Índex per 2023-02-13 a Star

Finance Minister Godongwana will be rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic when tabling the Budget FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana will be rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic next week when he tables the Budget amid demands to reappropriate money to fund a raft of social security spending on the back of a shrinking economy. This comes after a number of promises made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address on Thursday in a bid to alleviate the hardship brought about by the ongoing energy crisis on businesses and households. Ramaphosa said Godongwana would outline how households will be assisted and how businesses will be able to bene- fit from a tax incentive through the roll-out of rooftop solar panels. However, economists on Friday began…

Featuring an all-new cast of young queer people living in a safe house, House of Diamonds, the second season of the acclaimed reality series continues to beautifully explore themes of identity, belonging and self-acceptance. Among the main cast members who will be featuring on Becoming, season two, is Trey Moo (she/they), house mother. As the matriarch of the House of Diamonds, her focus is on keeping everyone housed and safe. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her own battles to fight – viewers will get to see her confront family rejection and seek love and belonging. Godmother Delovie (she), a Ugandan-born photographer, is also facing gender-bias visa issues. Student and activist Seoketsi (she/they) is facing her own traumas while attempting to find emotional, mental and physical stability. Model Cailey…

International law and humanity will be tested this week as three Ethiopian nationals appeal to the full Bench of the South Gauteng High Court in Joburg, arguing that the high court failed to consider international law in its earlier ruling when it ruled that the trio must remain in jail while waiting for Home Affairs to assist them in making an application for asylum. Represented by legal heavyweight Snethemba Vobi, the appellants are foreigners who fled Ethiopia after being persecuted for political and religious beliefs. The trio individually entered SA illegally and not at ports of entry. They were arrested and detained at the time the urgent interdict application was heard by the high court in Joburg. While awaiting deportation on July 26, 2021, the high court interdicted their…

The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, responsible for investigating cases from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), is requesting the assistance of the public in tracing witnesses and next of kin of victims of apartheid-era crimes. The Hawks said most of the victims were reported to have committed suicide in detention, and others were allegedly shot while escaping from lawful custody. The victims from Gauteng, the North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo are Mohammed Faizel Abrams, William Nomedi Tshwane, Jundea Bolowa Tubakwa, Nonoath Ntshintsha and Hanguala Shonyeka or James Hamakwayo. Abrams had a fight with police in 1988 and was shot and killed in Standerton, Mpumalanga. Tshwane was allegedly shot dead by police while trying to escape. He died at Modderbee Prison on July 25, 1976. Tubakwa died in Pretoria…

POLICE have arrested a man in connection with a shooting at a petrol station in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni. The man allegedly shot a friend before taking his vehicle and later selling the firearm. In video footage, the two men can be seen talking, one holding a firearm. Seconds later, the shooter is seen grabbing the firearm and pointing it at the victim. The pair then tussle for the gun and the shooter fires at the victim before walking off. He turns back, walks towards the victim who is now lying on the ground, kicks him, appears to fire more shots, then bends down to search the victim’s pockets. The shooter then grabs the victim’s keys, gets into his Renault Kwid and drives off. The shooting takes place in full view of…

SABC1 dramedy uBettina Wethu is set to make its third comeback. Popular Metro FM radio host Mo Flava has joined the cast of Season 3 of dramedy uBettina Wethu as the show’s resident DJ. This will be the first foray into acting for the award-winning radio and TV presenter, who has had various stints as presenter on the small screen. Tonight marks the show’s season premiere with an additional cast that includes Muvhango actress Zonke Mchunu as Zitha Buthelezi Jones and Danica Jones as the sassy Crystal Snyman. Producers have promised viewers yet another loveable season centred on the humorous life and whirlwind romances of Bettina, played by Kamogelo Molathloe. The show, which airs from Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm, also features an array of talented actors and actresses, including…

Corruption runs deep in the higher education sector. It is discontenting how many of these institutions are not serious about uprooting this scourge. The most recent example is the University of Venda (Univen), where it is alleged that there are Student Representative Council (SRC) members, ordinary students, even students from other institutions, who are hovering around the university offering students admission to the university by demanding a bribe of R3 500. Apparently, these SRC members have been “deployed” by Univen to help facilitate the registration of students. Incredulously, the university has issued a statement to the effect that “it has come to its notice that this is happening and those who are involved should stop doing so”. Is Univen serious? Does it really think that by appealing to the…

Rudolf Straeuli admitted last week that the Lions are currently “just not clicking” as a team, but that fact won’t dissuade the Lions Rugby CEO of the notion that the team are on the right track in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and EPCR Challenge Cup. The Lions have had a torrid time of it over the last two months, losing five of their six matches across both tournaments. Their lone victory was an important Challenge Cup win over the Dragons in Wales, which secured them a home last 16 clash against Racing 92 of France on April 1, but they also suffered a defeat against Stade Francais in that period in the competition. Of a more pressing concern were the four losses in the URC against the Sharks, Stormers,…

