Inhoudsopgave van 2022-10-07 - Star

THE price of petrol in South Africa could remain above R20 a litre for a prolonged period as the global oil supply is set to contract by a significant margin in November. This comes as Opec and its allies (Opec+) agreed on Wednesday to further tighten global crude supply. Opec+ agreed to a deal to reduce oil production by about 2 million barrels per day beginning in November, the largest reduction since 2020. The move is designed to shore up a recovery in oil prices, which had fallen to roughly $80 (R1 420) a barrel from more than $120 per barrel three months ago. As a direct result of the Opec+ decision, the price of Brent crude oil rose above $93 per barrel yesterday having rallied about 10% so…

EMBATTLED parastatal Transnet yesterday outlined its progress to fix its rail and logistics lines for the mining industry and said it has increased its transport of commodities despite unprecedented disruptions related to natural disasters. Recently, a host of companies in the mining industry, and other sectors blamed it for their financial losses due to its inefficiencies in supply chain infrastructure, railway network, cargo trains, and ports. Transnet Ports Terminals yesterday evening declared force majeur due to the current strike. Transnet said the main impediments to rail capacity were the rampant theft and vandalism of infrastructure and equipment, a shortage of locomotives due to the refusal of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to sell spares to Transnet over the last two years, deteriorating infrastructure, and reduced income as a direct result of…

IT’S A TOUGH time for entrepre- neurs, between interest rate hikes affecting the bottom line and eating into cash flow and fuel price hikes that push the costs of doing business even higher. Add inflation, skills shortages, load shedding, and the onerous administration that’s synonymous with running a small or medium enterprise (SME) in South Africa, and it’s easy to see why the country’s emerging companies need all the support they can get. Business owners need to consider the impact that future interest rate hikes will have on their business, the knock-on effect on their ability to service their debt, and find ways to stay sustainable. Working capital management is a crucial focus for small business leaders during this time when macro-economical factors make for a complex operating environment, with…

NEW Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has given himself and incoming executive provincial executive less than 18 months to change the living conditions of people in the townships, informal settlements and apartheid-era hostels. Lesufi revealed his dramatic and ambitious plans minutes after he was elected as the premier in the provincial legislature yesterday, following the resignation of David Makhura on Tuesday. He defeated the DA’s provincial leader, Solly Msimanga, by a huge margin. Lesufi secured 38 votes, while Msimanga only managed to secure 22 of the 73 seats in the legislature. DA’s Sergio dos Santos – one of the 20 DA members in the legislature – could not be part of the voting as he was out of the country. Adding to Msimanga’s woes, one of the opposition parties voted for…

SIX men accused of killing whistle-blower Babita Deokaran appeared briefly in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg yesterday where their legal representative withdrew from the matter over the payment of legal fees. The matter was postponed to November 18 to allow a new legal representative to be furnished with documents. The previous two postponements were also related to funds which had to be paid before the trial starts. The accused – Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla – have been charged with murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and conspiracy to murder. They also face a charge of attempted murder of Deokaran’s domestic worker, who was in the car with her at the time of the shooting. All the accused were…

THE vibrant township of Soweto is increasingly becoming the go-to place to discover a multitude of bird life, thanks to Raymond Rampolokeng and his team at Bay of Grace Tours. Rampolokeng, or “McBirdie” as he is referred to for his passion and knowledge of birds, is the first and only bird guide in Soweto. He is the director and bird guide at Bay of Grace Tours. He is changing perceptions around the township and showing residents and visitors alike the incredible natural surroundings available in the township spaces. McBirdie says Soweto offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience of birding as well as other fauna and flora. “The experience is for those who are more in touch with nature but also the individuals who are looking for a quieter and calmer experience of…

The legendary Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and the sagacious Dr Sello Galane join the line-up for the 23rd instalment of the Joy of Jazz festival at the Sandton Convention Centre on November 25-26. Mabuse is set to ascend the Dinaledi Stage to offer a celebration of African musical heritage, presenting a reimagined iteration of African songs forms in vintage Hotstix style. “Joy of Jazz, The Ultimate African Jazz Experience, is a dream festival for any Musician worth his or her salt. “I always relish participation, performing on this excellently produced event. “I cannot wait for November 26,” said Mabuse. On the other hand, Galane will ascend the Conga Stage to present a refreshing Free Kiba experience, using a myriad Alkebulan musical traditions. Galane has assembled an international team of musicians…

