Índex per 2023-12-28 a Star

While the cheesecake saga claimed the title of one of the biggest scandals last year, this year has also witnessed its fair share of drama. Samas cancellation at the 11th hour The multimillion-rand South African Music Awards (Samas), originally scheduled for November in Durban, faced criticism when allegations surfaced that the KZN Edtea planned to spend R28 million on the event. Given the turn of events, Sihle Mavuso shared on X that KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs, Siboniso Duma, announced the cancellation of the awards in response to the outcry over the proposed expenditure. Duma, at a Durban press conference, clarified that the decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders, but he denied the R28m figure. The Samas organisers, in a statement, criticised the awards being labelled…

THE CEO of Doves Group and 3Sixty Life, Khandani Msibi, has once again accused Prudential Authority (PA) and the governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), Lesetja Kganyago, of unfairly continuing the curatorship of the insurance company. 3Sixty Life was placed under curatorship over solvency and liquidity issues more than 24 months ago after the company, which serves members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), was placed under curatorship in December 2021 by PA on allegations of an unconvincing liquidity of its business. In an open letter to the governor and his deputy, Fundi Tshazibana, penned on the second anniversary of the curatorship (December 21), Msibi laments the effects of the prolonged curatorship, saying if indeed the company was not properly managed, its curatorship should not…

Five hundred babies were born on Christmas Day, highlighting reckless teenage sexual activity. Baby grants, baby daddies who disappear in the dead of night, grandmothers who have no option other than to raise often unwanted babies and girls being seduced and raped by entitled, testosterone-driven men. Sugar daddies entice fickle girls with cellphones, clothing, pocket money. These are the predators who must be emasculated and stopped from plying their disgraceful behaviour. It’s a social nightmare.…

I was shocked by the silence that greeted Hamas’s callous executions of two young Tanzanians. Hamas kidnapped them on October 7, when it started a war by attacking innocent and unarmed civilians in Israel. The two Tanzanians, Joshua Mollel and Clemence Felix Mtenga, were in Israel as part of an agricultural project to equip themselves with knowledge that would allow them to contribute to the economy of their country. Death was the last thing on their minds. While I accept that South Africa supports the terrorist organisation Hamas, whose sole purpose is to exterminate the State of Israel, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that there was no condemnation or messages of support by the South African government and political parties on the killing of the…

SOME good news for a family who lost their first-born son when he was only two days old, is that the court ordered the health authorities to pay them slightly more than R5 million in damages as the child died due to the negligence of the hospital. The parents, who are only mentioned by their initials in the judgment delivered shortly before Christmas, turned to the Bloemfontein High Court following their ordeal. The Free State Department of Health did not dispute that staff at the Pelonomi Hospital were negligent. Although the mother was in labour, she was mainly left unattended by the medical personnel. The following afternoon, on August 3, 2013, she was induced for labour and prepped for an emergency caesarean section, but she was never taken to…

HUNDREDS of destitute people – including the elderly and children – in the city were spared a hungry Christmas after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria last week ordered the provincial Department of Social Development to immediately pay over the money it owed so that meals could be provided for these people. The court was told that due to the non payment of a service level agreement by the department, these vulnerable people had been without any food since November 1. The court was also told that there was some food left to feed them to a certain extent during October, but until shortly before Christmas, they received no meals. Woolworths, however, assisted those who were on chronic medication for the time being. The volunteers who assisted in feeding them were…

A wedding is a huge undertaking. It comes with the huge responsibility of making sure that the day goes as smoothly as it can. Toxic family drama, the food and cake not being what the couple wanted, and rowdy guests are what the groom and bride often worry about. For an Indonesian woman, the impossible reportedly happened after her fiancé made a run for it and left her, leading the shocked bride to marry her would-be father-in-law. According to TribunTrends, because the invited guests had already arrived, the family were compelled to continue the marriage with the groom’s father standing in for his son. “The lover, or the bridegroom, named Isra ... He was forced to be represented by his father because he ran away before the Ijab Kabul (kabul…

The UN Security Council has called for “urgent and extended” humanitarian pauses in Gaza to allow more aid into the enclave. The US says it wants its ally Israel to move from block-flattening airstrikes to operations that target Hamas leaders more precisely. But in recent days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli military commanders have suggested that the level of violence with which they’re prosecuting the war – already among the most destructive of the century, and a source of regional instability – will persist or even intensify. Israeli airstrikes since Christmas Eve have wounded or killed hundreds of Palestinians, many of them in refugee camps, according to Palestinian and international health officials. Nineteen Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting with militants over the past four days, one of…

