Inhoudsopgave van 2023-10-24 - Star

ELECTRICITY Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has remained cautiously optimistic about the green shoots in resolving the energy crisis, but partial load losses still remained very high. Ramokgopa yesterday said the country was beginning to turn the corner in dealing with the crippling power cuts after suspending load shedding the entire weekend due to improved performance of Eskom’s generating fleet. Eskom is also planning to implement only stage 1 load shedding during the week between 4pm and 5am as breakdowns were at 13 559MW, and 4 765MW capacity was on planned maintenance on Sunday, while evening peak demand was forecast at 25 054MW. “We have turned the corner, although we are not out of the woods yet,” Ramokgopa said. “We are beginning to show sustained improved performance…

NIGERIA yesterday hailed a landmark victory after it won its bid to overturn an $11 billion (R209bn) damages bill for a collapsed gas project, in a case a judge at London’s High Court said exemplified the ravages of greed and corruption. Nigeria had previously been ordered to pay the sum – representing a third of its foreign exchange reserves – to Process & Industrial Developments, a company based in the British Virgin Islands. But Judge Robin Knowles found that P&ID had paid bribes to a Nigerian oil ministry official in connection with the gas contract signed in 2010, and had failed to disclose this when it later took Nigeria to arbitration over the collapse of the deal. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described the judgment as a blow against economic malpractice…

DATATEC, saddled by a 57% rise in net debt to $174.8 million (R3.3 billion), has raised revenues and gross profit for the half year to end August 2023 by 15% and 23.7%, respectively, but is skipping paying a dividend for the period under review as it gears up for a robust second-half performance. Despite solidly declaring that “all divisions are expecting improved performance” for the full year to February 2024, Datatec said “no interim dividend is declared” for the half-year period to the end of August. This was despite the company registering $2.7bn in half-year revenues that yielded a gross profit of $417.9m, which was 23.7% up on the prior year. The higher revenue outturn for the period came on the back of stronger demand for the company’s…

THE NATIONAL Consumer Commission (NCC) said in a statement yesterday that South African consumers could now file their complaints online using the e-Service portal. The NCC is rolling out its first phase of the digitised complaint handling process. The https://eservice.thencc.org.za portal is live and is replacing the manual complaint form. The Acting National Consumer Com- missioner, Thezi Mabuza, said consumers often complained about the manual pro- cess when they file complaints with the NCC. Consumer registration is verified through the Department of Home Affairs and consumers were urged to use correct names and ID numbers. To create a profile online you need an ID/passport number, email address and mobile number. Go to www.thencc.org.za/complaints or select the e-Service & OORs tab on the home page and the page will…

Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, has identified a scam campaign exploiting the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Yesterday, it warned in a statement that attackers were attempting to capitalise on people’s willingness to aid those impacted by deceiving potential victims into making donations, ultimately leading to the theft of their money. “To date, cybercriminals have disseminated more than 500 scam emails, and created fraudulent websites to expedite the money transfer process. Kaspersky urges users to remain vigilant and take proactive steps to verify the recipients of their donations,” it said. Kaspersky said fake charity scams frequently occurred, often exploiting real disasters or emergencies. Regrettably, the Israeli-Hamas conflict was not different. Kaspersky said its experts had observed a surge in scam emails written in English, falsely seeking donations for those affected…

THE NUMBER of home loan applications fell significantly in the third quarter year-on-year, due to lower demand for property, as buyers struggled against weakening economic conditions, higher costs of living and increased interest rates. The volume of home loan applications recorded in the third quarter by ooba Home Loans declined by 25% year-on-year, and down by 28% from the third quarter of 2021, before the start of the rates-hiking cycle, ooba’s figures showed. However, lenders continued to ease access to home finance to further aid homebuyers in the more challenging market, the statistics showed. Subdued property price growth provided affordable opportunities for homebuyers to acquire property, and a continued upward trend in deposits, ooba said. “Despite the decision by the Reserve Bank to leave interest rates unchanged at the past…

