Índex per 2022-08-03 a Star

DEMAND for solar panels, batteries and inverters in South Africa goes into hyper-drive every time Eskom announces load shedding, creating sporadic shortages in the local market, Ellies Group chief executive Shaun Prithivirajh said yesterday. He said Ellies, along with other distributors, was faced with substantial difficulties in importing the equipment, because of the very high demand for such products globally, substantial supply chain disruptions emanating from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global industry, the weakening rand exchange rate, and “when we are finally able to get some panels, we are short of being able to get inverters, or short of batteries”. Ellies imports all its alternative energy products for the local market. He said the problem was exacerbated by the local market where demand spikes sharply when Eskom…

THE City of Tshwane is gunning for customers who reconnected their electricity after being disconnected for non-payment of their municipal bills. In this regard, mayor Randall Williams continues to lead the city’s programme to maximise revenue collection as part of Tshwane Ya Tima drive. The campaign focuses on ensuring all defaulters pay for water and electricity. Another aim is to remove all illegal connections. The city’s Energy and Electricity Department, working with the Tshwane Metro Police Department and the SAPS, disconnected 1 000 illegal electricity connections in Lotus Gardens. Williams said: “This area has been negatively affected by overloading due to illegal connections. The multistakeholder operation focused on illegal connections in Fig, Acer and Eucalyptus Avenue, including five mini substations that were tampered with. “An estimated value of R750…

Ingredients 1 roll shortcrust pastry 1 tin condensed milk 3½ oranges 4 eggs, separated ¾ cup castor sugar Method Preheat oven to 200ºC. Grease and line a tart tin. Press the pastry into the tin. Bake blind for 10 minutes, and then set aside. Lower oven to 180ºC. Mix together the condensed milk, the zest and juice of 2 oranges and 4 egg yolks. Pour into the crust and bake for 20 minutes. Bring ½ cup castor sugar and ¼ cup water to the boil. Cook until the syrup is a rich amber colour. Whip 3 egg whites until foamy. Beating continuously, drizzle in the syrup until stiff and glossy. Spread the meringue over the top of the pie and pop under the grill until browned. Refrigerate. In a pot,…

Exclusive Books have fresh and reflective reads of fiction, non- fiction, young adult and children’s titles on the recommended reading list for this month – available instore at one of their 42 branches, online, phone and Uber Eats! How will you measure your life? How will you make your days count? “Whether it’s the fictional length of string from Erlick’s book, or your unique set of genes that cannot be changed, you still get to choose what to do with the days dealt to you. “How do you choose to spend them and will you make them count? This is the leitmotif running through the shelves of Exclusive Books – most certainly a mirror to our hearts and minds,’’ said Batya Bricker, Exclusive Books’ marketing, loyalty and procurement general…

BEFORE the opening of a beauty store in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, the Portia M foundation visited Tembisa High School to educate learners about skin care and supply them with products. Dermatologist Dr Gontse Rangwetsi discussed skin-related topics with pupils, such as skin care mistakes to avoid, acne, sun protection and skin care routines. “When hormones become active in puberty, the stimulation of oil glands is a common cause of acne among teenagers. “Washing your face is important as it helps to remove access oils and dead skin cells that can clog pores.” However, the skin doctor, warned pupils against washing their face too many times as this can cause excessive dryness with can cause the skin’s sebum production to go into overdrive, causing more oil and acne than there was originally.”…

Chemical castration reduces male testosterone, sex drive and seminal fluid in a male, but does not prevent sexual violence or aggressive behaviour. The sex drive is not eliminated as testosterone is also produced in the adrenal glands. Chemical castration is administered via pills and injections. Jurgen Mueller, a neurologist and forensic psychiatrist, says it works but “there is no concrete evidence to prove how effective it is”. Barbara Schwartz, a psychologist maintains “the problem is often in the brain; not the testicles”. The ethical and moral values of the procedure is questioned by bodies concerned with inhuman and degrading punishment. Rape and sex abuse are symptoms of a personality disorder such as abnormal sex cravings that can be lowered by drugs. Chemical castration has not made any society safer; its…

THE death penalty debate should be put to bed once and for all. It crops up each time a heinous crime is perpetrated. Society cannot keep on debating the matter for ever. I am opposed to its re-institution for various reasons, no less that it solves nothing. It is cruel and knee-jerk revenge based on a so-called remedy for violent crime. Thus, I propose that the pro-death-penalty activists be given their wish. But with one qualification – the state-sanctioned murders should not be hidden behind prison walls and perpetrated in secret. A pavilion should be built somewhere near Kgosi Mampuru prison, where state murders used to occur, where the public should be invited when we string up the criminals. We should see what they go through as their necks…

