Índex per 2023-02-06 a Star

Newzroom Afrika is broadening its horizons with the launch of its Nguni-language news broadcast. Set to make its debut on Mzansi Wethu, DStv Channel 163, on February 27, the daily isiZulu and isiXhosa news bulletins will be anchored by seasoned broadcasters Thabile Mbhele and Lisakhanya Pepe. The news team will be joined by the sign language interpreters Khethukuthula Makoatsane and Pumza Sikumba, while Dicksy Mdlalose and Thabile Makapela will be in charge of the weather service broadcast. Newzroom Afrika CEO Thabile Ngwato said bringing the news to more people in their home language was consistent with the channel’s aim to put viewers at the heart of the news. “From the beginning, we’ve been clear that our purpose is to provide a reliable and trusted news service that truly reflects our…

Various people in the local music industry have accused former 999 Music manager Brian Mokoena of running a smear campaign against his former business associate and boss, Arthur Mafokate. These sources also claim Mokoena is using his friends in the media to further his nefarious ends. Mafokate was named in a multimillion-rand National Lotteries Commission (NLC) scandal three weeks ago by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which has since attached some of his properties. Mafokate is reported to have allegedly pocketed more than R53 million from the NLC for his personal benefit instead of the community’s benefit. City Press reported that the NLC received a tip-off in the form of an affidavit from Mokoena at the Midrand police station in 2019 about Mafokate allegedly mismanaging lottery funds meant for…

African People’s Convention (APC) leader Themba Godi has appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa to prioritise South Africa’s power crisis in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) this week. Ramaphosa was expected to deliver the address as the country has been plunged into a power crisis with unacceptable levels of load shedding that have crippled the economy. The APC has been running campaigns in communities, aiding people struggling to get electricity. The party has also staged protests across the country over reports of Eskom being privatised and the withdrawal of coal in favour of renewables. “To end electricity blackouts, the president should announce the kicking out, with immediate effect, of Pravin Gordhan, André de Ruyter, Jan Oberholtzer, etc,” Godi said. “The president should boldly reconfirm coal as the current bedrock…

The ANC in Ekurhuleni has accused the DA of trying to overrun democratic processes through the courts to cling to power. This comes after Speaker Raymond Dlamini was successfully removed last week in a motion of no confidence. But the DA has challenged his removal and described the council sitting that removed Dlamini as illegal. It was apparent that the DA minority government in Ekurhuleni was in trouble. This follows the resignation of the chief whip of council last week and the pending motion of no confidence in Mayor Tania Campbell expected sometime in May. “The ANC Ekurhuleni region condemns the DA’s abuses of the courts in a desperate effort to retain power against democratic processes. The ANC calls on the City to oppose this frivolous and desperate attempt to…

Molatelo Maloka thought she had bought a dream home, but what she found was a damp, smelly house with sagging cupboards and bubbling and cracking paint. The new owner turned to court to get a reduction on the selling price of the house, as well as to force them to cough up for fixing the damp problem. The sellers claimed they were not aware of these problems when they sold the house. The property was in any event sold voetstoots to the plaintiff. Thus, they argued, they were protected by the voetstoots clause against latent defects which were unknown to the seller. The North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, however, found that as it had been found that the latent defects were known to the defendants, they could not be protected…

South Africa-based Zimbabwean entrepreneur and author Keith Vilani is not only a youth leader, he has his sights on becoming one of the country’s most influential persons by the age of 25. Driven by his passion for change and exposing extraordinary capabilities, Vilani, 23, continues striving for better things in life. He is an entrepreneur, author, founder and CEO of Leadxtra Group. Vilani has always been inspired by people who carry themselves to a point where they feel they have made it. The communities around him have played a pivotal role in inspiring him because it is from their daily life routine that he has learnt, observed, analysed and created a world he has imagined. He started writing in 2012, when he used to have a diary of poems that…

