Índex per 2023-06-21 a Star

THE COMPETITION Tribunal ended the first day of hearings into the now Competition Commission conditionally approved takeover of national carrier SA Airways (SAA) by Global Aviation trading as the Takatso Consortium on a tense note, as the large sway of presentations were against the merger, at least in current form. Tribunal members, chairperson Mondo Mazwai, advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi and Dr Thando Vilakazi, heard from the commission, which was on the backfoot in justifying its recommendation of the deal. Its principal analyst, Wiri Gumbie, said that Takatso Aviation was created specifically for this acquisition and was bidding to acquire SAA operations, SAA Technical and Air Chef. He said the second part of the deal includes a “moratorium on merger- related retrenchments and to maintain a minimum number of employees at SAA.…

LAY-OFFS announced since January have surpassed 116 000 as Europe battles decades-high inflation, price vola- tility in commodities and a growing wave of automation. Most of the losses are within Europe’s tech sector. At least 10 companies have announced more than 88 000 job cuts so far this year. In May, British telecoms giant BT announced its intention to cut 55 000 jobs by the decade’s end. Once BT’s fibre-optic network is complete, it will need a smaller workforce for maintenance. BT’s staff of 130 000 will drop by 40% within seven years. A recent McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report, “The future of work in Europe,” suggests that the pace of automation will affect some 53 million European jobs – 22% of the current workforce…

Miss South Africa 2023 Top 12 finalist Levern José has withdrawn from the competition following bullying allegations levelled against her. Last week, José was accused of being a bully in high school by at least two people. However, she said that she was only protecting herself from other bullies. “As a survivor of bullying, I learned how to protect myself from bullying during my school years. “If my actions in protecting myself caused harm to anyone, I offer my sincere apologies. The pain of being a target has left an indelible mark on my heart, and I would never intentionally cause hurt or contribute to someone else’s suffering,” she said in a statement. She added that due to her kindness and empathy, she was committing herself to advocating against bullying.…

The Rational Youth Movement has accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula of trying to sweep allegations of fraud, corruption and extortion levelled against Section 194 committee chairperson Richard Dyantyi under the carpet. Suspended public protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s husband, Mandla Skosana, recently accused Dyantyi, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina and former ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson of having solicited a bribe of R600 000 to make the inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office “go away”. Last week, the movement wrote to Nqakula, seeking clarity on what steps Parliament was going to take to ensure that Dyantyi and others involved in the matter account for their alleged involvement in the bribery claim. During her media briefing, Mkhwebane also blamed Mapisa-Nqakula for allegedly refusing a confidential meeting with a “whistle-blower” about the…

Over the long weekend, the province’s high-density Operation Shanela continued and generated good results, with more than 277 individuals apprehended. Police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said 89 people were arrested for allegedly being in the country illegally; 36 for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm; nine for common assault; 10 for driving under the influence of alcohol; 14 for burglaries at residential and business premises; 12 for malicious damage to property and four for murder. “In Orkney on June 18, at about 12.30pm, a man, 52, was allegedly found in the street in possession of a shotgun, which he pointed towards police. He was successfully convinced by the police to put the firearm down. “The suspect was immediately arrested. He told police he had shot his wife, 50.…

A teenager who overcame bullying as a child, chanelled the negative energy into something positive by setting up her own bakery business at the tender age of 16. Siphesihle Mhlongo who owns Sippy The Cooking Teen, said it took a lot of hard work and sacrifice to run a business while still in high school. “Seeing that I can make my own money doing something that I really loved and enjoyed doing while I am still young motivated me to start my own business. “I started to bake when I was really young, although I do not remember the exact age. I used to watch my grandmother and mom bake cupcakes as well as baking shows on TV, and was totally fascinated,” said Siphesihle. Her vision is to own a…

I love my sunny days in SA. The sun is the magnanimous and indiscriminate Eskom from above. It provides us with warmth (heat) and light, irrespective of the depths of our pockets. In addition, it reveals our two personalities by casting our shadows. There is more to humanity than the outward appearance, the body and its façade glitter. Encased in the body is a spirit – the real you. The same applies to spoken languages. There’s one glamourised in high places, in the open by the minority (the elite) and another on the ground, in confined spaces by the majority (the poor and voiceless). Did Nelson Mandela sell us (out)? The proponents and architects of colonialism and apartheid say no. They are in charge, they control the middle class…

