Indice dei contenuti per 2023-06-27 in Star

THE NATIONAL Treasury has come to the defence of local municipalities who have been accused of hiking property rates way above inflation and which had slowed the economies in five metropolitan areas. Last week, the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) said municipalities had been charging exorbitant commercial property rates that contravene Treasury guidelines. Sapoa said the increases were not only inflationary, as alluded to by the SA Reserve Bank recently, but also threatened the viability of commercial property tenants who form the bulk of ratepayers in most metropolitan municipalities. According to Sapoa, municipalities have regularly increased rates by more than 10% per annum over the past few years, far more than the annual consumer price index, with water and property rates increasing 140% between 2010 and 2021, almost double…

FIDELITY Services Group has committed to working with law-enforcement agencies investigating a controversial multi-million rand security contract at Eskom, allegedly without a competitive bidding process. Fidelity Group CEO Wahl Bartmann yesterday confirmed the group was awarded a R250 million three-month emergency contract to provide “a comprehensive security solution” at Eskom, consisting of a national deployment to cover Generations and Transmissions facilities. According to Eskom, the placement of the security contract was necessitated by information received by management indicating that there was a potential serious security risk to its operations and assets. The contract was established from the period July 2022 to September 2022 with an estimated budget of R500m, but a total of approximately R250m including VAT was spent for the duration of the contract. It was placed under…

INVICTA Holdings was experiencing strong growth in offshore markets and resilient demand from local agriculture and mining customers and the group was cautiously optimistic about its prospects, CEO Steven Joffe said yesterday. The distributor of earthmoving, industrial, automotive and agricultural products, increased earnings a share from continuing operations by 18%, to 481 cents in the 2023 year, which Joffe said in a telephone interview was a strong result considering the challenges they faced. Revenue increased 8% to R7.8 billion. The Singapore-based Kian Ann increased sustainable headline earnings by 58%. The rand’s depreciation resulted in a foreign exchange gain of R439 million. The group also repurchased about 5% of its ordinary and preference shares. The gross profit margin increased from 30.7% to 32.5%. Cash on hand came to…

DIGITAL transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) are not only reshaping the way we live and work but also transmuting the way companies operate. The way companies navigate the world of constant technological innovation to attain a sustainable competitive advantage is one of the biggest business challenges in a world where digital and AI are playing an increasingly important role. Many companies are struggling to leverage digital and AI technologies and realise the expected revenue benefits. However, there a many compelling examples showing that digitally transformed companies outperform their peers with regard to return on tangible equity, P/E ratio, and total shareholder returns. In their book Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI, published in June 2023, senior McKinsey partners, Eric Lamarre, Kate Smaje and…

Scores of people arrived to work and other destinations late due to violent protests by Diepkloof Hostel dwellers in Soweto over a lack of service delivery. According to reports, the hostel dwellers are demanding that the government refurbish a multimillion-rand housing project completed in 2011 to address the shortage of housing. At some point, a clash broke out between the hostel dwellers and the SAPS yesterday morning, which saw some residents pelting stones and other dangerous objects at police. Police responded by unleashing teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the angry mob. A high-tech police Nyala was also attacked, but was not damaged. The incident left a number of infrastructure items and cars belonging to civilians and an SABC media team damaged. Motorists travelling on the N12 were forced to…

To minimise risk to drivers and passengers, e-hailing services like Uber have assigned specific pick-up and drop-off points in various malls in Soweto. This follows incidents where e-hailing service operators were reportedly attacked in Soweto, with some having their cars torched. “We stand for safety and condemn any acts of violence or criminality against those who want to use e-hailing platforms to run their businesses and as a form of flexible earnings,” said Kagiso Khaole, general manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa. “We are constantly working on adding new features to minimise risk to drivers and riders, as safety is our utmost priority. Following the recent incident at malls in Soweto, we have made changes in the Uber app to help minimise the risk to drivers and riders.” It is…

THE Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison has condemned two incidents where an ambulance was hijacked, and in the other incident a hospital was vandalised and health-care workers robbed while on duty. In the first incident, several shots were fired before criminals hijacked an ambulance at Phola Nsikazi Clinic on Sunday. “According to reports, unknown men pointed a firearm at security personnel stationed at the entrance of Phola Nsikazi community health centre on Sunday morning,” spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Moeti Mmusi said. “The men proceeded to fire three shots at the driver of the emergency medical services before making it off with an ambulance.” The driver of the ambulance was slightly injured, and authorities said he was receiving medical attention. “The…

