Inhoudsopgave van 2023-05-02 - Star

THE GOVERNMENT has called on South Africans to use electricity sparingly, especially during periods of high energy consumption, typically from 5pm to 9pm, as part of demand-side management (DSM) initiatives. The call comes after last week’s Cabinet meeting which discussed, among others, tools to help the crisis-stricken power utility reduce power cuts. Demand-side energy management measures have proved effective in reducing peak demand and promoting energy conservation. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the DSM target was to save about 1 000MW of power, equivalent to about one stage of load shedding. She said the country had demonstrated this was possible during the 2010 World Cup. Lowering consumption reduced pressure on the electricity grid and saved households money, without affecting business productivity or quality of life, she said.…

Pacina Retail says it is aware of the current dissatisfaction with the status of the National School Nutrition Programme in KwaZulu-Natal. The ANC in KZN announced last week that the National School Nutrition Programme tender awarded to Pacina Retail had been terminated. This was after the company allegedly failed to deliver food to some 5 000 schools in the province. Pacina said this wasn’t true, claiming that over 2 400 tons of non-perishable/dry foods and over 3 000 tons of perishable foods were delivered to those collection points. It said “infancy glitches experienced due to logistical challenges during the first two days of the programme” had been quickly resolved. The KZN Department of Education acknowledged the glitches in the delivery of food to some schools in the province, and said…

WITH the intervention of the court, a child born nearly four years ago will, for the first time, officially have a name and legal standing in South Africa, after bureaucratic red tape had denied him this up to now. The parents of the child (who are not identified as he is a minor) did everything asked of them by the Department of Home Affairs to register the birth of their child. They even underwent a compulsory paternity test. Yet they received no help in their desperate bid for their child to have an identity. The parents have been in a permanent relationship since August 2009 and moved in together at the end of 2016. While discussing marriage, they elected to wait until after birth to start the…

One of the best-known operas in the world, Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, will be performed for the first time in Ekurhuleni, at Carnival City’s Mardi Gras Theatre, on June 3. Loveline Madumo plays Santuzza; Linette van der Merwe is Lola; Lethokuhle Skosana is Turridu; Tracey Lee Booyens plays Mmama Lucia; and Sbani Mwelase is Alfio. They will be joined by the iJadu choir under Thami Zungu, a recent graduate of New York’s famed Juilliard School. The historic opera experience in Ekurhuleni is expected to increase the City’s creative economy and establish it as a significant opera and classical production hub. It is directed by Bongani Vilakazi, who most recently directed Carmen by Bizet. One of the most well-known operas in the world, performed in major opera houses around the…

Event-driven investing is on the rise, with many opportunities displaying a capacity to secure returns for investors willing to look at the potential upside of a peculiar set of circumstances. The special situations could include global conflicts, war, pandemics and other unforeseen disasters that could result in arbitrage or capital gain returns. Distressed and special situations have presented themselves far more frequently over the past decade than they have in the past 30 years. The past five years alone have included devastating wildfires in Australia and California, a global pandemic, a close call with a coup in South Africa, extreme flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The crises are certainly occurring more frequently, and have almost become the new norm, presenting investors with more special…

DESPITE the rising unemployment rate in Gauteng, Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office is failing to meet its job creation targets as set out in the Growing Gauteng Together 2030 policy document. As part of the Township Economy Revitalisation plan, 80 000 jobs were meant to be created through the infill residential and commercial development programmes. Only 14 have been created. Furthermore, 20 000 jobs were meant to be created through the Township Retail Programme; however, only 7 504 jobs have been. The programme supports SMMEs in the township economy in ICT, backyard real estate upgrading, manufacturing, retail and the taxi economy. Failure to meet the targets is worrying, as Gauteng’s unemployment rate has been made worse by the latest round of load shedding, that does not inspire investor confidence. The DA…

Justice is not just, or fair, when it is selective and only applied to certain individuals or groups. Similarly, doing the right thing cannot be regarded as moral when it only serves select interests. This was the reasoning behind the ANC’s call for South Africa to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ethically, it would be the correct decision, and South Africa would do well to demand more consistency from the court. The government once again finds itself at odds with the ICC and the international community after a warrant was issued for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Putin, who is expected to attend the BRICS SA summit in August this year, is accused of war crimes including the deportation of children. In 2015, South…

