Star -julkaisun 2022-01-11 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za WHILE Eskom seems to have put its house in order over the past month with no load shedding, there is uncertainty about its staying power over the next year. Eskom over the festive season brought on stream unit 4 of the Kusile power plant, which at full operational capacity is expected to add 800 megawatts (MW), but which is not expected at least for the next six months as the unit is commissioned gradually. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the scheduled maintenance of the Koeberg nuclear plant’s generators which will have to be shut down over the 10-months maintenance period, taking about 900MW off the grid with each generator shutdown. “We can be more positive about 2023. The current year is different… There is too much…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) could be forced to continue hiking interest rates for the second time in a row, as elevated inflation further pushes ongoing monetary policy normalisation in the world’s largest economy, the US. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday warned emerging economies to prepare for US interest rate hikes as the new Omicron variant has raised additional concerns of supply side pressures on inflation. The US inflation rate from December is expected to come in at 7 percent, a four-decade high, and the markets are already betting on the US Federal Reserve (Fed) raising rates earlier on the back of this, strong unemployment data, and a strong economy. In December, the Fed announced it would accelerate the pace of tapering and buy…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za AREIT Prop plans to raise about R300 million through a JSE listing of some 30 million shares by way of private placement, the company said yesterday in its prospectus. The proposed listing as a Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) on the main board would be at an indicative price of between R8 to R10 per share. The company said interested investors could contact it or AcaciaCap Advisers if they wished to participate in the private placement. The listing is expected on February 14. aReit Prop holds a portfolio of two hospitality properties (Cresta Grande Hotel and Fountains Hotel) and one medical property (Lady Hamilton). Rental income is also derived from the lease of a billboard on top of the Cresta Grande Hotel. The properties were valued…

Alyssia Birjalal alyssia.birjalal@inl.co.za Now that local music producer Prince Kaybee is a dad, he has come to realise the importance of it and says he wishes he could apologise to his dad for being ungrateful as a child. The producer tweeted about how sorry he was for thinking that his dad purposely chose not to be present most of the time when he was growing up. But how now he realises that his father always worked to make sure his family were well looked after. “I’d like to apologise to my dad for thinking he was sometimes not present in my life by choice, He was an incredible man that made sure we are stable as a family financially and worked his ass off. RIP DAD,” he posted. In response,…

THE recent passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has left South Africans and the world empty and hopeless. The Nobel Peace prize laureate was one of the driving forces in South Africa to end the policy of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government from 1948 until democracy in 1994. Tutu’s civil and human rights work was saluted around the world and his stance against apartheid made him a unifying symbol for a rainbow nation. I urge every South African to follow in the footsteps of this icon by always engaging in non-violent endeavours to defuse all kinds of conflicts. Especially land disputes in large parts of KwaZulu- Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. These land disputes have prompted Minister Thoko Didiza to set up a special task team…

A Rashied Omar During the first week of 2022, the first of a three-part Zondo Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture Report was released. Part 2 of the Zondo Commission Report will be released by the end of this month and the final report will be handed over to the president before the end of the next month. The first instalment of the Zondo Commission Report exposes the sheer magnitude of the “capture” of the South African State by powerful private interest groups during the nine-year presidency of Jacob Zuma. I encourage all to take the time to read and carefully review the entire Zondo Commission Report when it is released. We particularly look forward to the judicious and efficient implementation of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations so…

Pope Francis condemned “baseless” ideological misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines yesterday, backing national immunisation campaigns and calling health care a moral obligation. Francis spoke in his yearly address to the diplomatic corps, sometimes called his “State of the World” address because it is a broad survey of the global situation. His words to diplomats from nearly 200 countries marked the closest he has come to backing of vaccine mandates, which have become controversial in Italy and other European countries. “We have realised that in those places where an effective vaccination campaign has taken place, the risk of severe repercussions of the disease has decreased,” he said. “It is therefore important to continue the effort to immunise the general population as much as possible”. Francis, who dedicated about a fifth of his…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za THE new vehicle market is expected to continue its gradual recovery during 2022, albeit at a slower pace than in 2021 and a year-on-year improvement of around 8 percent in aggregate new vehicle sales volumes is projected, Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council said yesterday. Factoring an anticipated 15 percent improvement in vehicle exports, industry vehicle production of about 17 percent was projected for 2022 – the automotive industry is South Africa’s largest manufacturing sector. Vehicle sales rebounded strongly year-on-year by 22.1 percent to 464 122 units in 2021. This followed the massive 29.2 percent slide in vehicle sales to 380 206 units during 2020, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was a very satisfying performance by an industry that has had to deal with…