TEN years ago, actually 15 years ago, one would have thought it unimaginable but here we are in 2022 and the ANC is “protesting” against: “illegal immigrants” (that distinction is important), “zama zamas” and “rapists”. According to the ANC’s official WhatsApp group, people have been encouraged to protest at the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court this morning. More than 85 suspects, including some minors and women, will be back in court over the gruesome assault on eight models who were robbed and gang-raped while shooting a music video at a disused mine dump on the outskirts of Krugersdorp. At the ANC’s 2007 Polokwane elective conference, some of the conference resolutions on xenophobia and illegal immigrants were quite progressive even if they were vague on implementation. Barely six months after that conference South…

KHIMKI: Brittney Griner shared personal photos and her defence team asked a Russian judge for leniency as her trial for drug possession approaches closing arguments this week. Griner, 31, pleaded guilty to all charges. The two-time Olympic gold medallist and seven-time WNBA All-Star faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted after being found in possession of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil at a Moscow airport in February. Legal experts suggest negotiations to include Griner and another American jailed in Russia, Paul Whalen, in a prisoner swop – proposed by the US – are not progressing. | Reuters…

“It’s ’cos he’s white!” That was the first comment on social media under Cape Town City’s announcement of their new team sponsor FNB on Monday. I was flabbergasted. “He”, of course, is City chairman John Comitis. There is undoubtedly historical weight behind the user’s comment, and it is something Goolam Allie, chairman of former Premiership champions Santos, will attest to with regards to the racial bias he encountered in the battle to secure corporate backing for professional football clubs in Cape Town. But it certainly had no merit here. Fortunately, there were fellow social media users who quickly redirected the conversation, and spelt out the professionalism of Cape Town City FC that has made them an attractive sponsorship option. Comitis is a shrewd businessman but he is also a football…

SECTIONS of Tembisa that were plunged into darkness after an electricity substation was set alight, by protesters, will remain without power for now. According to the City of Ekurhuleni, the blackout will continue because the technicians were not able to access the area and repair the burnt-out substation. “Parts of Tembisa are without power due to a substation that was set alight during a community protest on Monday. “While the city is aware of the situation … technicians are unable to attend to the problem in the area as it remains volatile, thus putting their lives in danger,” the municipality said in a statement. The power went out at about 1pm yesterday. The city also suspended burial services due to the unrest. It will continue to monitor the situation and…

With the first deaths from monkeypox reported in Spain and India, local organisations have warned against stigmatising certain groups with the disease. The LGBTQIA+ community said they should rather be associated with testing and vaccination as opposed to the monkeypox virus. From June 22 to July 26, South Africa reported three unlinked laboratory confirmed cases in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo in men aged 30, 32 and 42 years, respectively. On July 22, World Health Organization director general Tedros Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Reports by various health bodies have linked the virus to gay men or men who have sex with men (MSM), leading to stigmatisation and homophobia. QueerLivesMatter activist Kamva Gwana stressed the damaging effects of the stigma associated with gay…

ON THE first day of Women’s Month, DJ and influencer Sithelo Shozi published a petition to be granted a final protection order against the father of her children, Andile Mpisane. “My name is Sithelo Shozi. I am a mother of one boy and two baby girls, and I have been abused physically and emotionally and am constantly intimidated by the father of my children,” Shozi said in a petition on Change.org Last month, the Durban-based DJ exposed the alleged abuse by the musician and son of businesswoman and reality TV star Shauwn Mkhize. Taking to Instagram, Mam’ Mkhize, as she is fondly known, disputed the allegations against her son in an official statement. She said that neither herself nor her family had witnessed the alleged abuse labelling the allegations as…

LAST Thursday, July 28, I was driving on the Ben Schoeman Highway South Bound from Tshwane in the Johannesburg direction. I was approaching Jean Avenue. I was in the extreme right lane, driving at about 100km an hour at about 2.45pm. I noticed in my rear-view mirror, a few hundred metres away, flashing blue lights, and in my mind this would be some politically connected person, a minister or the president. I moved to the centre lane. In a few seconds,I was overtaken by the police vehicle and behind him was a “police officer” on a motorcycle. The “officer” remonstrated with me, saying I should not be in the centre lane and must move to the extreme left lane. He also had the audacity to hit on my right rear-view…

