Table of contents for 2023-01-31 in Star

Annie Wersching has died at the age of 45. The star, who was best known for her role as FBI agent Renee Walker in the TV series 24, passed away on Sunday morning in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer. Wersching also appeared in the TV shows Bosch and Timeless and voiced the character of Tess in the popular video game The Last of Us. She had been diagnosed with cancer in 2020 but continued to act with prominent roles in both The Rookie and Star Trek: Picard. Wersching's husband, actor Stephen Full, said in statement: “There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. “She didn’t require music to…

OUSTED City of Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has her eye on contesting John Steenhuisen for the position of federal leader of the DA. Phalatse briefed the media in Soweto yesterday, confirming that she would be contesting for the DA’s top job. Over the past few months, Phalatse has been in a strained relationship with Steenhuisen. The Star understands that some in the DA were shocked that she would want the position of party leader when she had failed to keep things together in the City of Joburg. But, said Phalatse: “I believe that I am the kind of person that can help us find each other for the sake of our country. This country needs the DA. This is a contest and I have to put in the work.…

A tiger which was spotted on CCTV footage roaming the parking lot of an office park in Edenvale, Gauteng, was swiftly recaptured and taken to a sanctuary for safekeeping. Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee confirmed yesterday’s tiger escape incident. This comes shortly after another tiger, Sheba, escaped, injuring a man and killing other animals in Walkerville. After this latest incident, the NSPCA called on the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to take responsibility for allowing domestication permits in residential areas. According to EWN, the NSPCA’s wildlife unit manager, Doug Wolhuter, said that becoming the owner of a tiger was surprisingly easy, at least in Gauteng, due to legal loopholes and poorly implemented by-laws. When Sheba was at the centre of the discourse, the World Animal Protection said: “We reiterate…

Goodhope Ledwaba makes an interesting character. Ledwaba is a media owner, entrepreneur and socialite. He is also fearless, courageous and a maverick. You either love him or hate him. He is that kind of a person. Community radio is the voice of the people. It also promotes grassroots journalism, and trains budding journalists and radio presenters. In other words, it is closer to the people, and helps the community to realise its dreams and aspirations. On February 20, the community radio Westside FM turns 10. It’s a milestone. Many community radio stations don’t live that long. Why? Because of lack of resources, especially finance. Westside FM, based in Kagiso, operates from a mall, and covers the West Rand region, which is quite huge. However, it does not reach all the…

AFRICA’S biggest economy and most populous country, Nigeria, is to hold its general elections on February 25, which will see the voters elect a new president, senators and members of the House of Representatives. Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari’s 8-year tenure is set to come to an end. In his two terms in office, Buhari has presided over rising inflation, which stands at over 21% according to the latest figures; widespread poverty with four in 10 people living below the poverty line; and high levels of unemployment, with 33% of the economically active being jobless. Unemployment is particularly high among the youth with 42.5% unemployed. Another major area of concern under Buhari’s reign has been the security situation in Nigeria where terrorist attacks, especially in the country’s northern region, have become…

Police officers were among the 33 killed and 150 wounded in a blast at a mosque inside a highly sensitive Pakistani police headquarters yesterday, prompting the government to put the country on high alert. The attack happened during afternoon worship in the provincial capital of Peshawar, close to former tribal areas that border Afghanistan where militancy has been steadily rising. A frantic rescue mission was under way at the mosque, which had an entire wall and some of its roof blown off by the force of the blast. “Many policemen are buried under the rubble,” said Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan, who estimated that between 300 and 400 officers usually attended prayers at the mosque. “Efforts are being made to get them out safely,” he said. Bloodied survivors emerged…

Paris: France braced yesterday for another day of mass protests and strikes over proposed pension reform, with the government of President Emmanuel Macron and its left-wing opponents trading blame for the expected disruption. Around 1.1 million people took to the streets for the first strike day on January 19. Police said security forces were expecting similarly sized crowds today, with 1.2 million seen as the upper limit at 240 demonstrations around the country. Macron made the change part of this re-election manifesto in April last year and insists it is needed to guarantee future financing of the pension system. | AFP…

