Indice dei contenuti per 2021-05-28 in Star

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za PEPKOR Holdings said yesterday that positive trading momentum had continued in all its business post the March 31 year-end and some 22 new stores would be added this year. The group, a value retailer of clothing, footwear and homeware (CFH), as well as furniture and consumer digital equipment and accessories, lifted headline earnings per share of continuing operations by a whopping 50.6 percent during the six months to March 31. Investors took heart at the good results, and the share price was up 4.55 percent to R18.60 yesterday morning, far outstripping the 0.39 percent rise in the JSE All Share Index at the same time. The share closed the day at R19.39 on the JSE. Revenue was up 8.1 percent to R36.5…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s single-largest furniture retailer, Lewis Group, said yesterday it planned to open up to 20 new stores, mainly in its Beares and UFO store chains, as it rewarded its shareholders with a handsome total dividend during the year to the end of March. Lewis, which sells household furniture, electric appliances and home electronics, declared a total dividend of 328 cents a share, up 77.3 percent compared to a year ago, on a robust balance sheet and strong cash generation. Headline earnings per share increased to 616.5c in the year to the end of March, up from 260.2c in the prior year. The company said its balance sheet remained robust, with no borrowings, while cash generated from operations jumped by 46.8 percent to R915…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za THE Zephany Nurse civil case, which took on the media, is now on path to leave a permanent mark on the country’s history. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act have been introduced to regulate against revealing the identity of an accused, a witness or victim who is under the age of 18 years. Further in line with the historical court victory by the University of Pretoria-based Centre for Child Law (CCL) in the Zephany Nurse case, the Amendment Bill introduced to the National Assembly this week intended to ban naming under 18 victims, witnesses and the accused even “at any stage after the conclusion of criminal proceedings”. CCL took up the matter in 2015 to protect the interests of a Cape Town female who came to be…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za SHORTLY after a 14-year-old was brutally raped by Nellmapius resident Sello Abram Mapunya, she said “my soul is crippled for life”. Yesterday, as he was sent to jail for the rest of his life, with tears streaming down her face, she called on all men out there to protect women. “I ask myself every day why men have to rape. But I want to ask the men out there to protect us instead of hurting us,” the victim said. In one of the longest sentences ever handed down in South African justice history, serial rapist Mapunya has been sentenced to five life sentences and an additional 988 years in prison. The North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, sentenced him yesterday on 71 counts, including 31 charges of rape.…

THREE suspects were arrested last week after asking a resident for R20 000 to write off a debt. It is alleged that the suspects pretended to be from an independent contractor who provides electricity reconnection services to City Power. The suspects allegedly approached the complainant demanding R20 000 to install an electricity meter box to her property. The box was moved by City Power from the pavement to inside the yard of the property to protect its cables from being stolen. City Power was in a process of installing the meter when the suspects made their move. The complainant contacted the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service (GFIS) department and a sting operation was set up with the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). “The city has commended the…

IMPROVED connectivity and mobility are imminent in the Jabulani node in Soweto with the almost-complete construction of the Molapo Bridge. The bridge will connect the community of Molapo to the Jabulani node and the Jabulani CBD. It will also create a socially and economically integrated future for the two Soweto communities who, despite living a stone’s throw apart, have been separated by a railway line. The Jabulani node was identified as one of the city’s signature projects for using transit-oriented development as a catalyst to accelerate socio-economic development, by revitalising a neighbourhood for residents, commuters, businesses and visitors. The Johannesburg Development Agency, on behalf of the City of Joburg, has been facilitating the construction of Molapo Bridge. The work includes extending and upgrading a pedestrian bridge at the Inhlazane train…

Mphahlela M Rammutla | Pretoria THE latest outbreak of the highly contagious avian flu, affecting at least six commercial farms in Gauteng, the Western Cape and the North West, should not be underestimated as it will affect the sector negatively. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has called on the implementation of stringent hygiene practices across most farms in the country. South Africa has been suffering frequent outbreaks of avian influenza, foot and mouth diseases (FMD), and African swine fever. There is no shortage of evidence that these diseases have hindered agricultural trade, and resulted in substantial losses for our producers and farmers. South Africa’s poultry industry might find itself facing more bird flu outbreaks, similar to the 2017 crisis, which reportedly cost farmers close…

Peter Bachtis | Benoni THE supermarket game is becoming over-traded, with an outlet opening up on almost every corner. Spar are rejoicing their swing back into profitability, declaring a small dividend to keep their shareholders “sort of” happy. Yet, when the retail game is scrutinised under a microscope, Spar prices are not competitive. There are other players who are passing on better pricing to their customers. Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, etc, are streets ahead, and are still able to remain profitable. We are spoilt for choice, so it makes sense that, when out shopping, take time to appraise yourself of the bargains and deals on offer.…