THE grandmother of two children left motherless after their mother’s boyfriend, who is a police officer, shot and killed the children’s mother with his service pistol while off duty, lost her claim for compensation against the Ministry of Police. The grandmother turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where it was argued on her behalf that the minister of police should be held vicariously liable for loss of support towards the children due to their mother’s death. It was argued that the boyfriend was not competent to be in possession of the official firearm as he had not attended the compulsory annual shooting practice as required by the police’s standing orders in terms of the Firearms Control Regulations. It was argued that by granting him access to the firearm in…

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund (LPFF) after it was found that the entity should reimburse a woman almost R800 000 plus interest, after her attorney misappropriated funds. Carla Marshall Guilherme was married to Bradley Clem Bartie, who died by suicide on May 10, 2012. Bartie’s attorney, known only as Spencer, was appointed executor of the estate. Guilherme became the sole beneficiary of a life insurance policy worth R5 million and received an immediate payment of R50 000 from the policy. A balance of R4.9m was eventually paid into Guilherme’s bank account. However, Spencer advised her to deposit the money into his trust account as these funds were at risk due to her husband’s liabilities to his creditors. Guilherme did as…

In commemoration of Youth Month, health experts at MedicalAid have revealed seven hidden signs of diabetes and top tips on how to prevent it from a young age. According to Adriaan Schoeman, operational director at MedicalAid, it is estimated that about 4.6 million adults in South Africa have diabetes, which accounts for approximately 8.5% of the adult population, while 1 in 3 (13 million) adults in South Africa are classified as being at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These are the top 7 hidden signs of diabetes: • Frequent urination: Excessive thirst and increased urination are often early signs of diabetes. • Unexplained weight loss: Despite eating normally or even more than usual, individuals with diabetes may experience unexplained weight loss due to the body’s inability to properly…

Police officers, who are tasked with protecting citizens and the country, often find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Recently, police officers, including traffic cops, immigration, etc., have been arrested for various crimes, and on top of the list is corruption. Two Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers were arrested by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers over the weekend in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, for operating outside their assigned area using a private vehicle. Pretoria mayor Cilliers Brink said officers had no permission to operate outside their jurisdiction, and considering the recent spate of allegations against some TMPD members, the actions by the two officers were indeed questionable and very odd. Brink said that in addition to this incident, the TMPD Integrity Unit was investigating seven officers for using…

Washington: US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two minor charges related to tax evasion and admit to the facts of a gun charge, an agreement he has reached with the Department of Justice. Hunter Biden faces fines and probation under the deal, which must be approved by a court. The case was filed in 2018 under the Donald Trump administration. While Joe Biden’s defenders have argued that Hunter is a recovering addict and the charges are relatively light, Republicans have been accusing him, without evidence, of making a fortune when the senior Biden was the vice-president. | IANS…

Vienna: Vienna airport customs officials have rescued almost 90 reptiles, mostly geckos, crammed into boxes inside bags, Austria’s finance ministry said yesterday. The animals – 85 geckos of various species, two snakes and two scorpions – were worth €47 000 (R942 900) and found in three transport boxes on May 23. A Czech citizen, 50, is suspected of illegally transporting the animals on a flight from Addis Ababa to Vienna. The man said the reptiles were “worthless”, insisting he only took the geckos to feed the snakes. The dehydrated reptiles have recovered well at Vienna’s zoo. | AFP…

JAPAN coach Futoshi Ikeda believes the potential Women's World Cup TV blackout could hurt the long-term development of the women's game in the country. Japan, whose Nadeshiko team won the World Cup in 2011 and reached the final in 2015, is the last major country where broadcasters have yet to strike a deal with Fifa a month out from the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. "For women's soccer to develop in the future in Japan, it's important we have many people watching and supporting us," Ikeda told Reuters. "I think it's important that the tournament is broadcast and I really hope everyone will be able to watch. “Whether it will be broadcasted or not we don't know yet, but it is important to show it on television and I…