Judge Piet Koen, who has been presiding over Jacob Zuma’s arms corruption trial, has recused himself. Judge Koen yesterday recused himself after he had last year dismissed Zuma’s bid to force out the prosecutor, Billy Downer, whom he accused of leaking confidential medical documents to the media. This comes after the Constitutional Court initially supported Judge Koen’s decision, saying the former head of state’s application to remove Downer had no reasonable prospects of success. This latest decision has cleared one of the biggest legal hurdles in the case that has been going on for more than 15 years. The Jacob Zuma Foundation said it welcomed the decision by Judge Koen to recuse himself. However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it was disappointed by the judge’s decision because it felt…

The new mayor of Joburg, Thapelo Amad, has promised to attend to the financial crisis in the City of Joburg and ensure service providers are paid and service delivery continues. The municipality had run into financial difficulties due to unpaid contracts and service providers for months. But Amad said the city would seek a loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to ensure the municipality was able to deliver uninterrupted services. The situation with the municipal finances was so bad that city employees were scared they would not be paid at the end of the month. The ANC and other parties had refused to help the previous DA-led administration get the much-needed funds because the mayor at the time, Mpho Phalatse, had refused to admit the municipality was…

NEWLY-ELECTED mayor of Mkhondo Local Municipality, Ngelosi Ndlovu, has expressed concern about her safety, following the bloodbath in the Mpumalanga area in recent weeks. Ndlovu was elected last week to take over from independent 32-year-old mayor Mthokozisi Simelane, who ousted former ANC mayor Vusi Motha in the Mkhondo council in the local government elections in 2021. The municipal council was dissolved last year after the ANC fired six of its councillors for voting with the opposition. This month, three ANC members were gunned down in Piet Retief, including Mkhondo councillor Sbonelo Ntshangase, who filmed a video stating that should he be killed, Motha should be blamed. The three murders followed the slaying of Mkhondo PR councillor Muzi Manyathi last November. The murders have caused tensions in the Mkhondo area, putting…

Voters’ reaction to coalition changes in the Metro councils has been interesting. Some have reacted with disapproval, often utterly rejecting new mayors and mistrusting all politicians. Others feel helpless, certain they can do nothing. A third group have welcomed the changes in Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay, especially if their own parties were previously out and are now in. Do these changes benefit the voters and citizens of our major cities, or is it only politicians who benefit? Voters view deals with suspicion that ignore coalition agreements, manifesto undertakings, and agreed policies and principles and favour only the councillors concerned. This is especially so where the spoils are shared between political parties in one municipality in return for placing the other party in control in another council. Sweeties: one for…

Since the very beginning of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine Nato has emphasised that it was not a warring party in the conflict and did not want to become one. Let me provide you with an example of the recent statement of the secretary-general of the organisation Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with the German daily newspaper Die Welt: “Nato was not and would not be a warring party to the conflict in Ukraine, the alliance is not sending its troops and aircraft to Ukraine.” At the same time, the alliance has already supplied weapons to Ukraine worth billions of US dollars. Recently, the delivery of Leopard battle tanks to the combat zone has been actively discussed. Being a diplomat and not a soldier, I know little about the…

KYIV: Russian forces claimed incremental gains in eastern Ukraine yesterday, adding up to their biggest advances in months, after relentless battles. The administrator of Russian-controlled parts of Donetsk province, Denis Pushilin, claimed troops had secured a foothold in Vuhledar, a coal mining town whose ruins have been a Ukrainian bastion in the war. A day earlier, head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary force said his fighters had secured Blahodatne, the focus of sustained Russian attacks for months. Kyiv said that it had repelled assaults on Blahodatne and Vuhledar. But the locations of the reported fighting indicated clear, but gradual, Russian gains. | Reuters…

