Índex per 2023-01-04 a Star

THIS year will see a constitutional challenge by the Women’s Legal Centre of certain provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act which place a prohibition on the publication of any information relating to people accused of sexual offences before the accused has pleaded to the charges. The legal challenge follows criminal charges laid against Caroline Peters, who is represented by the centre. She is a gender and community activist who publicly identified a man accused of rape by posting his name on social media, after he appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on a charge of rape. The accused had not yet pleaded to the charge. The accused laid criminal charges against her for contravening the relevant section of the Criminal Procedure Act, which criminalises the publication of this information before…

A South African-born child, aged 13, will start school in Croatia next week after her father won a legal battle against his estranged wife to have his daughter with him while he assists Ukrainian refugees in that country. The child’s mother was ordered by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to allow the child to live with her father overseas. Judge Shanaaz Mia ordered the mother to sign the necessary documents relating to her daughter’s relocation. If she refused, the sheriff of the court was entitled to do so on her behalf, the order read. The mother was also instructed by the court to foot her husband’s legal bill. Judge Mia made it clear that the interest of a child would always prevail. In this case, the child wanted…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s New Year message again spoke of the need for national unity and for South Africans to work together. Fine words, but like so much else of his speeches over the past five years, just words … There is no beef patty in the hamburger. For many years, the ANC, (the “glorious movement”), claimed to be a national movement; a broad church; a home for all. In power for nearly 30 years, it has gradually shed that pretension. The ANC has no place for the millions belonging to minority groups. Remarkably, the media refrain from pointing this out. It is no longer a non-racial or multiracial party. At the recent conference at Nasrec, TV viewers would have noticed that apart from Barbara Creecy there were virtually no white…

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said dangerous tankers are not supposed to be driving on certain routes and are restricted to national roads. Close to 40 people died after an LP gas tanker got stuck under a low-level bridge that later exploded a few metres away from the Tambo Memorial Hospital. Mbalula refused to be drawn on the gruesome fuel tanker explosion that occurred on Christmas Eve in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. He insists that he will address the issue next week. Speaking in an interview with a talk radio stations yesterday, Mbalula said that he was in possession of a report that would help narrow down the cause of the tragedy. “Condolences to the people who passed away in the accident but I will answer that question of the tanker because dangerous…

Seoul: Seoul and Washington are discussing joint exercises involving US nuclear assets to counter threats from the North, South Korea’s presidential office said yesterday, after US President Joe Biden said there would be no such joint drills. The two allies are “in talks over information-sharing, joint planning and joint implementation plans with regard to the operation of US nuclear assets to respond to North Korea’s nuclear weapons”, President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office said. The North’s leader Kim Jong Un had called for an “exponential” increase in his nuclear arsenal and new intercontinental ballistic missiles to counter “US and South Korean hostility”. | AFP…

AS Kaizer Chiefs prepare for their club’s 53rd birthday on Saturday, coach Arthur Zwane is making sure the fans have reason to celebrate this weekend. Zwane has done his homework and has made a list of things the players need to work on this week so that they can be triumphant against Sekhukhune United, at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night. Chiefs provided a fitting backdrop for their supporters’ New Year’s Eve celebrations last week with a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Golden Arrows. This time a win over Sekhukhune will set off the birthday celebrations at their FNB base in Nasrec. “We will see where we can do better at capitalising on our opportunities and score more goals because we are making chances,” said Zwane. “It is a game of…

Lucien Laviscount has emerged as a contender to be the next James Bond. The 30-year-old star has caught the attention of 007 chief Barbara Broccoli for his performance as heart-throb Alfie in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Lucien would fit the bill as Daniel Craig’s replacement as the iconic spy after Broccoli said that she wanted to cast an actor who can play the role for the next 15 years. It is also thought that Bond bosses are keen for an ethnic minority actor to play the character to ensure that the franchise reflects modern society. A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: “Lucien ticks all of the boxes. “He is a super talented actor, is extremely handsome and in the past 18 months has won lots…