Once a upon a time, township dwellers creatively substituted original lyrics with their own native lyrics, with a view to driving a point home. How many people remember Don’t Stop ‘till you Get Enough by Michael Jackson? Keep on, with the force, don’t stop. Don’t stop ‘till you get enough. The lyrics were transformed into, Keba ka di Botsotso, nice time efedile. A botsotso refers to a style of jeans that were worn in the old days. Simply put, once the fun was over at the end of the weekend, a botsotso was the only reminder that a person had fun before the weekend tailed off. The Commodores released the song Why You Wanna Try Me. The catchy lyrics are: Stop right there, hold on. Why you wanna try…

IT IS choking to digest the current magnitude of drug abuse among the youth in Zimbabwe. Drug abuse has triggered a whirlwind of all sorts of crimes, ranging from petty pickpocketing to heinous crimes like robbery, rape and murder. Turf wars and brawls have become a common feature in drinking halls and so-called “poshtos” where the new Devil’s puff, as it was known by Adolf Hitler, is burnt and inhaled in used energy-saver light bulbs. “Mutoriro” is a name used in Zimbabwe for the notorious drug crystal meth. Many mental institutions, like Harare’s Annex, are now constantly full and workers there are overwhelmed by the numbers of patients who keep pouring in day in and day out because of mental health problems caused by the abuse of drugs. President Emmerson…

HISTORICALLY, entrepreneurs and small business owners have always made an important contribution to the economic welfare and development of nation states. Today, most countries that prosper economically do so based on a strong foundation of innovative and competitive businesses established by individual entrepreneurs. These risk takers contribute immeasurably to the expansion of any nation’s GDP by running their businesses on strictly commercial lines which focus on driving business growth. Taken together, the wealth created by these businesses increases the wealth of the nation. So it follows that to encourage entrepreneurship is to encourage long-term economic growth throughout the economy. It is not surprising then that as early as 1989, the World Bank declared that entrepreneurs will play a central role in transforming African economies – and so they have, and…

Stockholm: French author Annie Ernaux, known for her deceptively simple novels drawing on personal experience of class and gender, won the Nobel Prize for Literature yesterday, the jury said. Ernaux, 82, was honoured “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory,” the jury said. The Nobel Prize – presented on December 10 – comes with a medal and a prize sum of 10 million Swedish kronor (R16 231 200). Ernaux is the 17th woman to win the prestigious award, out of 119 literature laureates since the first Nobel was awarded in 1901.…

PARIS: European economists were worried about a heightened risk of recession and a bolstered Russia yesterday, after Opec Plus, the coalition of oil-producing nations led by Russia and Saudi Arabia, announced it would slash oil production by 2 million barrels a day. The coalition’s plans prompted a blistering reaction from White House officials, which had aggressively lobbied the consortium to continue production at current levels or higher. While initial reactions were more muted in the EU, the production cut comes as the bloc of 27 nations braces for a sharp slowdown in economic growth linked to higher energy prices. The EU’s industrial powerhouse, Germany, reported a worse-than-anticipated decline in manufacturing orders yesterday, raising recession fears. Simone Tagliapietra, a senior fellow at Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel, said the production cut…

ESKOM chief executive Andre de Ruyter yesterday announced that next Friday the parastatal is set to sign some land lease agreements to renewable power producers as part of its turn-around strategy. Speaking at the Joburg Indaba yesterday, De Ruyter said there were a couple of other things Eskom has launched. “We are leasing land, close to our power stations with grid access. We were delighted by the first responders, and we will be signing those agreements on the October 14, that’s about 2 000 megawatts. It was three times oversubscribed, by highly capable investors.“ “Why do we lease the land? Why don’t we sell the land? Because we want to retain control. If you don’t use the land to erect renewable generation capacity. We want to kick you…

A DECLINE in the household financial resilience in the second quarter is cause for concern considering the rise in gross domestic product (GDP) over the period, the Altron FinTech Household Resilience Index (AFHRI) released yesterday showed. It reveals consumers were less able to take on credit in spite of an improving economy over the period. The latest quarterly reading of 109.2 points is marginally lower than 109.9 points in the first quarter of 2022, but 1.3% lower than a year ago. “The quarter-on-quarter decline of 0.6% in index value is a cause for concern, as this is substantially worse than GDP, which increased almost 4% in real terms between the first and second quarters, deflated of course by the consumer price index,” said the compiler of the index,…

