Table of contents for 2021-09-17 in Star

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za FIRSTRAND, the group comprising FNB, RMB, WesBank and UK-based Aldermore, said normalised earnings recovered faster than expected in the year to June 30, enabling it to pay out an 80 percent higher full year dividend of 263 cents a share. A final dividend of 153c was declared for the second half, compared with zero in the second half of 2020. Normalised earnings increased 54 percent to R26.6 billion, the results showed yesterday. The growth was in line with other big banks – Absa Group grew headline earnings five-fold to R8.6bn, Standard Bank’s headline earnings were up 52 percent to R11.5bn, while Nedbank grew headline earnings 148 percent to R5.3bn in the six-month period to June 30. It should be borne…

TRUCO is a fifth-generation family-run business. Established in 1892, it is one of the largest suppliers of engineered industrial rubber products on the continent. Over the years the company has diversified its product range from an initial focus on rubber elbow and knee guards for miners in the early days of the gold rush to raincoats (including being General Smuts’ preferred brand during World War II) to ultimately include abrasion-resistant slurry and water hoses, PVC hoses and hose fittings, rubber mouldings and extrusions, rubber sheeting and lining material, ship and harbour wall fenders and a wide range of adhesives for bonding industrial rubber products. Truco has also become a well-respected supplier to the conveyor belt market and offers a range of textile and steel cord conveyor belting solutions…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za THE NATIONAL Council Against Smoking (NCAS) yesterday called for British American Tobacco South Africa to be investigated by the Hawks. This followed a BBC Panorama investigation this week that levelled new allegations against the group including bribery, smuggling and other questionable business practices. British American Tobacco’s (BAT) share price closed 0.37 percent up at R536.59. Over the three days since the investigation was made public, the share price has appreciated steadily each day, by 4 percent in total. BAT said in a statement that it “emphatically rejects the mischaracterisation of its anti-illicit trade activity by the BBC and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.” BAT denied the allegations, said they were not new and had been covered extensively in the media over several years, and that…

Martin Hesse martin.hesse@inl.co.za FOLLOWING the acquisition by London-listed global financial services group M&G of a majority stake in Prudential Investment Managers, Prudential will change its name to M&G Investments by the end of the year. In a statement released this week, Prudential reported that the company had received approvals from all the necessary regulatory authorities for its ownership changes, and the transactions were concluded in July. It said, following M&G’s strategic decision in 2019 to expand its global investment management presence, it was a logical step forward for M&G to seek closer ties with Prudential Southern Africa, in which it had owned a material stake since inception. It had now added Southern Africa to its centres of investment expertise based in London, Paris, Singapore and Chicago. M&G increased its ownership…

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 M-NET CITY, DSTV CHANNEL 115, 9PM In the final instalment of the franchise, Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss, who prepares for a showdown that will change the future. WHERE MURDER LIES: SECRETS LAID BARE INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY, DSTV CHANNEL 171, 9PM Nineteen-year-old Francine discovers her parents murdered in their home. As detectives dig deeper into the seemingly perfect family, they uncover a scandalous secret. BEACHFRONT BARGAIN HUNT HGTV, DSTV CHANNEL 177, 9PM A couple searches for a holiday home along the Jersey Shore in Ocean City, New Jersey. They need a property that has great rental potential.…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za The 11th annual international ARTS Talent Showcase (IATS) is back and will take place at Silverstar Casino from September 23 to 25. This year’s theme is “My African Dream”, a celebration of the talent coming out of Africa. Aimed at inspiring young, new and aspiring talent to unleash their full potential, the showcase will also be broadcast on the Live Your Dream TV Show on VIA TV. As part of their yearly scholar- ship programmes, the IATS producer and director of 33 & Me Talent Agency, Elsubie Verlinden, has secured $250 000 (about R3 536 987) in partial scholarships for talented locals to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles or New York City. “The programme will be insightful, educational and inspirational.…