It has been a year since the tragic loss of Riky “Rikhado Makhado” Rick, and his fans continue to pour interminable love for his popular extravaganza, Cotton Fest. Joburg’s streets were plugged with people from various walks of life who came out in numbers to celebrate his legacy, filling Newtown with all tones of entertainment at the weekend. The Cotton Fest team took things a notch up this year to surprise the crowd with the American star Akon, who took fans on a trip down memory lane with old classics. A slew of local artists also delivered stellar performances on all three stages, giving audiences the chance to enthral themselves with the music of their choice. Cotton Eaters, as they are called because of their affinity for fashion, pulled out…

The Spar group hierarchy has run for cover, as their internal shenanigans have been exposed… A new interim CEO has been appointed, whilst they seek a heavyweight to bring some sanity to this once-significant retailer. As an observation, Spar has lost goodwill from its once-loyal customer base … they are “flipping” expensive when compared to their competitors … for the blind, they flash a few specials in the hope that they can regain some of their lost customers. The cartels that have emerged within the retail industry are frightening, as monoliths like Tiger Brands dictate the pricing of staple consumer foods … these cartels now have a stranglehold on large swathes of the economy, ultimately making it impossible for the majority of South Africans to sustain themselves. These monoliths ……

The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on Australia’s $5 banknote will not be replaced by one of Charles III (as is happening in the UK). It will instead show a design that “honours the culture and history of the First Australians”. While some will complain this is a break from the tradition of the reigning monarch’s head being on the lowest-denomination banknote, that has only been the case in Australia since 1966, when decimal currency was introduced. Before that, navigator and cartographer Matthew Flinders appeared on the lowest (ten shilling) note. The queen was on the pound note (equal to 20 shillings). The Reserve Bank of Australia consulted the federal government, which supports the change, but the decision is its own. An opinion poll…

Baghdad: A prominent Iraqi activist campaigning for the preservation of the famed Mesopotamian marshes has been kidnapped by armed men south of Baghdad, his family said yesterday. Jassim al-Assadi, 65, head of the environmental group Nature Iraq, raised awareness of the threats facing the drought-hit Unesco World Heritage Site. He was abducted on Wednesday, his brother Nazim said, “5km before the capital, two cars stopped him. Armed men in plain clothes handcuffed him and put him into a vehicle. The family has not heard from Assadi since. The motive isn’t clear,” Nazim Assadi said.…

Concepcion: At least 23 people have died in hundreds of forest fires whipped up amid a blistering heat wave in south central Chile, a senior government official said Saturday night. “We want to mourn the passing of 23 persons,” said Deputy Interior Minister Manuel Monsalve, adding that 979 people have been injured in the fires. Monsalve said 232 wildfires were still active on Saturday, including 16 that began earlier in the day. The government of President Gabriel Boric extended a state of disaster to include the southern region of Araucania. The regions of Nuble and Biobio were already under a disaster designation. The move allows Boric to mobilize the military to help battle the fires as the death toll continued to rise. Temperatures soared to 40ºC, hindering efforts to contain…

BRAZIL on Friday sank a decommissioned aircraft carrier, the navy announced, despite environmental groups claiming the formerly French ship was packed with toxic materials. The “planned and controlled sinking occurred late in the afternoon” on Friday, some 350km off the Brazilian coast in the Atlantic Ocean, in an area with an “approximate depth of 5 000m”, the navy said in a statement. The decision to scuttle the six-decade-old Sao Paulo, announced on Thursday, came after Brazilian authorities had tried in vain to find a port willing to welcome it. Though defence officials said they would sink the vessel in the “safest area”, environmentalists criticised the decision, saying the aircraft carrier contains tons of asbestos, heavy metals and other toxic materials that could leach into the water and pollute the marine…

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has reiterated that Cassius Mailula still has a lot to improve on despite scoring a vital goal against Orlando Pirates on Saturday. Sundowns beat Pirates 1-0 to rack up their 15th consecutive Premiership win – a PSL record – thanks to an early solo goal from the 21-year-old Mailula, who also walked away with the Man of the Match accolade. That was Mailula’s sixth goal in just 10 league games this season, and his 11th goal contribution in 14 games across all competitions since his debut last year. Mokwena, though, continued to plead with the masses – the supporters and media – to be patient with the attacker as he finds his feet in the top-flight. “Don’t watch the goal, but the contribution throughout the…