DISCOVERY Bank has launched a share trading platform in partnership with EasyEquities. Clients can open a new EasyEquities account, or link an existing one, through the Discovery Bank app, with the aim of making investing in local and global brands and other asset classes simpler and more accessible. “The platform is transparent, easy-to-use and makes equity trading cost-effective and intuitive for all kinds of investors, from first-timers all the way through to seasoned traders,” Hylton Kallner, chief executive of Discovery Bank said yesterday. Discovery Bank clients can now buy, hold and sell shares on local and international stock exchanges and access a range of ETFs, ETNs, as well as cryptocurrency. Clients were able to transfer funds between their Discovery Bank accounts and their EasyEquities ZAR account in real time, at…

Taken to unnamed old-age facility for safety after house allegedly sold by one of her granddaughters, who has never lived there The community of Meadowlands has vowed to protect a 109-year-old gogo who was evicted from her Meadowlands home in Soweto on Wednesday. Members of the EFF and ActionSA and concerned neighbours kept vigil outside the three-room house. A video of the elderly Kenaope Mosidi being frog-marched out of her home by new homeowner Jacob Joel Moalusi has sparked outrage on social media. On arrival, The Star was greeted by members of the community trying to find a solution to Mosidi’s problem. A relative, Pitso Tone, told The Star that her aunt had since been taken to an unnamed old-age facility to ensure her safety amid the chaos. She said…

Booktok has brought together book- lovers from around the world. It has become the place to find reading recommendations, share reviews and tap into fan culture, super-charging book discovery and having a real-world impact on book sales globally. I must betray you Ruta Sepetys Hodder Trapped by an evil dictatorship, will Cristian be forced to betray his family, or will he risk everything he loves to resist? A Young Adult thriller based on real events from a prizewinning author. Cristian has lived his entire life in the grip of a repressive dictatorship. When the secret police blackmail him, Cristian has an impossible choice. Save the life of his sick grandfather by informing on his family, or risk his life – and all of theirs – by resisting. At 17, Cristian…

BIZARRE claims against an American citizen who is facing charges of “international parental kidnapping” in the US emerged during his bail application in South Africa. It was said that he joined a religious cult here, where he and the children were living in the veld in tents. The father, who may not be identified to safeguard his mostly underage children, came to South Africa towards the end of October last year. He used a visitor’s visa – which expired at the end of January this year – to be in South Africa. Three of the children he brought were minors and one was aged 18. There was a custody agreement between the appellant and the mother of the children, which was earlier made an order of the court…

I am perplexed about the lack of urgency in solving the energy crisis. Maybe the appointment of the new board will help elevate the problem and find the necessary solution? The sooner, the better. A quicker solution that is sustainable is needed, especially since the load shedding is not new. It started in 2007 and remains a killer of business and economic growth. It worsens unemployment. Are we interested in solving the problem? The new Medupi and Kusile power stations have not lived up to expectations. It is essential to note the importance of governance oversight as we solve Eskom’s problems. The new board will need to take the lead in ensuring that the money spent on new projects will have better returns. There is a growing need for the…

Heartiest congratulations to Wits University on reaching a century on the October 4, and what a milestone. Under the able leadership of Chancellor Judy Dlamini (Sibalukhulu) and Principal/Vice-Chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi (Jili/Nzimande) may you go from strength to strength in doing what you do best. Academic excellence in the tertiary education sector and social activism are hallmarks of this prestigious institution. With a rainbow nation/“biryani mixture” of academic and non-academic and other staff and students, local and from abroad, Wits is a fine portrayal of a credible and laudable post-apartheid organisation. Wits has renowned professionals on staff and has produced students of distinction, who have risen to great heights in diverse fields both in South Africa and beyond our borders. Best wishes for the next century, and please keep up…

AS THE ANC fast approaches its sell-by date, the hope of electing a first woman president is fast fading. The concern of the party not being led by a woman before it dies was prompted by the decision of male-dominated regional and provincial leaders, who, usurped powers of branches and announced their male-dominated line-ups for the crucial top six positions at the upcoming party national elective conference in December. For a party regarded as the most progressive in Africa with its core principles of non-sexism, it was expected that by now it would have been led at least once by a woman president. After the Women’s League worked so much on the 2017 conference, campaigning for Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who was narrowly defeated by President Cyril Ramaphosa, it was…