Sonri Naidoo COURAGEOUS firefighters returned home yesterday at the OR Tambo International Airport after a successful deployment to Manitoba, Canada, where the South African firefighters assisted authorities in wildland firefighting efforts. A total number of 109 firefighters from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Working on Fire (WoF) programme were deployed on August 20 to fight active fires in Manitoba from Loon Straits in the Eastern Sector and the Cold Lake complex in the Western Sector, where multiple fires were burning. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy extended her appreciation to the WoF team who were returning home from a successful fire-fighting mission in Manitoba, Canada. She said the feedback from the Canadian authorities has indicated the success of the team and applauded them…

Sonri Naidoo WITH the easing of lockdown restrictions and a drop in the lockdown levels, the Gauteng Premier David Makhura has warned the public to abide by the law or face its might. In a joint operation, Makhura together with the MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko, joined law enforcement officers in a road safety and crime-prevention operation in Soweto yesterday morning. Operation O Kae Molao set out to ensure that motorists and residents adhered to road regulations. Makhura applauded the SAPS and Joburg Metro Police Department for their swift response in conducting operations and bringing transgressors to book. “The province is out of the third wave, and we have lower infection rates and fewer people admitted to hospital. The positivity rate is low, which allows for police to…

Itumeleng Mafisa and Lehlohonolo Mashigo PARENTS of Tshepisong, near Krugersdorp, gave a sigh of relief after a day- care centre riddled with allegations of rape and paedophilia was finally shut down yesterday. A litany of complaints about the centre came after The Star made it known that there could be a sexual predator in the area as a 4-year-old girl was allegedly raped at the centre’s premises – allegedly by the son of the facility’s owner – and a 10-year-old girl from the community was allegedly raped by an undisclosed man. Little did The Star team know that the story was so much bigger. The Star investigated Lindokuhle Day Care Centre and found that its owner’s 30-year-old son was linked to the alleged rape but had not been arrested…

High unemployment among the youth, gender-based violence, and a lack of opportunities are some of the reasons young people have given for not going to the polls. These were some of the frustrations shared by young people during a virtual engagement organised by council Speaker Nonceba Molwele last week. Molwele had organised the engagement, dubbed Elections under Covid-19, as part of a voter education campaign ahead of the November 1 local government elections. She conceded that Covid-19 had forced the City and the government to relook how it operates under the new normal. “Local government consists of municipalities, which are really at the coalface of service delivery. We now need to closely look at what it means to hold local government elections under the pandemic,” Molwele said. Dr Thina…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the public to nominate the next chief justice of South Africa. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s term comes to an end on October 11. The inclusion of the public is a first for the country since the dawn of democracy. The decision was made by the president after consulting the Judicial Service Commission and the leaders of parties represented in the National Assembly. Once nominations have been submitted, a panel of eminent persons with relevant experience will shortlist between three and five candidates. The panel includes former judge of the International Court of Justice and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay who will act as chairperson of the panel, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola, former minister of justice…

We have noted the attempts by certain sections of the media and DA to recreate the impossible, of painting Minister Lindiwe Sisulu as corrupt. These attempts against Minister Sisulu will not stick as she is not corrupt and everybody in the country knows that she is not corrupt. I think it is better for DA MP Emma Powell to concentrate on her sowing classes. She doesn’t know anything about corruption cases brought by the same minister. This Powell is just a tool for propaganda. The minister has instituted a number of criminal cases against senior officials within Water and Sanitation and a number of entities under her former portfolio. These cases have led to the arrest of former Lepelle Northern Water CEO and the subsequent resignation of Amatola Water former…

PELE said he is ready for “90 minutes, plus extra-time” after leaving the intensive care unit (ICU) of a Sao Paulo hospital following surgery to remove a tumour from the Brazilian soccer great’s colon. The 80-year-old, three-time World Cup winner was admitted to Alberto Einstein hospital after the tumour was found during routine tests. The tumour was removed earlier this month and sent for analysis. “My friends, this is a message for each of you. Don’t think for a minute that I haven’t read the thousands of loving messages I’ve received around here,” Pele said on Instagram. “Thank you very much to each one of you, who dedicated a minute of your day to send me positive energy. Love, love and love! I have already left the ICU and I…

