Star -julkaisun 2022-03-25 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Staff Reporter FROM the author of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It comes the heart-pounding sequel Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, a hilarious murder mystery perfect for fans of Abbi Waxman and Maria Semple. Finlay Donovan – single mom, floundering crime writer and accidental hit-woman – is, once again, struggling to finish her crime novel. Ever since someone misinterpreted her talking about her new book, she has been busier than ever working as a hit-woman and taking on the life she usually reserves for her characters. On the bright side, the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish. On the not-so-bright side, someone wants her ex-husband dead. And saving him is going to send her down a rabbit hole of soccer moms disguised as…

Liesl Van Der Schyff liesl.vanderschyff@inl.co.za IN THE small rural town of Qonda, South Africa, the power and water supplies are unreliable, property prices are down, and citizens are slowly suffocating in the acrid smoke from the municipal dump. Recently retired English teacher Megan Merton has lived here all her life, most of it at No 8 Serpent Crescent. So who better than this self-styled pillar of society to shine a spotlight on the decline and dysfunction, not to mention the dubious activities, past and present, of many of her neighbours. Nefarious deeds and bad behaviour deserve harsh treatment and appropriate retribution, if not consignment to one of Dante’s fiendish nine circles of hell. At least that’s what Megan believes – in fact, she’s been taking matters into her own hands,…

Turkey’s Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, throughout the years he has been involved in politics, has always defended the rights of women to wear headscarves in public spaces against Turkey’s secularist elites that dominated the state. He also gained fame with his anti-Israel rhetoric. However, Erdogan honoured Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Ankara on March 9, while Israeli flags were raised along the presidential protocol path, and he has also remained silent concerning the issue of Turkish police having badly beaten headscarf-wearing women who are members of the anti-government religious group Furkan Foundation. Erdogan was harshly criticised within Turkey’s Islamist circles for hosting the Israeli president. Youth protesters from the Anatolian Youth Association removed Israeli flags flown in celebration of Herzog’s visit to and replaced it with Palestinian flags. It…

Sonri Naidoo sonri.naidoo@inl.co.za MR Gay World South Africa, Bongs Ndima, has expressed dissatisfaction towards the Mr Gay World South Africa organisation after he allegedly received disrespect from the organisation. Ndima was the first black man to win the title. He took over the reign from Louw Breytenbach. Breytenbach was initially crowned Mr Gay World SA in May last year. He won Mr Gay World in November 2021 and handed over the reins to Ndima, who was the Mr Gay World SA first runner-up. Ndima says he entered the competition because he felt that there were not enough men of colour to represent people who looked like him. He added that he wanted to push his organisation, Bongs Ndima Foundation, which focuses on male mental health. In a statement released by…

Beverley T Mutandiro | Human Rights Activist I AM deeply saddened that the Zimbabwe government has demanded all non-political NGOs exit the country. These organisations have been a positive stronghold, promoting development in a country with skyrocketing unemployment levels. The Zanu-PF government has been misguided hence failing to appreciate the essential democracy work that NGOs are doing or have been doing in the country. The NGOs have been lifting the local communities enriched by talents and positive energy, out of state-enforced poverty and the economy was benefiting from the various workforces. Takie into consideration that NGOs are independent from the government, financially independence and are non-political organisations. Hence their main responsibility is to promote the well-being of everyone in various communities, work to protect the environment, expose corruption…

T Markandan | Kloof ALL OVER the world cities have sprung up like mushrooms and crowd the landscape. And as the human population grows at a phenomenal rate, cities have been getting bigger and bigger and becoming sprawling urban jungles. But as these concrete jungles spread relentlessly across the land, they have had a devastating impact on the environment. There is even a greater threat to life on the planet: climate change. If global warming and rising sea levels, melting ice caps and flooding, droughts and ravaging fires are not signs of a seriously ill planet, then I don’t know what will be. Never before in the history of mankind has there been so much degradation of the environment in such a short space of time. But there…