Albert Einstein was absolutely right when he said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them”. Whereas the context is right: in an era of multiple-stakeholder capitalism where every stakeholder’s contribution is being taken into consideration including inert land and the environment, South Africa still needs to embrace the evolving concept of new corporations and economic institutions. As a relatively new democracy we seem to have moved from total exclusion to unintentional controlled inclusion for purposes that are inimical to the emancipation of marginalised and disadvantaged communities. The concept of “shared value” defines a new way of achieving and measuring economic success, it is the bedrock of what companies and economic institutions do – not elementary social investment or sustainability. Thus, the boldest…

African News Agency A growing global potato shortage that has forced McDonald’s in Japan and Taiwan to remove French fries and hash browns from their menus could soon hit the African market. The South China Morning Post reported yesterday that Japan had suspended sales for its medium and large fries, and was only allowing its customers to buy small-sized portions. The limit on fries was caused by a delay in potato imports from Canada, with the fast-food chain stating the restriction was expected to last for a month. Japan faced the same obstacle last month when they temporarily limited the sale of fries. In a statement by McDonald’s Japan, chief executive Tamotsu Hiiro apologised for the restrictions and admitted the delays occurred due to the “impact of the corona disaster”…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A MOTHER whose Caesarean section was delayed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, allegedly resulting in her child being born brain damaged, is set to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Identified in court papers as TM, the mother is seeking to have the Gauteng Health MEC held accountable for negligence on the grounds that the hospital excessively delayed performing the C-section. Her child was born at the hospital in August 2010. Legal proceedings commenced in 2014. The South Gauteng High Court in Joburg ruled in her favour in 2018, finding that staff at the Charlotte Maxeke were negligent in delaying the C-section. “This poor management led directly to the delay in attending to the plaintiff, with the resultant injury to baby M,” the court…

Nokwanda Ncwane nokwanda.ncwane@inl.co.za FIVE alleged human traffickers were yesterday remanded in custody by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. They were arrested on suspicion of contravening the Trafficking in Persons Act for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The case against the suspects, who are aged between 19 and 40 and who include a woman, was postponed to January 25 for a formal bail application. The suspects were arrested in Sunnyside on December 31 by a multidisciplinary team that included the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation teams, assisted by the Tshwane K9 Unit. According to the charge sheet, one of the suspects allegedly lured a 17-year-old from her home in Hammanskraal. The young girl was kept against her will, forced into a life of drugs, and subjected to acts of sexual exploitation. Magistrate…

The quest to conduct a new inquest into the death of iconic leader Albert Luthuli is long overdue. Sadly, all the role players in his death are either dead or close to death. All relevant information pertaining to his death was probably destroyed. Shortly after 9.30am, on July 21, 1967, Luthuli was killed by a train. Since that day, conflicting reports have abounded. Truth became the first casualty. In their “onslaught strategy”, the rulers of the era were prepared to go to any length to maintain political dominance and military supremacy. When we sift through the disinformation and misinformation and look at verifiable facts, we have no reason to believe the official information released at that time. It is obvious that a hidden hand was behind this monumental tragedy. History…

LAST year was not a good year for US President Joe Biden and his administration. It was plagued by disasters. The catastrophic withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, devastating wildfires, droughts, floods, tornadoes, mass shootings, the rise in violent crime, Covid-19 surges, the spat with Frech President Emmanuel Macron regarding submarine purchases, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s massing of troops on the Ukrainian border, high inflation, the migration crisis at the US- Mexican border, his inability to get Bills passed and his campaign promises that have not been fulfilled. Biden’s approval rates have dropped and continue to drop. Democrats are in disarray and faltering in their support of Biden. Many political analysts are classifying the US as an “anocracy” that is close to civil war and domestic extremism. Far-Left liberalism…