Manila: SEVENTEEN Filipino seafarers taken hostage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels last month were safe, the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said yesterday. “The 17 seafarers have been allowed to contact their families and have said they are safe onboard the ship,” the DMW said. It said the ship was still off the coast of Yemen, and foreign governments were negotiating the safe release of the seafarers. The seafarers were among the crew members of a cargo vessel taken hostage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. | IANS…

There was good and bad news for Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Saturday’s Premiership match against Sekhukhune United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane (8pm kickoff). The good news is that former Bafana Bafana midfielder Keagan Dolly has recovered from an ankle injury and is ready to lead the Amakhosi attack. Dolly, who was out for five months with a knee injury earlier in the year, has been on an extensive recovery programme. In the past few days, he has been training with the squad, and it looks like his rehabilitation has been a success. He’ll lack match fitness, and Johnson is likely to name him on the substitutes’ bench. More good news is that striker Ashley du Preez, who had a 10-minute stint against Richards Bay last week, has…

RAPPER Cardi B and Offset are being sued for trashing their rented Los Angeles home. The Bodak Yellow hitmaker confirmed earlier this month she had split from Offset. Her estranged spouse moved into the property in early 2020 and lived there with their two children, Kulture, five, and two-year-old Wave, for “approximately 20 months”, and they are now being sued by their former landlord for unpaid rent, utility fees and “significant property damage” to the abode. According to documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the pair allegedly “vacated the home without notice” in October, having “failed to pay rent and utilities for a period of time”. The company, Rapkin and Associates, are looking to reclaim that money, as well as receive damages to compensate for “permanent stains and scratches” on the…

Fuel prices are expected to go down in January. Experts said the decrease in the fuel price was expected due to a decrease in the price of Brent crude oil for most of December. Layton Beard, spokesperson for the AA, said that South African motorists could expect significant fuel price reductions to kick off 2024. “According to the data, ULP93 will decrease by around 68 cents/litre, and ULP95 will decrease by 82 cents a litre. Diesel is set to decrease considerably, by around R1.50/l, with illuminating paraffin also decreasing by around R1.42/l. The forecast reductions in the wholesale price of diesel will bring this fuel cost down to around R20,32/l inland, a price lower than the same time last year.” Beard added that the expected reductions could be attributed to…

The ANC Titanic has struck the Zuma iceberg and is treading water rapidly. Captain Cyril Ramaphosa is unable to steer his ship to safety. We are entering uncharted waters, one-party dominance is over and a coalition will be forced to govern the country under the unfolding and disturbing scenario. We cannot afford political instability in a perilous atmosphere. Instability is regarded as a serious malaise that is harmful to economic performance. It is the combined will of all political parties that must prevail if sanity and political order are to be maintained. Provocative and obscene profanities must not be allowed in urgent negotiations as our nation lurches from crisis to crisis. Who on Earth could govern under such precarious political circumstances? The country as a whole has matured and is…

I write this New Year’s and holiday message during the festive season against the backdrop of the cruel attack by the settler-colonial apartheid Israeli regime and Western-backed killing war machines against a largely defenceless and relatively small group of legitimate resistance and liberation fighters committed to reclaiming their occupied and stolen homeland. It is utterly inconceivable how so-called first-world countries, who assert to be guardians or custodians of democracy and human rights, can not only stand by witnessing the genocide that is unfolding before the eyes of the world, but also actively aid and abet these war crimes against humanity. Since 1948, and more especially the aftermath of the October 7 events, I am sure, like me, most of you have been following the news and have been devastated and…

A Limpopo man, aged 39, is set to appear in court after he was arrested and charged for repeatedly raping his daughter, and making her pregnant twice. Police at Dennilton, in Limpopo, arrested the father for allegedly raping his 15-year-old biological daughter at Moteti village in the Sekhukhune District. It is alleged that the father initially raped the girl in March 2021, when she was aged 12, and she fell pregnant. Police said the first pregnancy was ultimately terminated, but the girl’s mother was not aware of it. The girl did not also reveal to her mother that she was pregnant. The second pregnancy has also been terminated, according to Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba. “It is alleged that the suspect continued to rape her daughter repeatedly up until…

THE growth of local talent, with some taking over international stages, has been worth boasting about this year. Among the major highlights was when Barbadian singer Rihanna acknowledged she enjoyed listening to Tyler ICU’s Mnike and Musa Keys’ Unavailable mentioning them as songs of the year. Unavailable is a smash hit song by Nigerian music artist Davido, who collaborated with local talent from Limpopo, Musa Keys. The song has recently also earned the pair a nod at the Trace Awards. Tyler ICU’s Mnike has been dominating charts after Spotify identified it as the most-streamed song in South Africa, in a list dominated by local tunes. According to the report, nine out of 10 of the top streamed songs in South Africa are all South African, a significant change from the…

