Star -julkaisun 2022-02-22 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za CREDIT rating agencies are likely to keep South Africa’s sovereign debt rating at current levels as they wait to assess Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget announcements tomorrow. Tomorrow’s Budget Review is expected to see fiscal consolidation forecasts kept largely unchanged from his November projections. Currently, all three major global rating agencies have kept South Africa’s sovereign debt below investment grade with varying outlooks, from negative to stable. Moody’s is set to meet on April 1 and November 18, to potentially deliver a credit rating action, while S&P Global dates are May 20 and November 18. Fitch Ratings does not publish dates for South Africa’s credit action, but tends to show a similar pattern. Investec chief economist Annabel Bishop yesterday said the Budget was not expected to see…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za BASED on current policy, sin taxes would likely still increase, but not as sharply as previous fiscal cycles when Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announces the Budget this week, says Tax Consulting South Africa head of Tax Technical, Jean du Toit. Last week, the South African alcohol industry called on Godongwana to put forth measures to improve conditions in the sector during his 2022 Budget speech. Du Toit said that sin taxes or excise was a significant contributor to revenue and because it was imposed on inelastic products generally, it was an item where an increase in tax rates resulted in a proportional increase in revenue. “With Covid it might have been the exception with the ban on tobacco and alcohol since the outbreak of the pandemic,” Du…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za SHE was among the 18 housemates vying to take home the R2 million prize money but her stay in the house was short-lived. One of the first candidates to be evicted from Big Brother Mzansi, Thando “Acacia” Mati shared some of the interesting moments with the other housemates, giving The Star a full view into her experience. The 30-year-old model said being part of the house was amazing and, given a chance to go back, she would not think twice about it. “It was beautiful. It was great. And as much as I had certain twists with certain individuals but the experience on its own was beautiful because you learn a lot about other people.” Mati, from Pimville, said she was not shocked by her eviction because…

Chulumanco Mahamba THE government has announced changes in the country’s vaccination programme, including a reduction in the interval between doses, booster shots, and the mixing of vaccines. The Department of Health yesterday announced changes to the programme as part of efforts, guided by scientific evidence, to increase the uptake of Covid-19 vaccines. From tomorrow, the interval between the first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be reduced from 42 days to 21 days. “Firstly, all individuals who are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, meaning they have received both doses, will now be eligible for a booster dose 90 days after the second dose instead of the current 180 days,” department spokesperson Foster Mohale said. With effect from today, all people over the age of 18 who received…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za POLICE are seeking information on an abandoned toddler who was found in a street in Midrand on Sunday. The Johannesburg metro police department said JMPD officer Sithembile Malgas was off duty when members of the public called him about a child who had been abandoned in Sagewood Street in Noordwyk, Midrand. “It’s alleged by a witness that an unknown woman driving a white Volkswagen Polo with a male and female passenger, abandoned the boy who is between 2 and 3 years old, and drove off,” said spokesperson Xolani Fihla. The witness was unable to get the vehicle registration plates. Malgas, together with the witnesses, took the boy to the Midrand SAPS where he was handed over to the police and taken to a place of safety. “JMPD…

FORMER US president Donald Trump’s new social media app has been rolled out and should be operational by late March. Trump has described Truth Social as an alternative to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, all of which banned him following the assault on the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. He was accused of inciting them to overturn the result of the 2020 election. Trump and his wife Melania also are also selling 10 000 non-fungible tokens illustrating key moments in the Trump presidency. | AFP…

Moscow said yesterday that a shell fired from Ukraine had destroyed a border facility used by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), amid Western concerns of an escalation in fighting in east Ukraine. “An unidentified projectile fired from Ukraine completely destroyed a border facility used by the FSB border guard service in the Rostov region, around 150m from the Russian-Ukrainian border,” the security service said. No one had been injured. Ukraine has been fighting separatists who have had Moscow’s backing since 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula after historic street protests in Kyiv. More than 14 000 people have already died in the fighting. Kyiv’s Western allies have warned in recent weeks of a possible sharp escalation in the conflict with Russia massing an estimated force of more than 100…

