Indice dei contenuti per 2021-10-04 in Star

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s economy is set for a major rebound in the fourth quarter as business activity will benefit from further relaxed lockdown restrictions and rising business activity. President Cyril Ramaphosa last week lowered the country’s lockdown restrictions to the lowest level following the end of the third wave of Covid-19 infections. This means that businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, can now open for longer as the curfew has been pushed out to midnight, alcohol sales are back to licence provisions, and a larger number of patrons are allowed in venues. Ramaphosa said the government’s greatest priority now was to ensure that the economy recovered as quickly as possible so that businesses get back on their feet and jobs can be created. “As part of the effort…

siphelele dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za THE AFRICAN Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will succeed only if there is a huge appetite for infrastructure investment to drive industrialisation, technological developments and large-scale manufacturing. This was among sentiments expressed by various speakers on Friday at the inaugural Africa Trade South Africa (Atsa) 2021 virtual conference. The conference was aimed at exploring South Africa-Africa trade and investment opportunities in relation to the AfCFTA. South Africa has historically been seen as an African powerhouse, and is poised to become a key player in the AfCFTA. However, Africa’s infrastructure investment gap has widened over time, and the Covid-19 pandemic made things worse in 2020, in spite of high demand for projects and a sufficient supply of capital and investors. According to law firm Baker McKenzie’s latest report,…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Vehicle sales in September reflected growing consumer confidence and provided some reassurance for a stronger final quarter, said WesBank’s head of marketing and communication Lebogang Gaoaketse. Nevertheless, while the new vehicle market continued to recover gradually last month, the knock-on effects of the looting in July, and a cyberattack on Transnet, had a marked impact on export sales, which fell 57 percent year-on-year in September, the Automotive Business Council said on Friday. Domestic new vehicle sales increased 15.8 percent in September, to 43 130 units, compared with 37 237 vehicles sold in September 2020. Export sales fell to 16 188 units, compared with the 28 390 vehicles exported in September 2020. The new vehicle market’s recovery in September was in line…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za THE upset within the British Royal family over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping back from their duties and moving to the US left the world flabbergasted by the unfolding real-life drama. The tell-all with Oprah Winfrey amplified curiosities while drawing battle lines between the fans and foes of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It is little surprise that Lifetime has also chosen to tell a fictionalised version of Harry and Meghan’s story. In fact, they released two features with the third instalment, Harry and Meghan: Escape from the Palace, releasing this week. Controversial throwback to Princess Diana’s car accident scene aside, this movie lays bare the royal couple’s jaw-dropping decision to leave the UK. And it stars Jordan Dean and Sydney Morton, who bear…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za MORE than 2.7 million applications from unemployed youth have been received by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for second phase of its Basic Education Employment initiative. The DBE said that, as of 7.30am on Saturday, it had received more than 2.7 million applications from 475 918 young people in Phase II of its Basic Education Employment Initiative. It said “extremely high” volumes of traffic had led to its site slowing down and at times crashing. The applications for Phase II opened on September 27 and were to close at midnight yesterday. However, the deadline was extended to midnight on October 10. The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI)-Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) was started this year to provide unemployed young people employment and training opportunities in the…

Siphokazi Vuso siphokazi.vuso@inl.co.za The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has refused to apologise for using the term “One Settler, One Bullet” during violent protests that erupted outside Brackenfell High School last year, saying it was part of their heritage. The Western Cape provincial office of the SA Human Rights (SAHRC) recently sent a letter to the party, requesting them to apologise for using the term, saying if they failed to do so, the Commission would institute proceedings in the Equality Court. Dated September 29, 2021, the Commission said in the letter the party’s use of the term constitutes “hate speech” and “harassment on the basis of race”. Violent protests erupted outside Brackenfell High School last year after reports of a whites-only matric dance. Police used stun grenades, tear…

Megan Kube | Joburg WHENEVER it’s local government elections, you need to look at the situation your community finds itself in. Do you have good roads to drive on and for your children to get to school safely? These are some of the questions you need to ask and then decide to give your vote to a political party that has a proven record. For me that is and has been the DA. If you live in a rural area, in a township or any area where commuting to school or work on a safe and well-maintained road is non-existent, I challenge you to give your vote to the DA. They will turn things around for the better and start by eradicating unclassified roads in rural areas for…