Experts, Cosatu sound alarm with expected rate hikes to push up cost of living further EXPERTS and labour federation Cosatu have forecast that 2023 will be a difficult year for consumers, as the cost of living is expected to rise further and interest rate hikes are also on the cards. Neil Roets, CEO of debt counselling firm Debt Rescue, said the outlook for consumers was not looking good. “Consumers are already facing challenges as they are paying higher costs for electricity amid continuous load shedding. This (load shedding) is costing the economy millions and leaving consumers with less money in their pockets. We are also finding that small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling to survive due to the electricity crisis.” Roets added that half of South African consumers who have…

Social grant recipients in parts of Soweto have been served, with no delays to their payments. Most recipients were happy to receive their payments on time, unlike last month when they were turned away on numerous occasions after the Department of Social Services was affected by technical glitches that prevented them from accessing their funds. Last month, scores of people were struggling to get their social grants from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Postbank. Before the payments, which began in earnest yesterday, the department and Sassa promised that beneficiaries would receive their payments with no hassles. This after a number of R350 beneficiaries could not access their grants on the specified payment dates for both November and last month. Sassa spokesperson Moabi Pitsi said the department experienced…

THE spike in the number of gender- based violence and femicide cases during and after the annual 16 days of awareness at the end of last year was alarming, as police and communities reported multiple cases every day, despite efforts to stop them. There were reports of girls as young as 4 being sexually assaulted and killed, women and elderly persons being raped and murdered. The release of statistics on violent crimes against women and children between April and September 2022 showed the cases were “too high”, and in a media briefing in December, Police Minister, General Bheki Cele described GBVF as a national crisis. This as cases were gruesome and brutal, and perpetrators were identified as people close to victims. A case which sent shock waves across the country…

Mkhululi Siqula, known as Heavy-K, may come across as nonchalant on social media, but when it is time to defend himself, he does so without thinking twice. In posts shared on Twitter, the Beautiful War hitmaker reminded all those who claim he has fallen off what makes him the “Drum Boss” that he is. Siqula pointed out that his mother had prepared him for days when he would be trolled about his craft, revealing that no hate or negativity would ever consume him. “My late mom prepared me for this. No amount of negativity or hate will ever consume me. Ndincameni. Your opinions are welcomed, no worries, but Heavy-K is iconic and will always be. Nova ungathini. “I was carrying the entire industry at the age of 21. Hence, y’all…

SEVERAL people died at South Africa’s beaches on New Year’s Day and the days leading up to it. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said there were multiple incidents on New Year’s Day and incidents leading up to the New Year at Wilderness, Strandfontein, Gordon’s Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and Port Alfred. “We are appealing to coastal bathers and shoreline anglers to be cautious. Bathers should only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards and swim in the safe swimming areas lifeguards post using their red and yellow flags,” the NSRI said in a statement. In the Wilderness, on December 28, George Municipal lifeguards recovered a body at Victoria Bay after being alerted by a surfer. The body was identified as that of a 26-year-old Zimbabwean man who had been…

IT IS good that Tim du Plessis highlights state failure in a Sunday newspaper of January 1. He also refers to accelerated state failure. Accelerated indeed, because it is increasing rapidly. How far state failure has already progressed, we find on another page of the same newspaper under the heading, “Ministers ignore hundreds of questions” (Ministers vee hulle af aan honderde vrae). In this report it is indicated how ministers pay little attention to parliamentary directives. Written questions that had to be answered within 10 days accumulated to 801 by the end of November 2022. By the end of the year and after intervention by the Presidency, it had at least dropped to 295. The above situation indicates incompetent and possibly arrogant ministers who despise Parliament. Then their incompetent cadre…