Tokyo: A reactor at a Japanese nuclear power plant automatically shut down yesterday after an alert, but no radiation rise was detected and regulators are probing the cause. The reactor at the Takahama power plant in central Fukui region halted after an alarm warning of a rapid decrease in the number of neutrons, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) said. The NRA said no abnormalities in radioactive levels were detected. Operator Kansai Electric Power Co said it was investigating. Fukui officials said it was unclear what had caused the alarm to go off, but they noted no abnormalities in reactor temperature or pressure. | AFP…

Springbok rugby captains, especially World Cup-winning ones, are revered in South Africa. Proteas cricket captains, particularly as none have lifted a World Cup, not so much. Bar the late Hansie Cronje, who was later crucified for his match-fixing shenanigans, none have been universally loved. Even Graeme Smith had his detractors. Smith, in fact, was so paranoid at one stage of his career that he firmly believed there was personal vendetta against him purely due to his English mother tongue. So, when Temba Bavuma fell on the wrong side of the public’s affection there was precious little sympathy for the current Proteas white-ball captain. It was simply registered as part and parcel of the job. But it wasn’t in fact. The current age of social media has fostered a culture where…

Orlando Pirates have struck a purple patch which has seen the team bag three Premiership wins in a row after they defeated Marumo Gallants on Saturday evening. It was a formidable display and it served as a warm-up match for this weekend’s crunch fixture at Orlando Stadium against runaway DStv Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. Apart from their red-hot form, Pirates will also be fuelled by their terrific run at home this season. After 18 matches, they have 28 points and 17 are from home matches with the ‘Slaughterhouse’ living up to its reputation this season. There is also Pirates’ scoring ability, which has soared of late. They have scored nine goals in the last three games and this goal glut coincides with the arrival of striker coach Scott Chickelday, a…

After what might feel like forever for hardcore Sjava fans, the award-winning musician has finally released his full-length (18-track) studio album titled Isibuko (translated: A mirror). As the name suggests, the album exposes a deeply introspective side to the artist as he takes the listener on a journey of bare and raw emotions. Sjava last released music in 2020 with his EP Umsebenzi, which was highly successful, followed by a deluxe version in 2021. The musician shared in a statement that the new album speaks of his experiences and growth. “This album obviously is a reflection of my journey over the last few years and speaks to my experiences and growth as a person and as a musician. “Musically, it is a continuation of the process that began with the…

Makhelwane Festival is more than just about the entertainment experience; the popular affair aims to develop and drive township tourism and further create sustainable platforms for young creatives and entrepreneurs across Gauteng. The festival was once again presented by the creatives at LoCrate Market, connecting neighbours and communities through local small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs. It ran at the weekend from Thesis Lifestyle in Soweto and Poka Street in Orlando West, with business talks and a night market experience. Artists and musicians who delivered stellar performances live at Poka Street, Orlando West, made it the perfect Sunday. Among them were renowned artists such as Langa Mavuso and DJs Lula Odiba and Thabo Phalatse, as well as Themba Lunacy. This year the festival incorporated a food carnival, a music festival,…

Kerry King, advisory partner and wealth management specialist at Citadel, explores the importance for consumers and businesses to make provisions and adjustments to ensure survival in 2023. King advises South Africans to be careful with debt, as the world faces a possible recession this year. According to the Citadel Asset Management team, the likelihood of a global recession this year has increased significantly. With inflation already shooting up and interest rates sure to be hiked again, the cost of living will continue to rise. King explains four crucial personal finance survival tactics to stick to in 2023, regardless of whether you have savings, assets, and/or cash flow. Remain as financially liquid as possible. She advises people not to have all their money tied up in illiquid assets. “There should be…