JACK Grealish scored a superb first Champions League goal as Manchester City survived Christopher Nkunku’s hat-trick to beat RB Leipzig 6-3 in a pulsating Group A opener on Wednesday. Grealish admits the lure of playing on the Champions League stage convinced him to leave his boyhood club Aston Villa to join City in a club record £100-million move in the close-season. The England winger made the most of his first taste of the tournament’s bright lights with a brilliant solo effort in the second half at the Etihad Stadium. Grealish also set up City’s first goal for Nathan Ake with a pin-point corner. While City were snubbed by Cristiano Ronaldo when the Portugal superstar opted to join Manchester United, Pep Guardiola believes Grealish is more than ample compensation and this…

INORDINATELY long toilet breaks or medical time-outs at critical moments could soon be a thing of the past in men’s tennis with the ATP Tour planning to impose stricter rules, a source at the men’s governing body said. The practice has long been a bugbear of players, most recently at the US Open where Stefanos Tsitsipas was accused of gamesmanship by Andy Murray for taking a lengthy trip to the bathroom at a critical point in their first-round match. The Greek world number three, who won the match, denied the charge and said he had broken no rules as there were no time limits on bathroom breaks. “There will be a change to the rules for bathroom breaks and on-court medical time-outs as well,” an ATP source said. “I hope…

AMERICAN Alberto Salazar, who won the 1994 Comrades Marathon and has coached some of the world’s top long-distance runners, had his four-year suspension for a series of anti-doping rule violations upheld by the highest court in sport. The 63-year-old, who guided Britain’s Mohamed Farah to Olympic titles, was banned by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) in 2019 for “orchestrating and facilitating” doping as head coach of the Nike Oregon Project, an elite camp designed primarily to develop US endurance athletes. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said in a statement yesterday that it had upheld the ban on Salazar as well as that on endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown, who worked alongside him. “CAS confirms the four-year bans imposed on Dr Jeffrey Brown and Alberto Salazar for anti-doping rule violations,” the…

Joint venture in Nevada project in line with group’s ambitions to diversify into green metals Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za PRECIOUS Metal producer Sibanye Stillwater yesterday announced its third investment into battery metals through a $490 million (R7.03 billion) 50-50 joint venture of a lithium project in Nevada, the US, in line with ambitions to diversify into green metals. Sibanye yesterday announced the deal with Australian-listed Ioneer for the development of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project. Rhyolite Ridge is a large, shallow lithium-boron deposit expected to be one of the first large-scale US lithium projects to enter production, currently anticipated in the second half of 2024. Sibanye, which operates several platinum and gold mines, also committed to purchasing 7.1 percent of Ioneer’s ordinary shares for about $70…

Given Majola given.majola@inl.co.za SOUTH Africans used less short-term credit during Covid-19 disruption between the first quarter last year and the first quarter this year, resulting in an estimated economy-wide decline in sales of R790 million with 1 400 fewer jobs supported and R96m less in taxes collected, according to the results of the first AFSCI (Altron Fintech Short-term Credit Impact) Index released yesterday. The extension of short-term credit, a key financial instrument for low-income households and micro-businesses, contracted by 12.3 percent during the reported period. Altron Fintech developed the AFSCI in partnership with Keith Lockwood, an independent economic consultant and adjunct faculty member of the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Lockwood attributed the decline in the number of creditworthy credit applicants to the 1.4 million drop…