STOCKS on the JSE opened the week with further weakening and remained firmly at an 11-month low as geopo- litical uncertainty over fears of escalation in the Middle East conflict continued to drive risk-off sentiment in the global markets. The JSE All Share Index opened 0.7% lower at 69 676 points yesterday morning before clawing back some gains to close at a subdued 70 100 points. Analysts said the domestic market was struggling to gain traction on the back of a potentially widening war in the Middle East and the possibility of higher interest rates for longer by the US Federal Reserve (Fed). Israel intensified its airstrikes in Gaza and raids in the occupied West Bank at the weekend in the battle against the Hamas military group while…

MacG is known for his outrageous conversations with everyone and anyone who visits his podcast but fans are divided by the over-share on his latest episode. Marking the 500th episode of Podcast and Chill, MacG invited none other than his mother to chill with him and with co-host Sol Phenduka. MacG shared: “The craziest thing a lot of people don’t know is that my mother wanted to abort me.” His mother responded: “I was young; remember I was 17 when I fell pregnant. I was so scared of my dad … he’s a very, very strict person. “I thought, he is going to beat me. I thought about abortion, but because I am scared of pain, I thought: ‘What if he’s my only child? What if I don’t have kids…

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane says the province is ready for the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC), which kicks off on October 30. Chiloane led an examination pledge-signing ceremony at the Ponelopele Secondary School in Kaalfontein on Monday morning, where he addressed learners on keeping a level head during the final examinations in spite of challenges of the past year, including poor performance in the preliminary exams. According to Chiloane, over 191 181 registered candidates will be writing at 1 015 registered examination centres across the province. Last year, there was a scandal in which some learners allegedly paid teachers R1 500 to join a WhatsApp group where answers were posted during the exams. The department has now launched a pledge for candidates to commit themselves to ethical conduct. The…

Human trafficking and kidnappings, are said to be on the rise in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces. This comes after the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) on Saturday rescued 27 illegal immigrants kept in a house in Edenvale. The latest incident comes after the police, acting on a tip-off, raided a house said to have been a hive of human trafficking activities, on Beyers Naudé Drive in Roosevelt Park, Johannesburg, a week earlier. During that operation, the police and members of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, known as the Hawks, uncovered that the house was used as a brothel where women from outside South Africa were being kept. Yesterday, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said members of the JMPD received information on Saturday about illegal immigrants being illegally kept…

Hundreds of thousands of individuals have marched in support of Palestinians across the globe, calling for an end to the Zionist apartheid Israeli bombing of Gaza. Progressive and freedom-loving people are using their power of speech for the voiceless indigenous people of the Holy Land, the Palestinians, saying they will not stand for Israel committing any acts of mass slaughter or genocide on Palestinian civilians. Western leaders unashamedly perpetuate biased narratives about the Palestinian struggle for liberation from the Zionist apartheid Israeli occupiers to sugar-coat the Israeli agenda. There is no uncertainty that Zionism is a settler colonial crusade committed on taking over the Palestinian land and replacing the original inhabitants and the ancient civilisation with Zionist Israeli chronicles. The heinous Israeli occupation and a plethora of human rights…

THE Life Esidimeni inquest will resume in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on Thursday, where SECTION27 will argue that former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, former director of the Mental Health Directorate, Dr Makgabo Manamela, and the owner of Precious Angels NGO should be charged with culpable homicide. This is for their alleged involvement in the tragic deaths of 141 mental healthcare users in 2016. The legal counsels who represent the families of the victims as well as the officials allegedly involved in their deaths, will present oral arguments over the next two weeks in the inquest before Judge Mmonoa Teffo. In terms of the Inquests Act, the judge must determine the cause of the deaths of the 141 mental healthcare users who died after they were moved from Life…