The Nedbank Cup resumes tomorrow with the round of 32 set to be held over a week. There will be no less than 15 fixtures taking place up to February 15, four of which will see top-flight teams battle it out against each other. The first all-Premiership clash takes place tomorrow as runaway league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns prepare to tackle surprise package Richards Bay. The Brazilians will be overwhelming favourites to win and will also be out for redemption after they were dumped out of the MTN8 by Orlando Pirates earlier in the season. Richards Bay’s stubborn defence has been a major factor behind their successes this season and they will be looking to prove to Rhulani Mokwena’s side that they are no pushovers. Maritzburg United host Kaizer Chiefs at…

Giyani: Land of Blood explores powerful and emotive themes about land claim. The storyline examines ownership of the land and who is in the right, with the dramatic flair telenovelas are known for. It centres on two warring families, a secret past and a forbidden love between Khensani Mudau and Musa Baloyi. The series went into a production break in May 2022, much to the disappointment of devoted viewers. But it’s back and season three comes full circle, with plenty of secrets exposed across 105 episodes. Viewers will not be lost plot-wise when it makes its screen debut because it will first recap the last 15 episodes of season 2. IOL Entertainment visited the set recently and witnessed the long-awaited wedding of Khensani and Musa, which is beautiful. Shitshembiso Mabasa,…

The country is burning under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently apologised for the endless blackouts. Parts of Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and other provinces are experiencing water shortages and a lack of service delivery, which have led to spiralling protests from angry citizens. While that is a problem, the cost of living is now more expensive than before, a crisis that is contributing to poverty and crime levels. When he took office in 2018, Ramaphosa urged South Africans to “thuma mina”, loosely translated as “send me”. However, the promises he made, including getting rid of corruption, are haunting him. Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said on the political front, the ANC was in the worst state it had ever been. Seepe said recent polls indicated that the…

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba led a prayer and walkabout ceremony during the seventh anniversary of the Lily Mine accident in which three workers were trapped underground. There were initial search and rescue efforts to retrieve the remains, but they were abandoned. Yesterday marked seven years since Solomon Nyirenda, Yvonne Mnisi and Pretty Nkambule were left 70 metres underground at Lily Mine in Mpumalanga. Seven years later, their families, colleagues, and residents are still waiting for answers from the mine. A family member of Solomon Nyirenda said: “What happened is painful. Our home is no longer the same and is now left vacant. The home is always locked now because Solomon is still trapped underground. Whenever we visit his home, tears roll out of our eyes because of this tragedy. The…

THE local football fraternity is reeling after the murder of promising soccer star, Oshwin Andries, who was stabbed to death at the weekend. Messages of condolences have poured in for Andries, 20, who hails from Cloetesville and played defender for the Stellenbosch FC. In a statement, the club said it was saddened by his death. Andries was a gifted footballer who graduated from the Stellenbosch Football Academy to make his professional debut at the age of 18. The club said he became their youngest goalscorer in the DStv Premiership and captained South Africa at the recent under-20 Afcon Cosafa qualifiers. “His presence, both on the pitch and off it, will be sorely missed. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Stellenbosch FC are with his family, friends and loved ones,”…

South Africa has been dubbed the “protest capital of the world”. Since 2008, more than 2 million people have taken to the streets in protest every year. Black folk make up about 98% of these protests, which are for a myriad reasons, but mostly they are a “rebellion of the poor”. Protests have become more violent and disruptive. The July 2021 riots in Durban cost over 300 lives and billions of rand in damages. In March 1994, about 20 000 IFP supporters marched to Shell House (then ANC headquarters) in protest against the 1994 elections. Guards opened fire, killing 19 people. The shooting was unjustified. In Senekal, white farmers stormed a court building, overturned a police van and set it alight. They were protesting the brutal murder of white…

THE Peshawar mosque attack in which 101 were killed is an act of terrorism that must be condemned by the whole of humanity. Conflict, the grim reaper, continues to claim the lives of innocent people across the Muslim and non-Muslim world. The dire consequences of war, hatred and prejudice, particularly for the civilian population, defy description. War is like fire in the human community, one whose fuel is human beings. Wars expose man’s ultimate inhumanity to man. Wars are an innate but obsolete part of human nature. Wars reflect man’s basest instinct, untamed by rationality. All wars are instigated by hungry megalomaniacs, the politicians, managed by professional killers, the military, and fought by the brainwashed members of their population, the cannon fodder. The murder of innocent young civilians in many…