The former South African deputy president and UN Women director, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has been appointed as new chancellor of the University of Johannesburg. “Her five-year term of office will run from October 1, 2022, until September 30, 2027. She will succeed Professor Njabulo Ndebele,” the university said. “UJ’s approach to impact reflects the UN Sustainable Development Goals – something that Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka, in her capacity as UN executive director of UN Women, has cherished and led. Indeed, she embodies all the UJ values and aspirations, values, where equality, diversity and inclusivity have been part of the university’s success story,” said UJ registrar Professor Kinta Burger. The chairperson of UJ Council, Mike Teke, said the position of chancellor at UJ demands a person of stature, exemplary moral and ethical values.…

A baby, lost during the evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans at Kabul airport, has been reunited with his family after five months, his elated grandfather has said. The baby’s father had handed two-month-old Sohail Ahmadi to a soldier among jostling crowds desperate to flee the Taliban after the Islamists seized the capital in mid-August. The pair were separated, but taxi driver Hamid Safi found the baby crying and alone on the floor of the airport. He and his wife cared for the baby while they kept searching for the boy’s parents or family.…

Foreign ministers from oil-rich Gulf states arrived in Beijing yesterday for a five-day visit as turmoil in neighbouring Kazakhstan raises concerns about China’s energy security. The officials from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, as well as secretary general of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Nayef bin Falah al-Hajrah, will be in China until Friday, the foreign ministry has said. Recent unrest in oil and gas-rich Kazakhstan has raised concerns in China, which has long invested heavily in its central Asian neighbour’s energy industry. The visit follows a flurry of diplomatic activity by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, including a tour of Africa as well as visits to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. “Facing vast development prospects, (China) believes this visit ... will further deepen China-GCC relations and promote the…

HERMAN GIBBS herman.gibbs@gmail.com THANKS to their world ranking, Bafana Bafana will not be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations Ivory Coast 2023 preliminary qualifying round, which will be determined at a draw on January 21 in Douala, Cameroon. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have confirmed that the lowest-ranked teams of its 54 affiliates will play the preliminary qualifying round. The winners will advance to the qualifying group stage comprising 48 teams. Ivory Coast, the hosts for the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, will play in the group phase. Even if they fall outside the top two places in their group, they will qualify as hosts. Ivory Coast, two-time Afcon winners, won the bid in 2014 after seeing off Egypt, Guinea and Zambia for the 2023…

HERMAN GIBBS herman.gibbs@gmail.com WHILE activity in the mid-season transfer window has been fairly muted, Sekhukhune United have been far more active than their fellow Premiership teams. They signed former Orlando Pirates winger Justin Shonga, who was a free agent after securing his release from Egyptian Premier League outfit Ismailly a few weeks ago. According to sources at the Kempton Park-based club, the Zambian international striker, who has 33 caps for his country, has been training with the club. He has signed a contract until the end of the season. Shonga is well known in local football circles. After his 46-match stint at Pirates, he played for Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) and Cape Town City before moving to Egypt. Sekhukhune have also signed international striker Elmo Kambindu of Namibia. He will…

LIVERPOOL star Sadio Mane converted a penalty deep in added time to snatch a fortunate 1-0 win for Senegal over Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener yesterday in Bafoussam. Disaster struck the gallant underdogs when a shot hit the right arm of Kelvin Madzongwe and Mane sent goalkeeper Petros Mhari the wrong way with the resulting penalty on 97 minutes to settle a lacklustre affair. While Senegal, one of the favourites to win a competition delayed twice by Covid-19, dominated possession, they rarely threatened to break down a well-organised Zimbabwe defence. Senegal lacked Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, who are recovering in Cameroon after testing positive for the coronavirus. Zimbabwe travelled to central Africa without top players, Marvelous Nakamba from Aston Villa…

Dieketseng Maleke dieketseng.maleke@inl.co.za STEINHOFF’S shareholders appear more optimistic about the company’s future as its share price rose up to 8 percent to R5.39 on the JSE yesterday, following its announcement to list its American-based subsidiary Mattress Firm on the New York Stock Exchange. In a statement, the retailer said it had applied to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering as part of a possible listing on the bourse. Steinhoff successfully listed its European discount retailer Pepco in 2021. “The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined. Mattress Firm intends to apply to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of official issuance,” it said. Steinhoff bought the 90-year-old…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za REBOSIS Property Fund’s board has opted not to pay a dividend for the year to August 31, 2021 to continue reducing a heavy debt load. The fund did not pass the liquidity test to pay dividends for the year. It was in a net-operating loss position and also in breach of its bank debt covenants. It announced in October that it had entered into a R6.3 billion sales agreement with Ulricraft, a special-purpose vehicle owned by Vunani Capital Partners. Proceeds from the proposed deal, which involves the sale of 32 of Rebosis’s commercial buildings, including the “diamond building” on 11 Diagonal Street, Johannesburg – and which is still subject to several conditions – is aimed at reducing Rebosis’s debt. Rebosis’s share price increased 7.3 percent to 30…