According to Statistics South Africa, the local official unemployment rate reached a new record high of 34.9 percent in the third quarter of 2021. The number of employed persons decreased by 660 000 to 14.3 million in that period. Unemployed persons decreased by 183 000 to 7.6 million compared to the second quarter of 2021. The number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 545 000, a whopping 16.4 percent, while the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 443 000, or 3.3 percent, between the two quarters, resulting in a net increase of 988 000 in the not economically active population. If there is anything we should learn from the above data, it is that we should not be debating about who must…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za POLITICAL parties have expressed mixed feelings about Premier David Makhura’s State of the Province Address (Sopa) in the Gauteng legislature which was sitting at the Brixton multi-purpose centre yesterday. Yesterday, the ANC caucus through its Chief Whip Mzi Khumalo said they welcomed progress and bold commitments to deal with a myriad of societal and economic challenges in Gauteng. “As the province moves towards better management of Covid-19 and the gradual easing of regulations, our immediate focus should be on tackling unemployment through economic recovery and reconstruction. “The Covid-19 has left a trail of misery and human degradation, the pandemic glaringly exposed the racial and economic disparity. We welcome the range of targeted interventions to deal with poverty in our province. “We urge the ANC-led Gauteng provincial government…

Staff Reporter STUTTERING can be debilitating and frustrating. And Dr Dane Isaacs knows this all too well. As a person who stutters, he had to overcome many barriers and had to deal with oppression and discrimination all his life. “Growing up with a stutter has not been the easiest experience. I have been bullied, discriminated against and endured various social and psychological challenges,” said Isaacs. “My stutter has also had a negative impact on my masculine identity. As a man who stutters, I have often felt weak, emasculated and not being able to live up to society’s expectation of what it means to be a man. “These experiences have always left me wondering about the disabling experience of people who stutter.” Despite these challenges, Isaacs, a researcher at the Human…

Sonri Naidoo THE family of murdered Lenasia school- teacher Naadira Vanker were relieved by the hefty sentence handed down by the Johannesburg High Court on Friday, to the two men found guilty of her murder. Lucky Mshubi, 36, and Thabo Mambila, 31, broke into Vanker’s home in Lenasia South on April 22 last year and kidnapped her. Investigations subsequently led police to a shack in Phumlamqashi, Lena- sia South, where one of the suspects – Mshubi – was found in possession of Vanker’s stolen vehicle and her belongings. Vanker’s body was found buried in a shallow grave at Mshubi’s shack. The court sentenced the pair to life imprisonment for murder, five years in jail for housebreaking, and three years for kidnapping. Mshubi received a further 17 years for robbery;…

Tebogo Brown | Witpoortjie On February 18, a historic event took place though it received little or no media attention. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) signed a declaration of co-operation. This historic act is long overdue and it was welcome by all members of the two movements with open arms. The PAC which is currently under the leadership of Mzwanele Nyhontso and Azapo of Strike Thokoane have decided that it was time “to rededicate our lives to the cause of Africa, to establish contact, beyond the grave, with the great African heroes and to assure them that their struggle was not in vain”. The declaration took place in a month when the PAC commemorate the transition of Mangaliso Sobukwe and Azapo…

Thabile Mange | Mogale City LAST week, the Police Minister Bheki Cele released crime statistics. According to the crime statistics, Kagiso, in the West Rand, is a crime-ridden area. In addition, social cohesion is also lacking there. However, that is not a true reflection of Kagiso. I should know, I’m a loyal resident of the township. Contrary to the crime statistics, Kagiso is peaceful, resembling its name. Here is the problem: the crime statistics has mistaken Kagiso for Tshepisong, which is a cardinal mistake. These are two different areas, based in different regions. Let me explain. Kagiso falls under Mogale City, Tshepisong falls under the City of Joburg. In other words, they are serviced by different municipalities – and have different mayors. The pertinent question is: Why are…

