Índex per 2023-03-15 a Star

IN spite of Acting Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka’s leaked preliminary report into the Phala Phala saga clearing President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing, think tanks seem to believe that he has lost touch with reality. Political parties lambasted Gcaleka for her findings in the farm heist affair, but she has since said that she should be allowed to produce a final report after obtaining comments from affected individuals or institutions. Executive director of Accountability Now, advocate Paul Hoffman, said Ramaphosa had a lot to explain. “The question can be answered by drilling down into the conduct of the Cabinet that is required by the Constitution. I think that has been overlooked in the preliminary report. “Whether retaining US dollars beyond the 30-day period allowed by the Reserve Bank (and)…

The arrest of a suspect who was badly burnt while attempting to steal a cable near the repair site of an electrical fault in Alexandra has been welcomed by City Power. The police were his saviour, arriving on the scene and quickly rescuing the suspect just as the community was about to beat him up for adding to their woes of going days without power due to cable theft. According to spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the suspect is currently fighting for his life in police custody. “The unknown suspect has been charged with tampering with and attempted theft of essential infrastructure and other related crimes.”…

The SOUTH African entertainment industry is grappling with another loss of a notable artist following the news that multi-award-winning jazz musician Gloria Bosman has died. Fellow jazz artist and legendary musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse confirmed the reports on his Twitter page. “So sad, gutted, Rest In Peace my dear friend #gloriabosman, thank you for sharing the stage and sharing your gift with us all, am shattered – Love and respect Sipho and the hot band @SIPHIWEGKUBHEKA @thamiMgcina @Tabiasongbird #RIP Gloria Bosman,” Mabuse tweeted. Bosman was 50 when she died. Fans and those who had worked with jazz musicians have remembered her for the immeasurable impact she made through her unique melodies. Bosman shared the stage with music legends such as Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, Moses Molelekwa, Tananas and Mabuse. In…

THE fact that a husband said “I do” at the altar, but a week later, while on honeymoon on an island, humiliated and belittled his wife and then kicked her out of their house two months later, has come back to bite him. The once shiny-eyed bride is claiming more than R800 000 from her estranged husband. The parties are embroiled in divorce proceedings and thus cannot be named. The first claim is based on fraudulent misrepresentation; she said when he had put the ring on her finger, he knew he no longer wanted to marry her. As a result of the “fraudulent misrepresentation”, she had incurred economic losses as she had spent R331 342.36 on the wedding. Her second claim is for the impairment of her reputation and dignity,…

In his classic work, Race Matters, American philosopher and public intellectual Cornel West defines nihilism as a state of hopelessness and absence of meaning. South Africa and its people find themselves in a place of hopelessness as it leaps from one crisis to another. As a country, we have been subjected to crisis after crisis but solutions are never presented, instead people are quick to blame one another. The ANC has proved that it is failing to run the government and opposition parties are not offering tangible solutions either. What have the opposition parties suggested to fix Eskom? Like the ANC, they do not know what needs to be done. The path to destruction started in 1994, or before, during the negotiated settlement (the process itself could have been corrupt).…

What has become of us in a democracy? It’s almost a given that a protest for a particular cause will descend into violence and destruction. We live in interesting times, with no shortage of rogue lackeys at the helm. When Parliament went up in flames while security officers were on duty, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union was on the defensive. Nehawu’s knee-jerk reaction was to blame it on the government’s cost-cutting measures. That was a mere conflation of issues in an attempt to exonerate inexcusable derelicts. Similarly, health authorities went on the ground to get all the facts first-hand after catching a glimpse of the obstruction of health-care services by striking public servants. Nehawu impugned the preliminary report attributing deaths in the facilities to a strike. Yet…

THE much-anticipated case between the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and AYO Technology Solutions (AYO) kicked off in the Western Cape High Court last week with some explosive claims by the PIC’s first witness, Victor Seanie. The PIC’s case is that a subscription agreement entered into by both parties in 2017 was irregular and illegal, and it seeks to recoup the R4.3 billion it invested in the 29% shareholding deal – plus 10.25% per annum interest accrued from 2017. R4.3bn is not chump change by any stretch of the imagination, and one would think the PIC, the custodian of more than R1.6 trillion in Government Employees Pension Fund monies, would exercise the most stringent of due diligence in how it invests its funds. Seanie, a sacked former assistant portfolio manager at…

BEIRUT: The Lebanese pound sank to a historic low against the dollar on the parallel market yesterday, the latest sombre milestone in an economic meltdown that has plunged most of the population into poverty. Officially pegged at 15 000 to the dollar, the pound was trading at 100 000 against the greenback, dealers said, a plunge from 1 507 before the economic crisis hit in 2019. The currency’s market value was at around 60 000 to the dollar in late January. The plunge has triggered price hikes on fuel, food and other basic goods. | AFP…