Emily Yahr Bob Saget, the comedian and actor best known for his starring role in Full House and hosting the original America’s Funniest Home Videos in the 1980s and ’90s, died on Sunday at age 65. According to the sheriff’s office in Orange County, Florida, he was found in a hotel room in Orlando. “Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes for a call about an unresponsive man in a hotel room,” the sheriff’s office account posted on Twitter. “The man was identified as Robert Saget and pronounced deceased on scene. Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case.” TMZ first reported that Saget was found in his room by hotel security on Sunday afternoon. The comedian had recently launched a…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE alleged conduct of a Home Affairs official believed to have changed the version of a Nigerian citizen in his application for refugee status has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for investigation and possible prosecution. The Johannesburg High Court last month ordered that the NPA establish whether the official lied about the facts which were given to him by the Nigerian national, only identified as EL to safeguard him from possible persecution. EL told the court via his lawyers that he had fled Nigeria as he feared political persecution in his country. This version was allegedly changed by an officer at the refugee centre, who was said to have written on the application form that EL said he actually came to seek greener pastures…

NEWS about the passing of one of the globally renowned leaders produced by our country, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, touched the hearts and minds of the world. The Arch acknowledged that he was a mortal man. Despite his well-decorated accolades, like the Nobel Peace Prize, he shied away from being the centre of attention. We concede that his exemplary life is worth emulating His Christian faith and values were central to his unwavering zeal to fight and defeat the apartheid system and its stubborn aftermaths. Daily, he spent time in prayer and meditation. These ingredients strengthened his commitment to fight against evil and social injustices such as human oppression and inequality. As a son of the African soil, he demonstrated the symbiotic relationship between Christianity and African values and…

Keith Gottschalk PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered a speech to mark the anniversary of the formation of the ANC, which he also leads as president. It was the party’s 110th birthday. As long as it is the governing party, the ANC’s January 8 statement concerns not only its members and commentators, but also all South Africans. Analysing the speech requires the recognition that the ANC is in one of the toughest corners it’s been in since leading the first democratic government in 1994. Ramaphosa’s performance needs to be understood in this context. Ramaphosa became president of the ANC in 2017 by a razor-thin majority. Ace Magashule of the opposing faction won the key post of secretary-general, with powers over branches. In the intervening five years, Magashule has had to…

Pomp, pageantry and a pudding contest will form the centrepiece of celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, Buckingham Palace announced yesterday. The 95-year-old monarch’s Platinum Jubilee begins on February 6 – the date in 1952 when she became queen after the death of her father, King George VI. Britain’s longest-serving monarch will be the only queen or king in the country’s long history to have ruled for 70 years. The Queen has called for the celebrations to promote a mood of national unity.…

The UN urged Somalia’s leaders yesterday to make good on their agreement for a new election timetable after repeated delays sparked a perilous political crisis. Under a deal announced on Sunday after talks between Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and state leaders, parliamentary polls that should have wrapped up last year are now due to be concluded by February 25. The election impasse set off a power struggle between Roble and President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmajo, that threatened the stability of the fragile Horn of Africa nation. The UN mission in Somalia said on Twitter it was “pleased” at the consensus reached during the meetings of the National Consultative Council. But it added: “The priority now is to implement these decisions to achieve a credible and…

ZAAHIER ADAMS zaahier.adams@inl.co.za TO all and sundry, the Proteas have looked in increasing turmoil the past couple of years. Indeed, taking into account the length of time since South Africa last won a significant Test match, let alone their well-documented off field problems, the rainbow seemed far off in the horizon. But it’s 2022, a year of new beginnings and fresh starts, when they miraculously find themselves in the uncharted waters of being unbeaten for the year thus far after a memorable victory over the world’s No 1 Test side India last week at the Wanderers. And were it not for these confusing Covid-19 times that we live in, where thousands upon thousands can flood Cape Town’s prime beaches over the festive season but none can attend sports matches bar…