Inhoudsopgave van 2021-11-19 - Star

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za INVESTEC plans to distribute a 15 percent stake in Ninety One to its shareholders, the group said yesterday in its results for the six months to September 30. Investec was previously the parent company of international asset management firm Ninety One, but had retained a 25 percent shareholding after the two businesses demerged last year. “Given the group’s strong capital generation, capital optimisation strategy, and in line with previous communication that 15 percent of Ninety One is surplus to our capital requirements, the board has resolved to distribute the 15 percent holding to shareholders, while retaining an approximate 10 percent interest,” Investec said in a statement yesterday. The distribution would be subject to regulatory, shareholder and other approvals. Investec chief executive Fani…

Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za RIAAD Moosa is a household name in South Africa. For over two decades, the doctor-turned-stand-up has been tickling the funny bone. And he has done so sans the use of any profanities. His jokes are kept clean and family-friendly and he is a bona fide riot on stage. Aside from gracing many local and international stages, he has gotten his 5-minutes of fame, so to speak, on the big and small screen. Despite his clout in the industry, where he sits up there with the best, he has no airs and graces. Earlier in the week, I caught up with Moosa to chat about New Material, the sequel to his 2012 hit Material. Having interviewed him several times over the years, I can honestly say he…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Hip hop heavyweight Cassper Nyovest says he would be willing to give his girlfriend a monthly allowance of R450 000. The discussion of a girlfriend allowance was a hot trend on social media last week after media personality Boity Thulo said she would need a R450K girlfriend allowance. Boity was a guest on Mihlali Ndamase’s YouTube show, Cocktail Hour. The duo made cocktails and discussed life and relationships, among other topics. Boity asked the social media influencer if she had ever received a girlfriend allowance, how much it was and that if she had not received an allowance before, how much would she want. “Many moons ago, I once had a girlfriend allowance. It was cute. He used to give me R50K a month. “I was…

Mashudu Sadike mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za SOME bereaved families of the victims of an alleged serial killer in Limpopo could not identify their loved ones at the morgue because their faces had been disfigured. Zimbabwean national Themba Dube, 36, who is in the country illegally, appeared at the Seshego Magistrate’s Court on seven counts of kidnapping and seven counts of murder. He was arrested over the weekend for kidnapping, raping, and killing seven women aged between 25 and 48, found dumped in bushes around Seshego, Polokwane, Mankweng and Westernburg. The victims – Sarah Moitswadi Mathiba, Moleboheng Mothibeli, Eva Khomotso Makhura, Mpho Sanah, Sinyatsi Cholo, Chisimango Gumbo, and Jane Letswalo, were allegedly murdered between August and October. Dube pointed out all the graves to the police, and the victims were exhumed for identification. However,…

Accused in 2020 of defaming Econ Oil & Energy and its director over ‘inflated prices’ Thabo Makwakwa thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za A CRIMINAL charge has been laid against Eskom CEO André de Ruyter at the Sandton police station for defaming Econ Oil & Energy and its director. Documents seen exclusively by The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News, has revealed that the defamation criminal case was opened by Econ Oil director Nothemba Mlonzi on August 6, 2020. However, no arrest or progress on the investigation and prosecution of the case has been made thus far. It has also emerged that the Sandton police station commander has been asked by Mlonzi’s lawyers to explain himself after failing to act on the criminal charge. The charge stems from De Ruyter’s statements alleging that Mlonzi, who…

Nuco Auctioneers will be holding an online auction of end-of-contract buses and other vehicles at 76 Newton Street, Ferrobank, Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga. Bidding opens today at 8am and closes on Thursday at 10.30am. Among the items coming under the hammer will be buses, minibuses, panel vans and hatchbacks, including Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, VW Crafters and Toyota Quantums. Viewing is from today until Wednesday from 9am to 3pm, excluding Sunday. For more information, call 011 206 8963, Wendy at 074 117 4606, email info@nucoauctioneers.com or go towww.nucoauctioneers.com. | Auctions Writer…