PATRICIA Msiza wakes up at the crack of dawn to prepare herself to travel from Soshanguve to Pretoria where she works as a nurse every day. To fend for her four children, 46-year-old Msiza alternates six to six shifts on a week to week basis. During the Covid-19 period, the health worker contracted the deadly disease six times and nearly faced death. At the time the medical sector couldn’t be in quarantine and lost a lot of medical practitioners because of the disease. Last week, at 5am on a dark winter Wednesday morning, Msiza left her house at block FF in the township, but stared death in the face when she was robbed of her belongings by thugs who had been roving throughout the night to take criminal opportunities against…

Self-testing kits for HIV/Aids have been heralded as a proactive manner to help vulnerable communities, particularly in regions such as South Africa where HIV infections continue to rise. The use of self-testing kits has the potential to target hard-to-reach communities – such as transgender people, incarcerated individuals, sex workers and people who inject drugs – who are often overlooked by traditional testing methods. One of the key benefits of self-testing kits for HIV/Aids is that they offer increased privacy and anonymity for individuals seeking testing. This is especially important for marginalised communities who may feel stigmatised by traditional testing methods or who may be hesitant to access medical facilities due to fear of discrimination or persecution. Self-testing kits allow individuals to take control of their health care and offer a…

OUTRAGE and demands for impeachment should be at blowtorch intensity at President Ramaphosa, for subordinating South Africa to permanent indebtedness as a vassal of globalist WEF hegemony by requiring R2 trillion to finance the false “battle against climate change” (Business Report, June 23). The utter falsehood of the claim that climate change is man-made cannot be overstated. The proof that it is a natural, historical reality, unrelated to fossil fuel emissions, is apparent for anyone who bothers to read and research beyond the propaganda which dominates the issue. Even the bought scientists of the UN, WEF and EU concede that if the goal of zero fossil fuel emissions was attained, the effect on global warming would be only one-tenth of a degree Celsius. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) which…

The global community observed ‘World Environment Day’ on June 5 and ‘World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought’ on June 17. These provide the opportunity to reflect on the appropriate use of our natural resources and the protection and preservation of the environment. A fundamental component of resolving climate change and other environmental challenges, in the Bahá’í view, will be the cultivation of values, attitudes and skills that give rise to just and sustainable patterns of human interaction with the environment. Besides, we need to observe the principles of economic justice, equality between the races, equal rights for men and women, and universal education. Furthermore, there is a need for a vision for the future based on unity and willing cooperation among the people of all nations and backgrounds. It…

The Northern Cape province has expressed its extreme pride and excitement that learners from two local schools, Kimberley Boys High and Technical High, did exceptionally well in representing South Africa in Growing Beyond Earth 2022/23 (GBE). Growing Beyond Earth is an international competition, held annually in the US, where learners present their research findings to Nasa scientists. These two schools were the first to ever participate in the competition from South Africa, and the African continent, and did very well taking into consideration it was their first attempt. A total of 372 schools, across six continents, started Trial 1 of the GBE competition last year in September, and only 58 schools – including Kimberley Boys High and Technical High – made it through to Trial 2, which culminated in…

Yangon: Myanmar junta authorities said they torched almost half a billion dollars worth of illegal drugs yesterday but warned they were failing to stop a surge in the production and trafficking of narcotics. Head-high piles of heroin, cannabis, methamphetamine and opium were burned in the commercial hub Yangon, in an annual spectacle to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Torchings also took place elsewhere in the country, with $446 million (R8.3 billion) of narcotics going up in smoke, junta officials said. | AFP…

DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns will be spending time in Europe as part of their preparations for the 2023/24 season. The club has not released their itinerary but the Netherlands’ Eerste Divisie club NAC Breda has announced a fixture against Sundowns on July 28. The NAC Breda post reads: “On July 25, NAC will clash with Greek side OFI Crete followed by a face-off against the formidable Mamelodi Sundowns FC, the reigning champions of South Africa, on Friday, July 28. “While these exciting duels are currently expected to be held without spectators, we’ll keep you updated in case the situation changes.” Sundowns are busy trying to engage other clubs in Europe for additional friendly matches with the view to exposing their players to international opposition. This exercise will help the…

Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are joining Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners in an investor group taking a 24% equity stake in Alpine Racing, the Formula One team’s parent company Renault announced yesterday. The €200-million (about R4.1-billion) deal values British-based Alpine Racing at around $900-million (about R16.4b) following the investment. Otro Capital co-founder and partner Alec Scheiner will join Alpine Racing’s board of directors. Deadpool star Reynolds leads Maximum Effort Investments with McElhenney, of American comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and fellow-actor Michael B Jordan as co-investors. Reynolds and McElhenney took over Wrexham in November 2020, funding the Welsh football club’s return to the English Football League as fifth-tier champions in April this year. Their popular docu-series Welcome to Wrexham has proved a big hit…

COMPANIES around the world will soon have a uniform set of standards on sustainability issues after the body governing international accounting rules published its first guidelines on reporting greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, most large companies report how many tons of carbon they emit into the atmosphere each year, but the data is often unreliable. The poor quality of data and lack of common standards allows companies to burnish their climate credentials, or greenwash their reputations. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation launched an effort in 2021 to fill that gap, creating a special board to work on sustainability disclosure standards. Yesterday, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) issued its first standards – IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 – that will be available for use from next year. “The standards…

Tshego Manche, known as Ms Manche, a businesswoman and one of South Africa’s first influencers, boasts an Instagram following of 205 000 followers. Manche’s account is filled with pictures of herself living a glamorous lifestyle and at the same time juggling motherhood. Now her followers will get an inside look at how she does it all on Showmax’s newest reality show, The Mommy Club. The Mommy Club follows five glamorous Jozi momfluencers as they navigate the challenges of parenting and the cut-throat world of “it moms”. It is set to debut tonight. “I’m excited,” she told IOL Entertainment. On the show, viewers will see how she handles friendships and, judging from the trailer, she does not play when it comes to her children. “Viewers will definitely see that I’m not…

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are expecting a baby boy. The couple revealed last week that the Poosh founder – who already has Mason, 13, Penelope, 10, and Reign, 8, with former partner Scott Disick – is pregnant, and now the pair have shared the moment they staged a gender reveal for family and friends on their social media accounts. In the Instagram clip, Kardashian sat on the Blink-182 drummer’s lap as he sat behind his kit. Barker – who has Landon, 19, and 17-year-old Alabama with ex-wife Shanna Moakler and is also stepdad to her 24-year-old daughter Atiana De La Hoya – gave a drumroll. As he slammed the cymbals, while he and his wife shared a kiss, blue confetti rained down on them.…

Ousted pair now have 14 days to appeal against the decision taken by the CNC Cope deputy president Willie Madisha says he is consulting his legal team following the congress national committee’s (CNC’s) announcement that it was terminating his membership with immediate effect. The party accused Madisha of hosting parallel meetings and abusing party resources. The membership of Mzwandile Hleko, secretary of elections nationally, was also terminated. The pair now have 14 days to appeal against the CNC’s decision. The letter that was sent to Madisha was signed by acting general secretary Erick Mohlapamaswi and Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota. “This letter is sent to you to communicate a decision of the CNC meeting held yesterday (Sunday), having considered your failure to respond to a letter sent to your good self…

The DA in Gauteng has slammed the Department of Health for allowing patients across 26 of the province’s hospitals to go without food. The DA’s spokesperson on health Jack Bloom yesterday said thousands of patients at 26 of the 34 public hospitals in the province had suffered from food shortages since the start of the year. Bloom said the reason for the shortages was due to the non-payment of suppliers. ‘‘The shortages were mostly due to suppliers not being paid, contracts expiring, or companies not delivering. It was so bad for two hospitals, Bronkhorstspruit and Lenasia South, that they had to borrow food from other hospitals,’’ Bloom said. According to him, George Mukhari Academic Hospital did not have enough chicken, fish, and frozen vegetables for over four months, while milk…

from page 1 “The outpouring of vitriol and overboard accusations that the flippant remark was in any way racist or constituted a threat of violence towards Mantashe are both ludicrous and neither was it intended that way. “I accept there are limits to free speech in South Africa. Was there any intent to provoke and/or cause harm to Mantashe himself by a side comment, there was not. It is now common knowledge that Hani was being followed by the apartheid security services, of which the ANC was aware. “They could have, should they have wanted to, prevented his murder. Boksburg is synonymous with the murder of Chris Hani, and it was this association to which I referred. “If the NPA would like to speak to me about my comment, I…