Algiers: The EU will develop renewable energy projects with Algeria, an EU official said, stressing the key role of the nation in fighting terrorism and maintaining security and stability in the region. Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, stressed the large potential of Algeria in the field of renewable energy and the importance of bilateral co-operation in gas. He called for a solution of a trade crisis with Spain and the hurdles that hindered European investments in Algeria. For now, the EU relies on Algeria as a main gas supplier. | IANS…

Steenhuisen says party will take legal action The DA cannot and will not stop the overwhelming frustration and pain of people in defence of Cyril Ramaphosa, and these frustrations will be felt on the streets on Monday, according to the EFF. “It is no retreat, no surrender. Ramaphosa must resign now!” said the EFF’s Sinawo Thambo, in a press statement, in response to the DA taking legal action against the planned national shutdown on Monday. Yesterday, the DA announced that it would be launching legal action aimed at forcing the EFF to abandon its national shutdown, which has recently been joined by a host of other political parties and trade unions, including Nehawu, the UDM, the SA Federation of Trade Unions and the African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance. The DA…

The family of Kathrine Nkosi believe she is one of the victims of the Nehawu strike. Had it not been for the strike, Nkosi, 69, would have received medical care at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital and be alive, they said. Granddaughter Simphiwe Mchunu said they took her sick grandmother to Bertha Gxowa Hospital in Germiston, but she was transferred to Thelle Mogoerane Hospital. Tests showed she had kidney stones. On March 2, surgery to insert pipes was performed. Last Tuesday, “I found her in a bad state; she told me she had not taken medication because the doctors were on strike. Other patients told me they were given two slices of brown bread to eat and juice,” said Mchunu. The next day, “I found the nurses and doctors striking. I…

THE estate of a deceased, which Eskom owed about R116 000 in overpaid electricity accounts, has applied for the winding up of the power utility for failing to pay. The executor of the estate of Christopher Kingsley turned to the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, after Eskom did not pay the money back. It asked for the winding up of Eskom, under the Companies Act. Acting Judge Stefan Maritz was told that despite numerous demands for payment, Eskom failed to pay. The executor said Eskom was thus “deemed unable to pay its debts”. Kingsley held two electricity accounts with Eskom. On the one, he had a credit balance of slightly more than R10 400 and on the other, a credit balance of about R106 000. In July 2020, the executor…

THE dawn of democracy raised hope for many previously disadvantaged South Africans. It symbolised a chance to rebuild and a new dawn. It also set a chance to try bandage the wounds that had been bleeding under apartheid. However, the status quo we see today is contrary to what was anticipated. People believed that the doors of opportunity were going to open to alleviate the burden of many households that lived below the poverty line. What we see today are huge statistics of youth unemployment – the biggest threat and challenge. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics SA for the first quarter of 2022 showed the graduate unemployment rate was relatively low in South Africa compared with those of other educational levels. But youth unemployment is still a…

Cyclone Freddy, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere, has killed 190 people in Malawi after ripping through southern Africa for the second time in a month, Malawi’s government said yesterday. The district around the commercial hub of Blantyre was among the hardest-hit. Severe flooding and rain damaged roads and bridges, hampering relief operations. Freddy has also left a trail of destruction in Mozambique, where it made landfall over the weekend. More than 22 000 people there were seeking shelter away from their homes. The latest death toll in Malawi is a jump from 99 reported on Monday, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs said. As heavy rains continued to pummel the country, 584 people have been injured and 37 are still missing, it said.…

Geneva: Russia has agreed to extend a Ukraine grain export deal by 60 days after talks with UN representatives in Geneva. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin announced the decision after meeting UN officials. The deal signed in July 2022 and brokered by the UN and Turkey allowed Ukraine, one of the world’s key wheat producers and exporters, to ship food and fertilizer from three of its Black Sea ports. It also allowed the export of 24 million metric tons of grain, and more than 1 600 secure vessel voyages via the Black Sea, with 55% of food exports going to developing countries. | IANS…

For the first time since 2014, the ‘Big Three’ – Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns – have all made it to the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup. After Monday night’s draw, the three teams remain apart. While Chiefs and Sundowns will play against fellow DStv Premiership teams, Pirates have drawn ABC Motsepe side Dondol Stars FC, an amateur team from Tshwane. They have already dumped two teams from the elite league onto the Nedbank Cup scrapheap. First they defeated SuperSport United and then AmaZulu FC – and now Pirates are next on their hit list. This battle will cause the technical staff at Pirates to cast their minds back to the 2013 season. At the time, in a first-round clash, Maluti FET College FC caused one of the…