THE Cheetahs have learned from last year’s semi-final heartache against the Pumas in Bloemfontein and will be looking to turn the tables on the defending champions in Saturday’s Currie Cup final (4pm kick-off). Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said they will have to be sharp on attack to back up the efforts of their pack of forwards if they want to come out on top at home this time. After beating the Free State side in the City of Roses last year in the semis, the Pumas went to Kimberley and beat Griquas in the final to become champions. They now stand between Fourie and his Cheetahs in their quest to claim the title. “Our forwards dominated in that game, and we would hope it happens again,” Fourie said ahead of…

NPA to decide whether or not to prosecute the president THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has given itself a month or two to decide on the Phala Phala case involving millions of rand in foreign currency stuffed in couches on President Cyril Ramaphosa Limpopo farm. The NPA confirmed it had been presented with a docket for consideration, however, a request to obtain outstanding information has been sent to the investigating team. “The NPA is abreast of the status of the investigation and as soon as the outstanding information is received, it should take us a month to two months to make a decision,” said NPA Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi. Just over a year ago, former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser lodged a complaint against Ramaphosa, disclosing details of…

The Gauteng Education Department has announced that a total of 300 907 Grade 1 and 8 online admissions applications have been successfully processed. As of noon on Monday, the GDE online admissions system had recorded a total of 131 294 applications made for Grade 1 and 169 613 applications made for Grade 8. The application process began last Thursday, and is set to conclude on July 14. Despite seeing a decrease in applications on the opening day compared with applications for 2023, when the province recorded more than 165 000 applications made in the same period, the process was mainly smooth sailing. Explaining the decrease in applications, the department said it may be due to the long weekend. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said: “We believe this decrease may be…

SOUTH Africa’s health system is in dire need of an overhaul in order to realise the prescripts of Section 27 of the Constitution regarding the health of every citizen. It is a common agreement that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is the ideal that the health system should be working towards to ensure that our people receive full access to the essential health services they need, particularly those who are poor and marginalised due to socio-economic status, without being exposed to extreme poverty from out-of-pocket spending to receive health-care services. Health care should not be a commodity, accessible only to those who can afford it. As a basic human right, it should be easily accessible to all those who need it. The National Health Insurance is SA’s response to achieving UHC…

TO OUR beloved youth, your era requires the same resilience as that of your 1976 peers. The youth today are in an era where they approach workplaces with the best qualifications and get denied access by an official who can hardly express themselves. They are in the era where the flow of economy is most likely towards the positions obtained through connections rather than academic achievements. The era where genuine visionaries are given no spotlight yet the clowns with their destructive content get full attention from some biased and captured media outlets. The determining factor to your future lies in the lens through which you see all these challenges. If you see them as an excuse to give up and join the syndicate of the corrupt, you will have no…

THE City of Tshwane’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) recruitment drive has come under the spotlight since its process started this week. Political parties have also vowed to be on guard against possible corruption involving hiring people on the basis of their affiliation to a particular political party. Councillors of ActionSA and the EFF in Tshwane have been hopping from one application site to another to ensure the recruitment process was fair and transparent. The programme was in the past bedevilled by allegations it favoured those who were politically connected, especially individuals linked to the ANC. Last year, several communities expressed disappointment they were often excluded from the EPWP job opportunities because of patronage and external interference in the recruitment process. This was during a public consultation process led by…

A SENIOR researcher who was declared legally blind by his doctor and thus could no longer perform his duties as before and dismissed on medical grounds, turned to the Johannesburg Labour Court as he felt that his employer had unfairly discriminated against him because of his disability. Vuyisile Gugwini worked at the National Consumer Commission’s office when he was diagnosed with acute loss of vision and retinal detachment. Gugwini stated that his employer unfairly discriminated against him in terms of the Employment Equity Act on the ground of his disability. He experienced difficulty with his eyesight in 2016, and was diagnosed in June 2017, whereafter he went for three operations. An ophthalmologist eventually declared that he was legally blind and suggested that Gugwini be assisted in receiving a disability…

A LIMPOPO man who knowingly sold a house with a leaking roof to a Mpumalanga couple has been ordered by the Supreme Court of Appeal to pay over R235 000 in damages and loss of earnings suffered. The couple had purchased the property to run a business. In July 2011, Christiaan Frederik Zietsman bought his wife Ester Petronella Zietsman a guesthouse in Tzaneen, Limpopo, from Jan Pieter le Roux, for R1.3 million. Barely three months after they took occupation, it rained heavily, and there was extensive leaking from the entire roof. The guesthouse was flooded, leaving the furniture and linen sodden. The couple sought additional funding of R241 281.76 to repair the roof. While the house was under repair, the new owners could not conduct any business, and as a…