The Equality Court ruling that the controversial Clicks/TREsemmé hair advert did not unfairly discriminate against black women should not undermine efforts to transform the advertising industry. The spate of racially insensitive adverts in recent years necessitates critical dialogue on race and representation in South Africa beyond reactionary PR responses from implicated brands. Representational practices always reflect the positions from which we speak or write and play a crucial role in defining and controlling political and social power. There is a profoundly ideological nature of cultural texts that influences the way others view us and how we view ourselves. Therefore, simply labelling racist adverts as unconscious bias veils entrenched systems that fuel and sustain anti-blackness. The violence of anti-blackness is not restricted to prejudicial interpersonal encounters between black and white people,…

Former Spanish King Juan Carlos could face trial in Britain in a harassment case brought against him by his former lover after the English High Court ruled yesterday that he did not have the right to sovereign immunity. Danish national Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Sayn, who lives in Britain, alleged acts of harassment between 2012 and 2020. The ex-king has denied the allegations. Spanish and Swiss prosecutors recently dropped probes into alleged fraud by Juan Carlos, 84, who left Spain for the UAE in 2020. | Reuters…

ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos has indicated that fringe players will be given opportunities to feature in their friendly internationals against Guinea and France. The 23-man squad chosen by Broos for the games consists of mainly inexperienced players. The likes of Goodman Mosele, Bandile Shandu, Khuliso Mudau and Athenkosi Mcaba will all be looking to make their debuts. Broos did confirm that Mosele entered the camp with a minor ankle injury. The Orlando Pirates midfielder is unlikely to feature against Guinea, but Broos did add that he could play against France. “The purpose of the games will be to give everyone minutes to play. I want to see everyone in those two games because it is very important ahead of the (2023) Afcon qualifiers in June. “These…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za ATTEMPTS by the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) to hide behind the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia) in a labour dispute have failed. The RSR objected to the inclusion of two confidential documents in the evidence bundle of Koliswa Sheburi, an employee dragging it to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for alleged unfair labour practice. Sheburi said that the RSR subjected her to an unfair labour practice by refusing to adjust her salary notch and cost of living increment. The state entity wanted the CCMA to order Sheburi, a legal adviser, to remove the two contested documents from her bundle on the grounds that their inclusion contravened Popia. These documents were offers of employment made to two employees. They disclosed the salary levels linked…

Mwangi Githahu mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za THAT polony sandwich for lunch cost a lot more in February this year than it did in January, after the cost of bread, margarine and polony joined other staple foodstuffs whose rising prices have hit South Africans where it hurts, in their pockets. Key data from the February 2022 Household Affordability Index, which tracks food price data across the country, shows that the average cost of the household food basket was R4 355.70 in February. It shows that year-on-year the cost of the Cape Town household food basket increased by R309.77 (or 8%) from R3 893.37 in February 2021 to R4 203.15 in February 2022. Among the foods tracked were cooking oil, salt, onions, full cream milk, margarine, polony, tinned pilchards, sugar beans, chicken feet and gizzards…

Liesl Van Der Schyff liesl.vanderschyff@inl.co.za JERRY Mofokeng was born in Moema Street, Orlando West, Soweto and is a well-known stage and screen actor, director and arts administrator. A drama graduate of Wits University, he has played leading roles in films such as Cry the Beloved Country, and Mandela and De Klerk. His memoir, I am a Man, is an intimate look at much that has shaped the inner man. “In this volume, I’m going to give you the benefit of my life’s journey. I have had high highs and low lows. That’s life. I am going to open envelopes that are quite sacred to me. Please accept the contents with generosity and grace. I am going to expose my scars and display my trophies.” In this memoir, Mofokeng’s writing style…

WINDING lines of hundreds of people formed at the Joburg Zoo’s entrances on Sunday ahead of its 118th birthday bash. People came from across the province to Upper Park Drive, in Parkview, to enjoy the extravaganza arranged by Joburg City Parks and Zoo. The party programme was full of fun activities, dance, comedy and music during the day. Later the venue turned into a perfect sunset outdoor cinema. Zoo goers laid out blankets and picnic baskets on the lawn where the stage was set up. The DJ set the tone with old-school house music, playing the likes of Afropop heavyweights Mafikizolo’s Ngi’Hamba Nawe and millennial songs like Shekinah’s Suited. Among the visitors was Jessica Langa, of Soweto. When she heard about the birthday celebration, as an up-and-coming crafter, she thought…