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently declared that South Africans take part in the choice of selecting the country’s next Chief Justice as part of promoting transparency and to encourage public participation. As a result, the Restoration Foundation has nominated AYO Technology Solutions chairperson Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi, adding that he is the most suitable candidate for the position. Noni Mokati chats to Dr Mgoqi about his journey as a legal practitioner and some of the fundamental challenges facing the Constitutional Court and what he can bring to the table to change that. Nomination by Restorative Justice for the position of Chief Justice, do you accept? I have not declined it (nomination). People have the right to select because the president has called for a public nomination. This is hence why I…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has uncharacteristically refused to discuss the controversial late penalty awarded against his team and instead focused on the splendid performance of his charges in a 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs at Jonsson Kings Park in Durban on Saturday. Referee Jelly Chavani, after consulting with his assistant Emmanuel De Sani, judged AmaZulu defender Mbongeni Gumede to have handled inside the box, which gave Chiefs No 10 Keagan Dolly the opportunity to level the game at 1-1 with the last kick of the match. Although McCarthy was visibly upset by the decision, the former Bafana Bafana striker refused to criticise Chavani in fear of censure from the PSL’s disciplinary committee. “If we talk about the officiating, then you get called to the DC, so it’s…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za THE INDEPENDENT Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is scheduled to auction high demand spectrum by no later than March, according to a timetable released on Friday. Icasa said the new road map for the expedited licensing of the International Mobile Telecommunications spectrum, also known as high-demand spectrum and the Wireless Open Access Network (Woan) will result in the publication of the Invitation To Apply (ITA) in December this year. Qualifying bidders are scheduled to be announced in February next year. Icasa chairperson Keabetswe Modi- moeng appealed to stakeholders to accept the published timetable for both licensing processes to avoid unduly delaying the release of this much-needed economic stimulus input. “We would like to urge all interested stakeholders to participate fully in this consultative engagement and to engage…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za Nampak has been granted a reprieve from its lenders from further asset disposals or a capital raise until June 30, 2022, due to improved trading conditions at the packaging group. In terms of funding agreements negotiated in September last year, the groups debt funders had required interest-bearing debt to be reduced by R1 billion by September 30, 2021, through the sale of assets and/or a capital raise. The share price surged 8.9 percent to R3.67 on the JSE on Friday morning after the group’s trading update was released. The group said its lenders had provided the deferral of the milestone date, after considering Nampak’s results for the 11 months to August 30. “The restriction to reduce debt only through asset disposals and/or a capital raise…

Lance Witten lance.witten@africannewsagency.com Oh Harry, you complete and absolute ponce. You weak-kneed, ginger, limp-wristed, ninny mommy’s boy. How dare you? How dare you love and respect your wife enough to stand behind her on the cover of Time magazine? How dare you love and respect your wife enough to put her mental health first? To look after the good of your relationship instead of maintaining the stiff upper lip of your forebears? How dare you, Harry? Don’t you know you come from a long line of strong men? Of men who took what they wanted without asking. Of men who forged new paths into new worlds. Of men who conquered empires, bringing light and civilisation and Christianity to all mankind across the world. Of men who didn’t wait for permission…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za Spring is finally here and everything is blooming while the weather is perfect. It’s the favourite time of the year for many people because nature is waking up from the long winter. We start noticing more vibrancy in our fruits and vegetables. We see our gardens come back to life, and we start to shy away from the warming, comforting, hearty meals we turned to in the colder months, replacing soups and stews with fresh salads and lighter dishes. Just as our eating preferences change subtly with the seasons, what we feel like drinking changes, too. You have probably drunk a lot of tea during the winter to help you fight colds and flu, but that’s finally over and your tea selection can change. While the true…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za A great steak always makes a really sumptuous dinner. The challenge is what to do with leftovers. The trick is knowing how to warm up your meat without losing the taste, tenderness and juiciness. We found answers on wikiHow. Reheat steak on a stove top. Remove the steak from the fridge and set it on the kitchen counter to warm up for a few minutes. Heat a skillet, pop in the steak and drizzle butter over the top. Heat until the meat is warm but not hot. Place steak in a zip-close bag. Add ingredients and seasoning of your choice, such as minced garlic, chopped onions or shallots, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Seal the bag and place it in a saucepan filled with simmering…