THE MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)returned on Sunday, as one of the first awards shows to have a full live studio audience. And while it was great to have performances from some of the biggest names in music – it left viewers with a resounding “meh”. Unlike many other award shows, the VMAs has built a reputation for being at the epicentre of youth culture and pushing boundaries. From iconic performances to legendary red carpet moments, it has been the talk of the town for years. We’ve had Madonna’s Vogue performance, Michael Jackson setting the stage on fire with a medley of hits in 1995, Britney Spears bringing out an albino Burmese python for I’m A Slave 4 U, to name a few. This was accompanied by iconic moments, such…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za Fancy a glass of wine with a scenic view? Try out these three wine tasting experiences around the country this spring. Wine in the wild Oenophiles who are in touch with nature can unwind by enjoying wine in the wild at the Kruger Station precinct this weekend. The event will take place on September 17-19 and offers a range of wine tastings, mezze snack plates and branded wine glasses as a takeaway. There will be an acoustic music set while tasting wines from farms across South Africa. “We want to show Kruger Park visitors that there is a way of enhancing their Kruger game viewing with interesting activities while they are in the park. We appreciate that people come to the park for the animals. However, we…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za Covid-19 may have caused more harm than good, but at least it enables most people to experience fun events they couldn’t attend when things were still “normal”. The Artscape’s Heritage Festival, which started yesterday, is a 45-day-long event aimed at celebrating South African diverse cultures and identities through indigenous, contemporary and international artistic works in dance, music and jazz. “The festival provides residents of Cape Town with a melting pot of divergent cultures. The Western Cape as well as South Africans at large with a platform to encourage dialogue about their values, aspirations and visions as we work together towards a united, inclusive and dignified South Africa,” read an Artscape statement. The festival started with an online performance of Mantis and The Bee, a humorous exploration of /Xam…

Itumeleng Mafisa The alleged insurance claims killer and former policewoman Rosemary Nomia Ndlovu took out insurance and other policies on her relatives and boyfriend, before she allegedly killed them. Maria Mushwana, 80, Ndlovu’s mother, testified in her defence at the high court proceedings at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where Ndlovu stands accused of murdering her family members for insurance payouts. The frail Mushwana seemed indifferent when she was questioned, however tensions arose when she started contradicting her daughter, whom she was meant to defend. Ndlovu had earlier testified that she was one of the last people to see her nephew, Brilliant Mashigo, alive in 2018 in Bushbuckridge. However, Mushwana contradicted this, saying that her daughter was nowhere near Bushbuckridge when Brilliant died. “No, they did not…

Bongani Nkosi A LAWYER for Ntuthuko Shoba, the Joburg man accused of masterminding his pregnant girlfriend’s murder, has sought to cast doubt on the strength of the State's case against his client. Advocate Zweli Zakwe told the South Gauteng High Court in Joburg yesterday that the State’s case against Shoba was doubtful by virtue of it being based on the plea bargain confession by a self-confessed murderer, Muzikayise Malephane. Zakwe effectively gave a glimpse into Shoba’s trial defence strategy. He will poke holes into the police failure to independently gather evidence linking him to Tshegofatso Pule’s killing, his 28-year-old pregnant girlfriend. Shoba was arrested and charged after Malephane entered into a plea bargain with prosecutors. The move saved Malephane from a life sentence. He was sentenced to 20 years…

BIDX1 SA will be holding an online auction of a modern manufacturing, warehousing and distribution property in Kya Sands on September 30. The property is in the industrial area just off Malibongwe Drive – a key arterial with easy access to Lanseria Airport. It is about 939m² of freestanding premises consisting of a 663m² warehouse, 138m² of offices and a 1 380m² mezzanine. It has 15 parking bays, electric fencing, a motorised entrance gate and three-phase power. The warehouse includes a dock leveller and lock-up yard area, while the offices include a reception area, six offices, kitchenette, changing rooms and two bathrooms. With an opening bid price of R2 million, the property presents an opportunity for an owner-occupier or investor to acquire a strategically well-situated property with easy access to…

​CITY Power has appealed to people not to light fires near electricity infrastructure. This comes after customers near the Heriotdale sub-station were affected by a power outage caused by a fire that started around midday. Technicians responded to the outage from Heriotdale sub-station and found that the transmission lines caused the trip, due to billowing smoke from the huge fire under the servitude. Affected customers included large power users such as PPC Cement and Scaw Metals. Fire fighters were called to assist in putting out the blaze under the power lines and electricity was restored after five hours. City Power recently had some outages affecting the 88KV and 11KV lines due to fires on the pylon servitudes. Hot spots for veld fires include Nasrec, Heriotdale, Ennerdale and Pennyville. Communities have…