Violent rains lashed the south-eastern Brazilian state of Espirito Santo, leaving two people dead less than a week after a deadly storm devastated the city of Petropolis in Rio de Janeiro state, authorities said yesterday. The storms in Espirito Santo have forced more than 1 200 people to evacuate their homes and destroyed another 43 people’s houses. One person was crushed by a collapsing wall and killed in Alegre, and another swept away trying to retrieve a car from flooding in Nova Venecia. | AFP…

Ethiopia began generating electricity from its mega-dam on the Blue Nile this week, a milestone in the controversial multi-billion dollar project. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accompanied by high-ranking officials, toured the power station and pressed a series of buttons on an electronic screen, a move that officials said initiated production. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is set to be the largest hydroelectric scheme in Africa but has been at the centre of a dispute with downstream nations Egypt and Sudan ever since work first began in 2011. Abiy described the development as “the birth of a new era”. “This is a good news for our continent and the downstream countries with whom we aspire to work together,” he said on Twitter. Addis Ababa deems the project essential for the…

The Stormers’ United Rugby Championship match against Connacht on Saturday will reveal a lot about the progress the side has made. So far this year, the Capetonians have given South Africans the most to smile about as far as results are concerned. While the Bulls have been the domestic kings over the last couple of seasons – winning two Currie Cup title, Super Rugby Unlocked, and going all the way to the final of the Rainbow Cup – it’s John Dobson’s side that have done the most, in what is still a young 2022. They’ve beaten the Bulls at Fortress Loftus, they’ve outplayed the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium and, most recently, they hammered the Lions at Emirates Airline Park. Their four-match unbeaten run also includes a 20-20 draw against…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za The Bulls will arrive in Italy today to take on bottom side Zebre with a powerful squad, but it will be a team without the services of flyhalf Morne Steyn, a statement by the union said yesterday. The former Springbok was handed a three-match suspension by the United Rugby Championship’s disciplinary committee after being found guilty of contravening law 9.13, which states: “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.” The 37-year-old was found to have contravened the law after receiving a red card in the 11th minute against the Sharks for…

Philippa Larkin philippa.larkin@inl.co.za ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats), the world’s biggest platinum producer, yesterday delivered a whopping R80 billion dividend to its shareholders as it posted an annual 160 percent hike in profit, bolstered by higher platinum group metals prices (PGMs) and increased sales. The record production and pricing resulted in its headline earnings a share (heps) for the year ended December 31 increased to R79bn, equal to R300.42 per share from R30bn, or R115.54 a share the prior year. This as the mining firm reported a 22 percent increase in the rand basket price for its PGMs to R445.11 per PGM ounce. The year-on-year surge in pricing was driven by rhodium, which in dollars averaged $20 109 (R304 803) an ounce (oz) about 79 percent higher year-on-year. During the reporting…

KEDIBONE Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za South African gospel star and television personality Hlengiwe “Hle” Ntombela is making major moves on the international music scene. The star dazzled as the first South African artist to sign an exclusive record deal with the world’s leading Christian music company, Motown Gospel, a division of Capitol CMG/Universal Music Group. The Motown Gospel roster includes Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tye Tribbett, Smokie Norful, Brian Courtney Wilson, Gene Moore, Ricky Dillard and Kelly Price. Hle said she was overjoyed to be part of this universal brand and could not wait to share her music with the global community. “Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG is a true giant of the industry, known for cultivating some of the world’s greatest artists,” she added. “I’m honoured really. When such a prestigious label recognises your…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za THE much-anticipated London Fashion Week is finally here and creative designers have pulled out all the stops to exhibit their stunning work for runways and photo shoots. The event presented by Clearpay February 2022 kicked off on Friday and will wrap things up today after gracing fashion fanatics with fabrics that are a sight to see. The London Fashion Week is a clothing trade show that takes place in London twice a year in February and September. During this prestigious event creative and innovative designers exhibit their work to a universal audience of influential media and retailers. It also serves as one of the “Big Four” fashion weeks along with New York, Milan and Paris. After the success of last season, the event has returned as a…

