heritage by being proud, responsible, strong and committed Africans. From the Casablanca conference in 1961 to today a lot has changed, but not our core values. Morocco believed strongly, since the…

Following the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh during a raid in the occupied West Bank, AFP has looked at the Israeli army’s record of probing previous journalist deaths. The Qatar-based TV channel alleged that Palestinian-American Abu Akleh, 51, who was wearing a blue flak vest marked “Press”, was killed deliberately by an Israeli soldier on May 11. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said an initial investigation had not determined whether she was killed by stray Palestinian gunfire or an Israeli bullet aimed at a militant. But the army has said that if an Israeli soldier fired the deadly bullet, it did not appear that the soldier was guilty of criminal misconduct. Several human rights groups that are prominent critics of Israel said that the IDF’s record…

MOSCOW: Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigusaid yesterday that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive in Ukraine to allow civilians to evacuate, while a top security official said Moscow was not “chasing deadlines” in the three-month-old war. Ukraine and its Western allies say that Russia has lost momentum after running into fierce Ukrainian resistance and suffering heavy losses in both men and equipment. The UN has recorded 3 930 civilian casualties during the conflict. Russia has denied targeting civilian areas. | Reuters…

MEXICO CITY: More than a dozen gunmen opened fire in two bars and a hotel in the central Mexican city of Celaya yesterday, killing at least 11 people and wounding several more in an apparent gangland shooting, local media said. Some 15 gunmen took part in the attack in the gang-ravaged state of Guanajuato that also left at least five people injured. The assailants also hurled molotov cocktails. A cardboard found at the scene had a message apparently written by a drug cartel saying it had targeted a rival gang in the attack. | Reuters…

HUGO Broos’s Bafana Bafana received a significant boost yesterday when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that both Kenya and Zimbabwe will not participate in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Kenya and Zimbabwe were previously suspended by Fifa for political interference. They were included in the draw by Caf on the condition that the suspension must be lifted two weeks before their first qualifiers. The race for Ivory Coast 2023 will begin next Wednesday. Zimbabwe’s suspension, in particular, has a major effect on Bafana’s chances of qualification for next year’s continental showpiece due to the fact they were drawn in the same group as the 1996 champions alongside Morocco and Liberia. Zimbabwe will not be replaced in the group, with only the remaining three teams vying for…

“If you only find football great when you win, you should stay at home. You can give everything and still lose.” These are the words of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. He would have done well to recall them in the home dressing-room at Anfield on Sunday. His team – or “my boys” – once again gave it everything they had, but for the second time in four seasons fell just a point shy of Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Liverpool could virtually have done nothing more to win the title. They accumulated 92 points, lost just two matches all season, and dropped only four points since February. Inspirational striker Mo Salah claimed the Golden Boot, and goalkeeper Alisson Becker the Golden Glove award. In any other era,…

UNHYGIENIC toilets in public spaces are uncomfortable and undignified and affect both men and women. On top of typhoid, dehydration, diarrhoea and dysentery, women suffer toxic shock syndrome as well as vaginal or urinary infections due to the unhealthy nature of public toilets whose state of care is often shambolic. These kinds of problems have prompted a toilet restoration project to be unveiled by dignitaries such as the City of Johannesburg’s MMC for health and social development, Ashley Sauls in Klipfontein today. The drive will coincide with the commemoration of International Day of Action for Women’s Health. Masibonge Mkhize, project manager of #HarpicHygieneForHer, says this initiative seeks to transform public toilets in informal settlements into dignified spaces. In Klipfontein, the drive will work alongside a local NPO, Arise Community Development,…

IT’S most often called “keeping up with the Dlaminis”. But it is really about seeing what friends, relatives and neighbours have, comparing your possessions to theirs and then deciding that you deserve the same, secretly competing and copying expensive lifestyles we cannot afford. It is, unfortunately, also why many people find themselves in financial trouble, says Old Mutual. We live in a competitive society and will often compare ourselves to others. “They tempt us to throw financial caution to the wind and ‘live large’ to be like the people we admire and envy,” says John Manyike, head of financial education at Old Mutual. The 2021 Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor survey reveals what may be hidden behind the neighbours’ luxury lifestyle. The survey found that 58% of survey…

COLUMNIST Barney Mthombothi sums it up when he says that South Africa has been brought to its knees by a tired and soulless government that shows no signs of stopping the rot. “The country is being dismantled bit by bit in broad daylight. Everything, it seems, is up for grabs, and cable theft is the new gold rush,” Mthombothi writes. “Trending on social media recently was a video of a man perched on top of a lamp-post, trying to dismantle it for scrap. Another man, having hacked down a traffic pole, was gleefully swinging it around in an effort to get the electric cord inside to snap. “The destruction of our rail infrastructure has become an embarrassment – tracks and buildings stripped and vandalised. It’s as though a powerful hurricane…

CHINA has embarked on a military build-up unprecedented in recorded human history. On land, it is deploying nuclear-tipped intercontinental nuclear missile with multiple warheads that can reach every corner of the planet. At sea, it has commissioned warships whose capability will revolutionise many aspects of naval combat. A new generation of hypersonic missiles is in an advance state of deployment that can destroy any warship afloat. Beneath the sea, a new generation of nuclear-powered submarines are being launched to achieve supremacy beneath the waves. In the air, new stealth aircraft are on patrol with airborne weapons that can outmatch any rival. In the realms of outer space, China is assembling a space force that will dominate the cosmos domain. Its complete dominance in artificial intelligence will enable it to be…

This year Africa Day is particularly auspicious for Africa and for South Africa. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the AU and recalling that the launch was held right here in South Africa, a very special affirmation then of our new democracy. The African Union has made important progress in these two decades and has established itself as the premier organ of unity on our continent and has devoted focused attention to enhancing its ability to address the complex challenges of African unity and development. In this 20-year period, progress has been achieved in several significant areas. AU member states have developed the practice of adopting common positions on many issues of global importance and jointly striven to influence international debates in multilateral organisations. For example, they have pushed…

London: The long-delayed and over-budget Elizabeth line rail link finally opened in London yesterday, with the hope that it will speed up journeys across the British capital and boost the economy. Hundreds of people queued outside Paddington station to be on the first train. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it “will provide a crucial economic boost to the whole country and help to turbo-charge our recovery from the pandemic”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said the project is forecast to boost the UK economy by £42 billion (R826bn). The line, named after Queen Elizabeth II, is projected to carry up to 200 million passengers a year. | AFP…

LONDON: A couple of dozen climate protesters disrupted Shell’s annual general meeting yesterday, chanting slogans and holding banners as company chair Andrew Mckenzie tried to start the meeting. Shell is due to ask its shareholders to vote on a resolution supporting its climate strategy and rebuff a climate resolution from activists. Police arrived at the venue in London, but allowed protesters to continue chanting for over an hour after the meeting was supposed to start. “We’re here to hold them to account,” said Aidan Knox of activists Money Rebellion. | Reuters…

Absolutely everyone and their tannie is expecting the Lions to field their strongest possible team against Western Province this weekend in their Currie Cup encounter. With no more United Rugby Championship (URC) responsibilities, and with the stated intent to do well established, the Lions side that runs out against the WP at Ellis Park on Saturday will in all probability take on the shape and form of the side that beat the Dragons last weekend. That team had a number of first-choice players in the starting XV, such as Jaco Visagie, Reinhardt Nothnagel, Vincent Tshituka, Franke Horn, Morne van den Berg, Jordan Hendrikse and Quan Horn. But it also had a fair share of inexperienced ‘laaitjies’ such as Ruan Venter, Matt More and Henco van Wyk – and it is…