Anita Nkonki THE amapiano genre instantly gained popularity in South Africa and now with that much love and support it has gone beyond our borders. With a movement called “Amapiano to the World”, two brothers, real names Banele and Bandile Mbere, have been exhibiting what South Africa is made of to the world. The Gauteng-born duo see themselves as torch-bearers of the African genre that has swept the country and is gaining momentum elsewhere. No one can deny that the Major League DJz are renowned for their high-spirited live performances and they have been showing the same energy abroad. The music stars are also known for their Balcony Mixes, which have birthed great artists such as Uncle Vinny. When they recently visited the UK they had one-on-one time with Pause…

FAROUK ARAIE | Johannesburg THE ANC stands shaken and bruised by the election results amid a plethora of revelations implicating the party and its senior members in misdeeds. Does the ANC realise that it is hopelessly out of touch with the situation in South Africa? Unless it takes a bold stand against corruption and enhances service delivery, it will be in for a rude awakening in 2024. Millions are unemployed and homeless. Local economies have been wiped out, critical infrastructure has been destroyed. Service delivery is a shambles. The energy grid is on the verge of collapse as power generation lurches from crisis to crisis. Crime has overwhelmed the nation. A shrinking tax base has to bear the costs of corruption, administrative blunders and gross ineptitude in running…

The Man Who Died Twice Richard Osman Loot.co.za (R Viking/Penguin Books I FIRST got to know Richard Osman not as an author but as one of the most hilarious hosts on BBC One’s quiz show Pointless. So, it was a great joy to find his second novel in The Thursday Murder Club series. The story features as its main characters Elizabeth, who was with MI5, Joyce, her sensible and chatty friend, Ron, who is up for almost everything, and Ibrahim, a psychiatrist. They share their lives in a retirement village in Kent, where they do the usual things one does, but add some spice to their cardigan-lifestyle by solving the odd murder. This time around Elizabeth receives a letter signed from a man who she knows full well to be…

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted schools and universities across the world. Unesco figures state that the worldwide average time lost due to Covid-19 related school closures has been two-thirds of an academic year. This situation has been the most acute in Latin America and the Caribbean, where five months have been lost, and three out of five children lost an entire school year. In Africa, there have also been long school closures. In Uganda, schools have been kept closed for almost two years. There were different scenarios at work when schools closed: some went digital, many learners didn’t learn because they lacked access to the necessary technology, examinations were run virtually if not cancelled altogether. Learning was lost because, quite simply, home environments are often not designed to support learning…

Banele Ginindza banele.ginindza@inl.co.za SOUTH Africa’s property sector experts said yesterday that a disappointed market would take the interest rate hike by the South African Reserve Bank in its stride as the sector had just returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, particularly in the R1 million-and-less house price market. The hike by the Monetary Policy Committee of the repo rate by 25 basis points pegs the rate at 3.75 percent, while the prime rate rises to 7.25 percent. Property analysts said the hike had not been unexpected, but would be a disappointment mostly to first-time home buyers. Mortgage group BetterBond said house price inflation was strengthening in most provinces and its application volumes had climbed by 16.6 percent in October year-on-year, while bond registrations increased by 94 percent…

THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR APPLE TV+ Inspired by true events, it details the bizarre relationship between psychiatrist to the stars Dr Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (played by Pauol Rudd) and his long-time patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz (played by Will Ferrell). Over the course of their relationship, the all-too-charming Ike slowly inserts himself into Marty’s life, even moving into Marty’s Hamptons home and persuading Marty to name him president of the family business. THE PROBLEM WITH JON STEWART APPLE TV+ Jon sits down with Claudia Sahm, a former Federal Reserve economist Larry Summers. They discuss income inequality and how the disparity only grows bigger as time goes on. TALK WITH TOKE MAKINWA HONEY TV, DSTV CHANNEL 173, 5.30PM The show features Nigerian media star Toke Makinwa in an in-depth talk…