Mamelodi Sundowns are the most feared team of the four semi-finalists in the Champions League, if the remarks of CR Belouizdad coach Nabil Kouki are anything to go by. Speaking at Saturday’s post-match media conference, Tunisia-born Kouki said he marvelled the excellence of Sundowns, who defeated the visiting Algerians 2-1 in the second leg of their quarter-final clash at Loftus Versfeld. A week ago, Kouki saw his Belouizdad charges taken to the cleaners in their Algiers backyard where they suffered a demoralising 4-1 thumping. Speaking through an interpreter, Kouki said: “Sundowns are the strongest team in Africa right now. “Around the world all the coaches can see that Mamelodi Sundowns are on a higher level in Africa. The other teams are not equal.” It was wonderful praise from someone who…

INDUSTRIALS Reit (real estate investment trust) the owner of multi-let industrial parks in the UK, saw 4.8% growth in passing rents buoyed by strong tenant demand, the London- and JSE-listed group said in its fourth-quarter trading statement on Friday. The group recently received a 168 pence (almost R38.60) cash all-share offer from Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset management firm with $975 billion (R17.8 trillion) of assets under management. The offer is still subject to shareholder approval. The share price closed at R37.70 on the JSE on Friday, and was 167p on the London Stock Exchange in the morning, with the premium between the Blackstone offer and the share price narrowing sharply this month after the offer was received. CEO Paul Arenson said that from January 1…

The contest for the election of the new mayor of Joburg is heating up, as some ANC councillors have threatened to pull out of the voting process should the provincial leadership of the party endorse an Al Jama-ah councillor for the position. The Star understands that a number of councillors wanted the ANC chairperson in the region to become the next mayor of the City of Joburg. They had expressed a loss of faith in the EFF-ANC deal to appoint mayors from minority parties. This comes after the Patriotic Alliance, which is part of the ANC coalition in Joburg, campaigned for the resignation of minority mayor Thapelo Amad. The group of councillors who are against the election of Kabelo Gwamanda of Al Jamah-ah as mayor demanded a meeting with the…

The South African government has warned the public against fake compensation fund agents inviting former mine workers to be assisted with compensation fund applications. The government said it noted with concern a misleading poster circulating on social media platforms bearing the face of leader and self-proclaimed prophet of the Incredible Happenings Church, Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng, inviting all former mine workers and their families to be assisted with compensation fund applications and also informing those who had applied of their application status. “The government distances itself from this event (planned for May 1, 2023 at Maluti TVET College) and considers this a scam by conmen who want to take advantage of and enrich themselves out of the plight of former mineworkers (and their dependants) who might have contracted TB, silicosis and…

The community of Balfour Park in Johannesburg has helped unite a homeless man, who had been living on the streets for 22 years, with his family in Tzaneen. The Star understands that 45-year-old Hakani Ndlovu arrived in Johannesburg in 2001 in search of employment, but things did not go as expected. Ndlovu struggled in the “concrete jungle” and eventually had to live in shanties near Balfour Park. Ndlovu was forced to move because he was frequently harassed by law enforcement. He begged for money and worked odd jobs wherever he could. A handful of people from the neighbourhood noticed that Ndlovu could communicate and could explain how he got to be living on the streets. They then co-ordinated Ndlovu’s assistance with their local councillor, Belinda Echeozonjoku, who aided…

MAJOR changes have been made to the Miss SA pageant, as married women and those with children will be permitted to enter for the first time this year. In addition, applicants must be at least 20 years old and under 30, as of August 13 this year. This means that an applicant can turn 30 within their year of reign (starting August 2023). Entries for the coveted title opened on April 28 and will close on Friday. Stephanie Weil, CEO of the Miss South Africa Organisation, said: “This year we have pushed more boundaries than ever before, and we are delighted to welcome all women who are ready to step onto our leadership platform and be the next ambassador for South Africa.” This year’s competition will also feature what is…

WE DON’T need a government anymore; we can let the ANC continue to rule from the national executive committee or any other little gathering of card-carrying, branded clowns in ANC apparel. They think they rule South Africa. Did you hear ANC El Presidente Cyril Ramaphosa (he is not my president of RSA) make the proclamation that the NEC had decided to pull out of the International Criminal Court? It was not “the government” or Parliament that decided that; it was the ruling party. Stuff it being a national decision. We are, de facto, a one-party dictatorship. Some random ANC committee in KZN has apparently fired the company that was running the school feeding scheme in KZN. It was not supplying the food, and if it did, it was past its…