The Women’s League should be categorically clear that its candidate is contesting for the Presidency, not the deputy presidency of a male-led ANC. Since its formation in 1912, the ANC has remained an exclusively male organisation since it was only in 1943 that it accepted women. The ANCWL warrants acknowledgement for its historical role and impact. That history is understood in its part among the others, in the historical Defiance Campaign. Despite the tremendous and celebrated work of the Women’s League, the ANC, in its 109 years of history, has shown a particular reluctance hitherto to produce a president from this League. However, at every election of a male president, the role of the Women’s League registered its unique presence in abetting the choices of one male over the other.…

lagos: The shell of Owerri city prison has become the charred symbol of attacks that are unfurling across Nigeria’s southeast, stirring fears of renewed separatist violence and uneasy memories of a civil war half a century ago. At least 127 police and security personnel have been killed this year in the powderkeg region and more than two dozen police stations razed, media reports say. The assailants are often referred to simply as “unknown gunmen”. Some officers now refuse to wear uniforms in public out of fear while others are seeking transfers. “Our region is under siege. “Nobody is safe anymore. The gunmen can come at any time and wreak havoc on our land,” said Friday Okwor, a retired public servant in Owerri, capital of Imo state. In the most…

I desperately need Chelsea to win the Uefa Champions League tomorrow night. I make no bones about it - I am a Blues man, so much so that for many a year a Chelsea flag bought from Stamford Bridge hung as the main centrepiece in my kitchen, much to the chagrin of friends and family. But my need for the Blues to beat newly-crowned English champions Manchester City goes deeper than the innate bias I possess for the club. It has been one helluva year. The mental fatigue and the emotional strain that has been presented this past 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic has overwhelmed many, myself included. I admit, I have been very fortunate during all of it - I still have the opportunity to work in…

MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka PERCY Tau remains content with his behind-the-scenes leadership and supportive role in the Bafana Bafana set-up, saying he’s never thought about the national team captaincy and might only consider that if the coach asks him. A colossal figure for Bafana, there are expectations for Tau to step up to leadership roles, especially after the arrival of new coach Hugo Broos. The 69-year-old Broos took over from Molefi Ntseki and with little knowledge of the team he’s hell-bent on working with younger players instead of veterans to bring change. As a result, he selected a youthful squad for Bafana’s friendly against Uganda next month. Tau, Ronwen Williams, Keagan Dolly, Mosa Lebusa and Innocent Maela are some of the few experienced players who made the final cut. With no…

32.37% of shareholders vote against re-election of Thulani Gcabashe at AGM Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za IN a show of low confidence, 32.37 percent of Standard Bank shareholders voted against the re-election of group chairperson, Thulani Gcabashe, during the company’s 52nd annual general meeting (AGM) held virtually yesterday. Gcabashe and Standard Bank have faced pressure from shareholder activism and environmental rights groups who want the group to abandon the funding of projects that are detrimental to the environment in Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda. One of the groups, Just Share, believed that reasons for the votes against the Gcabashe were likely to emerge in the coming months when asset managers released their voting rationales and records. “It will be interesting to see whether this unusually high level of votes against the re-election…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Diversified investment group African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI) achieved stable results through the six months to February 28, underpinned by resilient balance sheet strength. AEEI’s revenue, headline earnings and net assets decreased slightly by 9 percent despite the tough economic environment and the Covid-19 pandemic directly overlapping the reporting period, Strong cash balances resulted in the declaration of a dividend of 30 cents a share, well up from 10 cents the prior year. CE Valentine Dzvova said: “While businesses are firmly hitting back at the impact of the coronavirus, operating any business in this climate is not without considerable challenges. AEEI’s response necessitated a focus on protecting its core investments through strategic cost efficiencies, while also investing for future growth, and optimally managing the working capital,…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za THE DEPARTMENT of Basic Education is embarking on a nationwide interdepartmental anti-bullying intervention drive in schools to raise awareness on the impact of bullying and violence in schools. The DBE announced yesterday that the department was partnering with different departments, social partners and stakeholders for this anti-bullying intervention initiative in an effort to curb bullying involving learners, teachers and sometimes community members. This anti-bullying intervention comes after bullying victim 15-year-old Lufuno Mavhunga took her own life following a video of her being repeatedly slapped by a fellow pupil last month. Following the tragic death of the Limpopo learner, bullying and violence in schools took centre stage in the national conversation on safety in schools. DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said that the campaign, themed “School Safety – Violence…