Marcus Rashford extended his hot streak with the late goal that inspired Manchester United’s 2-0 win against old rivals Leeds United yesterday. After Rashford scored to spark United’s comeback from two goals down in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Leeds, Rashford tormented the Yorkshire club once again. Rashford netted with 10 minutes left at Elland Road to make it four successive Premier League games with a goal for the England forward, who has scored in eight of his last nine appearances in the competition. Following Alejandro Garnacho’s frustrated reaction to being substituted on Wednesday, the Argentine teenager made amends as he came off the bench to seal United’s hard-fought victory five minutes after Rashford’s goal. United’s win was just their second in their last five league games, although they have now…

SOUTH African markets closed deep in the red on Friday, with the rand and stocks tanking to their lowest in more than two months on the back of softer emerging markets and a firmer US dollar. President Cyril Ramaphosa's failure to impress investors about concrete solutions to end the energy crisis during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday also added bitterness to the markets. The rand on Friday plunged 0.8% to close R17.90 against the greenback, its lowest since December 2, when Ramaphosa was rumoured to be considering resigning on the back of a damning report about his possible culpability in the Phala-Phala scandal. Citadel Global director Bianca Botes said the rand was mostly affected by international monetary decisions and events and less so by local factors,…

THE ANC-CREATED Eskom disaster impedes digital transformation. The past week I had to accompany an elderly friend to the Department of Home Affairs in Caledon to collect an identity card. But what a catastrophic experience. I was wondering why so many people were waiting outside Home Affairs in the blazing sun, until I realised it was Caledon’s “privilege” to pay for the incompetency of government through load shedding from 10am to 12pm. Although the doors of Home Affairs were open, it was dark inside and since the computers were down, nobody could be served. It was only an hour after the power came on that some people were allowed in. The officials were lethargic and progress was slow. It was only at 3pm that the collection of an identity card…

Recently, Showmax shared a trailer of its latest sexually-charged show, Sex and Pleasure. The adults-only documentary is set to debut on March 8. The 90-second trailer opens with Lesego Tlhabi, aka Coconut Kelz, seated in a living room and sharing some thoughts on the subject matter of the new Showmax Original, which carries a PG18 SNL. “Everyone has sex,” she said. “Even your most conservative grandmother had eight kids. So let’s talk about it.” The trailer also sees OnlyFans creators, exotic dancers and couples discussing their sexual habits. The trailer features familiar faces, like actor Siv Ngesi and Artscape CEO Marlene le Roux, who’s a disability and women’s rights activist. The trailer also advocates for more sex as the secret to long life. Last year, the streamer launched a show,…

Deputy president David Mabuza caused a stir after announcing at his brother’s funeral in Mpumalanga that he was stepping down. President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected his resignation and asked him to continue in his role to ensure a smooth transition. Mabuza was making way for Paul Mashatile. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said that Mabuza had made it clear that he wanted to step down after the governing party chose its new leaders at the ANC’s elective conference in December at the Nasrec Expo Centre. “Ramaphosa has requested him to remain in his role until such time the modalities of his departure and transition have been finalised,” Magwenya stressed. Mabuza told mourners that he had tendered his resignation letter to Ramaphosa last week. “I must step down to make space for the…

Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve is a privately owned game reserve located in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, 45 minutes’ drive from Johannesburg. The reserve offers guided game drives and walks with experienced guides who provide information about the animals, birds and plants. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of getting up close and personal with our incredible animals. Booking is essential for these activities. If you prefer to do things at your own pace, then the self-drive is for you. A pack of African wild dogs, a pride of lions, a dazzle of zebra – you never know what you might come across when you explore the vast expanse of land that makes up the reserve. The reserve is known for its live lion, cheetah and…

Popular musician Toss, real name Pholoso Masombuka, shares thrilling details about his new deal as a brand ambassador and his plans to be a global star. He says inking a deal as an ambassador with the popular alcohol brand, Billiato, was a dream come true for him, as he had always wanted to work with Cassper Nyovest. Masombuka was animated to share that partnering with a South African black-owned product was a major success for him. “I was excited; it’s always been a dream to work with Cassper Nyovest, and for it to happen through one of his biggest brands is a big deal for me. “The idea of a South African black-owned product partnering with a South African black artist, that’s history and we, both artists … will change…

ONE of the rights enshrined in our Constitution is the right to “freedom of speech”. This right means nothing without its natural and implied corollary of the “right to listen”. Having just witnessed the utterly disgraceful and well telegraphed attempts by the EFF to stop President Ramaphosa’s address, their attempts are nothing less than an attack on the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of speech. In their attempts to stop the address, this unruly minority have attempted to ride roughshod over the rights of many South Africans, whether they are ANC supporters or not, to listen to the address. The EFF’s actions are not only those of hooligans but are totally hypocritical. One of the main objections to hearing Ramaphosa’s speech was that he was called a “constitutional delinquent”. However,…

The Proteas women might have stumbled in the opening match of the T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka, but Chloe Tryon insists that the South Africans will stick to their processes and return to basics when they face New Zealand today (7pm start). The Proteas faltered against Sri Lanka on Friday, losing the match by three runs in front of a raucous Newlands – a result that has put them on the immediate offensive in their matches ahead, starting with the White Ferns at Boland Park in Paarl. Speaking ahead of the vital round-robin clash against New Zealand, Tryon addressed the team’s pitfalls in the first match, while also emphasising the importance of looking forward. In particular, the Proteas managed to restrict the island nation to 129/4 but then conspired…