One cannot emphasise the importance of creating clusters of excellence to strengthen Africa’s research capacities. In a decisive move for African academics showing that not all talk shops contribute to global warming, the recent link-up between The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities and the African Research Universities Alliance (Arua) will significantly affect the universities involved going into the new year. It was about reframing global science relations between African academics and their European counterparts who will collaborate to address critical global challenges. Academics involved in the project are excited about the benefits of working together to create a better world. Last month’s summit at the University of Cape Town saw university leaders from across Europe and Africa laying the foundations for new types of partnerships based on equity and…

China called the mounting international restrictions on travellers from its territory “unacceptable” yesterday after more than a dozen countries placed fresh Covid-19 curbs on visitors from the world’s most populous nation. The US, Canada, Japan and France are among the countries insisting all travellers from China provide negative Covid tests before arrival, as concerns grow over a surge in cases. China’s steep rise in infections comes after Beijing abruptly lifted years of hardline restrictions last month, with hospitals and crematoriums quickly overwhelmed. But Beijing has pushed ahead with a long-awaited re-opening, last week announcing an end to mandatory quarantines on arrival in a move that prompted Chinese people to plan trips abroad. “Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting China,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. “This lacks scientific basis…

LONDON: British rail workers kicked off the new year with a week-long strike yesterday, disrupting the return to work for millions of commuters in the latest bout of industrial action to hit the country. Britain is in the grip of its worst run of worker unrest since the 1980s. Repeated rail strikes have crippled the network in recent months, while nurses, airport staff, paramedics and postal workers have also joined the fray, demanding higher pay to keep pace with inflation that is hovering around 40-year highs, reaching 10.7% in November. Teachers are also due to go on strike in Scotland next week. | Reuters…

Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana has shown that he could turn the chase for the Premiership’s Golden Boot award into a one-horse race. After seven matches for Kaizer Chiefs, the towering Burundian has scored seven goals and has climbed to the top of the goalscorers’ list. In some of the matches, he played as a substitute. His last goal in the New Year’s Eve clash against Golden Arrows showed that he is a goalmouth predator of note. He held off a close-marking defender and then pulled a ‘no-look’ shot across the goalmouth. The ball struck the upright and ricocheted into the goals. It was a class act by Bimenyimana, who, if he remains fit and is able to play regularly, can score many goals. He was also wasteful in the Arrows match but…

THERE is an interesting bigger picture to the departure of Siya Kolisi from the Sharks to Paris club Racing 92 and that is the revelation that the two unions are to look into the sharing of players and coaches. Sharks CEO Ed Coetzee spent a decade playing rugby in France and has maintained connections in the French rugby network, while Marco Masotti, the head of the American consortium invested in the Sharks, says he wants to have twinning agreements with clubs in the northern hemisphere which will see the sharing of personnel for mutual growth. The Sharks are already developing a strong relationship with English Premiership club Saracens and now they are branching into the French Top 14 with Racing. This is out-of-the-box thinking to try and take the Sharks…

COSATU says President Cyril Ramaphosa should use his next January 8 statement to unite the ANC and set the tone for solving the socio-economic problems plaguing the country. The trade union federation’s parliamentary representative, Matthew Parks, said Ramaphosa faced the mammoth task of ensuring that the ANC comes together. He said a divided ANC meant that the government would be dysfunctional and important policies would not be implemented. For some time, the worker front has experienced tensions with the ANC leadership, with some calling for a breaking down of the tripartite alliance and for the SACP to contest elections on its own. Several ANC leaders, including Ramaphosa, had been heckled by workers at mass gatherings. Factional battles in the ANC have also been playing out in the media, indicating bitter…

In 2022, South Africans saw an impressive list of celebrities stepping out of their comfort zones and showing various styles that did not only accentuate the glamorous side of fashion, but also showcased extensive creativity. We take a look at some of the stars who made daring fashion statements on red carpets, turning social media into a frenzy. With a slew of events and affairs enticing local celebrities to dress to the nines, here is a list of celebrities who got the stamp on the socials. Bonang Matheba If there is one thing that Bonang Matheba is widely known for, it is understanding the assignment and fully delivering exceptional looks that will get everyone talking. The Miss SA 2022 red carpet was no different, as the media personality stepped out…