Children across the vast expanse of rural Africa hoe, dig, plant, carry, tend livestock, cook, scrub, care for their siblings and undertake many other farm and domestic tasks. Most of their work is on the farms of parents or relatives, and in most rural communities, learning to work is a normal part of growing up. We examined a number of dimensions of children’s work in African agriculture in papers published in 2020 and 2022. It is certainly the case that some children are harmed by the work they do, and others may be forced to work, exploited or trafficked. Yet, based on this and other work informed by extensive literature review and initial research, children who are harmed by working represent a minority of working children. And critically, neither their…

Global miner Glencore said on Friday its proposal for Teck Resources still stands, following Canada’s largest diversified miner withdrawing its separation proposal. Teck unanimously rejected Glencore's $23 billion (R420.55bn) bid for it and said the offer was an unsolicited and opportunistic acquisition proposal from Glencore. Teck instead said it wants to continue with its own plan to split into a coal company and a metals business. On Wednesday, Teck withdrew its separation proposal hours before shareholders were scheduled to vote on it. Teck Resources chief executive Jonathan Price said: “We received very strong support from shareholders for the goal of separation, which is to unlock value through the creation of a premier, pure-play base metals company and a world-class steel-making coal company. We have also listened and heard the…

The Gauteng and Limpopo governments are discussing the construction of a railway line linking the two provinces to alleviate traffic congestion. The two premiers met last week in Johannesburg to discuss the idea. They want to link the two provinces through a “new, faster and more efficient rail network”. This follows remarks made by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi in his maiden State of the Province Address in February to start the process. The rail network is meant to transport commodities for regional and domestic markets as well as people. The duo said a joint technical team of senior officials from the two provinces and the Gautrain Management Agency would meet regularly to discuss the modalities of the project. They said financial institutions had already shown interest in funding the project.…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has drawn public ire following an EFF statement accusing him of blame shifting with regard to decisions related to the funding of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in the province. In his February State of the Province Address, Lesufi announced that the funding model for NPOs would be reviewed, questioning the efficient use of the R2.3 billion allocated to the sector. Following this directive, the Gauteng Department of Social Development announced a budget reprioritisation. The decision faced fierce criticism from the NPO sector and opposition parties. Lesufi is accused of later distancing himself from the decision, claiming that there was a misunderstanding between himself, the MEC and the department. However, the EFF and the NPO sector issued a statement accusing him of inconsistency. Condemning Lesufi’s actions, the…

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has at last got a new head. Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has appointed Dr Magome Masike as the new registrar/CEO. Masike assumes his new role with effect from today. Masike takes over the reins from Dr Thabo Pinkoane, who led the organisation in an acting capacity for the past eight months while the appointment process for the registrar position was under way. Masike is well known in the medical industry, as he was a MEC for Health in the North West province from 2010 to 2018. The HPCSA said his achievements as a leader in health care included his leading role in the amalgamation of Tshepong and Klerksdorp public hospitals. He holds an MBChB and…

President Cyril Ramaphosa thought he had found the answer to the energy crisis. He would appoint a man to be in charge of electricity. Three would be better than two, he thought. They could share the workload. Along came Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, shining his bright torch into the dark, hidden corners of Eskom. In the first few weeks he was active, like a new broom, visiting power stations to find out what was going on behind the scenes. But some Eskom staff didn’t like the new boss snooping around. This was the least of Ramokgopa’s worries. Besides having to prove that he was the man who could solve the energy crisis, he had to contend with two other ministers whose portfolio also included Eskom – Minister of Public Enterprises…

Setting up a restaurant or takeaway outlet is not as easy as some people think. It’s expensive to own and run the businesses as electricity and gas costs escalate at an alarming rate, never mind the power outages and the additional cost of diesel to run some generators, for those who are fortunate enough to own one. Many would-be patrons are no longer going out at night as the fear of criminality, potholes and dark streets engulf them. Psyches have been depleted as business closures escalate, allowing joblessness and resultant misery to surge. Take some time and think about the long hours, massive overheads, escalating prices of raw products, and the staff. Spare a thought for all those who work in the restaurant and hospitality industry. They are deserving…

Popular and academic literature is replete with examples of how to cope with daily stresses. Mental health professions have also long researched and implemented strategies to deal with burnout from workplace stressors. Resilience is a relatively new area of study in the health sector, and is explained as the ability of an individual to withstand and recover from adversity using their inner strength, optimism, and by being flexible and competent. Everyday resilience is important to ensure health workers can cope with daily stressors, and take action to change their circumstances when they are confronted with challenges. At a health system level, everyday resilience means that health workers can deal with the systemic challenges in their work environment. We draw on research around resilience in the health sector to highlight why…