Tabla de contenidos para 2023-03-07 en Star

AFRICAN Rainbow Mineral (ARM)'s shares took a knock yesterday despite a 40% increase in its interim headline earnings as it was boosted by thermal coal prices. The shares dropped by 1.84% to close at R258 on the JSE yesterday. In its interim results for the six months ended December 31, 2022, the group reported that headline earnings per share was R26.38 in the reported period from R18.87 per share the prior year. It declared an interim dividend of R14 per share, an increase from R12 a year earlier. Anchor Capital investment analyst Seleho Tsatsi said while ARM reported strong earnings growth,unfortunately, there was unit cost pressure. “That is a theme that we’re seeing across the mining sector. There was generally double digit unit cost pressure across ARM’s businesses. “If we…

After the founder died, a lengthy battle ensued between two sons and a claimed heir The STAR has a startling revelation about the more than three million member-strong International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC), currently engaged in a court battle about the legitimate leader of the church. After founder Glayton Modise died, the church endured a lengthy battle between Modise’s two sons, Tshepiso Modise and Frederick Leonard Modise, and Mike Sandlana. The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed to The Star that there is no registered link between the church founder and Sandlana, who claims to be his son. According to the registrar of births, Modise’s only children are Julia Winifred Modise, Jenette Khumalo (nee Modise), Tshepiso Modise, Sebitse Bertha Mabusela (nee Modise), and Frederick Leonard Modise, who runs the church’s…

CITY of Joburg member of the mayoral committee for roads and transport Kenny Kunene has advised passengers who depend on the Rea Vaya bus services to seek alternative transport. Yesterday, passengers were left stranded at Rea Vaya bus stations after drivers went on a wildcat strike. Buses at the Rea Vaya depot in Dobsonville, Soweto, were also obstructed from leaving. “As it stands, there are no Rea Vaya buses on the road. We ask passengers to use Metrobus and other modes of transport. I know that the routes are different. We ask that they bear with us,” Kunene said. The MMC added that there had been problems with payments to Piotrans, which was managing the Rea Vaya bus services. He blamed municipal officials for dragging their feet on the payments,…

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health audiologists and other health experts from the province are seeing an increasing number of young people with hearing problems. According to the department, hearing loss is the most common sensory impairment worldwide and affects more than 12 million South Africans. It said the increasing number of young people with hearing problems was due to excessive use of devices such as earphones and headphones, as well as exposure to loud music from nightclubs and cars. This was revealed during a discussion hosted by KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane in Durban on Friday to commemorate World Hearing Day, under the theme “Accessibility of hearing care for all”. Dr Andile Sibiya, who is a surgeon and head of otorhinolaryngology (the study of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat)…

A RED Ferrari California, which was almost split in half and damaged beyond repair when it hit a lamp-post, was the subject of a legal wrangle between the insurer of the car and the owner after the insurer refused to pay out. It accused the driver of the Ferrari of speeding along William Nicol Drive in Joburg during rainy conditions. Owner of the Italian vehicle, Sashin Govender, turned to the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to force Guardrisk Insurance Company to honour its contract with him. Judge Anthony Millar ruled in favour of Govender and ordered the insurer to pay him R1 827 500 plus interest and legal costs. The court was told that on the night of February 22, 2019, Govender lost control of the vehicle and it hit…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s slow and unsure decision-making has probably reached its apotheosis. Recently it has been said that the composition of his new Cabinet would be indicative of his chosen path: if radically reformed, he would have acknowledged the crises the country is in. If it is a reshuffling of the same old reprobates, we would know that it is business as usual and should look to the opposition party of our choice next year. Ramaphosa’s delayed Cabinet reshuffle reflects dithering, even by his standard; it should have been done soon after his success at Nasrec, but has been “imminent” for two-and a-half months. Now, 18 months after scrapping the minister of intelligence position and assuming oversight responsibility for the State Security Agency, Ramaphosa is “strongly considering” reintroducing the intelligence…

THE EFF’s health and social development MMC Ennie Makhafola has expressed ambitious plans to improve the city clinics’ health-care delivery. Most important of her initiatives is the improvement of environmental hygiene, by campaigning for the proper disposal of garbage and the education of the public against illegal dumping. In the past, this was achieved by putting up billboards to create public awareness, with messages such as “Keep South Africa clean. No illegal Dumping. No littering”. To reinforce the message, metropolitan police would patrol and take action against offenders. I have often wondered why all the measures were abandoned. I hope the MMC will receive the support she needs to implement them. The changes she wants to introduce, regarding the reorganisation of clinics and working hours, will depend on the…