Mpiletso Motumi mpiletso.motumi@inl.co.za THERE IS a new app in town that is bringing fans closer to their favourite celebs with the click of a button. YouDeh, a mobile app that launched this week, is changing the way people interact with media personalities. The app allows users to connect with people across the world who would normally be hard to access. YouDeh is a play on the phrase “Hey, are you deh (there)?” The app is the brainchild of Thulani Ngwenya and Aubrey Modise. “The app has been around for a while but when the pandemic hit it made more sense. We started just over two years ago. We were looking at a way of connecting people to celebrities for business opportunities. Usually they cannot reach them on social media or…

PIKITUP, the City of Joburg’s waste management company, has warned service providers about the circulation of fake tender documents on supplying 350-litre plastic wheelie bins. The invitation-to-bid document is written on a fraudulent Pikitup document and contains key information that is not used by the waste management company. Pikitup does not issue 350-litre bins. It issues 280-litre bins for domestic waste. Furthermore, the contact details listed are not Pikitup’s telephone numbers nor does the person listed as a contact person work for the company. In the fraudulent tender documents, the contact person is a Nosipho Mbatha, who can be contacted at 011 219 7444. Pikitup does not use such a number. Its numbers mainly start with either 087 or 011 377. Pikitup does not send tender documents to service providers.…

CITY of Joburg member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services, Mpho Moerane, has unveiled new plans aimed at addressing the water challenges currently being experienced by the city suburbs. In the pipeline are plans for a new connection from Rand Water to supplement water supply to the Crosby Reservoir; a new booster pump station and associated pipe work in Hurst Hill; and the construction of a new reservoir and tower in Brixton. Work has already commenced and at design stage for all three projects. To realise these objectives, the city plans to invest over R330 million in support of Johannesburg Water’s short- and long-term plans to build a more resilient water infrastructure for these areas.…

ITUMELENG MAFISA MORE than 100 members of the African People’s Convention (APC) led by their president, Themba Godi, will today picket outside the gates of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Pretoria over the lack of action against controversial retail giant Steinhoff and its former leader Markus Jooste. The Steinhoff saga has been reportedly the biggest corporate fraud in the history of recorded criminal activities in South Africa. More than R106 billion worth of investments were wiped off as a result of alleged bloated books and creative accounting by Jooste. About R21bn of public servants’ pensions were lost. The company is facing many lawsuits and has been criticised by workers and some investors who have lost their money. “This is the mother of all corruption; it’s just not about…

George Burlow | Vereeniging Mr Maurice Sackstein is spot on in his letter to The Star on Wednesday. However, the problem is that neither Bouvier nor Sackstein is completely balanced in his statements – Bouvier to a much greater extent. The gross disinformation spouted by people like Bouvier perfectly exemplifies Winston Churchill’s famous quote, “In war, truth is often the first casualty.” While Israel’s provocative expansion of settlements is hard to justify, Hamas’s response by firing thousands of rockets at civilian targets in Israel from sites carefully selected to expose civilians to retaliation, particularly children, is malevolent and cowardly. In order to defend itself, Israel’s logical response has been to disable the launch sites while taking every possible measure to minimise casualties including by issuing prior warnings. A…

THIS is a month that was designated to mark what the Conference of the Independent African States in 1958 phrased as: “The onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolise the determination of the People of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.” A year after the liberation of the first sub-Saharan country – Ghana – in 1957, African leaders convened two important meetings. One was the Conference of Independent African States and another was the All Africa People’s Conference where newly liberated countries and some representatives of the liberation movement came together to deliberate on the question of African unity as an instrument of decolonisation. These deliberations were to culminate into the May 25, 1963, conference that established the Organisation of African Unity, which has served…

Francois Vreÿ The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is poised to intervene militarily on the side of the Mozambican government to stop the emerging deadly Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado, the northernmost province of the country. This comes after the regional body of 16-nation states sent a technical team to verify events in the area and advise its heads of state forum. The technical team has recommended that SADC deploys a 3 000- strong robust intervention force comprised of land, air and naval assets to help quell the insurgency. The decision to intervene militarily is a clear indicator that the deadly insurgency, which began in earnest in October 2017, has long passed the stage where it can be seen as a purely domestic problem to be addressed by Mozambique…