PETER BACHTIS | Benoni JULIUS Malema’s political armoury is threadbare, and it is so sad to see his party’s lack of vision into the future. White-bashing and baiting is the only weapon at his disposal, to ensure his followers keep him in his well-paying parliamentary job. One would think that by now he would have shed his “Che Guevara” tactics, emerging as a clear-thinking, mature politician who could sway the electorate towards a better South Africa. The “white” thing is no longer of consequence, Julius. We handed over political power 27 years ago, so it’s time to rid yourself of the white chip on your shoulder and become a strategic thinker. You strike me as a highly intelligent man, so come up with workable solutions that will add…

Kennedy Mudzuli TO PUT it mildly, TorQue MuziQ is music, and music is him. As he puts it, the musician, DJ and producer he is today was conceived out of a love for music. Over the years, it evolved to a point where he goes to bed at night thinking about music and the next hit song. And when the sun rises in the morning, music is all he thinks about. “So, automatically, my body and soul is connected to music. That’s how I do it and that’s what keeps me going,” said TorQue MuziQ, born Thabiso Clifford Popela in Tzaneen, Limpopo. Now wiser and aged 30, he has since relocated to Gauteng and closer to opportunities to take his career to greater heights. He is based in Tembisa and…

Amanda Maliba ZAKES Bantwini’s Ghetto King album, that dropped last Friday, was met with great enthusiasm following the star’s unexpected hit song Osama, that trended weeks before the album dropped. Bantwini, real name Zakhele Madida, said the album that took two years to complete was a product of constant working and reworking, until he was happy with the final offering – music that has staying power, and until his next body of work is ready. “With Ghetto King, I kept going back and revisiting the music, changing this and that. By last year, I had already accumulated enough songs for an album but I kept on pushing back the release date because I felt that I couldn’t drop it while in lockdown.” Releasing an album, for Bantwini, meant he needed…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka KAIZER Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has said the selection of defender Njabulo Ngcobo by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos doesn’t mean he’ll get an “automatic passport” into his starting line-up in the early stages of the new season. A fortnight ago, Ngcobo made a second-half cameo for Bafana in their 1-0 victory over Ghana in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers at home. That cameo sent tongues wagging, considering the fact that he’s been overlooked by Baxter. “When he’s selected in the national team, that means he’s selected in the national team. I can’t be put in the national team because some of the coaches think that he’s doing well,” Baxter said yesterday. “I’ve got to work with Njabulo and see how he is with our players.…

FOUR-time Major winner Brooks Koepka told Golf Week on Wednesday he is “good to go” for the Ryder Cup, even as former US captain Paul Azinger questioned his commitment. Koepka pulled out of the PGA Tour Championship this month after hurting his left wrist hitting out of the rough. But in comments to Golf Week he said he would be ready to tee it up in the USA versus Europe matchplay showdown at Whistling Straits next week. “I’ll be there. I’m good to go,” he told the magazine via text message. “I’m feeling good, been doing my rehab, doing everything I need to do to be ready for the Cup. I’ll be there ready to play.” But Koepka had raised eyebrows with comments in a Golf Digest interview in which…

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp said his side got carried away by their own football after a topsy-turvy 3-2 victory over AC Milan in their opening Champions League Group B clash on Wednesday night. With fans inside Anfield for a Champions League match for the first time in 18 months, Liverpool began in electrifying fashion and threatened to run riot after Fikayo Tomori’s own goal handed them a ninth-minute lead. Liverpool had 13 goal attempts in the opening 15 minutes, but incredibly found themselves trailing at half-time as Ante Rebic and Brahim Diaz struck for Milan shortly before the interval. But goals by Mohamed Salah, who missed a first-half penalty, and Jordan Henderson’s 69th-minute piledriver secured an important three points in a daunting group that also includes Porto and Atletico Madrid,…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za GEMFIELDS, the supplier of coloured gemstones shot up by 13 percent on the JSE after it flagged a return to profit- ability during the half-year ended June 2021. Gemfields, which is focused on mining emeralds at the Kagem mine in Zambia and the Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) in Mozambique, expects a $23.8 million (R364m) net profit after tax for the six months ended June compared to a $56.7m net loss after tax. The group said its key operations, MRM and Kagem, generated revenues of $58.9m and $31.2m, respectively, during the six-month period to June, up from zero in MRM and $15m in Kagem. “Gemfields’ 2020 auction schedule was severely hampered by the many travel, quarantine and congregating restrictions put in place internationally to mitigate the…