Since 1998, South Africa has recognised persecution based on gender and sexuality as legitimate grounds for asylum. This makes it the only African country to formally extend refugee protection to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) people. However, as research shows, the promise of freedom contained in its refugees act is yet to materialise for LGBTI+ people. A recent analysis of refugee status denials involving LGBTI+ applicants identifies egregious misapplications of domestic and international law. Other studies suggest that homophobia, transphobia and corruption are common in the Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for managing immigration and asylum. These barriers to protection make it difficult for LGBTI+ asylum seekers to regularise their legal status, access services or find jobs. This increases their vulnerability to discrimination, exploitation, poverty and…

JAKARTA: At least 15 people died in the Indonesian region of Natuna yesterday after a landslide buried houses amid heavy rainfall, the country’s disaster agency said. Disaster agency officials said 15 had died and at least 50 were estimated to be missing. They said the number of fatalities may rise and communications in the area had been severed. The agency said survivors were being evacuated from the Searasan region, while a search-and-rescue team had been dispatched to the area. Roofs and trees were seen strewn on the mud-filled ground in heavy rain. The affected area was on a remote island a five-hour boat ride from the capital of Natuna. | Reuters…

TEHRAN: Women violating the Islamic dress code will be punished, Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said yesterday, reaffirming the law after months of unrest that brought a deadly security crackdown. The death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini last year while in police custody for flouting the dress code triggered nationwide protests that posed one of the toughest challenges to theocracy since its establishment in 1979. A severe crackdown by security forces has largely stifled the unrest in recent weeks. | Reuters…

And then there were three! The battle for the second spot is heating up with one of SuperSport United, Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs set to be the team that will finish behind runaway champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premiership this season. The three teams won their respective matches over the weekend, but with a whooping 24 points still up for grabs in the last eight games of the season, the three teams will have to work their socks off to claim second place. Here, Mihlali Baleka looks at what they need to do to qualify for the CAF Champions League. SuperSport United The return of coach Gavin Hunt to the team has been spectacular as they’ve been able to compete with the best despite the minimal resources at their…

AS SOUTH Africans – especially small business owners – grapple with daily load shedding, online retailer Takealot said yesterday it has seen a record volume of search queries and orders for alternative energy solutions. Since the start of 2023, every day of the year has seen power disruptions, causing frustration for consumers and operational pressures on most businesses. “Our data tells an insightful story about how South Africans are becoming intentional in how they adjust to load shedding,” said Fredrik Zietsman, CEO of takealot.com in a statement. “On our platform, we’ve seen a surge in sales of load shedding mitigation products, such as generators, inverters and uninterrupted power supply units. “In fact, ‘UPS’ was the third most-searched term on the Takealot platform in 2022,” he said. Takealot had prioritised sourcing…

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed his Presidency’s investment and infrastructure czar Kgosientso Ramakgopa as the minister of the newly-formed Electricity Ministry. A holder of a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Master’s in public administration and business leadership, and a PhD in public affairs, Ramokgopa, 48, is a former mayor of Tshwane, who served from 2010 to 2016. He was also a Gauteng MPL from 2019 and had, until last night, been the Presidency’s investment and infrastructure chief. The three-page announcement was almost two hours late, with the document’s meta data showing that Presidency official Saul Musker finalised it at 8.34pm, just before Ramaphosa made his announcement. Ramaphosa also made the much-expected announcement of ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile as the country’s Deputy President. Other changes are: Minister in the…

WHILE the Covid-19 pandemic shone the spotlight on medical and government experts, it is a homeless man who rose to celebrity status after a live TV mishap led to him being labelled Alostro. At the height of the pandemic, while the virus was novel on South African soil and politicians and health experts united under one mission to house and protect homeless people in Tshwane, Mahau Louis, 33, butchered the English language in an irresistibly funny fashion. Journalists gathered around a group of homeless people from Tshwane to find out if they were happy with the shelters the government had arranged for them. While one man was speaking, Alostro tried to chime in, but to this day, nobody can make out what he was trying to say. The video has…

A southern African python removed from a residential area in KwaZulu- Natal is believed to have been the first recorded species to exhibit facultative melanism – an evolutionary adaptation where the snake’s colour darkens considerably during reproduction. That is according to the Crocworld Conservation Centre after a large, female Southern African python got herself into some trouble recently after taking up residence in a pile of vegetation in a residential area on the South Coast. “Almost certainly an expectant mother judging by her colour, this is the first recorded species to exhibit facultative melanism, an evolutionary adaptation where the snake’s colour darkens considerably during reproduction,” the centre said. “This is one of few species which incubate their eggs maternally and the colour change is thought to increase the rate of…