Islamabad: Pakistan’s exiled former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who became a key US ally during the “war on terror”, died in a Dubai hospital yesterday aged 79 after a long illness. Musharraf seized power in a 1999 bloodless coup and was acting simultaneously as Pakistan’s army chief, chief executive, and president when the 9/11 attacks on the US took place. The general twice suspended the constitution and was accused of rigging a referendum shoring up his power. Nonetheless he became Washington’s chief regional ally during their invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan. The decision – made after the US issued a “for us or against us” ultimatum – put him in the cross hairs of Islamist militants. But it also earned Pakistan a huge influx of foreign aid which bolstered the economy.…

Seoul: Rescue workers were searching by sea and air for nine people missing after a fishing boat capsized in waters off South Korea’s south-western coast, authorities said yesterday. The 24-ton vessel overturned in waters off the coast of Sinan county late on Saturday night, the interior ministry said. Three crew members were rescued by a nearby boat, but nine others – including two foreigners – remained missing, the ministry added. More than a dozen vessels and three aircraft from the coastguard and the navy are searching for them. Most of the crew are believed to have left the capsized boat, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said. President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the mobilisation of “all available resources” to widen the search area.…

Washington: A US fighter jet on Saturday shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, the Pentagon said, over what it called Beijing’s “unacceptable violation” of American sovereignty. The craft spent several days flying over North America, ratcheting up tensions between Washington and Beijing, before it was targeted with a missile from an F-22 plane, on the orders of President Joe Biden (above). US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the “lawful action” came in response to China’s “unacceptable violation of our sovereignty”. Saturday afternoon was the military’s first chance to take on the balloon “in a way that would not pose a threat to the safety of Americans”, a senior defence official told reporters, while still allowing authorities to collect the fallen debris from US…

EAST African regional leaders on Saturday renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire by all sides in the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that pits the country’s the military against a rebel group which it has accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting. At a summit in Burundi's capital Bujumbura, the leaders of the regional East African Community (EAC) bloc called for an “immediate ceasefire by all parties”, according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting. The M23 rebel group has seized large areas of eastern Congo’s North Kivu province in a rapid onslaught since October 20 that has threatened the provincial capital, Goma. The conflict has inflamed regional tensions with Congo accusing neighbour Rwanda of backing and sponsoring the Tutsi-led rebellion. UN experts and…

Baby Cele recently revealed that she is “single and ready to mingle” after her divorce two years ago. During a recent interview on Engineer Your Life with Lungelo KM, the Uzalo actress opened up about her third failed marriage, admitting that although the process was extremely tough, she’s in a better place now. “With this last marriage, I didn’t anticipate divorce at all,” said Cele. “My former husband and I were very compatible. We loved the same things, we laughed together and he made me happy. “They were no fights. No one cheated, things just didn’t work out. The divorce was not easy because we still loved and cared for one another,” she said. Cele explained that as a sangoma her ancestors revealed to her through dreams and visions that…

The Presidency confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested that David Mabuza remains in his role as deputy president until the transition has been finalised. Mabuza, during a funeral service for his brother, confirmed that he had resigned from the position of ANC deputy president and the country’s deputy president. Speaking to The Star yesterday, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed that Mabuza had expressed his desire to step down from the position after the outcome of the governing party’s leadership elections last year. “However, Ramaphosa has requested that Mabuza remains in his role until such time the modalities of his departure and transition have been finalised,” Magwenya said. In December, during the 55th ANC National Elective Conference, Mabuza was nominated from the floor for the position of deputy president, but…

The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) has denied allegations made by a black travel agency, The Guru Link, which accused the congress of failing to pay it more than R500 000 in additional services rendered for their April 2022 conference. The firm’s director and travel manager, Mosima Matlala, told The Star that her company is now on the brink of liquidation due to cash-flow issues caused by the disputed Contralesa deal. Ten months later, The Guru Link said it has found no joy in engaging Contralesa internally and has resorted to approaching the media over its apparent failure to pay the company for services rendered. Matlala said numerous attempts to address that matter have fallen on deaf ears, adding that Contralesa secretary general Zolani Mkiva has…