Clinton Moodley clinton.moodley@inl.co.za Travellers are constantly on the search for quirky, zany places to visit, and South Africa has a few of these scattered around its nine provinces. None quite compares with the Upside Down House at Hartbeespoort in the North West. Built upside down, the house has drawn attention from local and international travellers who fill social media with their creative images. Everything is upside down, including the furniture. Upside Down House South Africa states on its website: “This is an amazing experience as one’s mind cannot comprehend what is happening. “The house is also built on an angle, thus, it contributes immensely to the illusion and experience one has when entering the house.” Cost is R100 for adults and R60 for children. Children under 3 and pensioners older…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A JUDGE has considered the better quality of life and opportunities in a foreign country in her decision to rule against a father who sought to scupper his minor daughter’s imminent emigration with her mother. Judge Fiona Dippenaar presided over an urgent application brought to the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, by a mother identified as AK and father LKG. After a “tumultuous romantic relationship” that started in 2014, AK and LKG separated in March 2019. Their daughter, identified as A, was now 5. AK, a primary caregiver to A and a clinical psychologist, got married to an engineer in September 2020. They also have a 4-month-old baby. The family of four was in the process of relocating to New Zealand. LKG, a film editor, opposed the…

Bongani Nkosi bongani.nkosi@inl.co.za A RAPE survivor’s distressed cries for help were ignored by people who could have led to her rescue from an okapi-wielding man. The Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, woman identified as TM due to being a sexual assault victim, was kidnapped by jailbird Zakhele Dlamini as she walked home after 8pm. She attempted to make a run as he approached, but he caught up with her and brandished the three-star knife before her eyes. Dlamini forced her to his home, where he raped her three times. While he raped her without a condom, he repeatedly told her about his girlfriend who took ARVs without informing him about her HIV-positive status. But events detailed in the latest court judgment on the case indicate that TM, who was 23 during the ordeal…

Nhlanhla Mbatha nhlanhla.mbatha@inl.co.za THE 25th edition of the annual 947 Ride Joburg road race – Africa’s most iconic cycling event – will see more than 10 000 cyclists test their endurance on a slightly improved and gruelling 97km route as they vie for top honours on Sunday. Starting and finishing at Africa’s enterprising Calabash at Nasrec, also known as FNB Stadium, the prestigious cycling event promises to offer a unique experience for participants and spectators alike. This year’s edition of the road race will be the first of its kind held during a Covid-19 lockdown and will see the return of spectators, as the adjusted lockdown alert level 1 permits a total of 2 000 spectators for outdoor sporting events. The race is hosted by the City of Joburg and…

AS THE sweltering sun shines amid the hustle and bustle of central Johannesburg, a mild breeze fills the atmosphere as lively security guard Gavin Matshusa welcomes visitors at the reception of Dakalo Student Court. Sporting a navy-blue uniform emblazoned with the word “Joshco”, which stands for Johannesburg Social Housing Company, Matshusa stands behind a large computer screen, skimming through CCTV footage beamed from mounted cameras that keep a beady eye on movements around the building. He greets visitors in his home language, isiZulu: “Sawubona.” At the intersection of Simmonds and Wolmarans streets in the inner city, Dakalo Student Court, dubbed the “place of happiness”, is 1.3km from the Joburg Theatre. It is near shopping centres, public transport nodes such as Park Station and Bree Taxi Rank, as well as institutions…

OUR railway system could aptly be classified as an endangered mode of transport thanks to the theft and vandalism of the railway infrastructure. For example, Transnet reported that from January this year until now, it has lost 1 055km of overhead copper cable due to cable thieves. This brings me to what then-US president Bill Clinton observed on his state visit to South Africa in 1999: “In the past, the Western world used to say the following about the African continent: What can we do for Africa? What can we do about Africa? Now we say with profundity, what can we do with Africa?” We should adopt the same mindset when it comes to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. People should be dissuaded from asking: What can…

SAMAOEN OSMAN | Cape Town A bad situation can have good effects. What is required is to draw lessons from the global economic crisis and the losses suffered by most countries. All countries are working hard to contain the crisis. There are regions in Europe and Asia emerging as hubs of huge investments, which will bring stability to the world’s financial system. The shift is important for restructuring international relations. The second positive is redrafting laws that regulate global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund. The rules were appropriate for post-World War II and during the Cold War. The third positive point is related to the change in the world investment map and the opportunities and challenges to be provided by emerging investment hubs, which offer…