History reminds us of the 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956, calling for the free movement of black women in South African urban areas. This act illustrated the sisterhood bond that the early feminist thinkers aspired to, since women from different backgrounds and races participated in the march. The women who participated in the protest challenged the systematic oppressive and racist rules of the apartheid regime. As one reflects on this phenomenon, one recognises solidarity among the women of 1956, which dispels the perception that women cannot unite for a common cause. It also creates an illusion that South African men and women are comrades in the Struggle since they fought against colonialism and apartheid and, to some extent, share similar experiences regarding…

The US killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri with a drone missile while he stood on a balcony at his home in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan, officials in Washington said, the biggest blow to the militants since Osama bin Laden was shot dead more than a decade ago. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has not confirmed the death of Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25 million (about R416m) bounty on his head and helped to co-ordinate the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US that killed nearly 3 000 people. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zawahiri was killed when he came out on the balcony of his safe house in Kabul on Sunday and was hit by Hellfire missiles from a US drone. “Now justice has been delivered, and…

LONDON: Britain’s foreign minister Liz Truss, the frontrunner to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister, was forced to backtrack on one of her pledges a day after announcing it following a backlash from fellow Conservatives and opposition parties. Truss set out plans to save billions of pounds a year in government spending in a pledge opponents said would require cutting the pay of public sector workers, including nurses and teachers, outside of the wealthy southeast of England. But yesterday Truss said she would not go head with the plan. This came as a poll showed Truss with a smaller lead over her rival, Rishi Sunak, than previously thought. | Reuters…

South Africa captain Suné Luus admitted that it was becoming difficult to maintain optimism on what has been a bad tour for the Proteas to England, which saw them suffer their eighth consecutive defeat yesterday. The team’s chances of winning a Commonwealth Games medal suffered a virtually fatal blow following a 26-run loss to England – the seventh time the Proteas have lost a limited-overs match to them in the last month. The home side scored 167/5, and the visitors replied with 141/4 in their 20 overs. “It’s been challenging to stay positive and to keep the camp in high spirits,” said Luus. In another limp performance, the South Africans were overwhelmed by England’s power with the bat, intensity in the field and intelligence with the ball at Edgbaston. Again…

AGRI SA AND the National Wool Growers’ Association of South Africa (NWGA) said that government action needed to stop what they called the unwarranted, job-killing China export ban on South African wool. China is South Africa’s primary wool export market, accounting for about 70 percent of exports. In a joint statement issued by the two agricultural organisations, they said they were extremely concerned about the unjustifiable ban on wool exports to China due to recent Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks in parts of the country. The first wool auction for the 2022/23 season was scheduled for August 17 and, with 70 to 80 percent of the South African clip traditionally destined for China, the ban would have a devastating effect on the local wool industry. The value of the…

“I can’t wait to be done with music,” she posted on her Twitter account. “In my head my entire timeline is set and quitting music to live a silent life where no one even knows if I’m still alive is my favourite on the list.” After signing with global music giant Universal Music, Nanette recently released her debut album Bad Weather and is set to release a music video soon for her latest single, Vent.…

The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial will resume next month “with no further delays”. Instructing attorney TT Thobane informed the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that he remained on record for four out of the five accused. After adjourning last month, Thobane appeared in court yesterday after the unceremonious withdrawal from proceedings by advocate Malesela Teffo. He was appearing on behalf of Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa. At the time, Teffo informed the court he was quitting because of “harassment” from the court and State. Thobane started by informing the court yesterday that he believed a postponement to seek new legal representation for the four men had been an error as he was still representing them. He distanced himself from Teffo’s utterances after his withdrawal.…

THE National Department of Transport has assured operators in the tourism industry that they are hard at work trying to clear the operating licence backlog. Delays were caused by the Covid-19 pandemic which led to capacity challenges within the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR) resulting in a backlog in processing operating licences. According to department spokesperson Collen Msibi, an interim NPTR committee has been appointed to deal with the backlog of applications. To date, 227 renewals have been processed. “Following the appointment of the committee, the department is happy to announce that with effect from the beginning of July, the regulator has been printing licences and contacting operators to submit correctly completed and outstanding documentation to enable the smooth flow of application processing. The newly appointed committee has also committed…

MANY South Africans do not have wills, the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) has noted, saying National Wills Week is an ideal opportunity to have a basic will drafted. “The coronavirus emphasised why it is important to have an updated will. Due to lockdown restrictions, many could unfortunately not get their wills drafted during this critical time,” the LSSA said. “With the removal of lockdown restrictions, it is essential to ensure that a legally sound will gets done. “This will ensure that there are no competing claims on your estate when you pass away and your intention to your dependants is followed.” The LSSA’s National Wills Week campaign allows the public to have a basic will drafted by an attorney free of charge from September 12 to 16. The…