Jamal Grootboom jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za The new season of Sex Education is here and it’s one for books. We pick up with our favourite students from Moordale Secondary School, in a new year, following school holidays, with many of our main cast in different stages, following the dramatic end of season two. Otis (Asa Butterfield) is having casual sex, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and Adam (Connor Swindells) are official, Jean (Gillian Anderson) has a baby on the way, and new head teacher Hope (Jemima Kirke) tries to return Moordale to a pillar of excellence The show has been groundbreaking for its frankness around sex, across various sexual orientations, and being a conversation starter when it comes to how they approach the taboo subject in a teenage setting. And season three is no different.…

THE life industry has announced that it remains in robust financial health and is well capitalised to honour the long-term contractual promises made to customers. This is in spite ofthe unprecedented claims and benefit payments to policyholders and beneficiaries as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic in the past financial year, The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (Asisa) released the half-yearly long-term insurance statistics reported by its members, which showed that the life insurance industry held assets of R3.43 trillion at the end of June. The industry’s liabilities amounted to R3.09 trillion. This has left the industry with free assets of R334.6 billion, which was almost double the reserve buffer required by the Solvency Capital Requirements (SCR). Asisa Life and Risk Board Committee deputy chairperson Hennie…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za In South Africa, the podcast wave is starting to catch on. And content strategist and podcaster Jon Savage, unpacks the strides being made in the space. After all, he’s got the expertise to back it up as he’s been a pioneer in this playground for more than a decade. He also heads InBroadcasting, which focuses on innovating in the broadcast media and branded content space. The former 5FM presenter said: “I’m an early adopter in the podcasting space, so I’ve been in podcasting for around 10 years, maybe longer. I was always a fan-first. I was a big listener of podcasts. “I think the first podcast I ever had was called The Official South African Music Industry podcast and that might have been in 2010 or 2011.…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za WITH the weather warming up, weekends are best spent outdoors. As such, why not slip into your favourite shorts and put on those shades you love so much and head out to a weekend market near you. Not only do you get to meet cool people but you will also be supporting the local crafts while, at the same time, enjoying great food and music. Cape Town Milnerton Flea Market This market is one of the city’s most diverse outdoor markets. Although it has moved to Paarden Eiland, it still kept its original name, Milnerton. It has over 250 stalls offering furniture, home décor, second-hand goods, collectables, clothing and white elephant items. Visitors can also see Table Mountain as they shop around while getting a whiff of…

Thobile Mazibuko, Lutho Pasiya and Sacha van Niekerk Heritage Day is one of the biggest celebrations on the South African calendar. Commemorated annually on September 24, it’s the day that enables us to celebrate our diverse cultures and traditions. We dress in our traditional garb, dance to African beats, belt out ancestral songs and share a taste of African cuisine prepared with love. If you prefer an outdoor celebration this Heritage Day, we’ve got a few suggestions for you. Joburg The Stables Village food market Spoil your family with a variety of tasty foods at the Heritage Day food market at the Stables Village. There will be a cocktail bar, a deli, a nursery, an arts and crafts studio for kids, an interior design shop, hair salon, nail studio and…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons Tributes continue to pour in following the death of Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Professor Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize. Mkhize has been hailed for the “shining legacy” she left. The 69-year-old died on Thursday last week following a short illness. She had served in the Presidency since May 2019. In a tribute, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Mkhize’s death was a national loss. “Professor Mkhize’s legacy is indelible across so many dimensions and sectors of our national life. She distinguished herself as a tireless and passionate anti-apartheid and human rights activist, and campaigner for an end to gender inequality,” he said. “She availed herself for service at the international level, including her representation of Transparency International South Africa in global institutions.…