Residents of Johannesburg have been ranked second among South Africans with the healthiest weight, according to a survey conducted last year. The Discovery Vitality ObeCity Index study found, after an analysis of almost 3 000 people across the country, that Vitality members in Cape Town had the healthiest weight, followed by Johannesburg. In third place was Durban, and then Pretoria, according to the health check assessment, made up of five measures, among them blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol. There was also a weight assessment, which included weight, height and waist circumference, and participants were required to sign a non-smoker declaration; all to reveal which city in South Africa is leading in terms of obesity. The cities were ranked according to the percentage of HealthyFood items purchased in comparison to…

International Women’s Day, globally observed on March 8, is a reminder of the crucial need to remove the barriers that hinder women from attaining their rightful status in society. Despite the commitment by many of the world’s governments to promote equal rights and opportunities for women and men, women and girls continue to struggle against deep-rooted patterns of dominance; and the conventional beliefs that they are inferior to men, make them easy targets for anger, frustration and violence. In the Bahá’í view, humanity is one – regardless of race, nationality, class, religion or gender. The equality of men and women is an essential aspect of this broader principle: the oneness of human family. In the context of the oneness of humanity, gender equality is a requirement of justice and a…

Every day, it seems President Cyril Ramaphosa finds a new way to tell us he does not care about South Africans. If it’s not load shedding, the dwind- ling economy, or rising crime putting the lives of South Africans at risk, it is him addressing Ankole breeders instead of the nation. Our president went as far as saying being president of the Ankole Association was better than being the president of the country. After weeks, if not months, of mulling his Cabinet reshuffle, Ramaphosa again failed to meet his deadline, reporting sick only to appear in good spirits at the Ankole auction. On Sunday, in another snub, Ramaphosa sent his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, to address the nation. He continues to be missing in action whenever he is needed the most.…

NOUAKCHOTT: Four detainees escaped from the central prison in Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott, during a breakout in which two soldiers were killed in gunfire, the interior ministry said yesterday, describing the four as “terrorists”. The ministry said an exchange of gunfire followed their jailbreak late on Sunday. Two national guards were killed and two wounded. The national guard had secured the prison and were in pursuit of the four, the ministry said. The country has been spared the violence by Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State that has killed thousands in nearby countries in the Sahel region. | Reuters…

TBILISI: MPs in Georgia engaged in fistfights yesterday as a parliamentary committee debated a controversial law that would regulate “foreign agents” which critics say is modelled on draconian legislation in neighbouring Russia. Video from inside the parliament in Tbilisi showed a brawl between MPs after the chamber’s legal affairs committee chairman appeared to strike the leader of the United National Movement opposition party, which opposes the law. It would require parties getting more than 20% of funding from overseas to submit to monitoring or face hefty fines. | Reuters…

Not in a long time has the Nedbank Cup been this significant to Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. The Sea Robbers and Amakhosi – along with Mamelodi Sundowns – are expected to win matches season in and season out. But such has been the disappointing run of Chiefs and Pirates in recent years that they’ve been playing bridesmaid to the Brazilians, who are on course to win a record sixth Premiership title in a row. So, with Sundowns all but guaranteed another league crown and a return to Caf Champions League, Pirates and Chiefs can only follow suit via finishing second on the log. But that’s easier said than done. They both face stiff competition from SuperSport United who have been holding onto second spot in the past…

In a major boost for the Sharks, former All Black assistant coach John Plumtree is set for a dramatic return to the Shark Tank as the new head coach for the next United Rugby Championship (URC) season and beyond. In effect, Plumtree will be taking over from Sean Everitt, who parted ways from the Sharks in November last year. That prompted Director of Rugby Neil Powell to step in as acting coach but at the end of this season, he is to step back from coaching and start performing his role of director in earnest. Plumtree, of course, is a proud Sharks old boy. He played 80 games for Natal between 1988 and 1994 and was in the side that famously won the Currie Cup for the first time, in…

JSE All Share Index gains for second straight session, lifted by industrials SOUTH African markets started the week in divergence as the rand remained subdued while stocks were in the green, but investors were unmoved by the prospect that the appointment of an electricity minister would solve the protracted energy crisis. President Cyril Ramaphosa last night named a new deputy president after the Presidency announced David Mabuza’s resignation, and announced the new position of electricity minister. The rand fell 0.6% to R18.23 against the dollar yesterday, after stabilising over the past week when it was supported by a resurgence in global risk appetites. The rand has been struggling to gain momentum, falling 5.2% month-on-month in February against the dollar, bringing its year-to-date decline to 7.2% against the greenback. The domestic…

HULAMIN saw its shares surge on the JSE yesterday by more than 6% after announcing its normalised annual headline earnings per share and revenue had increased and that 2023 “commenced with solid customer demand”. The shares had increased by 9.43%, to reach R2.90 by the JSE close yesterday, despite the Pietermaritzburg-based aluminium product manufacturer not declaring a dividend. In its results for the year ended December 31, 2022, normalised headline earnings per share increased by 28% to 105 cents per share. Revenue increased to R15.93 billion despite sales volumes declining 4.6% to 211 328 tons. The group said that the principal difference between headline earnings per share and normalised headline earnings per share was the metal price lag, which is the profit or loss arising from the timing…