HIGH school teacher Tsholofelo Phetlhu is a talented netball player with years of practice under her belt. Phetlhu has been playing netball since primary school. In an exclusive interview with The Bulrushes, Phetlhu said: “I am currently part of the North West Flames shadow squad.” Phetlhu is one of the many hopefuls taking part in the final trial for a spot in the first team of the NW Flames this coming weekend. The Letsatsing Secondary School teacher follows a strict training regimen. “I train Monday to Friday, every session would be one-and-a half to two hours long. I go for scientific fitness tests … that enables me to understand more of what’s needed from me as a player.” Phetlhu has played in eight national championships. Her medal haul is already…

Itumeleng Mafisa THE SA Medical Association (Sama) is battling to keep members united following the resignation of its chairperson Angelique Coetzee due to racial tensions. Sama on Friday announced Coetzee’s resignation following a board meeting described as “tense”. The Star understands Coetzee had been placed on precautionary suspension for speaking to the media about her removal from the leadership position. A few days ago, Coetzee came under fire for remarks Sama described as being hurtful to black people. In an interview with Cape Talk, Coetzee said the admission processes to medical schools were highly politicised, that race played a significant role in determining acceptance to medical faculties, in many instances more than the applicant’s matric performance, and that different criteria existed for different race groups with regard to admission requirements.…

Naushad Omar | Cape Town Thabo Mbeki’s thesis South Africa will become ungovernable if the ANC fails and that the ANC, therefore, is too big to fail is laughable if it weren’t true. Both the ANC and the country have already failed and have become ungovernable. The police moved in a week after the malls were looted and burnt. ANC councillors are regularly assassinated to make way for others to feed at the trough while ANC employees are still owed a few months salary. The ANC bankrupted and hollowed out most institutions under their control over the past 28 years. Most government institutions are captured by one or other faction of the ANC who behave as criminal syndicates. The country’s sovereign credit rating is non-investment or junk grade,…

South Africa’s electricity infrastructure has been degrading the past decade, with both scheduled and unscheduled power outages on the increase. Despite slowed economic activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the country had 1 130 hours of planned power cuts last year – the highest ever. This not only leads to anger and frustration among the public, but also clearly handicaps businesses and their productivity. The alleviation of the electricity crisis is therefore a critical precondition for the country’s economic recovery. This is why observers have been watching President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strategy and its implementation with much anticipation. In the 2021 State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa listed “the rapid expansion of our energy generation capacity” as one of government’s five top priorities. This year, he reiterated that this had not…

MALIAN MPS yesterday approved a plan allowing the military junta to rule for up to five years, despite regional sanctions imposed on the country over delayed elections. After staging a coup in the impoverished Sahel state in August 2020, the country’s military rulers initially promised to hold a vote in February 2022. But in December last year, the junta proposed staying in power for up to five years, citing security concerns. No MPs in the army-dominated legislature voted against the bill or abstained. | AFP…

Morgan Bolton morgan.bolton@inl.co.za Conspicuous by his absence is Andre Warner, the incumbent No 9 of the Emirates Lions, from the tour party that has travelled to Dublin to face Leinster in a United Rugby Championship (URC) encounter on Friday (kick-off 9.35pm SA time). Warner has been one of head coach Ivan van Rooyen’s go-to selections, and no doubt one of the first names to be scribbled down on his teamsheet, not only this season but since joining the union in 2020. The now 25-strong list of names, initially released by the union late on Sunday night and then updated with the dire news that neither Tshitukas – Vincent or Emmanuel – will be eligible for selection, didn’t reveal the reason for his absence. It was confirmed yesterday morning, however, that…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za Proteas Women’s coach Hilton Moreeng believes his team’s successful tour of New Zealand in 2020 will stand them in good stead heading into next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup. Although the world may have changed dramatically over the intervening two years, fortunately for the No 2-ranked Proteas, the conditions they will encounter during the World Cup in New Zealand have not. Moreeng’s team, of course, blitzed the White Ferns 3-0 on their last trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud just before their march to the T20 World Cup semi-finals in Australia. It was the first time that the Proteas had won a series in New Zealand. It certainly helps that the vast majority of that squad are back again, although they are notably without…