Lehlohonolo Mashigo lehlohonolo.mashigo@inl.co.za FATHERS are playing their part in their children’s lives according to a recent research report led by Wessel van den Berg of Sonke Gender Justice, Tawanda Makusha of the Human Sciences Research Council, and Kopano Ratele of Stellenbosch University. The report illustrates that most children live with men, and the number of men who live in extended households that include children increased during Covid-19 from 48% to 61%. Research also found that income and employment of the father was associated with co-residence. “Two-thirds of survey respondents who are not the child’s biological father, but care for the child, did homework with the children they care for. 73% agreed that it is appropriate for men to be pre-school teachers and 77% agreed that men are as good caregivers…

Anita Nkonki anita.nkonki@inl.co.za After using the name Vusi Nova for more than a decade, the singer has rebranded himself as “Snova” and will be venturing into amapiano under that name. Not long ago the music star debuted his new hairstyle which got people talking on social media. The award-winning musician, real name Vusimuzi Nongxa, started out in the music industry as Vusi Nongxa and later changed his name Vusi Nova. He said rebranding himself as Snova came out of a need to reinvent himself. He recently proved his versatility in music after showing a snippet of his coming amapiano song Shuku Shuku, and many of his fans showed much love and support for him. The 37-year-old singer says the name Vusi Nova is romantic, while Snova is street smart and…

ALL IN Billie Jean King Loot.co.za (R255) VIKING I HAVE long held the view that to be considered a great sportsperson one needs to be great off the field of play as well. If anyone qualifies for that “great” moniker it is Billie Jean King, one of the stand-out global sporting figures of the modern era. The winner of 39 tennis Grand Slam titles, King has now told her story in her autobiography, All In, and what a story it is. King has long campaigned for equality and her “off the field of play” greatness is evidenced by achievements such as being the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, co-founding the Billie King Leadership Initiative and World Team Tennis, and founding the Women’s Tennis Association in…

Two men found guilty of the 1965 assassination of US civil rights leader Malcolm X are to have their convictions thrown out, one posthumously, in an admission by US authorities of a historic miscarriage of justice. Muhammad A. Aziz, 83, was sentenced to life in 1966 but was released in 1985. Also sentenced to life, Khalil Islam was released in 1987 and died in 2009. Mujahid Abdul Halim, 80, confessed to the murder and was released in 2010. He said in their 1966 trial that Aziz and Islam were innocent. | AFP…

Eshlin Vedan eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za WHILE the debate about Fifa’s proposed biennial World Cup rages, the global football showpiece is about to experience another drastic transformation in format in 2026. Next year’s World Cup in Qatar will be the last to incorporate 32 teams. The 2026 event, set to be jointly hosted by Canada, USA and Mexico will be the first to be contested by a record 48 countries. There is little doubt about Fifa’s preference for co-hosted World Cups going forward. This will allow more nations to experience the World Cup while also reducing the costs of a nation hosting it individually. On the positive side, the new format brings more worldwide representation to the tournament as each continent will be represented. Even Oceania, the region which rarely features at any…

HERMAN GIBBS IN the aftermath of the raging storm around Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye, South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan has been left perplexed by how all the officials appointed for Ghana’s home match against Bafana Bafana were from the same region. N’Diaye awarded Ghana a questionable first-half penalty which eventually proved decisive in the Black Stars’ 1-0 win over Bafana in a 2022 World Cup qualifier on Sunday that saw Ghana qualify for the final round of qualifiers for the Qatar showpiece ahead of SA on goals scored. The supporting match officials were all fellow-countrymen of N’Diaye: Samba Elhadji Malick (first assistant), Camara Djibril (second assistant) and Gueye Daouda (fourth referee). The rest of the officials were all drawn from the same west Africa region: Lawson-Hogban…

THERE’S still a long way to go but the wind that’s been blowing through the South African Football Association (Safa) since the appointment of Tebogo Motlanthe as chief executive has had signs of a soothing breeze so far. Motlanthe has been a loyal servant of the association, having practised in various positions since 2010. But it has been in his current role, which he’s held for just over 10 months, that he’s brought a breath of fresh air. He was supposed to be in Cape Coast for Bafana Bafana’s World Cup qualifier against Ghana, but it was key that he quickly addressed the match commissioner after the game that they’d be writing to Fifa and CAF about the officiating. Referee Maguette N’Diaye had done our nation a great disservice, awarding…