Miss South Africa 2023 Top 12 finalist Levern José has withdrawn from the competition following bullying allegations levelled against her. Last week, José was accused of being a bully in high school by at least two people. However, she said she was only protecting herself from other bullies. “As a survivor of bullying, I learnt how to protect myself from bullying during my school years. If my actions in protecting myself caused harm to anyone, I offer my sincere apologies. “The pain of being a target has left an indelible mark on my heart, and I would never intentionally cause hurt or contribute to someone else’s suffering,” she said. She committed herself to advocate against bullying. “All forms of abuse and bullying are unacceptable and have no place in society.…

As the chatter about the upcoming elections grows louder, media personality Bonang Matheba, known as “Queen B”, has added her voice to encourage people to register to vote. Matheba has been consistent in ensuring that her followers register to vote for the eagerly awaited 2024 general elections. Matheba took to her Instagram account to reveal that about 14 million people had not yet registered to vote, encouraging people to share the link to register to vote. “So 14 million of us have not yet registered! Please, send this link to all your friends,” said Matheba. “Good morning, my fellow South Africans. Let’s register to vote in the meantime; 2024 is around the corner, registertovote.elections.org.za/ Welcome. A go nyeweng!” Next year’s elections have also been a gripping subject on social media,…

South Africa’s media houses rely too heavily on events like conferences, climate disasters, and the release of scientific papers in their reporting on climate change. That’s a problem: it creates the potential for day-to-day issues related to climate change, like ongoing mitigation and adaptation efforts, to go unreported. That’s one of the key findings of a study I recently conducted into how the country’s media cover the climate crisis. I also identified major shortcomings in overall communication on the climate crisis by key stakeholders in South Africa – policymakers, captains of industry, scientists and non-governmental organisations. These shortcomings are hugely worrying given what scientists say lies in store for South Africa in the coming years. Along with many parts of the broader southern African region, it is projected to become…

Rescuers were in a race against time to find a missing submersible yesterday, two days after it lost communication while taking wealthy tourists to see the wreckage of the Titanic in deep waters off Canada’s coast. One pilot and four passengers were on board the submersible that disappeared on Sunday. The operating company said it had the capacity to stay underwater for up to 96 hours, giving those aboard until early tomorrow before air ran out. US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said rescuers continued their efforts overnight and were expanding their search into deeper waters, telling NBC News that authorities were prioritising the area where the vessel was operating. Those aboard the submersible, the highlight of a tourist expedition that costs $250 000 (about R4.5 million) a…

BAMAKO: Mali’s ruling junta has asked prosecutors to probe the UN’s peacekeeping mission for “espionage” following a report which said hundreds of people were massacred last year by Malian troops and their allies. The public prosecutor’s office said a unit specialising in “terrorism and transnational crime” had received a complaint from the state over members of the Minusma mission. According to a UN report, at least 500 people were executed by the Malian army and “foreign” fighters. The figures cited in the report amount to the worst atrocity Mali has experienced since 2012. | AFP…

PROTEAS netball captain Bongi Msomi counts herself as one of the lucky few to have Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s number on speed dial. Msomi also intends to utilise it shortly, when she calls up the inspirational Bok skipper for some words of wisdom ahead of leading her team into a first home Netball World Cup starting on July 28 in Cape Town. Kolisi is currently in the midst of his own race against time to be fit for the Rugby World Cup in France later this year, but he will undoubtedly set aside time to share some of his personal experience with Msomi. He has, of course, also previously been a sounding board for the Proteas women’s cricket team during their epic journey to a maiden T20 World Cup final…

SOUTH Africa stands at a critical juncture where the need for a modernised nuclear research reactor becomes apparent. With a focus on securing the production of medical isotopes and driving scientific research, the acquisition of an additional reactor is crucial for South Africa to maintain its leadership in health-care advancements and groundbreaking discoveries. The global demand for medical isotopes, including 99Mo, 131I, 35S, 32P, 33P, 90Y, 192Ir, produced at the Safari-1 reactor, is essential for diagnostic imaging and cancer treatments, and it continues to increase significantly. However, South Africa’s existing research reactor has been in operation since 1965, highlighting the urgent need for a modern reactor with enhanced capabilities. By introducing a modernised research reactor, South Africa can significantly boost its medical isotope production capabilities. The additional reactor would provide…