BONGANI NKOSI bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za TRADE union Solidarity is headed to the Constitutional Court to fight a major company for applying transformation as a criterion in its selection of workers to retrench. Barloworld Equipment South Africa blamed the Covid-19 outbreak for its large-scale retrenchments last year. The group reportedly retrenched over 3 000 workers of all races. Among others, it applied transformation as a criterion for selection of workers to retrench. Solidarity cried foul, saying that the transformation criterion meant some workers lost their jobs on the basis of their race. The union wanted the apex court to rule that Barloworld unfairly discriminated against its white, Indian and coloured workers. “The net effect of the manner in which the weighting was allotted had the effect that white, Indian and coloured males and…

As political parties continue to request another chance to govern or misgovern us, it is worth it to first sing the late epic Brenda “Mabrr” Fassie and the Big Dude’s Promises: You come around with your promises Bringing back the fool in me I don’t need your explanation Just leave me alone.” The song goes further to say: I’m tired of promises Cause they turn, turn to lies, turn to lies I’m tired of promises, promises Yes they turn to lies, turn to lies I’m tired of promises Turn to lies, turn to lies. Although many people are continuing to lose confidence in our political system, I am one of the few young people who watched all manifestos of all three country’s biggest political formations. There is nothing new that…

AUSTRALIA Test captain Tim Paine said Friday that the Ashes will go ahead with or without Joe Root after the England skipper refused to commit until there was more clarity around coronavirus quarantine rules. Cricket Australia is negotiating with Canberra and their English counterparts over what type of biosecurity bubble players may have to endure Down Under and whether their families can come. Root, who has two young children, said this week he was “desperate” to play the five-Test series, but added: “I feel it’s so hard to make a definite decision until you know.” England vice-captain Jos Buttler is also reticent, insisting he will not be on the plane if his family are unable to join him due to tough Australian border restrictions. Paine, who is recovering from neck…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za FOUR OF THE gold industry’s major unions have declared a dispute with precious metals giant Sibanye-Stillwater and are frustrated the company has pleaded poverty during the 2021 wage talks given its record financial results. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Soli- darity and Uasa said on Friday they had rejected Sibanye’s latest wage offer charging it was substantially lower than what was agreed to with peers Goldfields and Harmony Gold Company. The unions believed the group could have tabled a better offer given that it generated a profit of R25 billion in the first half of 2021. They said the group’s offer did not resonate well with members and might lead to labour action. “As workers of this…

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za POWER utility Eskom is considering its legal options after energy regulator Nersa last week rejected its MYPD5 (Fifth Multi-Year Price Determination) pricing application, a move the state-owned enterprise considers will create a regulatory vacuum for the electricity supply industry. In a terse response, Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha told Business Report: “Eskom is considering its options in terms of the law and is committed to ensuring the required legal and consultation processes are followed.” “Eskom has to go back to the drawing board to submit an application for the 2022/23 financial year – based on an interim pricing methodology which would preferably be based on the principles of a new approach being considered.” Nersa said that after due consideration of the rationality and legality of applying an expired…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za At 25, Arno Greeff has become a firm favourite with South African viewers. Of course, much of his success stems from him being cast as Chris Ackerman in Netflix’s critically acclaimed teen drama series, Blood & Water, last year. And he hasn’t looked back since. When I recently caught up with the rising star of the small screen, he was wrestling conflicting emotions of excitement and nervousness. It was most understandable, though, as Blood & Water was returning to the streaming platform for a new season and he was making his debut in the second instalment of M-Net’s Safta-award-winning telenovela, Legacy, as part of the new Hugo family. He explained: “It’s a big week.” But he didn’t have to worry about much. Blood & Water topped the…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za WHEN you are spending scorching spring or summer days outside, it is pretty standard to rely on icy cold beverages and popsicles to beat the heat. But, according to health experts, there are better (and equally delicious) ways to cool down from the inside out: cooling foods for the body. Below, we have put together a round-up of some of our favourite cool foods for hot weather, that we know you will enjoy. So read on, get cooking, and prepare to chill out in foodie style. Milk Drinking a glass of cold milk with honey, early in the morning on an empty stomach helps lower the body temperature for the rest of the day. Peppers Yes, you read that right. In the past year, I learnt that…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons CHAIRPERSON of AYO Technology Solutions Dr Wallace Mgoqi is of the view that the judiciary is required to have critical, independent and non-partisan decision-making capacities and thus has no reason to be captured. Mgoqi has accepted his nomination to become the next chief justice. The Restoration Foundation nominated the respected academic to succeed Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, whose term ends on October 11. Asked if he believed the judiciary has been captured, Mgoqi told Independent Media: “I really wouldn’t say so. They have no reason to be captured. They are structured as an institution in such a way that they should be independent in their thinking and in their conduct, and that they have no lack in their lives to want to in a sense anger people wielding…