RADIO personality Dineo Ranaka has penned a lengthy message to her fans expressing gratitude for their overwhelming support after a mental health battle. Ranaka revealed on her Instagram account that she had been diagnosed with severe chronic depression. “For the calls, the texts, the prayers, the well wishes ... THANK YOU! I’ve recently been diagnosed with Severe Chronic Depression. I feel like I need to allow myself to re-introduce myself to MYSELF because I’ve been a high-functioning person with depression. And this is dangerous! VERY DANGEROUS! I’ve been physically sick. REALLY physically sick. I’ve suspected myself of not being well for a bit over two months now. And eventually, I know why.” Ranaka revealed that her symptoms had been in-sleep seizures, trouble waking up, trouble controlling her bladder, confusion, thoughts…

A CIVILISED system of jurisprudence should have no room for any dishonest employee to continue to reap the benefits of any institution funded by the taxpayer. This is according to a judge, after a dishonest employee of the National Lotteries Commission was found guilty of gross dishonesty, but instead of being fired, she got a slap on the wrist. The chairperson who headed the hearing against her convicted Boitumelo Mafonjo on two charges of gross dishonesty after she shared confidential information with outside parties regarding the commission. She was at the time dismissed, but her dismissal was suspended for 10 years – a sanction the Labour Court sitting in Johannesburg frowned upon. It appeared that the chairperson felt sorry for Mafonjo when it came time to sentence her. But…

POLITICAL parties in the City of Tshwane ratcheted up their campaigns for votes in ward 83, expressing optimism for victory ahead of tomorrow’s by-election. The ward, which includes Erasmuskloof, Erasmus Park and parts of Moreleta Park and Newlands, became vacant after DA councillor Francois Bekker resigned. At the weekend, the ANC and DA conducted their campaigns to win the hearts and minds of voters with the assistance of their provincial leaders. The ANC has fielded Urusla Sekole as its candidate to contest against the DA’s Andrew Lesch, who expressed confidence that he’d retain his party’s stronghold. Lesch has lived in the ward for 30 years and recently retired as a brigadier in the SAPS. DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga called on residents to support Lesch, “and show the confidence that…

Africa is in danger of losing one of its biggest revenue streams if a ban that prevents British game hunters from bringing home severed heads as trophies is passed. It also appears that African leaders and experts are at odds with the proposal, with some supporting a ban and others warning that it would be catastrophic. Some African leaders said the move would promote a beggar-like dependency on foreign aid. The high commissioners of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe warned that the legislation might not discourage hunting.They argued that it would instead remove incentives for locals to protect animals from poachers. A total of 103 conservation experts, scientists, government officials and community leaders from across Africa wrote to members of Britain’s House of Lords, urging them to…

A recent study by an Australian insurance company, Compare The Market, claims South Africans are among the worst drivers in the world. This study used statistics by The World Bank to compare fatal accident rates across different countries and genders. South Africa has the highest fatal road accident rate overall across both genders, while the country with the lowest road mortality rate is the UK. According to Compare The Market, South Africa reported just under 45 fatal accidents per 100 000 people. However, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has rubbished the findings. RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane disputed the number, saying that according to the 2022 Road Safety Report, the rate of road fatalities in South Africa was 20 per 100 000 people. “Even though the population is going up,…

THE implosion of the Titan near the wreck of the Titanic is a grisly reminder, that the sea is unforgiving. Man in his quest for technological supremacy has paid the ultimate price, from Apollo 13 to the Hindenberg, from the Concorde to the Challenger space shuttle disaster. The deadly side of deep sea exploration, began in 1960 and for over 63 years has been focussing the world’s attention on mankind’s rapidly expanding technical mastery in the deep depths of our vast and unfriendly oceans. Man is attempting to rocket his way onto Mars and live in a harsh environment, rest assured that these epic journeys will come at an enormous price. The lessons learnt from the Titan tragedy, must be taken into account. Breath-taking journeys require back-up plans to rescue…