The end of the year is near and with it comes year-end fatigue. Fatigue is a persistent sense of exhaustion or weakness that might be physical, mental, or a mix of the two. As the year draws to a close, many workers may feel more tired than usual. This is due to the fact that a lot may have transpired over the year, as well as a pressure to churn as much work as possible in order to reach yearly objectives. So, what are the symptoms of this phenomenon? Counselling psychologist Leigh de Wet, who is based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, described the indicators as being either physical, emotional or cognitive. “The physical symptoms include exhaustion, waking up feeling as if you have not had a good night’s sleep. You might…

Suggestions that BI Phakathi, a social media philanthropist, was implicated in the R500 000 bribery incident involving three police officers have been rejected as fake news. But as it turns out, the accused is none other than well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist Malcolm X, who was placed under arrest after the State objected to bail during his initial court appearance on Monday in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court. This was confirmed by the NPA and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks) and SAPS in a joint statement. Johannesburg police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said that the suspects compounded their extortion with threats, leading to the complainant giving them R580 000 in cash. “The four, two members of the Silverton K9, a member of crime intelligence, and Malcolm X, are reported to…

The landscape of paediatric dental care in South Africa is poised for a significant transformation, marked by the launch of the nation’s first specialised Paediatric and Special Needs Dental Care Unit. The initiative – a result of the efforts of the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at UWC, the Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) and the Rotary Club – promises enhanced efficiency, a reduction in anxiety for young patients and a sharpened focus on providing dedicated oral health services to children, especially those with special health care needs. The project is funded with a capital expenditure of R1.2 million and draws support from various sources, including cash contributions from the Rotary Club of Bellville, Rotary Foundation and six other Rotary Clubs from the UK, USA and Canada.…

About 200 people in bright yellow T-shirts and garlands gathered for an awareness-raising walk in Green Point, ahead of World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day. The walkathon was organised by the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus South Africa (Asbah-SA), on Sunday. World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day is held on October 25. The Spinal Defects Clinic at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the spina bifida parent support group launched the non-profit organisation on October 2, 2014. Strandfontein parent Ridhaa Williams said a psychologist advised that they abort when they found out about daughter Haadiyah’s spina bifida condition. “We found out when my wife was four months pregnant and the first thing that was told to us was that we need to abort because there’s problems and…

TEXTAINER Group Holdings, the Bermuda-based global lessor of containers with a secondary listing on the JSE, is going private through a $2.1 billion (R40bn) buyout by investment firm Stonepeak that will pay shareholders 46% more than the share price on Friday. Textainer’s share price shot up 40% yesterday morning after the group said shareholders would receive $50 per share in cash. The share price traded at R926.90 on the JSE yesterday morning as shareholders closed the discount from the offer price. Stonepeak specialises in infrastructure and real assets. In its transport and logistics sector investments, the company invests “in support of businesses moving toward and benefiting from global thematic trends favouring more efficient and sustainable supply chains”. Textainer will delist and become a privately held company once the…

Markets rattled as one of country’s three deputy governors tenders resignation to president Political interference over the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) monetary policy stance is thought to be the reason for the shocking resignation of the bank’s deputy governor, Kuben Naidoo, just a month away from the final meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) for the year. News broke yesterday that Naidoo had tendered his resignation from the SARB to President Cyril Ramaphosa, just less than 18 months before the end of his second five-year contract. Naidoo is one of three deputy governors of the SARB and a member of the crucial five-member MPC, which oversees the interest rates in the country. The MPC has been split 3-2 over the past two recent meetings about the interest rates…

SASOL management expects that pricing and demand will remain volatile for its energy and chemical products through the rest of its year to June 30, 2024. Global market sentiment and petrochemical markets were uncertain, with the margin outlook for chemicals more muted than previously expected, the group said in a production and sales report released yesterday about its operations for the first quarter to September 30. Previous 2024 full-year production and sales volume guidance, however, remained intact for all regions. Sasol’s directors said the first quarter performance was impacted by global economic volatility, with volatile oil and petrochemical prices, unstable product demand and inflation pressures. In South Africa, the under-performance of State-owned enterprises continued to impact sales volumes, margins and resultant profitability. In the energy businesses, there had been a…