Santam has released the fourth edition of its Most Loved Local (MLL) report for 2023. The initiative was created to showcase some of the country’s most popular local businesses and emphasises the notable role they play in our daily lives. According to the insurer, the survey showed that support is exceptionally high for local businesses. According to the research, 97% of consumers noted that it’s important to support local community establishments. In all, 2 400 South Africans nationwide were surveyed. Winners were selected across 12 categories and the 2023 nationwide Most Loved Local winners are: Gemelli Restaurant: Johannesburg Meatongrant butcher: Johannesburg Jason Bakery: Cape Town The Spa at The Oyster Box: Durban Hoi P’loy bespoke lighting solutions: Cape Town House of Flowers florist: Kimberley CrossFit George: George Umhlanga Medisport…

Jakarta: Hundreds of Indonesian workers protested yesterday against conditions at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant where an explosion killed at least 18 people and injured dozens more over the weekend. The accident occurred on Saturday as workers repaired a furnace at a plant owned by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel in the Morowali Industrial Park on Sulawesi island, a hub for the mineral-rich country’s production of nickel. China’s growing investment in the sector has stoked unrest over pay and working conditions. Thirty people are being treated in hospital for their injuries after the blast, according to police. | AFP…

Seoul: A former US Forces Korea (USFK) commander yesterday called for the deployment of a US tank battalion to South Korea to strengthen defence capabilities as he warned of North Korean military threats in the new year. Retired General Burwell B Bell, who led the USFK from 2006-2008, made the call in a New Year’s message sent to the Korea-US Alliance Foundation, noting “escalating” challenges from North Korea. Bell said 2024 will present the “most serious” threat to peace and stability on the peninsula since the North’s 2010 sinking of a South Korean warship, which claimed 46 lives, calling on the allies to bolster readiness. | IANS…

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga revealed that more than 700 people have died on South African roads since the beginning of December, citing human conduct as the leading cause. As many continue to travel to different destinations for December festivities, Chikunga voiced concerns about many issues that contribute to fatalities, including driving under the influence, speeding, driving cars not fit for the road, and driving without a legal licence. It is revealed that Gauteng had the most crashes (148), KwaZulu-Natal had 138, the Eastern Cape 99, Mpumalanga 77, and the Free State 63. Limpopo had 59 crashes, the Western Cape 57, the North West 50, and the Northern Cape 25. The Road Traffic Management Corporation revealed that it has been glaringly obvious that those fatal crashes start increasing after hours, from…

RUSSIAN Federation President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order on awarding the Order of Friendship to South Africa’s Ambassador at Large, BRICS and Asia, Professor Anil Sooklal. The Embassy of Russia in South Africa, on social media platform X, last week said Putin would award Sooklal for “his substantial contribution to strengthening the bilateral and multilateral co-operation with the Russian Federation, in particular BRICS”. South Africa’s chairship of BRICS ends on December 31, with the baton passing on to Russia. Sooklal said he had a long relationship with Russia that hails back to when the country was known as the USSR and was involved in South Africa’s Struggle against apartheid. Sooklal said he and South Africa were being recognised for his close working relationship with the Russian Federation as…

This new year, as every year, you may have made resolutions to improve your health, financial and social status. After the abundance of Christmas food and holiday booze, you will (once again) rethink your indulgences and perhaps even seek out (or think about) new hobbies, jobs or relationships. You want something in exchange (like money or a better body), so you may expect the gifts for just thinking about it (you know who you are) or you will put plans into action for tangible results. But the tradition of new year resolutions is far older than the establishment of the Christian festival. Ancient Egyptians would make sacrifices to Hapi, the god of the Nile, at the beginning of their year in July, a time when the Nile’s annual flood would…

The reduced production costs and the improved production output as a result of infrastructure development in the agricultural sector creates sustainability especially to smallholder farmers. Agrarian transformation as a concept calls for the government to create a conducive environment where rapid and fundamental change is driven by levelling the playing fields where there is a positive shift towards provision of land, infrastructure, funding, access to markets and training, particularly for smallholder farmers. This makes farming a sustainable business for everyone including those who were previously disadvantaged. Improved growth in revenue will be realised and ultimately this will lead to food security and job creation. This model of agricultural development is a blueprint for sustainable development and the government must be commended when it implements policies such as the comprehensive rural…

THE hopes of more than 500 former contract workers of being permanently employed at the City of Tshwane have been dashed after the SA Local Government Bargaining Council reversed its 2020 ruling that they must be reinstated. The Pretoria News previously reported that workers were employed at the metro in 2019 on 12-month contracts, which were terminated in October 2020. The City then concluded that their posts were redundant. On several occasions, they marched to Tshwane House demanding to be reinstated into their former positions. They subsequently approached the Bargaining Council, where they argued that they were unfairly dismissed by the City. On February 28, 2022, the Bargaining Council ruled in their favour ordering the City to employ them permanently. At the time Council commissioner, Joseph Mphaphuli, also ordered the…