The GRAND Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project on the Nile River started operating in February last year. It reinforced tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The three countries rely most heavily on the Nile’s water. Sudan and Egypt consider the $4.6 billion dam a threat to vital water supplies. Ethiopia sees it as essential for its development. This is just one example of how conflicts can arise between states that share river basins. And there’s a real risk such conflicts will become more common as global temperatures rise. Hundreds of rivers are shared between two or more countries. Sharing waters can be a source of co-operation or conflict. This depends on economic, cultural and institutional conditions. It also depends on historical relations between countries. Although co-operation historically prevails over conflict and…

The boss of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group broke his silence yesterday, two days after leading an aborted mutiny, saying he had never intended to overthrow the government, while giving few clues about his own fate or the deal under which he stood down. In the first public remarks released since he was last seen on Saturday night smiling and high-fiving bystanders from the back of an SUV as he withdrew from a city occupied by his men, Yevgeny Prigozhin said his fighters had halted their campaign to avert bloodshed. “We went as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country,” Prigozhin said in an 11-minute audio message released on the Telegram messaging app. “Our march showed many things we discussed earlier: the serious problems with security…

Islamabad: At least 10 people were killed and six others injured after lighning struck several parts of Pakistan’s Punjab province, officials said yesterday The fatalities were reported in the Sheikhupura and Narowal districts after heavy rainfall. Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said that pre-monsoon rains were forecast across the country up to June 30, during which strong winds, thunder, and heavy rain are expected in Punjab. Heavy rainfall has sparked concerns about flooding in urban areas and floods and landslides in mountainous regions. | IANS…

The Blue Bulls Company has mutually terminated the contract of Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi with immediate effect, the union revealed via a statement yesterday. In the statement, chief executive Edgar Rathbone thanked Nkosi, who joined the Pretoria-based side last year, for his services to the team. “I would like to thank Sbu for all that he has contributed towards our campaigns during his time with us,” Rathbone said in the statement. “I know that it wasn’t an easy time for him personally, but I am confident that the support we provided to him was invaluable. “Having a Springbok wing of his calibre in our team has been a pleasure. “I know that he now feels as though it is the best time to move on and we respect his wishes.”…

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder, Soweto-born Thulani Serero, is on the radar of Pitso Mosimane, the new coach of Emirati club Al Wahda. Al Wahda finished third in the UAE Pro League last season and Mosimane’s project will be to win the league title this season. Mosimane said that out of respect, he will not comment on a possible link with Serero because the ink has hardly dried on his newly signed contract with the Abu Dhabi-based club. “No, I’m not signing Serero now, not yet,” Mosimane said. Serero, one of the finest football products to emerge from South Africa over the past decade, has become a free agent. His three-year contract with UAE club Al Jazira has expired. Al Jazira finished fifth in the league last season. For some time,…

The Currie Cup is far from dead, and the Free State Cheetahs showed their mettle on Saturday night by defeating the Pumas to claim the crown. They picked up momentum at the right time in the competition to secure a seventh title in front of their fans in Bloemfontein. Here, Leighton Koopman looks at five moments from South Africa’s premier domestic rugby competition that shows it is still alive. Champagne Champions They had a slight hiccup with a few losses but when they finally hit their straps in the last couple of games, there was just no stopping the Cheetahs. It was their team effort that took them over the line with the evergreen Ruan Pienaar and captain Victor Sekekete leading from the front. They came up with some exciting…

OVER the next week, Boland Rugby Union (BRU) has to convince its clubs why the proposed deal with Johann Rupert and Patrice Motsepe is a step in the right direction for the region and their professional arm. Rupert and Motsepe, who also own a controlling stake in the Blue Bulls, tabled an offer to buy a controlling 74% interest in the company of the provincial union. The Boland Cavaliers, the franchise’s professional team, this past weekend won the Currie Cup First Division at Boland Stadium in Wellington, and it is their goal to reach the Premier Division next season. The financial injection that they will receive from the sale of the commercial arm will provide them the opportunity to bulk up their squad ahead of next season. But the clubs,…