THE pool incident at the Maselspoort resort is proof that racism comes from abject cowardice. Yet the Constitutional Court elects to free the likes of Janusz Walus as a substitute for the duty vested in the minister of justice and correctional services. Not only that, a precedent has been set for convicts of extreme cases such as murder to seek parole through courts. Does the Constitution empower the Bench to place a convict on parole without public consultation? Hitherto, the plight of affected people and the social effect of a loss of life are peripheral considerations in judicial terms. The interests of the victims of crime have no relevance whatsoever. Moreover, a corrective justice that disregards consequential suffering begets retaliation. That’s why agitators mobilised disgruntled masses to protest against Walus’s…

One of the blessings of South Africa’s foreign policy vis-a-vis Palestine is that it stands miles apart from Germany’s extremist right-wing bias in favour of Israel. Of course, as advocates and solidarity activists for Palestine’s freedom struggle against Zionism’s brutal occupation, we do argue that South Africa can do a lot more to isolate and sanction Israel. However, in contrast to Germany, South Africa’s pursuit of justice for Palestine sets it miles ahead of many European countries, who remain exposed as mere bystanders while Israel defiantly violates laws they ostensibly subscribe to. Germany, for instance, has embarked on new harsh measures to crack down on pro-Palestine solidarity, and in blinded loyalty to Israel is on the verge of criminalising speech and activism. A recent report published by the German Conference…

SANTOS: More than 150 000 people including President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva paid their respects to the Brazilian soccer great Pele in the coastal city of Santos, filing past Pele’s open casket at the Vila Belmiro stadium to bid a final farewell. People formed long lines outside the stadium in Santos yesterday, where Pele – who died last week at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer – lived for most of his life, and waited for up to two hours to pay their respects, even overnight, according to Santos Football Club. A procession carrying Pele’s coffin moved through the streets of Santos, passing the area where his 100-year-old mother lives. | Reuters…

Madrid: Spanish police have broken up a criminal group that smuggled more than 5 000 tons of hazardous electronic waste from Spain’s Canary Islands to several African countries. Police arrested 43 people suspected of having illegally shipped 331 containers of used electronics to Africa over the past two years, authorities said. The network forged customs documents for the exported waste to make it seem that the containers held second-hand goods, in an operation valued at €1.5 million (R26.9m). Most of the trash was sent to Ghana, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal. | AFP…

ALEX Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled no punches following Liverpool’s 3-1 Premier League loss at Brentford, saying the Reds “just weren’t good enough”. Monday night’s reverse left the Reds 15 points off top spot, with their title hopes hanging by a thread. Ibrahima Konate’s own goal and Yoane Wissa’s header put Brentford 2-0 up. Oxlade-Chamberlain, making his 100th Liverpool appearance, pulled a goal back before Bryan Mbeumo sealed victory for Brentford. “We just weren’t good enough,” Oxlade-Chamberlain told Liverpool’s website. “We knew it was going to be a difficult game, we knew their threat around the set-pieces and we didn’t do well enough. “We got away with a couple with VAR ruling them out, but they were the warning signs and in the end we conceded a sloppy second goal after we sort…

PRESIDENT Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led the tributes yesterday as Brazil said its final farewell to football legend Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. Lula, who took office on Sunday in a ceremony that started with a minute’s silence for Pele, travelled to the southeastern city of Santos to pay his respects to family and friends of Pele. Visibly moved, Lula and First Lady Rosangela ‘Janja’ da Silva paused before Pele’s coffin and embraced his widow and other family members inside the Vila Belmiro Stadium, home to Pele’s longtime club Santos FC. Tens of thousands of fans, political leaders and football dignitaries including Fifa president Gianni Infantino filed through the stadium since the wake began on Monday morning for the player known as ‘The King’,…