THERE was no shortage of excitement among most South Africans when it was announced that Amazon was gearing to have a physical presence in South Africa. Some, however, wondered what was fascinating about an entry of a company that already had some form of presence here. One could explain it by highlighting the fact that just about any non-South African brand (especially American) has a tendency to excite those who admire all things American. When Burger King came to these shores, it was a sensation. People waited in long queues to get the big burger, chips and fizzy drink. Starbucks almost had a similar effect. Who does not want to be seen carrying a white cup with a green goddess? There’s something about American brands that trigger excitement across the…

OPENAI has engaged in extensive discussions about the release of a tool designed to determine whether an image was created using Dall-E 3, OpenAI’s generative AI art model. However, the startup has not reached a decision on the matter, as the tool does not yet meet OpenAI’s quality standards. According to Sandhini Agarwal, an OpenAI researcher speaking to “TechCrunch”, the tool’s accuracy is promising, but still not at the desired level. Agarwal expressed concerns about releasing a potentially unreliable tool, as its decisions could significantly impact the perception of images, including whether they are considered authentic works of art or misleading forgeries. OpenAI’s target accuracy for the tool is exceptionally high, with Mira Murati, OpenAI’s chief technology officer, stating that the classifier is currently “99% reliable” at identify- ing unaltered…

CLUB MED, the luxury resort chain owned by Fosun, said yesterday that it had a record first half of 2023 in South Africa with a 76% increase in business volumes when compared to 2022. Globally in the first half of 2023, Club Med welcomed 766 000 customers to its close to 70 resorts worldwide – an increase of 28%. Business volumes for the company amounted to €1.06 billion (R21bn), an increase of 32%. It said in a statement yesterday that business volumes rose from South Africa driven by the appeal of the company’s key snow destinations namely in the European Alps, Mauritius and the continued growth of its resort in the Seychelles. The Maldives, Phuket and Bali were also on the rise when it came to bookings by travellers…

The EFF leader Julius Malema has called on the people of Hamas to fight for their freedom from the Israeli “apartheid” government to end the oppression of Palestinians. “When you are oppressed, the only option you have is to fight, and that is what Hamas is doing. They are fighting for their freedom,” he said. He said former president Nelson Mandela and other former prominent leaders did the same thing for the liberation of the people of South Africa during the apartheid era. He said there was nothing that the people of Palestine did but protect their rights. “What type of government do we have in Israel that goes and bombs a hospital where people, sick children, and pregnant women have been held?” he asked. Malema led a picket at…

THE R124 million road project officially launched by the City of Tshwane yesterday will see the expansion of Lynnwood Road to enable bus rapid transit (BRT) service to connect the metro to Mamelodi township. The project started in May, and it is envisaged to be completed over 18 months. Roads and Transport MMC Katlego Mathebe led a sod-turning ceremony for the construction to upgrade and expand the road. Mathebe remarked that the widening of the existing road in Lynnwood was a vital project intended to alleviate traffic congestion, improve road safety and enhance overall mobility throughout the city. The construction, she said, would link Lynnwood to Mamelodi and it would encompass the construction of a non-motorised transport access with a total of 12km. “Along the road we will also be…

MORE than 30 feature and short films profiling the lives and journeys of human rights defenders from across the globe, particularly from the Global South, were showcased during the Africa Human Rights Festival (AHRFF) in Cape Town. The three-day public film festival opened on Wednesday and concluded on Friday. The 2023 edition of the festival aimed to create awareness on the climate emergency in the Global South, where vulnerable front-line communities face the worst impacts of climate change. The overarching message through- out was that climate change was a human rights issue. Human rights and environmental activists and lobbyists and civil society, among others, were present at the screenings, which included a Q&A session with the directors. The festival was established in 2017 and began with a single film screening…

