Star -julkaisun 2023-12-29 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

South Africa has been hit with another shock death in the entertainment industry. Local playwright and actor Mbongeni Ngema, 68, was killed in a head-on car accident on Wednesday night while returning from a funeral in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. He was a passenger in one of the vehicles. Shortly after Ngema’s death, the singer’s family issued an official statement to confirm the news. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved brother, father, husband and a patriot, Mbongeni Ngema,” it read. The theatre producer was best known for his role as Sabela in the 1992 movie Sarafina! which he co-wrote, as well as multi-award-winning Woza Albert! Born in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, in 1955, Ngema started his illustrious career as a theatre backing…

THE Cabinet has approved a framework for a high-speed rail with a feasibility study prioritised for the Johannesburg to Durban corridor. This as a new smart city in the area, currently known as Lanseria, is expected to be home to between 350 000 and 500 000 people by 2030. This was revealed by President Cyril Ramaphosa responding to a parliamentary question from DA leader John Steenhuisen, who enquired about progress made in delivering the bullet trains and smart cities he promised during the State of the Nation Address in June 2019. Ramaphosa expressed his vision for a South Africa where the first entirely new city constructed in the democratic era would emerge, featuring skyscrapers, schools, universities, hospitals and factories. “We should imagine a country where a bullet train passes…

As we approach 2024 and the year of elections, it becomes imperative for citizens to exercise their vote next year. Polls and surveys have shown that the issue uppermost in everyone’s mind is jobs. Without a job we have a horrible recipe for creating societal ills. As the unemployment figures rise, so do crime and anti-social behaviour. In addition, we see a drop in society’s health and a massive drop in education and skills building. One of the key factors in a strong and healthy society is the ability to create jobs. Unfortunately, we have the worst unemployment rate and the second-worst productivity rate in the world. Our education system is in ruins. It cannot be business as usual. Our government is not going to change. We must have a…

She was just a poor fisherman’s wife. She lived with her husband and her two sons in one of the poorest parts of Chatsworth, in a tiny, cramped flat. She died in her sleep a week after her 37th wedding anniversary. A humble woman who had no claim to fame or fortune. She followed all the Hindu traditions. A few weeks before she died, I was surprised to see a Bible next to the God lamp. She said she worshipped all religions. Her funeral wasn’t a glitzy affair. It was held in a small marquee with about 50 mourners. Though she was not a relative, I was touched by her funeral. I thought “what difference it made how you are buried”. We all end up in the same place. And…

The apartheid government in Israel is about to archive its long-time objective of expanding its Settlers State into Gaza. Here in Mzansi it looks like it’s possible that apartheid might return in 2024 disguised as the opposition alliance against the ANC. After 2024 elections our land might be gone forever again. The opposition alliance is against land redistribution. The hope of the indigenous people to own land again is about to be shattered. The long-time champions of our land Struggle have been “Throwned to Sea” by the settlers. Even in the wilderness they seem to be more interested in criticising the ANC and the democracy they brought into this country. They have been acting like an opposition party to the ANC since the days of the liberation Struggle. The “Youth…

Another year has come and gone without a solution in the widely reported Modjadji royal throne battle that is currently in court. The battle has pitted two siblings against each other in a spat that has now lasted nearly three years after a faction of the royal council decided to nominate the heir’s apparent brother to rule over the Balobedu nation at Khetlhakone Village, near Modjadjiskloof, in Limpopo in early May 2021. The nomination of Prince Lekukela sparked anger and rifts within the Balobedu nation, as some pledged support for Princess Masanalabo Modjadji. She was widely expected to assume the role of the next rain queen upon reaching the age of 18 this year. The announcement by the royal council received mixed reactions, with some Balobedu saying the appointment of…

Award-winning artist Kelvin Momo has returned with his third album, Kurhula, following the phenomenal success of his previous album, Amukelani, released last year. Kurhula, which translates as “peace” in Xitsonga, is one of the much-loved albums on the charts, boasting 27 tunes. Collaborations with renowned musicians like Sjava, Mashudu, Babalwa M, Cooper SA, and Stixx highlight the album’s versatility and produce a soundscape full of endearing melodies and fascinating vocals. With Babalwa M, Stixx, and Nia Pearl contributing to its skill, Amalobolo debuts impressively at #4 on both local and international charts. In the meantime, Kelvin Momo and Stixx’s song Wa Nsiya, which features Mzizi and was produced by them, debuted at number 13 on the charts, demonstrating their skill as producers of music. Ikhaya Lam features a star-studded line-up…

Israeli forces yesterday heavily bombed the besieged Gaza Strip as the centre of fierce combat against Hamas moves steadily south, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The war, which started with Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has devastated much of northern Gaza as air and artillery strikes and house-to-house fighting have become heaviest in the southern city of Khan Yunis. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesperson for the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, reported more than 200 deaths “including entire families” over the past 24 hours in strikes across the territory. The Israeli army has deployed an additional brigade to Khan Yunis, the hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, said military spokesperson Daniel Hagari. More than 80% of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been driven from their homes, the…