Rankepile Khomo | Duduza LISTENING to President Cyril Ramaphosa during the Human Rights Day commemoration, his speech echoed what our struggle heroes and heroines have been preaching over the years that South Africa should strive for nation-building and social cohesion. The issue of land reform is of utmost importance for all South Africans. If carried out correctly, the process has the potential to foster equality, freedom, and dignity for all, black and white. The land reform process in South Africa must be inspired by the project of reconciliation and as we commemorate the human rights month, thought must be spared for those who perished fighting for equality and human dignity for all. Land ownership is vital to restore human dignity and it is an empowerment for the landless…

“GUILT by association” is defined as “the attribution of guilt (without proof) to individuals because the people they associate with are guilty or alleged to be guilty.” On November 15, 2021, I received a letter addressed to me in my personal capacity, marked “private and confidential” with the heading: Termination of Banking Relationship with Nedbank. The letter cited among the following factors as the basis for Nedbank’s decision to terminate its banking relationship with me: l Your direct/indirect association with Dr Iqbal Survé and/or the Sekunjalo Group poses reputational and association risks to Nedbank. l The serious nature of the allegations levelled against Dr Survé, the Sekunjalo Group and related parties and the ongoing and increased adverse media (regardless of the substantive merits thereof or lack thereof)…

The death toll from twin attacks in central Somalia on Wednesday night rose above 30, the police in Beledweyne district said yesterday. “More than 30 people were killed in the second blast alone, which was caused by a car bomb,” police said. “The terrorists carried out the first attack using a suicide bomber and readied a car loaded with explosives in front of a hospital.” The first attack killed two local MPs. Three people were killed near Mogadishu’s airport minutes before by insurgent group al-Shabaab. | AFP…

Matshelane Mamabolo THOKOZANI Mazibuko finds it laughable and disrespectful that there are those who believe he is nothing more than a James Moloi lackey. Throughout the build-up to the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) presidential elections taking place in Germiston tomorrow, word in the athletics fraternity has been that incumbent Moloi – who has moved up to being president of Athletics South Africa (ASA) – wants his ‘underling’ to replace him so that he maintains his stranglehold on the region. Mazibuko has served as CGA’s head of disciplinary committee under Moloi. That the two are also friends away from the sport has served to fuel the assertion by some that Mazibuko taking over is tantamount to keeping Moloi in charge. “I have heard that talk but I decided to not get…

TLHOPIE Motsepe is his father’s son. Not only did he follow in the footsteps of Motsepe senior, Patrice, by studying law at Wits University, before being his understudy and successor on some of the boards he chaired, but he’s a reflection of him as well. This week, I spent a few hours in Hammanskraal during Mamelodi Sundowns’ MTN8 Goal for Charity event. In attendance was Tlhopie, the Downs chairman who took over the reins after his father ascended to the highest seat in African football. Those who’ve been in close proximity to Tlhopie will know that he sounds and speaks exactly like Patrice. He’s not a direct and straight forward person as well. That’s why he usually takes many off ramps before getting to his destination. Tlhopie’s speech to the…

Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za DJ Lamiez Holworthy has sent a strong warning to new and up-and-coming musicians to be on the lookout for industry scammers. In a lengthy post shared on her social media page this week, Lamiez cautioned rising stars against “fake promoters” and other people who may potentially take advantage of them. She wrote: “There’s a growing trend of scammers who take advantage of the vulnerable. “Please note that even though these fake promoters send you proof of payment (saying it will clear after three days), no one will ask or need you to use your own money for flights and accommodation. The same as no one would make you pay for a legit radio or TV audition/interview. “Anyone who promises you such is simply taking you for a…

Liesl Van Der Schyff liesl.vanderschyff@inl.co.za TONIGHT 19-year-old William Lavery is dressed for success, his first black-tie do. It’s the Midlands Chapter of the Institute of Embalmers Ladies’ Night Dinner Dance, and William is taking Gloria in her sequinned evening gown. He can barely believe his luck. But as the guests sip their drinks and smoke their post-dinner cigarettes a telegram delivers news of a tragedy. An event so terrible it will shake the nation. It is October 1966 and a landslide at a coal mine has buried a school: Aberfan. William decides he must act, so he stands and volunteers to attend. It will be his first job, and will be – although he’s yet to know it – a choice that threatens to sacrifice his own happiness. His work…