THE eight officers accused of assaulting a motorist on the side of the N1 in Johannesburg earlier this year, are back at work. South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed to IOL that the men had returned to work, but were office-bound. She said they would undergo the disciplinary process. “The SAPS can confirm that the members are back at work. In line with the SAPS disciplinary regulations, suspension is for 60 days; thereafter, the suspension is automatically lifted if the internal process is still under way,” she said. “The internal departmental investigation has been finalised, and the Divisional Commissioner for Protection Security Services has appointed functionaries to proceed with the disciplinary process,” Mathe said. Shadrack Molekatlane Kojana, Johannes Matome Mampuru, Pomso Joseph Mofokeng, Harmans Madumetja Ramokhonami, Phineas…

With so many misconceptions regarding cholesterol, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. “While it’s true that cholesterol management is essential for a healthy heart, it’s not as simple as avoiding all cholesterol-rich foods or relying solely on medication,” says Murray Hewlett, the CEO of Affinity Health. “It’s about understanding your risk factors, making smart lifestyle choices and working closely with your health-care provider to create a personalised plan for your health.” Myth 1: All cholesterol is bad Fact: Not all cholesterol is created equal. Cholesterol is often categorised as “good” (HDL cholesterol) or “bad” (LDL cholesterol). HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is good because it helps remove excess cholesterol from your bloodstream and transports it to your liver for disposal. On the other hand, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol…

Sevilla coach Diego Alonso said the visit of Arsenal in the Champions League today was an opportunity for his team and not an obstacle. The Andalusians drew their first two Champions League games against Lens and PSV Eindhoven, leaving them little leeway for further mistakes if they are to progress from Group B. Uruguayan coach Alonso replaced Jose Luis Mendilibar earlier in October with the team struggling both in LaLiga and in Europe. "What I think is that we have a great opportunity," Alonso said yesterday. "I'm optimistic, naturally - where many people see obstacles, I see an opportunity. (Tonight) we have a great opportunity to fight for the three points." Alonso's first game was a baptism of fire against Real Madrid on Saturday at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, which he…

CHEVRON is acquiring oil driller Hess in a $53 billion (R1 trillion) all-stock deal an- nounced yesterday. It’s the second major industry merger this month – last week ExxonMobil announced it would acquire shale driller Pioneer Natural Resources for $60bn. The deals signal that energy companies are betting on fossil fuels for the long haul even as policymakers are pressing the transition to cleaner energy options in the face of climate change. The consolidation also comes as the major energy players are flush with cash following the run-up in crude prices in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Febru- ary 2022. Oil prices have spiked more than 40% after the unprovoked attack, then mod- erated toward the end of 2022. But they have been trending upward more…

DIVERSIFIED miner South32 said yesterday that despite macroeconomic conditions creating headwinds for many commodities, its 2024 financial year production guidance remained unchanged across all operations. In its quarterly report released yesterday, South32 CEO Graham Kerr said: “We have maintained annual production guidance for all of our operations with a strong start to the year at our manganese operations, a 34% increase in production at Brazil Alumina and continued growth in low-carbon aluminium volumes.” The group reported that the Manganese ore production increased by 4%, with a quarterly record for South African manganese and a strong start to the year for Australian manganese. “Alumina production increased by 3%, as Brazil Alumina recovered from temporary port infrastructure outages, while Worsley Alumina completed planned calciner maintenance. “Hillside Aluminium continued to test its maximum…

EUROPEAN authorities have approved online luxury retailer Farfetch’s purchase of a stake in rival Yoox Net-A-Porter (YNAP) from Richemont in the last regulatory approval needed, Richemont, the owner of Cartier, said yesterday. Completion of the deal remains subject to “certain other conditions that Richemont and Farfetch are working towards fulfilling”, Richemont said, promising a further update “in due course”, without providing further detail. Under the terms of the deal unveiled in August 2022, Richemont would sell a stake of 47.5% in loss-making YNAP in exchange for more than 50 million Farfetch shares, and Farfetch could acquire the rest of YNAP through a put and call option arrangement. But the deal has been complicated by financial struggles at Farfetch, which has come under pressure as US retailers slash orders and more…