SOUTH Africa needs to step up efforts in establishing a central cybersecurity unit under government oversight to co-ordinate all South African defences, according to a white paper launched by global management firm Kearney yesterday. This despite South Africa spending 0.19% of gross domestic product on cybersecurity threats – above most countries in Africa. However, the paper pointed to Africa becoming an even bigger and more popular target for cybersecurity threats with current annual losses on the continent amounting to $3.5 billion (R64bn). This was partly driven by the growth of internet access across Africa and how mobile penetration is forecast to exceed 90% this year. “Investment in the region’s cybersecurity market is forecast to grow from $2.5bn in 2020 to $3.7bn in 2025. Despite this investment it is…

Miss South Africa 2022 runner-up Ayanda Thabethe is ready to wave the flag for Mzansi at the Miss Supranational 2023. The KwaZulu-Natal born star made it to the top 24 and is also Group 4’s Supra Chat winner, meaning she is advancing to the top 10 semi-final round of Supra Chat. Next month, Thabethe will walk the Miss Supranational stage in Poland, where South Africa’s Lalela Mswane will crown her successor. People rallying behind Thabethe want to see her win so that she and Mswane can have a beautiful South African moment on stage. “Powerhouse – I’ve been saying I can’t wait to see ur reaction when Lalela is crowning, you as her successor,” posted @_viweh. Another Instagram user, @valentine_machethe, said: “I said this before, and I…

Some DA members in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) have taken the municipality to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council over the non-payment of ex-gratia packages meant for employees who leave political office. The Star has seen a letter some of the DA members’ attorneys sent to the municipality, indicating a labour dispute with the CoJ. The DA members say a three-month ex-gratia payment was due to them after DA mayor Mpho Phalatse left office. But the new ANC-led Government of Local Unity (GLU) disapproved the decision. Traditionally, the city gave ex-gratia payments to professionals in political offices and other political staffers when the term of the political principle ended. One reason it did so was to attract professionals to political office work and provide some sort of security.…

The Gauteng provincial government says it is investigating allegations of corruption and misconduct by some officials relating to the Nasi iSpani jobs project. This comes after allegations that people’s CVs were tampered with by some officials at the walk-in centres. There were also allegations of bribery, and that CVs were thrown in the trash. Some of those who applied and felt mistreated took to social media to express their anger. The Nasi iSpani project is meant to roll out 8 000 work opportunities to young people and cut the province’s high unemployment rate. This is part of other projects by the provincial government to make work opportunities available. Before the project was launched, there had been concerns that the application processes could fall prey to corruption and other forms of…

A 32-YEAR-OLD Mpumalanga man appeared briefly before the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court on Monday for shooting five members of his family. According to the police, a family member reported to the police that they had left home on June 15 to purchase some food around 6.15pm and upon his return, he noticed something strange because the sound of the radio inside the house was too loud and unusual to him. After knocking at the door without a response, he broke it to gain entry, only to be confronted by the suspect known as Siyabonga Sangweni, who is a family member in possession of a firearm. Not long afterwards, he saw the lifeless body of his 71-year-old grandmother as well as the lifeless bodies of three children, aged 3, 8 and…

A discussion with the Polish ambassador would have ensured a smooth, peacekeeping trip to the Ukraine and Russia, by a heavily armed South African presidential security personnel .... while in transit in Poland. Alas, the assumption that all was okay, has turned out to be an affair of ridicule and contempt for those who organised the trip... leaving President Ramaphosa embarrassed, vulnerable and unsafe... in the heart of a devastating war. What if a missile had landed on the train carrying our president? Our well-meaning president seeking to win political brownie points has been left unsettled, bewildered and embarrassed... as the tough Polish officials emasculated an aircraft full of South Africans. There is a lesson here. Our inexperience in worldly affairs has been exposed. Creating spin on this fiasco is…

SCEPTICISM by many members of the public of every government action, is very rife and it is sometimes not warranted. That is the natural belief the government can do anything right and this can, indeed in certain instances, be very dangerous. But why should we continue to doubt these pessimists when there is clear evidence that government sometimes pretends to be doing something when it is nothing it claims? The latest example, is the hyped jobs campaign to offer young people under 35-years-old jobs, which the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is currently spearheading, until the middle of July. At first glance, one would be deceived to think that Lesufi has suddenly created thousands and thousands of ‘new jobs’. But look closer and you find this is…