Two-time champions the West Indies face an almighty task to qualify for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup after losing to the Netherlands in a thrilling final group game decided by a super over yesterday. Nicholas Pooran’s second hundred of the qualifiers propelled the West Indies to a commanding 374/6, but Teja Nidamanuru hit 111 in reply and the Dutch needed one from the final ball for victory. Jason Holder took a brilliant catch to deny Logan van Beek as the scores finished tied, but Van Beek blasted Holder for 30 runs in the super over to set up a remarkable win in Harare. Van Beek then restricted the West Indies to just eight off five balls as he removed Johnson Charles and Romario Shepherd with successive deliveries to seal…

A top chef has taken the drastic move to ban vegans from his restaurant after receiving a complaint about his plant-based offering. Chef John Mountain took to social media recently to declare that people who don’t eat meat and other animal products won’t be catered to at his restaurant Fyre in Connolly in Perth’s north. “Sadly all vegans are now banned from Fyre (for mental health reasons),” he shared on social media. “We thank you for your understanding. Xx.” The ban was reportedly sparked over a fight with a customer over vegan options at the restaurant, with Mountain infuriated to the point of banning all plant-based diners. Speaking with media outlet PerthNow, Mountain shared that the decision was prompted after a young woman emailed the restaurant asking if there…

Police in Limpopo have confirmed the arrest of a 71-year-old man after his 26-year-old son was killed at Mentz Village, Malesa, outside Mankweng, on June 24. A complaint of a shooting in the area was made, and police rushed to the scene. On arrival, they found the victim lying on the street in a pool of blood. The victim was said to have been shot in the upper body by his biological father, who later locked himself inside the house. The 71-year-old is due in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court facing a charge of murder. “Police established that the victim was shot in the upper body. “Members of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were summoned and declared a 26-year-old man dead. “Preliminary police investigations indicated that the victim was shot by…

The office of the Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, and the MMC for public safety Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, have committed themselves to prioritising the coloured community in service delivery and job opportunities. This comes after members of the Westbury community returned to the streets protesting over a lack of job opportunities at some of the key government departments in the area. Two weeks ago, the community, led by Bishop Dulton Adams and Councillor Ronald Harris, marched to the Helen Joseph Hospital, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Social Development’s Westbury Transformation Development Centre (WTDC), South Bekels, the JMPD offices, Shoprite and the Sophiatown police station. Yesterday, the community returned to the same institutions after having han- ded over their memorandum of demands for inclusion in job opportunities. Speaking to the…

FOOD blogger Nagi believes you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. Her website – www.recipetineats.com/recipes/ – is packed with tested fare. This is a one-pan meal with fish baked in cream on top of a potato gratin with a crunchy golden topping. It’s a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie – a fabulously cosy, rustic, oven-baked fish that’s effortless yet company-worthy. Ingredients 4 x 160g white fish fillets, 2cm thick, skinless ½ tsp cooking/kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper POTATO GRATIN: 50g unsalted butter 2 large leeks, white and pale green part only, washed, cut in half lengthways and sliced into 5mm-thick pieces, or 2 onions 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 medium starchy potatoes (250g each), peeled ¾…

Buffalo City Metro Municipality (BCMM) in East London, Eastern Cape, has expressed concern about teenagers who drink excessively in the name of “pens-down” parties. This comes after hundreds of teenagers descended on the East London beachfront to celebrate the completion of their mid-year exams by consuming alcohol. It is reported that metro law enforcement had a tough time at the weekend when officers apprehended 15 drunk drivers. “The metro law enforcement had their hands full as hundreds of teenagers (approximately 700) descended on the beachfront. “Roadblocks were set up along the beachfront area in Fleet Street, Esplanade, and Bowls Road, where officers arrested 15 drunk drivers,” said BCMM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya. The municipality also urged parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts. “The metro is extremely disappointed with the attitude of…

MINISTER of International Relations and Co-operation Dr Naledi Pandor is expected to host the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, in Pretoria. The minister’s engagement, to be held today, will mark the 11th meeting of the South Africa-Germany Bi-National Commission. Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said the Bi-National Commission was the primary mechanism used for the management of the “substantial” relationship between the two nations. “It comprises seven working groups, which have already met to prepare reports that will be submitted to and approved at the Bi-National Commission,” said Monyela. “The working groups are on foreign and security policy; economy; energy; environment and climate; development co-operation; agriculture; science and technology; arts, culture and labour; social affairs and vocational…