New York: New York City has restrictions on arrivals of buses loaded with migrants amid a new wave of arrivals. Charter bus companies transporting new migrant arrivals into New York City were required to provide a 32-hour notice before arrival, said the order. Charter bus companies also were required to drop passengers off at a designated location in Manhattan. New York City also sent warning letters to charter bus companies that New York City had identified as engaging in transporting newly arrived migrants from Texas to the city. | IANS…

In an unexpected turn of events on Christmas Day, South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha found herself at the centre of controversy after being spotted alongside media mogul Oprah Winfrey in a photo shared on Instagram. The seemingly casual encounter quickly became a topic of discussion for local social media users, leading to a flood of comments. Mbatha, known for executive producing and starring in Shaka iLembe, was seen in a photo on Christmas Day rubbing shoulders with Oprah Winfrey and her BFF, Gayle King. While such celebrity encounters often garner positive attention, this particular meeting wasn’t embraced with open arms as expected. In the age of rapid information dissemination, social media platforms are a sounding board for public opinion and, in this instance, local users expressed concerns around Mbatha's moment…

“We are all Jock Tomson’s bairns (children)”, is a Scottish expression meaning that we are one big and happy family. We are all part of one big South African family and whatever disturbs the smooth running of the family affects all of us. Most pundits predicted an Armageddon during the 1994 general elections. Similarly, South Africa is on tenterhooks awaiting for the outcome of the 2024 general elections. My friend who claimed to be in the same prophetic league as Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce, impressed upon me that the nation should be singing Nearer, my God to Thee. The band on the Titanic played the hymn as the ship sank. After I plied him with myriad questions, he cited the following reasons as his witness: limited supplies of electricity, water,…

Legendary musician and playwright Mbongeni Ngema whose work “touched and moved audiences around the world” died in a car crash while returning from a funeral in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday. He was 68 years old. Born in Verulam, north of Durban, Ngema, who was also a composer and choreographer, was best known for writing the award-winning musical Sarafina! that debuted in 1988 and was adapted as a movie in 1992. Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa said Ngema received Tony Award nominations for Asinamali and Sarafina!, and Grammy Award nominations for his work in Sarafina! and The Lion King. He also acted in the film adaptation of Sarafina! and the Oscar-nominated film Yesterday. Locally, he said Ngema received several accolades such as the South African Music Awards…

Iqbal Suleman Smoke from bombs pollute the sky in Gaza. Dust, soot and blood on the tender face of a baby. The instinctive cry of a baby for its mother whose gentle fingers will never rub the baby’s face or ruffle her hair. The sweet scent of motherly love is too short to even be a memory for the baby of Gaza. The motherless war child is born in the rubble of Gaza. The baby tries to sleep on the hard ground in Mawasi to the sound of F35s. F16s, bunker-busting bombs, the screams of death as life leaves bodies, and bones are shredded and mutilated. Anguished cries from the heart of humans to the sight of their beloved pierce through the skies. The baby cries pangs of hunger. No…

OUAGADOUGOU: Russia yesterday reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso after a gap of nearly 32 years after the West African nation fell out with former colonial ruler France. Russia’s ambassador to Ivory Coast, Alexei Saltykov, said he would head the mission in Burkina Faso until the new ambassador was named and described Burkina Faso as “an old partner with whom we have solid and friendly ties”. “Despite our physical absence here, bilateral co-operation in the political and economic fields has never ceased,” he said. Burkina Faso suffered two military coups last year, both triggered by discontent at failures to stem a jihadist insurgency. | AFP…

New Delhi: Oil prices steadied after falling sharply in the previous session, as concerns eased about shipping disruptions along the Red Sea route even as tensions in the Middle East continued to rise. Reports said Brent crude futures inched up 10 cents, or 0.1%, to $79.75 (about R1 400) a barrel, while US WTI crude futures were trading 5 cents lower at $74.06 a barrel. It said prices dropped nearly 2pc on Wednesday as major shipping firms began returning to the Red Sea. “Concerns of shipping in the Red Sea have eased, but worries continue about tensions in the Middle East,” said a commentator. | IANS…

Manchester City came from behind to beat Everton 3-1 on their return from the Club World Cup on Wednesday night, moving five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Pep Guardiola’s men, chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title, were in trouble when trailing 1-0 at Goodison Park, courtesy of a first-half strike from former City player Jack Harrison. But Phil Foden fizzed a shot past Jordan Pickford in the 53rd minute, and Julian Alvarez put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot. Bernardo Silva capped a brilliant second-half performance, taking advantage of an error from Pickford in the closing minutes. Elsewhere, Chelsea’s Noni Madueke scored a late winner from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace to lift spirits at Stamford Bridge after a miserable 2023,…