Mike Greenaway mike.greenaway@inl.co.za APHELELE Fassi will be in action for the Sharks tomorrow when they visit the Cheetahs for a Toyota Cup match in Bloemfontein, while there will be debuts for newcomers in Samoan flank OJ Noah and Australian centre Ben Tapui. Fassi has just returned from the Springboks where he controversially saw no action on their tour of the UK and he will be eager to dust off his boots and get back on the field. He will play off the bench. Noah and Tapui were recruited by the Sharks some time ago but were unable to join the squad for their United Rugby Championship tour because of Covid-19 protocols. Noah has played Test rugby for Samoa while Tapui, who is of Samoan heritage, has seven caps for the…

CHRSTIAAN Bezuidenhout will achieve another milestone in his already impressive career when he makes his first title defence as a defending champion in the South African Open at Sun City’s Gary Player Country Club next month. Bezuidenhout won last year’s South African Open in a golden summer for him in which he also won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek. The PGA Tour campaigner said he’s particularly looking forward to returning to Sun City and defending his title from December 2-5. Bezuidenhout said: “It was really special to tick the goal of winning the South African Open. I came close to winning it in 2016, but it wasn’t my time then. To have done it last year and put my name on that trophy alongside so many of my…

WEST Ham United manager David Moyes is enjoying a long-awaited renaissance after years in the wilderness as the Scot masterminds his club’s unexpected bid to reach the Uefa Champions League. Moyes has the Hammers flying high in the Premier League and a win at Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow would consolidate their position in the top four. West Ham have won their past four league games and climbed to third place with a surprise 3-2 victory over Liverpool before the international break. Just three points behind leaders Chelsea, Moyes’ men have their fans dreaming of a first-ever Champions League campaign. And for the first time since 1985/86, when John Lyall’s side finished third, West Ham could emerge as dark horses in the title race. Not only has Moyes ended Liverpool’s 25-game unbeaten…

MIHLALI BALEKA mihlali.baleka@inl.co.za NO Judas Moseamedi, no problem, as Maritzburg United still have Ernst Middendorp. That’s why the Team of Choice will be confident they can beat Kaizer Chiefs at Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday. For some time, Moseamedi earned himself ‘The Chiefs Slayer’ nickname, having tamed Amakhosi whenever they played Maritzburg. But that was before he left this season for another coastal-based side, Stellenbosch FC. Chiefs will head down to Pietermaritzburg knowing that they still have another foe in the Maritzburg camp: Middendorp. The German has coached Chiefs twice. His last stint three seasons ago ended in tears after Chiefs failed to wrap up the Premiership title on the last day of the campaign. That feat happened on the final day of the season, with Chiefs having sat comfortably…

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za LIBERTY Holdings said yesterday that it anticipated the deal for Standard Bank (SBG) to buy 100 percent of the insurance and investment group to be finalised in the first quarter of 2022. SBG and Liberty had enjoyed a “special relationship” since 1974, Liberty said in an operational update for the nine months to September 30. “The proposed transaction repre- sents a natural progression in this special relationship, increasing the integration and ability to collaborate to provide the best financial service offerings to clients through the most efficient means.” Liberty said positive sales trends seen in the first half of 2021 continued into the third quarter. Its Covid-19 pandemic reserve was being reassessed due to the 2020 and 2021 reserve being deleted from high mortality claims. Group…