AmaZulu FC (2) 3 Gumede 8; Mhango 25; Ntuli 63 Tornado FC (0) 2 Katz 78, Dupane 80 AmaZulu survived a late scare to secure progression to the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup with victory over Tornado FC at King Zwelethini Stadium yesterday. AmaZulu dominated from the start and took only seven minutes to take the lead through Mbongeni Gumede, who produced a neat header from close range. Usuthu doubled their lead after 25 minutes through Gabadinho Mhango. Guily Manziba provided the assist to the Malawi international as he produced a good run, teeing up Mhango on the left and the striker used his experience to produce a cool finish. Tornado had a chance to equalise after 20 minutes as Ermano Barends got the better of Veluyeke Zulu in…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa last week reiterated the government’s plan to introduce a remote working visa, which it promised a year ago in a bid to solve South Africa’s skills crisis. In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, Ramaphosa said one of the key ingredients for economic growth and competitiveness was the ability to attract skills that the economy needed. “Having completed a comprehensive review of the work visa system, we will move quickly to implement the recommendations put forward. “These include establishing a more flexible points-based system to attract skilled immigrants, implementing a trusted employer scheme to make the visa process easier for large investors, and streamlining application requirements,“ he said. The government would also be introducing a remote worker visa and a special dispensation for high-growth…

WHILE Agri SA welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s focus on the electricity crisis in his State of the Nation Address (Sona), the sector remained deeply concerned about the ongoing and devastating impact of load shedding on the agricultural sector, said Agri SA chief executive Christo van der Rheede. Reacting on Friday morning to the president’s address, Agri SA said it questioned the necessity and value of the declaration of a national state of disaster to address the crisis. “The announcement of a new ministry of electricity in the Presidency also requires further detail. The powers of this ministry and its distinction from the ministries of mineral resources and energy and public enterprises must be clearly set out to avoid creating a bureaucratic nightmare that hinders rather than accelerates the resolution of…

Idris Elba has stopped describing himself as a black actor. The 50-year-old actor, who has starred in a host of big-budget films and TV shows during his career, has revealed that he’s reluctant to be put “in a box”. The London-born star explained: “As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth. “Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. “But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be. I stopped describing myself as a black actor when I realised it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over.” Elba went to school in Canning…

Analysts believe President Cyril Ramaphosa has deliberately skirted around the Phala Phala saga, even though he pretended to be accountable. In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, Ramaphosa failed to talk about the Phala Phala, a dark cloud over his head, though he boldly spoke out against corruption. The issue led to the EFF being kicked out of Parliament. “Ramaphosa has deliberately skirted around the Phala Phala matter, even as he pretends to be accountable. He can count on the law-enforcement agencies not doing their jobs. None has the courage to take on a sitting president,” said political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe. He said the matter was far from over. Last month, the EFF joined the ATM in opposing Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala application. “The Phala Phala matter…

Pretoria Capitals 135 all out Mendis 21; Van der Merwe 4/31, Baartman 2/22, Magala 2/30 Sunrisers Eastern Cape 137/6 Rossington 57, Markram 26; Nortje 2/21 Sunrisers won by four wickets To the acclaim of all neutral observers and their own abundant joy, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape were crowned the inaugural Betway SA20 champions at the Wanderers yesterday. They defeated Pretoria Capitals, the favourites, with astonishing ease in a final everyone had to wait an extra day for and that nobody would have expected to be so straightforward. The Sunrisers were a squad that not many had given a chance at the beginning of the tournament after two opening losses. At the heart of their rejuvenation was a 38-year-old left-arm spinner who ironically left Pretoria a decade ago to undertake an…

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has poured cold water on the club’s Nedbank Cup aspirations in spite of the club advancing to the last 16 of the competition. Amakhosi battled past 10-man Maritzburg United on Friday night, needing extra-time to dispatch the Team of Choice and advance past the first round for the first time in three seasons. The Naturena-based club are historically the most successful team in the Nedbank Cup, having made 19 finals and winning 13. Although The Glamour Boys have not won this tournament in 10 years, Zwane has called for calm as he continues his rebuild of the Soweto giants. “We take it one game at a time, I’ve always said this, we don’t want to put ourselves under pressure,” he expressed. “Yes, Chiefs are…

ANY thoughts that Mamelodi Sundowns’ 1-0 victory over Al-Hilal at the weekend was a sign that the Brazilians are not the unstoppable train their domestic form suggests must have been quelled by results from other Champions League opening day matches. Rhulani Mokwena’s men overcame the Sudanese champions at Loftus Versfeld via a scoreline that seemed to confirm the notion that their local dominance has a lot to do with the competition being of poor quality. But the reality is that the standard on the continent is much higher, as evidenced by results elsewhere. Except for Raja Casablanca’s 5-0 hammering of Uganda’s Vipers, all the other matches were closely contested affairs with no team scoring more than one goal. Though unimpressive, Sundowns’ victory was just what they needed as they look…