Panhandle (S1) M-Net, DStv channel 101 at 8pm A traffic police officer teams up with a detective with agoraphobia to investigate strange murders and through that they also address their demons. Tonight, Cammie and Bell search for clues to Vida's final days. Cammie receives a surprise visit from someone. Overhaulin' (S10) Discovery, DStv channel 121 at 8.55pm A young rally-car fan works with his dad to get his WRX running, but no matter how hard they try, they can't get his Subaru purring. After several idle years, dad decides it's time to get his son into his dream rally ride. House of Villains (S1) E! Entertainment, DStv chanel 124 at 9pm When Joel presents the villains with their most important battle royale yet, Omarosa proceeds to blow it. Anfisa reconsiders…

It is ironic that what the ANC failed to achieve when it was in “struggle” mode it has succeeded in accomplishing since 1994, namely, making the country ungovernable. It’s a remarkable achievement considering the establishment of infrastructure and institutions, which were the hallmark of a functioning South Africa, was the product of over 80 years of development and enterprise. On the basis of that signal achievement, which the ANC is seeking to embellish further through re-election in 2024, a brief outline of that trajectory seems timely. Of the bloated 37 national government departments, only Sars functions efficiently but on a diminishing basis. Since 2015, 914 000 taxpayers have left the country (Daily Friend, July 8). All state-owned enterprises are financially crippled with Eskom being the worst. Law and order has…

THERE has been no fatal or serious incident across the City of Tshwane this week despite flooding in some parts of Centurion that led to road closure. The City of Tshwane’s Department of Emergency Services had to close both sides of End Street, from Rabie and Witstinkhout due to flooding. As a result of the road closure, motorists were urged to use alternative routes. This was after the South African Weather Service’s issuing of a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms for parts of Gauteng, which include Johannesburg and Pretoria. The weather service had warned of the possibility of disruptive rainfall leading to localised flooding in low-lying areas and informal settlements. The impact of the rainfall could, according to the weather forecasters, result in poor driving conditions due to…

THE Competition Tribunal has confirmed, as an order, a consent agreement between the Competition Commission and the Spar Group aimed at ending long-term exclusive lease agreements in the grocery retail sector. Exclusive lease agreements in the grocery sector usually grant a tenant, such as a national supermarket chain, exclusive rights to operate in a specific shopping centre to the exclusion of any other grocery retailers. The tribunal’s order means that the Spar Group is now the third retailer in South Africa that has agreed to phase out long-term exclusive lease agreements in shopping centres across South Africa, following the release of the Commission’s Grocery Retail Market Inquiry report published in December 2019. The commission in its report concluded, among other things, that long-term exclusive lease agreements perpetuate concentration levels and…

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has announced that the technical issue that affected the baggage sorting system in the domestic terminal at OR Tambo International Airport has been successfully resolved. Several domestic passengers’ suitcases were left when some aircraft departed from the airport without all the baggage on board on the morning of December 22. Several flights were also delayed to allow for baggage to be loaded. Acsa subsequently made arrangements with the respective airlines to enable affected passengers’ bags to reach their owners on time. On December 22 and 23, OR Tambo International processed 77 569 bags of which 31 118 were domestic and regional, and around 4 500 were short-shipped. This corresponds to a two-day short-shipping rate of 19% for domestic bags, 13% for regional bags. Terence Delomoney,…

When it comes to relations between South African citizens and migrant communities, there is no one-size-fits-all explanation. Instead the reality on the ground is more complex and multi-sided. There is widespread xenophobia in South Africa and there is widespread xenophilia. “Xenophilia” means “welcoming towards foreigners”. In talking about anti-foreigner violence in South Africa, there is a tendency to imagine most of South African society as xenophobic. Even among respected scholars and analysts such a tendency has assumed truism. No whole society can be either xenophobic or xenophilic towards non-citizens. In any country, there are people who are unwelcoming of foreigners and, at the same time, there are also citizens who welcome foreigners. Societies and communities are more complex and multifaceted in their behaviour and attitudes. Hence, to talk about “a…

BEIJING: China’s embassy in Myanmar yesterday asked its citizens to leave a northern district along the countries’ shared border, citing heightened security risks as ethnic minority armed groups battle the junta. Fighting has raged across Myanmar’s northern Shan state since October, when the so-called “Three Brotherhood Alliance” of ethnic minority groups launched an offensive against the military. The alliance has seized several towns and border hubs vital for trade with China. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army has vowed to recapture Laukkai town. | AFP…

Lusaka: Zambia stepped up a campaign to halt a surge in cholera cases yesterday as the number of deaths this year crept towards 100. With heavy rains speeding the spread of the bacterial disease, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said five deaths and 111 new cases had been reported in 24 hours. The national health institute said there had now been at least 93 cholera deaths this year. The new cases were the highest daily total this year. Masebo said the fatality rate in the current outbreak of about 3% of cases was of “grave concern”. Internationally, the fatality rate is less than 1%. | AFP…