Staff Reporter MANY think that the only things on display at a library are books. However, the inner workings of the library can be something of a mystery, especially if you don’t have a chance to visit that often. Gwyneth Perry, a senior librarian at Weltevreden Park Library, says her recent “Spring Day” display has been “no easy task in creating, it involves a certain amount of research and organisation while still being creative”. “The displays are a major attraction to adults and children alike and apart from being informative, they add to the general welcoming ambiance of the library.” Displays play an important role in the success of a library’s outreach to the community because they help educate the public. Maryna Moolman, the operations manager of Library and Information…

Zelda Venter BUSINESS rights organisation Sakeliga has lodged a court application to compel the government to disclose its grounds for the state of disaster, disaster management regulations and lockdown levels. The application forms part of a process, in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, to obtain Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s records of decision- making regarding the lockdown and all disaster management regulations. In terms of the Disaster Management Act, Dlamini Zuma, as minister of this portfolio, is the person responsible for enacting these regulations. “The goalposts for when the restriction must be lifted are constantly shifting. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s point of view this past Sunday, that the restrictions will continue until an acceptable number of people have been vaccinated, contradicts…

Mthuthuzeli Ntseku DUBBED the Gratitude Concert, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra honoured the front-line health-care workers through music outside Groote Schuur Hospital on Wednesday. The concert, which is the brainchild of Hospital Heroes to show recognition and appreciation for the work the health workers were doing, also saw thousands of them streaming it live during their lunch hour. Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra chief executive Louis Heyneman said that it was the first performance for the orchestra in front of a live audience since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the hard lockdown. “We wanted to tell them that they are heard and seen, and we honour, admire and thank them for the selfless work that they have been doing. The trauma of going through day after day of keeping us…

EVERY major city in the world has a football derby that splits it straight down the middle. In some parts it is defined by contrasting religious ideologies, while others are based on historic social and economic status. Cape Town has been no different over the years with the Mother City derby always creating fervent interest. In the 1970s Cape Town Spurs and Glenville FC had Athlone Stadium rocking, while Spurs and Hellenic match-ups during the 90s was as much a part of the city’s unique flavour as Sunday morning koesisters from Aunty Tiema or a Golden Dish gatsby at 4am after a night out at Galaxy. My first real taste of the iKapa derby was in 2003 when Santos - “The People’s Team” - met Ajax Cape Town in…

OLYMPIC champion Simone Biles and other top American gymnasts condemned US sports officials and the FBI in powerful Senate testimony on Wednesday for failing to act promptly on complaints about Larry Nassar, the former team doctor convicted of serial sexual abuse. “We have been failed and we deserve answers,” said the 24-year-old Biles, a seven-time Olympic medallist and the most decorated gymnast in world championship history. “To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar but I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse,” she told an emotional hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Nassar, 58, was sentenced to life in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting women and girls while working as a team doctor at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University (MSU). USA…

Chelsea’s status as genuine Premier League title contenders will be tested with Sunday’s trip to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur before they face the ultimate challenge against champions Manchester City next week. While Chelsea start as favourites on Sunday, Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo will also learn a great deal about just how well equipped his team is for this campaign from the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s European champions. The following week, Spurs have a north London derby against Arsenal and a promising start to the season could quickly be forgotten if those two matches end in defeats. Chelsea are one of four teams at the top of the table who are unbeaten and have 10 points from three wins and a draw, earned away to Liverpool when they played the…

Mihlali Baleka @Mihlalibaleka CAPTAIN Lehlohonolo Nonyane is confident that Marumo Gallants can still progress to the next round of the Confederation Cup qualifiers, after losing the first leg of their preliminary qualifying tie against Futuro Kings in Equatorial Guinea. Gallants had a rollercoaster outing in their first campaign in the top flight last term after buying the Premier Soccer League status of Bidvest Wits. They finished 12th on the Premiership standings but bagged the Nedbank Cup crown against Chippa United in May. Then still known as Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC, that triumph under coach Dylan Kerr ensured that they qualified for the Confederation Cup this season. Gallants stuttered in the preliminary round, losing the first leg away to Futuro. However, they are taking confidence from the fact that their away…