Chulumanco Mahamba chulumanco.mahamba@inl.co.za CYBER thieves almost cost the University of Mpumalanga about R100 million in an attempted hacking recently. The university announced over the weekend that during the council’s meeting on Thursday, the university council received a report from the management of an attempted hacking. The university said the incident would have cost it about R100m. “The incident was averted and the university only lost R3 000. This is as a result of robust cyber security preventative measures that the university has put in place,” the university said in a statement on Saturday. According to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), cyberattacks cost the South African economy more than R2.2 billion a year and are on the rise. The university council commended the institution’s management for quickly acting…

Cometh Makholwa | Midrand Digital Vibes has proved how endemic corruption in the Health Department is. Almost all the high-profile officials in the department benefited from Digital Vibes. Why does it seem like the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa, which should have caused real concern in the minds of people, simply turned out to be seen by leaders in the health department as an opportunity to enrich themselves? Corruption in this department goes way back to 1996, when a big chunk of my retrenchment package was pocketed by someone in power and now the pensions department is coming up with a lame excuse that I resigned when I left Tembisa Hospital in 1996. Why would I have resigned when in March that year this government had offered…

EBRAHIM ESSA | Durban Arguably, European buccaneers, colonists, refugees and Vasco da Gama first imported horses into America 0 giving birth to cowboys and others. Also five million Gunfight at OK Corral, Shane and Geronimo-type movies, none of them ever possible, without horses. Imagine the US cavalry once again arriving to the rescue riding oxen and wild buffalos. Now, once again, to keep up with tradition, the Neo-Horsemen of the Apocalypse go wild at the Mexican border of Del Rio to keep the mainly black Haiti refugees at bay and try to prevent them from entering the US. Reminiscent of the “good old nostalgic days” of Yankees ordering indigenous Red Indians" to go home. President Biden shakes his head in response, and I quote: “I inherited…

Sonri Naidoo IN HONOUR of October being Pride Month, the LGBTIQ+ community has raised the rainbow pride flag at the Constitutional Hill in Joburg. The flag-raising symbolises a celebration of the rights and inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community which are enshrined in the Constitution. It was also a reminder of the tough journey the community had to travel to gain their basic human right. Among the proud attendees were Miss Earth Nompumelelo Sweli Maduna and Thami Kotlolo, activist and co-founder of the Feather Awards. He spoke about what the flag-raising meant to him. “The raising of this flag is very personal and so symbolic that we are here as a community. We are proud and we celebrate the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community in a democratic South Africa. “Needless to…

The UN warned of “unprecedented” malnutrition among pregnant and lactating women in Ethiopia’s war-hit Tigray region, in a report published hours after the government sparked outrage by expelling senior UN officials. The latest situation report from the UN’s humanitarian co-ordination office, posted online on Thursday, also described “alarming” malnutrition among children as fears of mass starvation grow nearly 11 months after northern Ethiopia erupted in conflict. “Of the more than 15 000 pregnant and lactating women screened during the reporting period, more than 12 000 women, or about 79%, were diagnosed with acute malnutrition,” the report said. The level of moderate malnutrition among children under five “is also exceeding global emergency threshold of 15%, at about 18%, while cases of children with severe malnutrition is 2.4%, above the alarming 2%…

Stuart Hess stuart.hess@inl.co.za South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad has some of the format’s most potent match-winners, but Proteas captain Temba Bavuma wants the full might of his team to attack the tournament and not just individuals. Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have all shown in the Indian Premier League that they are world-class performers who will be able to walk into any side in the world. However, rather than leave everything to them, Bavuma wants the team to attack the competition as a whole. “As a team, we pride ourselves on how well we prepare. We don’t rely on individual performances or individuals to get us over the line. It really is about a team effort,” Bavuma said. A Proteas delegation comprising 11 players and the…