The SAMFLO Student Foundation is a non-profit organisation that helps pupils at secondary school level with their studies. The foundation offers online studies for those who cannot catch up with the rest of the pupils in class by having extra online lessons with them. It also helps those who are doing Grade 12 with university applications as well as bursary applications. The foundation is run by a group of university students who saw it as a must to help pupils who are struggling to keep up with the teacher, so they have extra online lessons with them after their contact classes. “It was difficult for us to help all these learners since not all mentors had computers, but that did not stop us from tutoring them; we even sent a…

Is it not ironic that the DA lodged an application in the High Court to challenge the policy of the ANC when it does not want its own policies to be challenged? The resignation of Herman Mashaba as mayor of the City of Johannesburg was instigated by its policies and now Dr Mpho Phalatse is collateral damage. We had sincere and faithful mayors who worked tirelessly to deliver change being appointed by the DA to lure voters while those who implement its policies in section 79 committees, municipal councils, the federal council chair, national and provincial legislatures are only focusing on middle-to-upper-class suburbs. They want mayors to campaign in branded protective clothing for grass-cutting, road resurfacing and road markings in communities but these trivial matters disguise real issues such as…

Just where on earth is South Africa heading, especially in its public life? Recently, former president Zuma was elected chairperson of the KZN SA National Civics Organisation. No sooner had the public tried to observe what Zuma was doing in civil matters, we hear he might be angling to use Sanco nationally as a vehicle to challenge the ANC in the 2024 elections. But this is a ludicrous view as Sanco, by definition, is not a political party and indeed an ally of the ANC. To add fuel to the fire, news of Zuma’s “election” had hardly died down when another organisation calling itself Sanco KZN, ostensibly the “real” one, came to the fore denouncing the “election” of Zuma as its leader. Its leadership maintains that the…

IN THE president’s weekly newsletter, Cyril Ramaphosa announced a raft of measures and programmes designed to shield poor South Africans from the rising cost of electricity. From April 1, the tariff is due to shoot up by 18.65% – a move which the president has urged the Eskom board to reconsider. At the same time, Ramaphosa has stressed the importance of respecting the independence of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, which had followed “wide-ranging consultation” and “due legal process” in setting the tariffs. The price hike was necessary for the utility to be able to service its debt and to do the critical maintenance needed to end load shedding, he explained. So is Ramaphosa for or against the tariff hike? Judging by all the new policies he’s alluded…

JAKARTA: Indonesian police said yesterday a local trader of industrial-grade chemicals sold them as pharmaceutical-grade, leading to their use in medicated syrups that authorities suspect may have caused deaths of more than 200 children across the country. Authorities have said ethylene glycol and diethyelene glycol, found in some syrup-based paracetamol medications, are linked to acute kidney injury, which many of the children suffered. The ingredients are used in antifreeze and other industrial applications, but also as a cheaper alternative in some pharmaceutical products to glycerine. | Reuters…

You’d have to travel back to 2007 to log the professional debut of Willem Alberts, and based on recent outings, the now 38-year-old still has a bit more mileage in the tank to expend on the rugby field. The former Springbok loose-forward might have moved into the second-row for the Lions this season, but his trademark runs remain, while his crunching tackles that earned him the nickname of the ‘Bone Collector’ still notch up a victim or two. Alberts is in the twilight of his career and there is no illusion to that. So, while he recently enjoyed playing all four matches for the Joburgers during their recent tour of Europe, he has a full appreciation of the facts. “Personally, touring for four weeks and playing was awesome,” said Alberts.…

Relegation-threatened Everton announced yesterday they had appointed former Burnley boss Sean Dyche as their new manager to replace the sacked Frank Lampard. Dyche, who has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract, has a tough first match against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday. The 51-year-old said it was an “honour” to take over at the Merseyside club, who have not won any silverware since 1995. “I know about Everton’s passionate fan base and how precious this club is to them,” Dyche said in a club statement. “We’re ready to work and ready to give them what they want. That starts with sweat on the shirt, effort and getting back to some of the basic principles of what Everton Football Club has stood for for a long time. “We want…