Port-au-Prince: The UN yester-day called for the creation of a “humanitarian corridor” in Haiti that would allow the distribution of fuel amid dire shortages created by a gang blockade of the country’s principal fuel terminal. Gangs last month blocked the entrance to the Varreux fuel terminal to protest Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s announcement of a cut in fuel subsidies, paralysing Haiti’s economy as supplies of gasoline and diesel dried up. Haitians also face a shortage of drinking water amid an unexpected outbreak of cholera, the spread of which is controlled through hygiene and clean water.…

TRANSNET is taking a hard line on the strike begun by majority labour, the United National Transport Union (Untu), yesterday, as it is expected today to meet with both unions over picketing rules of the protest expected to escalate on Monday, when the South African Transport Workers Union (Satawu) enters the fray. Addressing delegates at the Mining Indaba in Johannesburg yesterday, chief executive Portia Derby insisted that the strike was protected and that Untu in particular had not adhered to all requirements legitimising its rights to strike after negotiations started in May reached a stalemate. “It is an unfortunate moment for the rest of our workers in particular, because as you know, if you are in this room and you are a black person, or there is a black woman…

PAN AFRICAN Resources has closed its R50 million cash deal to acquire Mogale Gold and Mintails SA Soweto Cluster, both of which are 100% owned by Mintails Mining SA, a company that was placed in provisional liquidation in 2018. Pan African did a feasibility study on the Mogale Gold tailings storage facilities and announced the results demonstrated “compelling economics and the potential to significantly increase group gold production – an increase in excess of 25% compared to current annual production – over an initial life of mine of 13 years. Re-mining of the MSC tailings storage facilities has the potential to add further production upside and extend the life of mine to 21 years. Pan African Resources had secured funding with FirstRand Bank, acting through its Rand Merchant…

The office of the ANC treasurer-general has decried the Political Party Funding Act as constraining and called for the new legislation to be amended. Addressing a My Vote Counts webinar on behalf of party treasurer Paul Mashatile, who cancelled at the last minute, ANC Progressive Business Forum (PBF) convener Sipho Mbele said the new act had suffocated them in the funding space. The PBF is housed in Mashatile’s office and is entrusted with sourcing funds for the party. It is known for charging business people more than R100 000 for a few minutes with a minister or the president at ANC gala dinners. He said the funding was needed “for constituency work”. The Political Party Funding Act, effective from April 1, 2021, regulates money and politics. Mbele’s bone of contention…

A documentary telling the stories of military cadets in Türkiye, hundreds of whom were unjustly convicted due to their alleged involvement in a failed coup in 2016, has premiered on YouTube, drawing widespread attention, the Kronos news website reported on Thursday. Titled Mavi Otobüs (Blue Bus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KXe48msKiw&t=209s ), the 44-minute documentary, which gives voice to six air force cadets who talk about the key events that unfolded before, during and after the attempted coup on July 15, 2016, was released on the Askeri Öğrenci Komitesi (Committee of Military Cadets) YouTube channel two days before the sixth anniversary of the abortive putsch. Cadets Halit Tunç, Adnan Yıldız, Lokman Hekim Avcı, Rıdvan Aydın, İhsan Kurt and Samet Yazgaç, who had left Türkiye fearing for their lives and are living abroad, said they…

​​The City of Joburg’s Library and Information Services (LIS) has introduced coding activities in libraries particularly for the youth as part of spreading digital literacy. The LIS introduced computer science through coding to children to help them understand the value of technology and ignite interest in studying computer science as adults. Children in Region G’s Lenasia Ext 3 library were recently exposed to coding and they had fun and games throughout the training. “We had to beg the children to leave the library in the afternoon. They were so engrossed and one could see the training has lit a spark in their lives. It’s such a joy teaching youngsters because their feedback is pure and unfiltered,” said a training facilitator. Coding is about giving instructions to a computer and telling…