A worker at an engineering firm got more than he had bargained for when he reported his boss for “peeking over the wall” of a toilet stall while he was relieving himself. He was fired after reporting his boss and failing to take a polygraph test. The boss took the test and it was found that “no deception was detected”. The worker, who had agreed to the test but never pitched up, was fired after a disciplinary hearing. The chairperson of the disciplinary hearing, who also represented the engineering firm, concluded that the polygraph tests proved the boss’s innocence. The worker took the decision to fire him on arbitration, which found that his dismissal was unfair. The arbitrator awarded him compensation of eight months’ salary, amounting to R62 592, after…

GIANT music streaming service Spotify says its new data shows the prevailing moods of the playlists South Africans are making, giving a glimpse of how 2023 is shaping up so far. Global moods data also give a peek into the most popular songs being added to moods playlists around the world right now. The top 15 moods in South Africans’ user-generated playlists included productivity, dark, focus, confidence, chilled, motivation, confident, free, sad, happy, hopeful, serotonin, mood, joyful, and anxious. Using playlists that have moods like “happy”, “focused” and “confident” in their titles, Spotify’s data wizards have been able to identify how South Africans are feeling as we head into the third month of the year. The top 10 moods are overwhelmingly positive, and it is clear that South Africans have…

The time is now to establish whether blood runs thicker than water within the British monarchy. Will King Charles embrace his wayward son, his unpopular wife, Meghan, and their children, bringing them back into the bosom of the royal family? The parable of the return of the prodigal son is apt here – forgiving, forgetting, embracing; this could be an act of immense catharsis for King Charles, showing the world that strong family bonds should be valued above all else. Harry’s immaturity has run its course – he has exposed his faults and the suffering he endured as a child and young adult, bringing with it swathes of jaw-dropping embarrassment for the royal family. Prince William is a different kind of man. He has proved that he is intolerant of…

“What became of the Black People of Sumer? They lost their history, so they died” (Chancellor Williams in The Destruction of Black Civilization). The month of February was celebrated as a Black History Month. Of course, this is mainly within the racist American context, in which the historical condition of people of African descent reduced to the enslaved sought meaning in a white settler colony, called the United States of America. White supremacy, which fundamentally attacks the being and culture of people of African descent in white America, is the condition of possibility for the call for a Black History Month. This is in recognition of the fact that in a white settler world like white America, Eurocentric history always permeates the existence and relations of people. This epistemic domination…

South Korea said yesterday that its companies would compensate people forced to work under Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation, seeking to end a dispute that has undercut US-led efforts to present a unified front against China and North Korea. The proposal was welcomed in Tokyo but faced an immediate backlash from some victims and from South Korea’s main opposition party, who accused the government of capitulating to Japan. US President Joe Biden, whose administration has pressed its two allies to reconcile, hailed the announcement as “groundbreaking”. A Japanese government source close to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the US had been pressing for reconciliation but that a main factor that triggered a push by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for reconciliation was the geopolitical threat from North Korea. The disagreements…

ATHENS: Greece would seek more EU funding for urgent safety upgrades to the rail network, the government said yesterday, as public sector workers planned a widespread walkout to protest against the country’s worst train crash that killed 57 people last week. Labour unions say the rail network has been severely weakened by cost-cutting and under-investment, a casualty of the debt crisis which afflicted Greece from 2010 to 2018. The EU would give Greece technical support to modernise the railways and boost safety, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said. | Reuters…

Fielding at short-leg Tony de Zorzi has the best seat in the house. Being so close to the heat of battle, he can almost feel the sense of fear setting into the opposition batters when Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are charging in. De Zorzi, and the Proteas, won’t have that pleasure this week at the Wanderers with Nortje being ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies with a “mild groin discomfort”. However, the Centurion debutant will certainly not forget the adrenaline rush that burst through his veins after his first Test cricket experience. “It was exciting, obviously it was much better because we ended up winning,” the stylish Western Province top-order batter said. “I was telling friends afterwards, to be that close to see KG take…

Aston Martin are just getting started on a big adventure and for double world champion Fernando Alonso, back on the Formula One podium at 41 years of age and in his 20th season, it seems too good to be true. The evergreen Spaniard was even talking about future wins after finishing third in Sunday’s Bahrain season-opener behind the Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen, also a double champion, and Sergio Perez. Aston Martin, seventh in the championship last year, were suddenly second in the standings and beating both Ferrari and Mercedes. “When you are P3 in race one, there are 22 (more) opportunities this season,” Alonso said of a possible 33rd career victory. “You know, anything can happen in 22 races with different conditions. And, you know I will try…