Table of contents for 2023-05-29 in Star

Eskom wage negotiations are heading for the fourth round in June after talks deadlocked as three workers unions rejected the employers’ revised final offer of 5.25% increases. These protracted negotiations, which began mid-April, could raise the stakes and increase the possibility of heavily intensified load shedding if workers down tools since parties remain far apart. This comes as the power utility and its three recognised trade unions – National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and Solidarity – concluded the third round of salary negotiations last week. Eskom on Friday said the negotiations have progressed relatively well with some significant movements made since the beginning of the wage talks last month. In the first two rounds, Eskom responded with a 3.75% offer, which was…

TESLA Model Y has become the first all-electric vehicle to be billed as the world’s bestselling car, a report has shown. Tesla Model Y surpassed Toyota’s RAV4 and Corolla models to top global sales rankings in the first quarter of 2023, according to data from Jato Dynamics. The 2023 Model Y starts at $47 490 (R932 248), considerably more than the 2023 Corolla ($21 550) and RAV4 ($27 575), reports The Verge. Tesla Model Y sold 267 200 units globally in the first quarter this year, compared to 256 400 Corolla and 214 700 RAV4 units sold. Tesla CEO Elon Musk even estimated back in 2016 that this model would draw demand “in the 500k to 1 million…

Shares of Pan African Resources dipped 21% on Friday when the gold producer said it would lower its production guidance for gold in the current financial year, primarily as a result of challenges related to Eskom-generated electricity supply. The shares closed 21.23% lower at R3.19 on Friday and have decreased by 11.88% in the past six months. In its results for the year ending June 30, 2023, the group said it reduced production guidance to about 175 000 ounces, previously 195 000 ounces to 205 000 ounces, resulting in a production loss of approximately 10 000 ounces of gold. Pan African Resources said issues related to Eskom-generated electricity supply impacted all of the group’s operations. “In addition to loading curtailment, power outages, and surges, difficulties related…

Media personality and host of Anele and the Club breakfast show on 974, Anele Mdoda, is getting ready for her next big TV gig. Mdoda’s production company, Rose and Oaks, will be launching its second production, The Masked Singer South Africa, on Saturday June 3. The show will premiere on S3 at 6.30pm and on SABC1 at 8.30pm. Mpho Popps will lead the show as host while Mdoda’s team of detectives, Mi Casa frontman J’Something, media personality Somizi Mhlongo, social media sensation Sithelo Shozi and comedian Skhumba scrabble to figure out the personalities behind the masks. A proud Mdoda took to Instagram to share an old Rapid Blue audition form for the production SA’s Got Talent. Dated “04/05/09”, Mdoda was just 24 years old at the time. “They were done…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally acted on the power struggles that have dominated the ascendency of Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho “Sputla” Ramokgopa. On Friday, Ramaphosa stripped Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe of some of his powers and bestowed them on Ramokgopa. Ramaphosa’s move ends months of confusion about the scope of the powers of the new minister, who spent the first weeks of his tenure visiting power stations across the country. “After due consideration, President Ramaphosa has transferred to the minister of electricity all powers and functions contained in Section 34(1) of the Electricity Regulation Act which were previously entrusted to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in a statement. Magwenya said the president has also transferred to the Minister of…

Health workers have been advised to treat all diarrhoea cases as suspected cholera until proven otherwise. The head of the Centre for Enteric Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Dr Juno Thomas, said the hallmark of cholera was acute watery diarrhoea. At the time of writing, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera in the outbreak in South Africa is 29. South Africa reported its first cholera death in February after the virus arrived from Malawi. Thomas said cholera was defined as diarrhoea which is typically watery, non-bloody liquid stools that may contain mucus, passed three or more times within 24 hours. She said 20% of those infected with cholera – caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae – may vomit, while fever is mostly absent. Vibrio cholerae develop…

The campaign to pressure the City of Tshwane to keep Hillcrest Swimming Pool open is gathering momentum. This comes after close to 2 000 residents signed an online petition demanding the reopening of the historic public facility with immediate effect. City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the pool was temporarily closed and that unlike other pools it remained open longer than the swimming season, which was until the end of April, for training purposes. “All other pools closed on April 10, 2023, at the end of the 2022/2023 swimming season,” he said. The pool, he said, would be closed until such time as the water could be heated to the required temperature for safe usage by clients. “This is done in order to comply with the standard operating procedures for…

A DELEGATION of officials from South Africa, led by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, has arrived in Malawi to participate in the extradition hearing of fugitives Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary. The hearing in Malawi is scheduled for tomorrow. The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services said senior and highly experienced prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority, the Investigative Directorate and investigators from the SAPS would take part in the hearing. Chrispin Phiri, the minister’s spokesperson, said the delegation’s participation in the hearing was in line with section 6 of the Extradition Act of Malawi. “In leading this delegation, the department is fulfilling its role as a central authority,” Phiri said. In an extradition context, a central authority was a designated government department that had the responsibility…