Grammy award-winning DJ Black Coffee has always dreamed of performing at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan and later this year, that dream will become a reality. The Drive hitmaker will be the first South African DJ/producer to headline the venue which accommodates over 20 700 people. Taking to Instagram, Black Coffee said: “It’s always been one of my biggest dreams to take this music and sound to the highest level possible and to expose it to the largest audience imaginable and so I’ve dreamt of my @thegarden debut for many years – it’s finally a reality! “Years of dreaming coming to you this October 7th, NYC. Wait until you see what we’ve been planning… Link in bio for early access registration! #GodsVeryOwn #BCMSG.” Dubbed the most famous coliseum in…

A MEDICAL doctor, who was shot during a robbery at his practice in Standerton, Mpumalanga, and his leg was later amputated, will now be able to prove the damages he had suffered. He got the go-ahead after one of the doctors “liable for the amputation” lost his appeal. Dr Abdus Patel instituted a R11.4 million claim against his colleagues. He said that if Dr Aboo Baker Joosub and Dr Frederick Louw had acted with haste after he was shot, he would have had his leg today. The North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, earlier found that Patel’s colleagues could not be blamed and turned down the claim. Patel appealed to a full Bench, which found that Louw should be held accountable. Louw turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which turned…

Celebrated fashion designer Thebe Magugu has gained another major accolade as the first African-based designer to take over Spotify’s Fashion Forward playlist this month. Known as one of the most accomplished fashion designers in Africa, his tailored pieces have been making waves globally. Artists such as Burna Boy, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus have all rocked Magugu looks, further showcasing the link between fashion and music in conquering global stages. His playlist is a collection of songs that have inspired him as a designer and as an African, and it tells the story of his journey to becoming one of the most celebrated South Africans in global fashion. Magugu said his curated playlist includes the artists he listened to religiously while developing his Autumn/Winter ’23 Folklorics collection. The first half of…

AS THE war in Ukraine intensifies in scope, depth and brutality,the prospect of an atomic catastrophe intensifies. A fully fledged nuclear war becomes a frightening nightmare, as Biden and Putin practise brazen brinkmanship. A nuclear holocaust could envelope Europe as the conflict in Ukraine intensifies. The largest nuclear reactor complex in Ukraine, which is the largest on that continent, could be struck as the war intensifies. Both combatants have accused the other of shelling the complex. If this huge atomic installation is attacked and damaged, deadly radiation will spread across Europe and many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Its deadly consequences are too ghastly to contemplate. Any party attacking a civilian nuclear institute is guilty of crimes against humanity. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 affected 40% of Europe and…

Increasing unemployment causes devastation in society as a whole, while impacting on a lot of issues, such as poverty, increased crime rates and also suicide-related deaths. Unemployment is also derived from a lack of skills, illiteracy and not overlooking the lack of opportunity for those who have the required skills. As much as we can blame the government for not delivering on most of its promises, it is worth noting that government departments are making an effort to bridge the unemployment gap. To dent the scourge of youth unemployment, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development introduced the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme to support and capacitate rural communities. Through the programme, the department equips rural youth with various skills, ranging from leadership skills, civic engagement and…

Washington: President Joe Biden addressed US gun violence yesterday when he signed an order tightening background checks on firearms customers at an event in Monterey Park, Los Angeles, where a shooting incident took place in January. A gunman shot dead 11 people from the local Asian community in the suburb during their Lunar New Year celebrations. Of several measures being announced by Biden will be an executive order seeking to tighten rules on background checks. Polls show popular support for a blanket rule requiring that anyone buying a firearm is checked for a criminal record. Only federally licensed dealers are required to run background checks. | AFP…

London: British unemployment remains near its historical low but wages are still falling in real terms, official data showed yesterday on the eve of a budget. The unemployment rate was stable at 3.7% in the three months to the end of January compared with the three months to the end of December, the Office for National Statistics said. Wages excluding bonuses rose 6.5% but dived 3.5% when inflation was taken into account. Britain is plagued by strikes as workers protest over pay. The economy now has more than 1.1 million job vacancies. | AFP…

Bjorn Fortuin may have felt at one stage of his career that he was always set to be the groomsman. No matter how well he did at domestic level – and even when he did get a rare opportunity in international cricket – he was never quite going to be the premier spinner for the Proteas. Fortuin even worked hard at his batting, with the second arrow in his quiver now elevated to a higher level in a bid further his chances of regular recognition. But with Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj ahead of him in the white-ball queue – and Senuran Muthusamy also propelled to the Proteas Test side alongside Maharaj and Simon Harmer – the odds lengthened even further for Fortuin. Timing, is everything, though, and while it…