WATER problems in Bronkhorstspruit continue to frustrate residents despite some efforts made by the City of Tshwane to repair broken pumps at a local water treatment plant. Many residents took to social media to vent their anger about the situation after they were told by ward councillor Kgaugelo Phiri that the reason they “have a water crisis during Chrismas” could also be attributed to lack of funding for infrastructure maintenance. Last week, residents bore the brunt of water shortages because of a broken water treatment plant affected by the hyacinths at Bronkhorstspruit Dam. The affected areas include Bronkhorstspruit, Cultural Park, Ekandustria, Ekangala, Rethabiseng, Riamarpark and Zithobeni. Phiri said at the time that the invasive plants from the Bronkhorstspruit Dam were destroying the pumps at the abstraction point. Last week the…

THE Centre for Applied Legal Studies has a new deputy director – a lawyer with a passion for practising law for a greater cause. Busisiwe Kamolane-Kgadima is a practising attorney, researcher, advocacy specialist and activist. She joined the Centre for Applied Legal Studies in 2019. Kamolane-Kgadima said she was honoured to be appointed deputy director of the oldest and one of the most reputable public interest law organisations in South Africa. She said she was proud to be part of an organisation that excelled at representing clients in crucial and landmark cases. She said the centre produced quality research reports and worked closely with social movements, communities and grass-roots organisations to advance their causes in the achievement of social justice. Kamolane-Kgadima, 30, was born in Pietermaritzburg and raised in the…

Police in Mpumalanga have arrested a 38-year-old Zimbabwean national during an intelligence-driven operation where a stolen Toyota RAV4 vehicle was recovered. The operation was carried out on Sunday evening, according to Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala. “A report indicates that the information regarding a suspicious vehicle was provided by the national crime intelligence structure of the SAPS, and the team to carry out the operation consisted of members from Middelburg flying squad, Sekhukhune flying squad, Tracker Connect, Modimolle flying squad, and Roedtan SAPS,” said Mohlala. The details of the suspicious vehicle were then followed up, leading the team to N11 Road at Roedtan area in Limpopo, where a green Toyota RAV4 with one occupant was intercepted. “It is said that the said car was coming from R25 Road…

We are starting a new year with joy and expectation, with aspirations for a better world, and a peaceful, just and environmentally sustainable future. Lasting joy, peace and prosperity result from material achievements reinforced by spiritual perfections and service to the common good. In the Bahá’í view, spiritual transformation is the basis for lasting improvements in our lives and central in our approach to social change. The changes necessary towards creating peaceful, just and prosperous communities will be possible by using the moral and spiritual principles which empower us to act in the long-term interests of our communities and humanity. “The profound and far-reaching changes, the unity and unprecedented co-operation” the Bahá’í International Community says, “will only be possible by touching the human spirit, by appealing to those universal values…

WASHINGTON: More than 42 000 people in the US died as a result of gun violence in 2023, according to data collected by the Gun Violence Archive (GVA). Most of the deaths, 23 760, occurred as a result of suicide, the GVA data published this week said. Another 18 507 people died of unintentional shooting, murder and defensive use, GVA said. The figure includes 650 mass shooting incidents, 40 mass murders, 1 161 defensive use cases and 1 543 unintentional shootings. More than 1 600 children between the ages 0-17 were killed in gun violence incidents and 4 444 others were injured. | Sputnik…

SYDNEY: Australian police said yesterday they were scouring beaches after mysterious packages believed to contain more than 120kg of cocaine washed up over the Christmas period. A first batch of 39 barnacle-encrusted, 1kg bricks of suspected cocaine was discovered on Friday near Magenta Beach, north of Sydney, police said. Since then, another 85 packages of the same size had been seen along about 80km of the New South Wales coastline, state police said. Police urged people to report any suspicious package. | AFP…

Here some of the best plays of the day between the Proteas and India in Centurion yesterday... Shot 1: India’s “Man for a Crisis” KL Rahul was magnificent in shepherding the visitors’ tail, putting together partnerships of 43, 27 and 47 for the seventh, eighth and ninth wickets respectively. He was deserving of a century, and brought it up in the most emphatic manner by clearing his front leg to smash the ball over deep mid-wicket. Shot 2: David Bedingham’s road to international cricket has been a winding one, but the former Wynberg Boys High School prodigy certainly did not look out of his depth on his Test debut. His pull shot off Prasidh Krishna that sailed on to the grassbanks certainly showed he belonged at this level. For good…