SHOPPING apps like Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, and Shein saw a notable uptake during the Covid-19 years, reaching more users than ever. Still, the global interest in using them hasn’t waned even three years after the lockdowns, pushing the entire market`s revenue and downloads to all-time highs. According to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io, shopping apps have grossed more than $100 billion (R1.9 trillion) and hit 4.6 billion downloads in the past five years. The past five years had seen a surge in mobile shopping, fuelled by the growing number of companies that embraced a mobile-centric approach. Shopping apps provide users with a unique shopping experience and bringing an extensive range of features, including daily or hourly deals, member rewards programs, buy-now-pay-later options, and curated shopping content, OnlyAccounts.io says. Shopping…

THERE’S been an increase in optimism in the commercial property market among brokers, most notably in the over-supplied office market, according to FNB’s Commercial Property Broker Survey for the third quarter released yesterday. “The survey shows an increase in optimism over the future direction of sales activity levels in all three major commercial property classes, compared with the previous quarter,” FNB’s Commercial Property Finance property strategist John Loos, said. He said the strongest expectation for near-term sales activity was in the office property survey component, a property class that has been the weakest performer in recent years. The FNB Commercial Property Broker Survey surveyed commercial property brokers in the six major metros of South Africa, namely, Joburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, eThekwini, City of Cape Town and Nelson Mandela Bay. “If FNB’s…

WITH REPORTS that China was closer to commercialising genetically modified (GM) maize and soybeans, South Africa is set to face increased competition, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) chief economist Wandile Sihlobo. Farmers and agribusinesses should also closely monitor the developments in the Asian nation, he said. South Africa is a net exporter of maize so China’s increased production of these crops could bring increased competition and downward pressure on prices in the medium term. Sihlobo said some of South Africa’s key maize export markets were South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam – all have proximity to China. “If China progressively increases production and becomes a consistent net exporter of maize, South Africa would have to explore markets elsewhere, which would be a challenge. “China has increasingly become a…

South African-born Indie pop band Beatenberg recently announced the release of their latest album. The three-man band known for hits such as Chelsea Blakemore, Beauty like a Tightened Bow and Rafael are living in London and are set to release their album in April 2024. Beatenberg are made up of Matthew Field (vocals and guitar), Robin Brink (drums), and Ross Dorkin (bass). This is their first release after a four-year hiatus. Starting out in 2012, the band has seen heaps of success in their music career. The latest album, The Great Fire of Beatenberg, is produced by Dorkin and Field from the band and mixed by Nathan Boddy (Mura Masa, PinkPantheress, Gabriels). It’s the London-based band’s most diverse and “genre agnostic” offering yet, melding far-flung rhythms and acoustic and electronic…

The Springboks’ Bongi Mbonambi could find himself sidelined for this weekend’s Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks after World Rugby confirmed they would be investigating an alleged racial slur uttered by the hooker at England player Tom Curry. There is no audio available of the alleged remark, but the game’s governing body said yesterday morning that it was taking the allegation “extremely seriously” and was undertaking an investigation. The Boks beat England 16-15 in the semi-final to progress to the final in Paris against their old foe, New Zealand. During the clash, Curry complained to referee Ben O’Keefe that Mbonambi had called him a “white c***”. Curry was heard in videos asking the ref: “Sir, Sir. If their hooker called me a white c***, what do I…

Parents in Soweto have voiced their concerns over the recent introduction of rotational learning at Noordgesig Secondary School. This interim arrangement is due to the shortage of space after the closure of asbestos classrooms due to safety and health protocols. It is reported that a Department of Labour report recently declared 13 asbestos classrooms unsafe for learning and teaching, which is why the school was forced to introduce rotational learning with Grade 12 learners the only cohort attending full-time classes. Speaking to The Star yesterday, Theo Louw, a father of a Grade 11 learner, said the system was inconveniencing their children. “Now our children are missing out on learning at this crucial time of the year.” Another parent said children were starting to misbehave and fall into the wrong company…