The head of a Japanese doctors’ union said yesterday that holding the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, with tens of thousands of people from around the world, could lead to the emergence of an “Olympic” coronavirus strain. Japan has pledged to hold a “safe and secure” 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after a year-long delay but is struggling to contain a fourth wave of infections and preparing to extend a state of emergency in the country. Japanese officials, Olympics organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have said the Games will go ahead under strict virus-prevention measures. Foreign spectators have been banned and a decision on domestic ones is expected next month. But even with those steps, worries remain about the influx of athletes and officials into Japan, where a…

Initial Team SA list: Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za Veteran cyclist Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio said that while she is respectful of the Japanese public’s opposition to this year’s Olympic Games, she is desperate to participate in the event later this year. Moolman-Pasio will be heading to her third Olympics and was named as part of a provisional list of 64 athletes yesterday by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc). Not included were South Africa’s two track superstars, Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk, who have yet to qualify for their respective events. They will have until July 5, when Sascoc has to submit its final list of athletes to the International Olympic Committee, to complete the necessary qualifying times – in Van Niekerk’s case for the 400m and Semenya’s the…

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za The rand yesterday continued its impressive rally, rising to an over 2-year high to touch R13.68 in intraday trade against the dollar before moderating 0.02 percent to R13.77 by 5pm. This was the rand’s highest level since February 2019, aided by the dollar languishing near four-month lows despite its steady gains against the major currencies. The rand has been supported by the Fed’s dovish stance, rising commodity prices, the positive outlook delivered by the SA Reserve Bank last week and after credit rating agencies affirmed South Africa’s sovereign rating and outlook. TreasuryONE’s Andre Cilliers said conflicting views on whether the rise in inflation in the US was transitory or not, as well as comments from senior Fed officials that the discussion around tapering needed to begin,…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za AFRIMAT chief executive Andries van Heerden is bullish about the pro- spects for the industrial materials and bulk commodity mining group’s 2022 financial year. The group yesterday reported a 27 percent increase in headline earnings per share to 441.7 cents for the year to February 28. A final dividend of 112c per share was declared, up 38 percent on the payout last year. The net debt:equity ratio improved to 3.8 percent from 8.2 percent. Net cash from operating activities was up 13.4 percent to R767.6 million. The share price was up 2.6 percent to R51.50 yesterday morning, bringing to 66 percent the increase in the price over the past year. The share closed at R50.60 on the…

Lil Nas X’s debut album is a “coming-of-age story”. The Old Town Road hitmaker has teased that Montero sees him explore his “sexuality” and get honest about the many “heartbreaks” in his life. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he said: “It’s honest, it’s 100% me. Last time (his 2019 EP 7), I played so many characters. “I’m exploring my sexuality, myself. It’s a coming-of-age story. My heartbreaks – there’s been a lot of those. It’s everything, man. It’s something everyone can vibe along to.” The Grammy-winner, 22, recently said the hotly-awaited LP will offer a “greater sense of who I am and what I stand for”. The rapper – who came out as gay in 2019 – will release Montero later this year and spoke of how…

Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers will be auctioning one of the largest collections of furniture to come under its hammer. The three-day sale this weekend will see 1 700 lots knocked down. Today, is the online sale of 350 lots from the estate of the late Toy Mostert, a sports journalist and promoter and a KFC franchisee. When he retired, he spent his time building his collections of books, rare porcelain, art, antique furniture, Lalique crystal, silver and wines. Tomorrow and Sunday is the sale of furniture, including Africana, Oriental and mid-20th-century modern and retro pieces; silver; coins and notes; militaria; carpets and ceramics. There will be traditional and contemporary art, as well as 300 lots of jewellery, loose and certified diamonds and watches. Viewing is today from 9.30am until…

BUSINESS organisation Sakeliga is threatening legal action against water utility Sedibeng Water to stop the suspension of water supply to large parts of North West due to municipalities’ outstanding debt and non-payment. Sedibeng Water issued a written instruction to all its employees on Tuesday to suspend all operations and services to municipalities that fall under the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality on June 1 due to municipalities’ outstanding debt and non-payment. The water utility further issued instructions to cut the water supply to the Ditsobotla Local Municipality on July 1. The looming disruption affects towns such as Mahikeng, Lichtenburg, Delareyville, Ottosdal and Zeerust. Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu revealed during her budget vote speech on Tuesday that municipalities across the country owed the department more than…