Liesl Van Der Schyff liesl.vanderschyff@inl.co.za AN innocent mistake. A lifetime of guilt. Susannah has two beautiful daughters, a high-flying medical career, a successful husband and an enviable life. Her hair is glossy, her clothes are expensive; she truly has it all. But when – on the hottest day of the year – her strict morning routine is disrupted, Susannah finds herself running on autopilot. It is hours before she realises she has made a devastating mistake. Her baby, Louise, is still in the backseat of the car and it is too late to save her. As the press close in around her, Susannah is put on trial for negligence. It is plain to see that this is not a trial, it’s a witch hunt. But what will the court say?…

PACKED snugly inside the immaculately kept building of the City of Joburg’s pharmacy in Langlaagte on Main Reef Road are thousands of pills, injections, syrups, and vaccines meant to supply 79 local primary health-care clinics and 28 provincial primary health-care facilities in Johannesburg. The pharmacy also offers family planning and immunisation services to about 70 private health-care providers. It has a staff of about 75 people. The deputy director of Pharmaceutical Services, Jimmy Nombeu, said the pharmacy ran a tight delivery and collection schedule and a meticulous packing and storing system. “It plays a significant role in the distribution and supply of antiretroviral treatment to municipal primary health-care facilities,” he said. The facility provides pharmaceutical services and support to six old-age homes. It also delivers medication to suburban areas in…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za AFTER two dreadful years shrouded in ups and downs, comedy lovers can use a bit of humour and relaxation. With the return of the Johannesburg International Comedy Festival, that started yesterday, there is no doubt they’ll be treated to a thrilling experience. Africa’s popular comedy celebration returns after the Covid-19 hiatus as social events were suspended on account of the regulations put in place. The event runs at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton and Theatre on The Square until Tuesday. The organisers have announced a stellar line-up of comedians, with more than 30 local, continental and international comedians taking over the two venues. They include favourite comedians such as the popular and long-standing Jason Goliath, Mpho Popps, Tats Nkonzo, Conrad Koch, Robby Collins, Suhayl Essa, Tracey-Lee Oliver,…

Tom Mhlanga | Braamfontein A couple of days ago we celebrated Human Rights Day at a time when many South Africans are divided over the Dudula Movement. It has over the past weeks been on the news for participating in what many may call xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals. They are doing this with the view they are serving South Africa and its citizens because, in their minds, it is foreigners who are the cause of their woes today. The country is faced with serious economic challenges and the unemployment level is at its highest. But are foreigners responsible for this? Unless we find an objective answer to this question we will continue to blame others for our own failures to create jobs as a country. South Africa’s…

Ethiopia’s government yesterday declared “an indefinite humanitarian truce”, saying it hoped to help hasten delivery of aid into the Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands face starvation. Since war broke out in northern Ethiopia in 2020, thousands have died, and many more have been forced to flee their homes as the conflict has expanded. It erupted when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, in response to attacks on army camps. | AFP…

Western leaders yesterday showed unity against the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, with Washington seeking more military aid to Ukraine, London imposing fresh sanctions against Moscow and Nato assigning more troops for its eastern flank. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Nato, EU and G7 countries meeting in Brussels to help Kyiv fight Russia’s invasion, which has killed thousands and driven a quarter of Ukraine’s 44 million people from their homes. “To save people and our cities, Ukraine needs military assistance without restrictions,” he said. “In the same way that Russia is using its full arsenal without restrictions against us.” Zelensky urged citizens around the world to take to the streets in protest as the conflict reached the one-month mark.He accused Russia of using phosphorus bombs. Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told…

HERMAN GIBBS SPECULATION is rife that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) executive committee (exco) will attempt to overturn the arbitration award of Adv Nazeer Cassim SC, who ordered the games to be played after Kaizer Chiefs failed to fulfil two Premiership fixtures last December. The PSL have not responded to attempts to confirm that the exco is seeking to review the arbitration award of Arbitrator Cassim and possibly contest it in court. When the South African Football Association (Safa) agreed to convene the arbitration, both Chiefs and the PSL agreed on Cassim as the arbitrator. Safa’s constitution says the decision of an arbitrator shall be final and binding. Cassim is no stranger to the role of arbitrator and in the past, some of his outcomes were in favour of the…