A HUSBAND who said his wife left him about 22 years ago to seek greener pastures, has asked the court for an order to say that she forfeited the assets he said he had built up over the years as she left him and their children out in the cold. The wife turned to the High Court, Bloemfontein, to ask for a divorce after all these years. She argued that because they were married in community of property in the 1980s, he had to share what she deemed their assets – a house and his pension benefits – with her. But in a counter-application the husband said she did not work towards these assets as she left years ago, thus she should not benefit when they get a divorce.…

A SEVEN-year-old case involving two police constables has been concluded after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in Gauteng arrested the duo after they were charged for kidnapping and rape of a 43-year-old woman. Speaking to the Pretoria News yesterday, Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said Constables Jabulani Raymond Nkwinika, 39, and Nkopodi Alex Kgalema, 44, were responding to a complaint on August 21, 2016. He said: “The police who attended to a disturbance complaint took the 43-year-old complainant with them to the police station. While being returned home, she was raped and they were charged with kidnapping and rape,” he said. He added that in March this year Nkwinika was acquitted of all charges while Kgalema was acquitted of kidnapping but convicted of rape. Last week Kgalema was sentenced…

Gwede Mantashe, the Minerals and Energy Minister, is totally out of order and very disingenuous for making baseless claims that the current Lesotho government has a relationship with the illegal Basotho miners in South Africa. Basically, Mantashe is passing the buck of South Africa having failed to deal with this scourge and the criminality associated with illegal mining and is thus transferring blame to the Lesotho government. What Mantashe should be doing is to refrain from making such sensational claims, which will not help the situation, but diplomatically engage his Lesotho counterparts to see how this criminal activity can be stopped.…

AS ANC party structures hold their last conferences before the national elections next year, the Western Cape is a cautionary tale about how factionalism cost the party the province. These conferences’ outcomes will be telling. The ANC lost power to the DA in the Western Cape back in 2009 and is the only province where the ANC sits in the opposition benches. The party finally hosted its provincial conference this past weekend to elect new leaders to revive its electoral chances. The conference was repeatedly postponed over the past few years as the requirement to hold 70% of branch general meetings could not be met. Outgoing ANC Interim Western Cape Committee convenor Lerumo Kalako told delegates the province had the highest levels of factionalism. Factionalism is a serious problem that…

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s army confirmed yesterday that the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had taken the main base of a well-equipped police brigade in Khartoum and there were reports of fighting spreading for the first time to Blue Nile state near Ethiopia. The RSF said it had captured dozens of armoured vehicles and pick-up trucks after seizing the Central Reserve Police headquarters, consolidating its position in southern Khartoum where several military camps are situated. Also yesterday, residents reported an attack by the SPLM-N, Sudan’s most powerful rebel group, in the city of Kurmuk in Blue Nile State, on the border with Ethiopia. | Reuters…

The ‘Bomb Squad’ will certainly play an important role later this year at the World Cup in France, but in last year’s Rugby Championship, the All Blacks found a counter to this Springboks weapon and that could cause a rethink of exactly how the unit will be used in this season’s southern hemisphere tournament. Despite forwards like captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth being on the injury list, there are still plenty of forwards who can slot into positions to easily allow Bok coach Jacques Nienaber to go ahead with fielding a replacements’ bench of six forwards and two backs. But the exploits of New Zealand, and Ireland in the November Tests against the Bomb Squad, could force Nienaber and his brainstrust to use the much-talked-about replacements strategy sparingly this…

Ilkay Gundogan has signed for Barcelona on a free transfer at the end of his Manchester City contract, the Catalan club said yesterday. The 32-year-old German midfielder has agreed a two-year deal with the option for a year’s extension and a release clause of €400-million (about R8.1-billion). “He is bringing his presence, nose for goal and reading of the game which has made him one of the best midfielders of the past decade,” said Barcelona in a statement. Gundogan has been an influential presence for Pep Guardiola’s City side since joining in 2016, captaining the team to a stunning treble this season. The midfielder netted twice in the FA Cup final win over Manchester United and Guardiola admitted City were trying to renew his deal. Manchester City are poised to…