LAST week once again saw the University of Pretoria Library bringing man’s furry four-legged friends to the Hatfield campus to rub shoulders with the students. The university’s library services in collaboration with the largest dog therapy organisation in Gauteng, Top Dogs, on Thursday brought therapy dogs on to the campus to provide animal-assisted therapy to students who needed a little love from the trained dogs. Research indicates that human-animal interaction has a relaxing and stress-reduction effect even after as little as five minutes of interaction with a therapy dog. Although animal-assisted therapy is mainly used in health care and elderly care settings, more and more modern international academic and public libraries use therapy dogs as a way of engaging student interaction. This rewarding programme is the brainchild of librarian Elsabé…

Brandon Truter wasn’t a sore loser after Sekhukhune United lost in the Nedbank Cup final. Instead, he is confident they have laid a solid foundation for the future. Minnows Sekhukhune were expected to live up to the “David v Goliath” mantra when they clashed with local giants Orlando Pirates on Saturday. But is wasn’t to be. Pirates proved their prowess on the night as they beat Sekhukhune 2-1 to bag their second trophy of the season – having already won the MTN8. The underdogs had landed the first punch via Sibusiso Vilakazi’s early strike before Pirates replied courtesy of Tapelo Xoki and Terrence Dzvukamanja. Nonetheless, Babina Noko were not overly downcast after the final whistle as they drew positives from the campaign, having also qualified for the MTN8 and Caf…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s transfer of some powers to decide on the required new electricity generation capacity from the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe has created more confusion than clarity in the market. Ramaphosa on Friday signed a pro- clamation to transfer roles and responsibilities in Section 34(1) of the Electricity Regulation Act to the Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosien- tsho Ramokgopa. Section 34(1) of the act empowers the minister to issue a determination that new generation capacity is needed in order to ensure security of energy supply. This includes the amount of new capacity that must be procured; the type of capacity (for example, wind or solar PV); and the manner in which it must be procured. These powers and functions were previously entrusted…

All living organisms germinate or get born and die. In human populations, this process is followed, aggregated and reported upon by national statistical authorities. In South Africa, Statistics South Africa takes on this noble task. From 1995 to 2000, I was a chief director responsible for demography, vital statistics, surveys and censuses at Statistics South Africa. I have had the privilege of observation and research through a study I conducted in Bophuthatswana in 1986, while I served in the statistics office from 1982 to 1994. The study revealed the causes of a low rate of registration of vital statistics in Bophuthatswana. I was thus in a position to address and set systems towards remedying the low rate of recording of, especially, births and deaths when I started work at…

WHEN I MOVED into my neighbourhood, two neighbours came one after another to welcome me into the neighbourhood and tell me what a great choice I had made of moving into the area, because of its safety and many other virtues that they had appreciated after many years of living in the area. Soon after the two neighbours left, a street committee member knocked on my door to invite me to join the neighbourhood WhatsApp group and show me how I could contribute an amount of money towards the boom gate patrol guards and neighbourhood security. I must say, I found myself taken aback by these gestures. I was immediately made to feel that I was a member of a community and as community dwellers we were jointly responsible for…

CULTISH has honoured AKA and Costa Titch with a limited-edition tribute garment. The tribute launch was hosted at Cultish’s store at Rosebank Mall and featured a number of music performances. Ahead of the launch, AKA’s brand manager Mahlatse “Zazboy” Sethole shared the news on Instagram last week. “To honour AKA’s remarkable life and expressive connection with Cultish®, we decided to release a limited-edition tribute garment. This special piece embodies the essence of our collaboration and serves as a celebration of AKA’s artistic journey.” The lengthy statement added that the garment pays homage to AKA’s style, his indomitable spirit, and the profound impact he made. “With every stitch and design element, this tribute garment represents the fusion of two creative forces that inspired countless individuals. “It serves as a reminder of…

THE North West Health Department says it will take proper action against those responsible for stuffing newborn babies into boxes instead of placing them in cribs or incubators. This comes after pictures of babies placed in cardboard boxes went viral on social media, sparking concerns about the condition at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital. The Department of Health has been accused of being negligent and inhumane. Explaining the incident, the department said the babies were put in boxes because there was a shortage of cribs and incubators. It was reported that 56 babies had been delivered, and while four were placed in boxes, others were made to share cribs or incubators. North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha said the department had launched an investigation and action would be taken against those…