SOUTH Africans know how to party. During the depths of lockdown in 2020 when everything was shut down, we had lockdown parties to keep our spirits up and the moment even small gatherings were allowed again, this country swung back in action at groove. For those who still remember, there was a period in 2020 where every week videos would circulate online showing groovists continuing like the pandemic was a thing of the past, with a certain cider brand always being in the mix and bottles being placed on heads while people are going, yebo! And that’s one thing about this country, we will find a way to groove and even through the various curfew restrictions, South Africa’s commitment to groove has been unshaken. Now that going out to large…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Media personality Katlego Maboe says he can finally smile and laugh again. It’s been a rough few months for the television presenter and host after he was publicly disgraced by his former partner and the mother of his child, Monique Muller. Maboe and Muller made headlines in 2020 after a video of the pair arguing over the star cheating on his now-estranged partner was released on social media. Soon after, abuse allegations were levelled against Maboe. While Maboe denied the allegations, the duo continue to fight it out in court. Following the news, Maboe was released from his hosting gig on the Expresso Show and removed from all Outsurance ads. Taking to social media this week, Maboe said he could smile and laugh again. “It’s taken…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za Yes, sweet summertime will be here before you know it, which means it is time to figure out which local rooftop bars you should plan to visit for all your breezy sunshine and sipping needs. Some new faces are appearing on the scene this season, while old favourites are emerging from hibernation, refreshed for a new round of alfresco drinking and dining. Here are our favourite rooftop bars. Dante Rooftop (Durban) If you are in Durban, you can step inside the Dante world and let it take your breath away. Rich tropical wallpapers and hundreds of Victoria Verbaan artworks, flaming pink flamingos, and all kinds of stylish quirkiness is what you can expect at the magical multifaceted, multistoried venue on uMhlanga’s beachfront. Dante is one year old,…

Thobile Mazibuko thobile.mazibuko@inl.co.za The 4th Music In Africa Conference For Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (Acces) and Reeperbahn Festival are presenting another edition of Bassline Fest: I Am Here. Taking place at Constitution Hill in Joburg on November 27, Bassline Fest is a continuation of the virtual events hosted to keep music alive during the tight lockdown regulations. “I Am Here is the middle part of a two-year project titled ‘From Lockdown to Live’ An African Music Journey. This project spans the whole of the pandemic period from 2020 to 2022 and consists of I Am Home, I Am Here and I Am Live. “I Am Home broadcast earlier this year was a hugely successful hybrid project resulting in a Bassline presented and made for TV, live music special, I…

from page 1 “In December 2019, De Ruyter publicly announced that he intended to clean out all irregular and corrupt contracts and related business matters, and has attempted to include Econ and myself in the same category, which is fraudulently flawed. Eskom should examine each case individually on its merits, which has not yet been done,” Mlonzi said. Mlonzi added that her company was never investigated nor found to have engaged in any corrupt activities before her contract was cancelled by De Ruyter. Approached for comment, Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said that the entity was aware of the defamation case, and that De Ruyter intended to defend himself and the institution. “As to why there has been no progress on the case is something beyond us, maybe the person…

Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers will hold its biggest auction of the year over four days, from Thursday to Sunday next week, starting at 9am each day. The auction starts with 465 lots from a private home, including boulle furniture; ceramics (Meissen, Royal Doulton, Moore’s Brothers, Sitzendorf, Huttschenreuter and more); chandeliers; Oriental, jade and ivory pieces and art. On Friday, the sale begins with wine and spirits, from the likes of Kanonkop, Rust&Vrede, Meerlust, Klein Constantia, Dom Perignon and other champagnes, as well as cognacs and whiskeys. Coming under the hammer on Saturday will be furniture including original, intricately carved Indonesian pieces; silver, including a large John Barnard centre piece; a selection of ceramics (Moorcroft, Royal Doulton); Boer War pieces; rare coins and notes; and books. There will also be art…

Loyiso Sidimba loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za ANOTHER beneficiary of the VBS Mutual Bank loot has been hauled to court to return the millions of rand the doomed financial institution lent him to buy a luxury house and a Mercedes-Benz. VBS liquidator Anoosh Rooplal has now set his sights on the doomed financial institution and its majority shareholder Vele Investments’ former spokesperson, Ndivhuwo Khangale, who received over R16.8 million of the funds looted from the bank. The investigation commissioned by the SA Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority and conducted by advocate Terry Motau SC, identified Khangale as among the biggest recipients, directly and indirectly, of the gratuitous payments made to 53 individuals and companies. Khangale was paid more than R16.8m, according to Motau’s report. Rooplal wants Khangale and his wife, Azwinndini, to repay almost R6m,…