One of the five accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, said police officers assaulted, tortured, and tubed him with a plastic bag before he made an alleged confession regarding the former footballer’s October 2014 murder. Sibiya’s defence advocate, Thulani Mngomezulu, told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that his client had been severely assaulted by police, and the tubing was employed to force the confession. A trial-within-a-trial is under way to determine if alleged confessions made by Bongani Ntanzi and Sibiya were made freely and voluntarily. Sibiya made a confession to Lieutenant Colonel James Hadebe, on June 5, 2020. Ntanzi made a confession before Magistrate Vivienne Cronje on June 24, 2020. Advocate Mngomezulu said Sibiya was “assaulted and tortured, and due to the nature of the assault, he was…

The largest all-women voyage is set to embark on a transformative 19-day journey to Antarctica in November. With 188 women from 25 countries involved in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM), Homeward Bound’s groundbreaking initiative is a powerful stride towards global sustainability, empowering women to shape the future of our planet. Transcending boundaries and challenging stereotypes, the mission to Antarctica next month is spearheaded by Homeward Bound, a global leadership initiative. The diverse cohort of professionals is on a 19-day quest to foster global sustainability and empower women as leaders in shaping the future of our planet. Homeward Bound CEO Pamela Sutton-Legaud said: “Antarctica not only provides early warnings of climate change – it also represents the fragility of our natural world, and why we need to protect it.…

MANY commuters in Tshwane were left stranded yesterday as the majority of Tshwane Bus Service drivers reported for duty yesterday but, as expected by the municipality, refused to transport commuters. This despite a promise by MMC for Roads and Transport, Katlego Mathebe, on Sunday that operations for Tshwane Bus Service and A Re Yeng buses would resume on Monday. Mathebe said out of the 126 Tshwane Bus Service buses, 30 left the depots to ferry commuters to different destinations. However, she said the 20 Re Yeng buses were operating as anticipated. She said the behaviour by the Tshwane Bus Service drivers was despite a court interdict discouraging the continuation of an unlawful strike by any municipal employee. “This strike was declared illegal and unprotected. So, whoever is not working is…

IT’S all systems go for the Allied Steelrode On A Mission Charity Mile race day set to take place on Saturday at Turffontein Racecourse. 4Racing head of racing operations, Gabriel Soma, said the Allied Steelrode On A Mission Charity Mile race day is a testament to the horse-racing community’s commitment to making a meaningful impact. “This race day is not just about profits, but about giving back and driving change. We are proud to announce that this year a guaranteed 21 charities will benefit from this Charity Mile, courtesy of our partners Allied Steelrode. And we are absolutely thrilled to see the superstar line-up of thoroughbred horses that will entertain and thrill punters and racegoers.” Allied Steelrode CEO, Arun Chadha, said at the Barrier Draw: “This horse-racing event came as…

The court has heard how a witness in the 1989 murder of a teen political activist had fingered the accused as the shooter during a trial in the Durban High Court in 1990. Gugulethu Wesley “Matiri” Madonsela alleged by the State to have been affiliated with an A-Team that worked with the then Natal Security Branch, is charged with the alleged murder of political activist, Siphelele Nxumalo. Nxumalo, 17, was shot in Chesterville and died of multiple gunshot wounds. He was an activist with the United Democratic Front (UDF), which was affiliated to the ANC. Phumelele Miya, a witness, had been Nxumalo’s girlfriend when he was shot and killed. “In 1990 Mr Ngubeni was accused of killing Siphelele Nxumalo, and you were subpoenaed to come testify in the trial. In…

Many countries in Africa stand to reap more benefits from participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, further cementing relations between Africa and China. Speaking at the 3rd BRI forum, in Beijing, which marked the 10th anniversary of the BRI, President Xi Jinping announced that billions of dollars would be ploughed into the next phase of the BRI, confounding many critics who have suggested that the BRI and many of the global projects led by China might be faltering. China will embark on advanced high-standard opening in cross-border service trade and investment, providing expanded market access for digital and other products, as the country deepens reform in areas including state-owned enterprises, digital economy, intellectual property, and government procurement to bolster the BRI. Over the past decade, China has emerged as…