THE DA has proposed new legislation that would permit guide dogs and service animal owners to access both public and private areas. The party announced its intention to introduce the Performing Animals Protection Amendment Bill, 2023, in the Government Gazette. The party said there was an increasing occurrence for people with disabilities who use assistance animals being turned away from public and private spaces as well as from accessing public transport. “In the Equality Court judgment of SA Guide-Dog Association for the Blind and Amanda Bester vs The Department of Home Affairs and the Western Cape Department of Home Affairs, the court held that the denial of access to the applicant, Amanda Bester and her assistance animal, Reo, to the premises and offices of the department of home affairs, amounted…

A LITTLE over a year ago scientists and researchers in the Kruger National Park set in motion a project investigating the benefits of elephant carcasses to the facility. During a South African National Parks (SanParks) media tour in the park, scientist Dr Helga van Coller said elephant carcasses were being studied to ascertain their impact on the ecosystem. The project is at an early stage. Piloted just over a year ago, it will continue until 2025. “When elephants are alive they are the ecosystem engineers (because they change habitats by, for example, pushing over trees) which is important to keep the system open in the savannah and keep it in that state,” Van Coller said yesterday. “However, we are interested in knowing if that ecosystem engineer functioning of the elephants…

For the second consecutive year, African Fashion International (AFI), in partnership with Gemelli, will host another fashion experience at this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July. Hollywoodbets Durban July is one of the biggest horse-racing events in Africa where sports fanatics, fashion enthusiasts and lovers of fine things gather. Since fashion is a big part of the Durban July, AFI, known for producing spectacular fashion shows in Africa, decided to join the club and be part of the experience. They will spoil guests with a fashion show for up-and-coming designers. As part of the Fastrack 2023 Cohort challenge, the AFI Fastrack finalists will participate in the public fashion competition by showcasing their garments inspired by the Durban July theme “Out of this World”. They will compete for a chance at fashion glory…

Absenteeism of health workers contributes to poor quality of care. A study in Uganda, for example, showed that it reduced the likelihood of people using primary health centres by 30%. Absenteeism also increases the workload for available staff. This adds to work-related stress. Absenteeism is when workers report late to work, leave before the scheduled time or do not show up, without formal permission. It is frequently reported as a problem in health systems in resource-limited settings. A Nigerian study in 2021 found that about 80% of 412 health workers in primary health-care centres reported engaging in absenteeism. There are many drivers of this. Previous research has shown that health workers sometimes take on private money-making activities to augment their low wages. Female health workers with families often leave early…

New Delhi: India’s health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said yesterday that the government would work to mitigate deaths from surging temperatures after reports of several fatalities caused by a severe heatwave this week. India’s north and east have seen scorching temperatures of up to 46°C this week, with health authorities reporting a spate of heat stroke hospitalisations and deaths. Top officials met to address “problems arising out of the scorching heat across the country”. Officials from Bihar’s disaster management agency said nine people had died of heat stroke in the eastern state. In Uttar Pradesh nearly 60 people died. | AFP…

Londrina: A 16-year-old boy died yesterday after being shot by a gunman who opened fire at a school in southern Brazil, bringing the death toll from the attack to two, authorities said. The second victim died in the hospital of multiple organ failure, after being shot on Monday at a primary and secondary school in the municipality of Londrina. A 16-year-old girl was killed at the scene on Monday, when a former pupil arrived at the school saying he needed a transcript then took out a gun and began shooting. He and a second man have been arrested, officials said. | AFP…

THE narrative these past few weeks within the Springbok camp has been all about second chances and opportunities. Both SA Rugby’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber have mused thoughtfully on the subject and taken a pragmatic approach as they decide who will play in the Rugby Championship and beyond this season. Some players will be getting that second chance due to the new eligibility rules of World Rugby, such as Jean Kleyn. Others still will have an opportunity until the very last moment to prove their fitness and value to the greater cause. The former can specifically relate to Siya Kolisi, who is recuperating from a serious injury, while the latter weighs squarely on Elton Jantjies’ shoulders. The 32-year-old flyhalf’s alleged indiscretions in 2022 are…