During the past four decades, major EU countries have become the main supporters of the Kurdish armed groups in Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Syria. The suffering of thousands of Kurdish civilians, among them women and children, at the border between Belarus and Poland indicates that Europe’s support is for armed Kurds only and does not extend to civilians. News stories and images circulated worldwide demonstrate the heart-breaking situation of around 4 000 Middle Eastern migrants, mostly from Iraqi Kurdistan, who are camped out along the border with Belarus. They have neither access to food, nor clean water or shelter in the bitter winter cold. The image of a father who was trying to warm his boy’s fingers with his breath was especially devastating. Kurdish migrants have disclosed to media houses…

Dr Thabisi Hoeane | Pretoria THERE is a popular view in interpreting the trajectory of South Africa’s political direction that asserts that the future is about coalition governments. This seems to be cemented by the plethora of small parties that emerged in the recent elections as big parties such as the ANC, DA and EFF stumbled. Thus these new parties have a powerful status and are depicted as “king-makers”. Various analysts and commentators claim that this is positive as the ANC’s dominance is being broken and people are making wise decisions by shunning these big parties. But is this all that is touted to be? Coalitions presuppose that there is at least a fundamental convergence of views of the political parties that form such governments. But in this…

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has made many of us to sit back and take stock of what is most important to us – family, good company and good health. As we wind down another challenging year, The Allure Group (TAG) and VS Luxury in partnership House of Peroni, the world’s leading premier Italian beer, is launching a series of social events across the country that are intriguingly named “Slow Life”. “Slow Life” is in fact an acronym that denotes Sustainable, Local, Organic, Wholesome, Learning, Inspiring, Fun, Experiences. The first in a series of these social events, which will take place once every two months, are aptly named: Under the Tuscan Sun. These social events will kick off in Gauteng early next month. At each session, a target…

Itumeleng Mafisa SPORTS personality and broadcaster Robert Marawa is expected to make a big announcement today about his future following his departure at the SABC a few months ago. Speaking to The Star yesterday, Marawa said he could not reveal much but said an announcement would come today. Some had been speculating that he would be joining a different radio station after his relationship with the SABC went sour. “I cannot say much for now. But there is something coming,” Marawa said. Marawa was allegedly fired at the SABC through an SMS, something that has incensed sports fans and those who loved his show on Metro FM. A campaign had since been launched in Durban to have Marawa reinstated at the SABC. The campaign had been backed by the…

| Julian Richfield THIS MUCH IS TRUE Miriam Margolyes Loot.co.za (R390) JOHN MURRAY HER life partner pleads: “Now, don’t let this book be like one of your Graham Norton interviews where all you do is talk smut – it’s got to be about things that matter.” The author of the autobiography This Much Is True, (thankfully) says of it: “There will be some smut inevitably, and it might be a bumpy ride, but I promise you the REAL Miriam Margolyes.” And she certainly has delivered on that promise. Known for her role as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, Margolyes is a Bafta Award-winning actress, a veteran of stage and screen and an internationally acclaimed voice artist. I haven’t seen her in the Potter films but have relished…

| Staff Reporter Deep Collusion - Bain And The Capture Of South Africa Athol Williams Loot.co.za (R230) “WE make a big mistake to consider Bain simply another foreign company that extracted economic rents. I believe its involvement in bringing South Africa to its knees through state capture was much more insidious.” When Bain & Company partner Athol Williams reported his employer in October 2019 for withholding information on its complicity in state capture, he had no idea how far-reaching Bain’s collusion had been. Who would have suspected a prestigious global management consulting firm of misusing its business expertise and lending its reputation to the most profound attack on South Africa’s democracy? Williams reveals the full extent of what Bain did not want the public to know. Not only did…

US President Joe Biden has pledged to make the US “the arsenal of vaccines, as we were the arsenal of democracy during World War II”. This week, his administration took what could be an important step toward that ambition, announcing that the country would invest billions of dollars to expand US manufacturing capabilities so more coronavirus vaccine doses reach poorer parts of the world. “The goal is to guarantee capacity to produce approximately 100 million mRNA vaccines a month against Covid or other pandemic viruses upon demand for the US or global use,” said David Kessler, the administration’s chief science officer who oversees vaccine distribution. The scale of the effort is grand – a public-private partnership aimed at producing at least 1 billion high-quality doses a year by the second…