Access to proper information on sexual health may still be a challenge to some people, particularly those who face significant barriers such as embarrassment and shame. This has become a massive concern considering that almost one in three people is likely to get affected and infected by STIs and/or HIV. New online sexual health and product prescription and delivery service Contro said it was taking the “inconvenience and awkwardness” out of the in-person sexual health conversations many South Africans dread. Contro offers virtual private and confidential consultations with doctors who “prescribe and discreetly deliver the right treatment”. Introducing Contro, CEO Alex Schmid said: “In today’s digitally- driven world, convenience is key, which is one of the advantages of telemedicine. Being able to address sexual health questions and concerns virtually…

THIS year marks two years since esteemed American actor Chadwick Boseman lost his battle with cancer, and with Black Panther 2 to premiere soon, this has made many reminiscent of the unforgettable role he played in the original. After his death, various opinions surfaced on whether his character should be recast and it was later revealed that Boseman’s character was not recast, but the new film would pay tribute to his legacy. Boseman made his debut in Captain America: Civil War, and he went to reprise his role in Black Panther. The king of Wakanda graced the screens once again in Avengers: Infinity War and finally in Avengers: Endgame. In 2020, devastating news was shared that he had battled with colon cancer for four years and he died in August.…

It is heartbreaking that it took the tragic death of 7-year-old Rayan Suleiman, who died of a heart attack after being chased by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank, to massively jolt the consciousness of the entire world. These graphic images became global symbols, a symbol of the impotence of the Muslim world and how cheap Muslim blood has become today. Innocent children are killed in Palestine on a monthly basis. The UN proclaimed June 4 as International Day Of Innocent Children Victims Of Aggression, established by UN General Assembly resolution on August 19,1982. Its introduction arose in response to the atrocities perpetrated against Palestinian and Lebanese children. The world was in revolt when a young woman died in Iran; it’s deafening silence regarding the death of Rayan…

In February this year, the principal complainant, Safoudien Bester, a Cape Town paramedic, and also, among the complainants, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cape Town and Media Review Network, lodged a substantive criminal complaint with South African investigative and prosecutorial authorities. This criminal complaint laid the basis of criminal charges against South African nationals and citizens, including Zionist institutions, for violation of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The extensive charges in the South African Zionist Terrorism Corridor probe is under investigation. This case has been given a major boost by the law-fare advocacy efforts undertaken in Canada, whereby a private prosecution process is now under way to hold Sar-EL Canada (Canadian…

Four members of a California family, including a baby, were found dead two days after authorities said they were kidnapped at gunpoint. Law enforcement officials had been searching for 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, mother Jasleen Kaur, 27, father Jasdeep Singh, 36, and the baby’s uncle Amandeep Singh, 39, since they were reported missing on Monday. Surveillance footage captured outside the family’s business in Merced showed them being led out and driven away by an armed man. “Tonight, our worst fears have been confirmed,” Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said in a news conference this week.…

MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos said the Philippines is ready to take the role in peacekeeping in Southeast Asia, emphasising the peacemaker role was good for the country’s interest and regional security. Marcos said the Philippines has a vital role in keeping peace, particularly amid geopolitical tensions in the region. “So we have a very important part to play in that because we have a great interest,” he said. Marcos stressed the need to strengthen the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.…

BEING a self-made club owner in the PSL must be nice. You buy your way into the Premiership, with all sorts of promises before your true colours begin to surface. When Siviwe Mpengesi acquired promotion to the top flight with Chippa United, he vowed to promote Eastern Cape football. And yet we find ourselves with an owner who is all about his pockets rather than the well-being of his employees, given that he finds pleasure in sacking coaches. Mpengesi seems to have found his match in Shauwn Mkhize who brought the league to its knees after buying the status of Bloemfontein Celtic last year. Celtic were one of the most loved and followed clubs in South Africa and their sale did not go down well with diehard football fans from…

SOUTHAMPTON’S biggest challenge, and maybe mission impossible, will be to keep Erling Haaland off the scoresheet when they visit Premier League champions Manchester City tomorrow. Short of slipping a sedative into the Norwegian goal machine's lasagne, prepared by dad Alf-Inge before the last three home games, the chances of Ralph Hasenhuttl's struggling team succeeding look slim. Unbeaten City have scored more goals than any team in Europe's leading five leagues this season and will go top if they win or draw, with leaders Arsenal hosting Liverpool on Sunday only a point clear with an inferior goal difference. Haaland has bagged 14 of City's 29 league goals - with hat-tricks in his last three home matches and more scoring records beckoning. "It's not just his numbers, it's the impact he's having…