AS THE nation enters into Women’s Month, a new Women’s Report has revealed that the financial scales are tipped against women by the country’s tax system. The 2022 Women’s Report by the SA Board for People Practices (SABPP) in partnership with Stellenbosch Business School was released on Monday wherein the contributors said South Africa’s working women had made progress in achieving equal pay for equal work, but the financial scales were tipped against them by the country’s tax system. The contributors said South Africa’s previous discriminatory tax system of the apartheid years was repealed post-1994 and the tax laws now treat men and women the same, irrespective of marital status. Dr Lee-Ann Steenkamp, head of the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning at Stellenbosch Business School and contributor, however, said equal…

After raising several concerns related to the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) proposed amendments, Equal Education (EE) and the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) have formally made written submissions and recommendations on the Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure (School Infrastructure Law). Referring to the proposed amendments as “drastic” and “unacceptable”, EE and EELC conducted a nationwide community campaign to educate those affected on the potential effects of the document, should it be approved, and encourage public submissions. The draft amendments were published on June 10, with one-month given for public participation. In its submission formally made on July 29, EE and EELC questioned the constitutionality of the draft amendments, calling it “regressive”, and removing of accountability measures, which goes against the immediate realisable nature of basic…

The furious quest for political supremacy within the ANC is in full swing. It has become a no holds barred contest for the presidency. None of the male candidates can lead the party to victory in 2024. A defeat of epic proportions awaits the ANC if it chooses a male leader. A female leader from within its ranks may be able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at the polls. The only women of presidential ability are Lindiwe Sisulu, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Naledi Pandor. The electorate has lost complete hope in male candidates leading the country after 2024. Their lacklustre track record and broken solemn promises will ensure their departure. Someone once said: ”Leadership comes in different forms and sometimes, at the most difficult times in…

Former president Thabo Mbeki was ousted from power a few months before finishing his term. After that, Mbeki stayed away from the public eye and nursed his wounds for a couple of years. Apparently, he didn’t participate in party activities during that time. And he also refused to help the party during elections. When Cyril Ramaphosa took power, Mbeki started showing up in public. He would comment here and write a powerful piece there. Many people were happy about his return to public life. The feeling was that the country needed his wisdom during these turbulent times. At the recent late Jessie Duarte’s (may her revolutionary soul rest in peace) memorial service at the Johannesburg City Hall, Mbeki attacked Ramaphosa for failing to deliver on his promises mentioned in his…

Water is at the heart of health and well-being for people and nature. Access to it is a human rights issue recognised by international treaties and declarations, and national standards. It’s vital for education and economic productivity. Ultimately, it connects the environment to society. The country has made significant progress since 1996 in expanding water services, especially within the disadvantaged and vulnerable communities and rural areas. But inequality in access to basic services is still a reality. Progress with water supply and sanitation service delivery has been slow, and in some instances, it’s deteriorating. In 1994, about 14 million people (35%) in South Africa didn’t have basic water supply services. The minimum standard of these services is defined as clean, piped water delivered within 200 metres of a household at…

Paris: The James Webb Space Telescope has peered through time and huge amounts of dust to capture a new image of the Cartwheel Galaxy, revealing the spinning ring of colour in unprecedented clarity, Nasa and the European Space Agency said yesterday. Located around 500 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Sculptor, the Cartwheel gained its shape during a spectacular head-on collision between two galaxies. The Hubble telescope previously captured images of the rare ring galaxy. But the Webb telescope’s ability to detect infrared light revealed new details about star formation, a supermassive black hole and regions rich in chemicals. | AFP…

MOGADISHU: Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre yesterday named a co-founder and spokesperson of the Islamist al-Shabaab as minister for religious affairs, a move that could either help strengthen the fight against the insurgents or provoke further clan clashes. Mukhtar Robow had a $5 million (about R83m) bounty on his head after he co-founded al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab and was spokesperson. Al-Shabaab insurgents have killed tens of thousands of people in bombings in their fight to overthrow Somalia’s Western-backed central government and implement its interpretation of Islamic law. | Reuters…

The saying goes that if life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and that is what football agent Rob Moore has done for long-standing client Benni McCarthy. Thanks to the Cape Town-born Moore’s initiative, McCarthy has landed a plum job as one of Manchester United’s five first-team coaches. McCarthy was sacked in his last two head coach appointments, after which there was no demand for his services, except one from South Africa’s lesser-known clubs. In November 2019, Cape Town City announced that it had terminated the employment of McCarthy with immediate effect following a run of results that saw the club win two out of their last 18 games. In March 2022, AmaZulu announced: “It is quite clear that the team needed change and that change needed to happen now, hence…