DANI Alves said he has returned to Barcelona to fight for his place, not “put his feet up”, after the 38-year-old was presented to almost 10 000 fans at Camp Nou on Wednesday. A grinning Alves bowed, waved and kissed the badge in front of adoring Barca supporters chanting his name, before signing a contract on the pitch alongside club president Joan Laporta. In a press conference shortly afterwards, Laporta even kept open the possibility of more former stars returning, in response to a question about the futures of Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. Alves is back five years after leaving Barcelona, having won six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues with the club. He played in the same team as Xavi Hernandez, who has made his own sensational…

Wynona Louw wynona.louw@inl.co.za SPRINGBOK Women’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer says their friendly against the England Under-20 side is an opportunity for players to “stake a claim for future selection”, including for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand. Raubenheimer has selected Catha Jacobs to captain a fresh Springbok Women’s side in Sunday’s clash and has opted to grow experience as he handed 12 players their first start of the November tour for the match in London. The Springbok Women lost their tour opener 46-3 to France in Vannes, before going down 29-19 to Wales in Cardiff last week. The run-on side also includes two uncapped players in Blue Bulls Women’s scrumhalf Rumandi Potgieter and EP Queens prop Monica Mazibukwana. Among the replacements, Tanya Scholtz – the only uncapped player on the…

HERMAN GIBBS UNLIKE the recent Caf World Cup qualifiers played in various parts of Africa last weekend, the final of the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League in Cairo today will have VAR available at the 30 June Stadium. Ghana’s Hasaacas ladies will play Mamelodi Sundowns in the final. In the absence of VAR, television replay footage showed that human errors had a substantial influence on match results during the recent Caf World Cup qualifiers. Matters came to a boil in Ghana over the weekend when Bafana Bafana were dumped out of the 2022 World Cup qualifying race because of a dubious penalty. One of the keynote speakers at Caf’s Women’s Champions League Technical Study Group was South Africa’s Sheryl Botes, a Caf Woman Instructor of Instructors. She is based…

Zaahier Adams zaahier.adams@inl.co.za PROTEAS men’s Test captain Dean Elgar took a significant step in his preparation for the upcoming India series with his 44th first-class century on his return to the Titans team against Western Province at Newlands yesterday. Elgar had been hamstrung since playing in the Cricket SA T20 Knockout competition at the end of September, which forced him to miss the opening rounds of the new domestic Four-Day Series. In fact, Elgar’s last red-ball encounter was the second and final Test against the West Indies in St Lucia in June. However, the Test match skipper showed that he was well over his injury by spending a large part of the day in compiling 117 off 159 balls, including 18 boundaries. Elgar eventually fell to left-arm spinner Yves Kamanzi…

ZAAHIER ADAMS zaahier.adams@inl.co.za STELLENBOSCH FC are currently breathing the thin air of their lofty status in the Premiership and are hoping they don’t suffocate when they face last season’s upstarts AmaZulu at the Danie Craven Stadium tomorrow. Stellies enjoyed a dream start to the season prior to the two-week international break, with Steve Barker’s side unbeaten after 10 games and firmly entrenched in second position with 20 points. Considering their finish last term, when they survived relegation by the narrowest of margins, the Stellenbosch outfit are virtually in dreamland in regards to the way the 2021/21 campaign has begun. “We are very happy with the start we’ve had. We have 20 points after 10 matches, which is a real positive for us. We hope to continue with the form that…

STEVEN Gerrard takes charge of Aston Villa for the first time this weekend at home against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, looking to provide the same sort of inspiration he did when captaining Liverpool to multiple trophy wins. The former midfielder, 41, arrives at Villa having led Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years last season, breaking the dominance of rivals Celtic. However, Gerrard finds a vastly different challenge at Villa who sacked Dean Smith earlier this month, with the club on a five-match losing streak in the league and two points above the relegation zone in 16th. They welcome Graham Potter’s Brighton who began the season impressively, adding goals to their flowing football, but have since tailed off a little, not winning a…