Josh the pure-bred, wire-haired fox terrier is a lap dog and the apple of his daddy’s eye. However, when a Mozambican spitting cobra was ready to attack his human mother, the 4-year-old, together with his sister of the same breed, did not think twice before pouncing on the snake. Josh was bitten in the face and had to spend several days at Valley Farm Animal Hospital in Pretoria. He was released a week ago and is still recovering at home. His fearless conduct, however, left him with a gash in the face. Owner Veronica Baartman, who lives on a smallholding in Bela Bela with her husband, George, is still in shock about what happened. “He is my husband’s dog, his shadow, his best friend and his life. He and his…

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) new policy to cap student accommodation allowance at R45 000 is hurting poor students on the University of Pretoria’s geo-economical location. This frustration was expressed by the University of Pretoria SRC after engaging students who found themselves struggling to find accommodation because they could not afford to top up their monthly rent. Seeking to make student funding more easily accessible to qualifying applicants, NSFAS proposed a series of policy changes, which included the accommodation allowance cap, to be applicable to university accommodation or accredited private accommodation. It also planned to enter lease negotiations on behalf of students, accredited student housing, without involving universities as was customary, and pay landlords directly. The bursary scheme has also introduced a NSFAS bank card through which students…

Al Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad became the City of Joburg’s youngest leader after he was sworn in last week, through a coalition arrangement with the ANC and EFF. A few hours later, he was seen on camera wearing a Palestinian scarf over his suit. This was obviously a political statement. Ultimately, Amad should aim to unite the people of the city, behind the goal of service delivery. Amad was at the forefront of a campaign to rename Sandton Drive Leila Khaled Drive. Khaled is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and is known for hijacking a plane, putting innocent lives at risk. Amad and his coalition partners should use the city’s money on rendering quality service delivery to five million residents rather than on the political…

Policy discourse in South Africa is preoccupied with the vexing “triple threat” of poverty, unemployment and inequality. What remains comparatively muted in these discussions is the reality that many South Africans have the odds stacked against them, well before their second birthday. Despite expanded access to health, education and social security in democratic South Africa, the livelihood prospects of children often remain tied to those of their parents. This is because the inequality is intergenerational. Any meaningful shift in the stark, and long-entrenched inequality will demand that we unlock the social and economic mobility of these youth. In a soon to be released Inclusive Society Institute report called “Understanding Youth Inequality”, attention is drawn to the important relationship between early influences and later outcomes in young people’s lives, while exploring…

Juba: Pope Francis appealed yesterday to the people of South Sudan to lay down their “weapons of hatred” at an open-air mass on the final day of his pilgrimage to a country blighted by violence and poverty. Large crowds of ecstatic worshippers streamed into the John Garang Mausoleum in the capital Juba to see the 86-year-old pontiff, who has made peace and reconciliation the theme of his three-day trip to the world’s newest nation. “Lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge … overcome the dislikes that have become chronic and risk pitting tribes and ethnic groups against one another,” Francis said.…

UKRAINE fought off a fresh Russian assault on the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut, its leaders said on Saturday, as it endured a wave of shelling in the disputed Donetsk region. Officials meanwhile recovered the bodies of two British volunteers, killed trying to help evacuate people from the eastern war zone. And the southern city of Odesa suffered a massive power cut affecting half a million households after an accident at a war-damaged electrical substation. “This week, the Russian occupation forces threw all their efforts into breaking through our defence and encircling Bakhmut, and launched a powerful offensive in the Lyman sector,” said Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar. Ukraine’s border guard service reported that its soldiers had stopped the latest attack, killing four and wounding seven of the opposing forces.…

OTTAWA: A proposed new measure would make Canada the first country in the world to mandate printed health disclaimers on each individual cigarette, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennet said. This would help ensure that essential messages reached people, especially the youth “who often access cigarettes one at a time in social situations”. Bennett said the government expected cigarette packages to feature a wider list of health hazards and unhealthy effects engendered by smoking, including cancers, diabetes and vascular diseases.…