THE Johannesburg Roads Agency’s (JRA) chief executive, Republic Monakedi, accompanied by the management of JRA this week started visits to the agency’s depots to communicate the importance of adhering to standard operating procedures when carrying out official work. This follows an incident recorded by a residents in Norwood that went viral on social media where JRA officials could be seen using a regular van to compact and level asphalt onto a newly-filled pothole. Two of the involved officials have since been placed on a precautionary suspension to allow for a full investigation into the matter. The chief executive made his first stop at Region E (which includes the Norwood area) and he will go to the other regions throughout the month of May. In a bid to establish the…

The 6 000 investigations into fraud and corruption which remain unsolved, the distribution of 500 000 parcels prior to elections and the re-establishment of the Johannesburg Tourism were criticised during the City of Joburg’s budget debate yesterday. Member of the mayoral committee for finance Jolidee Matongo, during the delivery of the R73.3 billion 2021/22 speech, admitted municipal failures in service delivery and constant complaints from residents, but promised the new budget would bring relief to ratepayers. The Joburg DA, which opposed the budget, said the MMC had delivered “an election budget designed to give priority to areas that are ANC strongholds”. DA finance spokesperson Patrick Atkinson said the city had “crucially ignored the R200bn infrastructure backlog that was making life hell for residents. “We have all had to face power…

Mpiletso Motumi mpiletso.motumi@inl.co.za Master KG has always had his eye on an international collaboration. His chance has finally come, with a collaboration featuring worldwide stars David Guetta and Akon. “I’ve always wanted to make a global song about love and peace and when I researched David Guetta, he was someone who also preached about love and unity in his songs. I spoke to my team about working with him and we reached out only for him to be happy to collaborate on a song with me,” said the Jerusalema hitmaker. Once he connected with the producer extraordinaire, the two started to put together some music. “I made a beat and sent it to him. He was happy about it and added his own flavour to it. “When we wanted to…

If you thought that Israel’s recent bombardment of civilian homes and apartment buildings in Gaza was unforgivable, consider the fact that six years ago it destroyed many times more civilian housing units in its 2014 war on Gaza. The only difference was that then US president Barack Obama had not restrained Israel’s total onslaught on Gaza for seven weeks, turning a blind eye while it destroyed 50 000 civilian housing units in one of the most densely populated places on the planet – where 2 million people live in an area of 362km². Had US president Joe Biden not thrown down the gauntlet this time, albeit way too late, Israel would have destroyed a lot more than the 17 000 residential and commercial units which the UN Office…

THE die is cast! These words are attributed to former Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar who, in 49 BC, led his army across the Rubicon River in northern Italy. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation, is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return. This week’s not guilty plea of corruption charges by former president Jacob Zuma aptly attests to the phrase. The fact that he entered a formal plea of not guilty when the charges were put to him yesterday means that the die is cast and Judge Piet Koen is seized with the merits of the case, which can only end with a verdict of guilty or not guilty on all the 18 charges, or some…

LONDON: Former Good Morning Britain television show host Piers Morgan has apologised for the way he held the British government to account on his programme amid the coronavirus pandemic – insisting that he “should have gone much much harder”. Morgan made the remarks in a series of tweets soon after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, testified before British MPs this week as part of a probe by parliamentary committees into the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.…

Continuity post-Pitso MIHLALI BALEKA @Mihlalibaleka Mamelodi Sundowns are the kings of South Africa once again. They achieved that feat not only by defeating city rivals SuperSport United on Wednesday night, but with three matches to spare. Here is why they deserved their fourth consecutive and 11th overall Premiership title ... The abrupt resignation of former coach Pitso Mosimane set tongues wagging last year and some felt this was the end of Sundowns’ dominance. But the club had an ace up their sleeve, appointing co-coaches and a senior coach this season. Co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena were Mosimane’s understudies in recent seasons, and that’s why, alongside newly-appointed senior coach Steve Komphela, they continued where “Jingles” left off. Players such as Peter Shalulile, Mothobi Mvala, Brian Onyango and Kermit Erasmus have…

Ashfak Mohamed ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za STRAVINO Jacobs’ nickname from his days at Paarl Gym is ‘Rocket Man’. And that’s no surprise, considering his extraordinary exploits at junior level. He made the SA Schools side, and probably would’ve been part of the Junior Springbok team were it not for Covid-19 last year. The 21-year-old powerhouse wing was also the leading try-scorer for the Blue Bulls Under-21 side in 2020 when they clinched the provincial title. He has continued to showcase his promise in the senior team, with his 1.80m, 95kg frame proving handy as the Bulls claimed the Super Rugby Unlocked and Currie Cup titles. But at the moment, he is a bit under-utilised at Loftus Versfeld. Through no fault of his own, the ball has just seemed to go the way of…