KwaZulu-Natal South Coast snake catcher Sarel van der Merwe removed and relocated a 26k, 4m southern African python. Van der Merwe said that last Monday, he and Paul Cook had a call-out in Port Edward for a southern African python. He said a farmer’s wife phoned him and said: “I have a big python between the banana plants and the staff want to kill it.” He said he asked them to watch the snake until he arrived. Van der Merwe said that he worked alone when removing a python because having more than one person could result in them falling over each other, and that is when one could get bitten. “I just went behind him, grabbed him very quickly behind the head and pulled him out,” Van der Merwe…

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, has commended South Africa’s law enforcement agencies for the arrest of Rwandan fugitive Fulgence Kayishema. He was nabbed after an Interpol Red Notice was issued at the request of the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunal (IRMCT). The tribunal wanted the fugitive in connection with the genocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda. He has been at large since the early 2000s. Lamola said the arrest sent a message that South Africa would not be a refuge for fugitives. “With this arrest, two emphatic statements cannot be refuted: that the long arm of the law knows no time bounds and South Africa is not willing to be a safe haven for fugitives,” said Lamola. “We will continue to assist other countries…

As South Africans joined fellow Africans in celebrating Africa Day, with the entire month of May dedicated as Africa Month in South Africa, United Arab Emirates Ambassador Mahash Saeed Alhameli has pledged support and partnership for the continent. This month South Africa has commemorated the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, which later became the AU. Alhameli hosted an Africa Day event at the UAE Embassy in Pretoria, which was attended by several dignitaries including president of the Pan African Parliament, Chief Fortune Charumbira, who is also president of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs and Ambassador of Libya to South Africa, Dr Ing Abdulkadir Ahmed Alnour. He said that the UAE had vested interest in the developmental agenda of the African continent. “Within the context…

JUSTICE and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has commended South Africa’s law enforcement agencies for the arrest of Rwandan fugitive Fulgence Kayishema. He was nabbed after an Interpol Red Notice was issued at the request of the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunal. The entity sought the arrest of Kayishema in connection with the genocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda. He has been at large since the early 2000s. Lamola said the arrest sent a message that South Africa would not be a refuge for fugitives. “With this arrest, two emphatic statements cannot be refuted: that the long arm of the law knows no time bounds and South Africa is not willing to be a safe haven for fugitives,” said Lamola. “We will continue to assist other countries…

Guests were taken on an adrenalin ride with the new action-packed movie Kandahar, with Gerard Butler at the helm as the lead actor. Independent Media invited some of its readers to Hyde Park Corner in Johannesburg for a private screening of this eagerly-awaited movie that is now showing in cinemas. Kandahar takes viewers on a CIA operation mission through the desert. Butler portrays an undercover CIA operative, Tom Harris, who gets stuck in hostile territory in Afghanistan after his mission is uncovered. Accompanied by his translator, Navid Negahban, he must fight enemy combatants as he tries to reach an extraction point in Kandahar. In spite of being hindered by elite forces, the pair is determined to fight against all odds to get home to their families and loved ones. Screen…

Being raised by a single mother who is also a street vendor motivated Durban University of Technology (DUT) student Nkosenhle Dlamini to shine in his studies. The 26-year-old business information management student, from the outskirts of Nkonjeni in Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, graduated cum laude and obtained the Dean’s Merit Award at the DUT Autumn Graduation held at the Olive Convention Centre last Wednesday. Dlamini and his brother Phakamani Dlamini, who is three years younger than him, were raised by their mother, Ntombi Prisca Dlamini. Although they did not have much, their mother made sure she gave them the best life with the little that she had. When Dlamini spoke about his journey at DUT, he said: “My journey at DUT was eye-opening. I never thought that in my life I…

The UNEXPECTEDLY higher increase in the repo rate by 0.50 basis points to by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the SA Reserve Bank last Thursday brought about concern among the public, economists and market analysts. The rand initially depreciated strongly against the US dollar, pound and euro just after the announcement of the increase in the repo rate. This latest rate hike is the 10th consecutive increase in interest rates since November 2021 and was raised in total by 475 basis points (more than double) from 18 months ago since the policy tightening began. The rand almost immediately lost 40 cents to R19.77 to the dollar after the announcement and traded for the first time higher than R24 against the pound. The currency, as expected, however, started to…

QUANTUM Food Holdings’ headline earnings a share sagged 82% to 2.9 cents in the six months to March 31, and the dividend was passed after its poultry operations were hit by high feed costs, load shedding and low egg prices. Trading conditions in the period were the most challenging conditions experienced by Quantum Foods since its listing in October 2014, the directors said on Friday. Revenue increased 22% to R3.45 billion. However, operating profit (before capital items) fell 57% to R15 million. The outlook was murky. Directors said that while the prices of raw material inputs had softened from levels seen in the interim period, feed costs would also depend on the rand not weakening significantly. Lower feed raw material costs could positively affect earnings from the…

THE CROP ESTIMATES Committee (CEC) on Friday boosted its estimate of maize production for South Africa for 2022-2023 by 2% from the previous month to 16 million tons attributable to favourable weather conditions. This bodes well for improving profit margins in the livestock sector, FNB Agri-Business senior agricultural economist Paul Makube said. As regards consumers, Makube said with food inflation having been trending at double-digit levels with the April update coming in at 11.3% year-on-year (y/y), the bullish supply outlook for summer crops had already dampened grain and oilseed prices and they expected the benefits to pass through in the second half of this year. “This means South Africa will go into the next season with a relatively good carry-over stock as the historical local consumption is just below 11.8…

Media personality and businessman Sbusiso “DJ Sbu” Leope, pictured, is in high spirits after his podcast was hand picked to join Sean “Diddy” Combs’s network of podcasts. Now referred to as The Hustlers Corner Global, it will join seven other new culture-driven shows covering sports, mental wellness, personal finance, entrepreneurship and music, on the Revolt Podcast Network as part of the spring 2023 class. According to Revolt’s CEO Detavio Samuels, “the new diverse and dynamic shows aim to provide unique perspectives and valuable insights for their modern audience”. Taking to Instagram, DJ Sbu shared the news to his 1.2 million followers. He wrote: “We would like to share the great news that @thehustlerscornersa is now officially part of the team and will be available on @revolttv @revoltpodcastnetwork “Thank you…

National security adviser Dr Sydney Mufamadi has refused to furnish Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) with the names of the politicians fingered by Eskom’s former CEO André de Ruyter as being responsible for the corruption at the power utility. During his virtual engagement with Scopa on Friday, Mufamadi, who was accompanied by his lawyer Azar Bham SC, said naming the politicians would both undermine any investigation into the matter and be an injustice to the people named. Appearing before Scopa last month, De Ruyter refused to name the politicians, claiming he did not want to expose himself to further legal action or risk his own security by naming them. Mufamadi confirmed to Scopa that De Ruyter had briefed him about the private investigation report he had commissioned into…

WITH an estimated 7 000 unidentified bodies in South Africa’s laboratories, researchers at Stellenbosch University (SU) have called for increased training of forensic officials to avert the “silent mass disaster” looming. Dr Kathryn Smith, an interdisciplinary visual and forensic artist and chairperson of the Visual Arts Department at the university, said the number of missing and unidentified bodies lying in laboratories across the country was closer to 10 000 bodies each year. In the absence of a single database where information on missing and unidentified people could be compared when there was just one forensic pathologist for every million people, the extent of this “silent mass disaster” could not be accurately quantified, she said. The identification of bodies requires close co-operation between the SAPS and the Health Department’s Forensic Pathology…

A wife who wanted to continue living a life of luxury at her estranged husband’s expense, through a R95 000 a month spousal allowance, has been told by the South Gauteng High Court to fund her own lifestyle. The Johannesburg court dismissed the woman’s application for R95 000 monthly spousal maintenance after it found she could afford to fund her own lifestyle. The court, however, ordered that the husband contribute R10 000 monthly towards the maintenance of their child. The woman was married out of community of property, without the accrual system, in 2013. The businesswoman instituted divorce proceedings against her semi-retired orthopaedic surgeon husband in April last year. She also launched a Rule 43 application for interim maintenance for herself and their child pending the divorce. In a Rule…

City of Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda officially opened Lehae Library on Friday. He was accompanied by MMC for community development Lubabalo Magwentshu and Eunice Mgcina, MMC for development planning. A statement by the city outlined that the construction of the library started in 2016 and was completed in 2018, but it could not be officially opened due to several challenges. "The current stand 519 was not part of the township; hence, the city had to appoint a town planner to incorporate stand 519 into the township. This process took a very long time, hence the delay in the opening of the library. This affected water and sewer connections, as well as electrical connections, which we have since resolved,” said the city. Gwamanda said the Lehae Library was a world-class…

Often, conversations about gender inequality only focus on women. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, the gendered power dynamics and patriarchal system we live in does not serve men either. The pressure on men is immense: to fulfil old gender roles they must earn, but in today’s economy, jobs are scarce. The pressure to act in a certain way is also unbearable: being masculine is associated with power, strength, and dominance, leaving little wiggle room for those who want to be perceived as masculine but don’t subscribe to traditional versions of what it means to ‘be a man’. Even those who want to maintain traditional masculinity are finding it tough with the rising costs of living pitted against the contracting labour market making it hard to be sole breadwinners. Rates of…